The Start of the End pt1

Rue clutched the egg to her chest. It was on the verge of hatching and Nepo had forced her to go to Dane's office, claiming he'd check with Dane after work.

She pursued her lips. She hadn’t expected to keep this egg, but Nepo had caught her hiding it and she’d had to come up with an excuse on the spot. He even went so far as to inform anyone he worked for that he’d be taking a couple months off. So home has felt so smothering with him there.

She was fully capable of taking care of an egg. She smirked for a second, remembering the first one. It was so plain. She’d wanted an amazing, outstanding child. But unfortunately, this one was no different. The light yellow egg covered in the darkest spots fit snugly in her two clawed paws. It even seemed a tad smaller than the first one had been. Bah! Pathetic.

Rue’s claws clicked on the walkway to Dane’s clinic’s front door. It was open, a welcoming air greeting her as she crossed the floor. She started towards the front desk before spotting Dane off to the side and making a beeline for him instead.

She shoved her egg in his face. “It’s about to hatch.” She demanded as if he was supposed to fix it.

Dane’s red eyes glinted as he stared down at the lucky nyulop shoving an egg past his papers. He knew these types. Wanting everything and anything and never truly knowing what they need. He glanced at the egg, and sure enough the cracks were already spread across the whole egg. Though… It worried him that the egg wasn’t moving. Not even a little jiggle.

Afraid that something might be seriously wrong with the unhatched child, he gently took the egg from the lop and turned to an examination room, assuming the parent would naturally follow. When he realized they hadn’t, he turned again to call them over. But the egg had started wiggling. Huh.

He looked to the uncaring lop again, before proceeding to the room. He closed the door and went to place the egg on a pre-made nest for situations like this.

Before he knew it, the baby lop’s paws broke free of the shell flailing weakly. Dane reached and held a paw, the tiny little fingers clutching at him. The bab’s back feet thumped loudly against the egg, and cracks splintered across before exploding onto the floor. He smiled, how cute.

He picked the child up, carefully examining him. He frowned. Their fur… It was almost white, and lifting an eyelid, he saw unfocused, light pink eyes with a darker pink pupil. Their horns seemed familiar, but overly pale. And when they yawned, the tongue too, was pale. Ah. Albinism… Dane had been seeing a lot of that recently…

After a quick check up, he deduced that the child was healthy albeit a little weak. They had thin skin, so he was thankful they had such thick fur. But other than that, nothing else stood out. He nestled the child close to his chest as he walked out the room to give the child back to their guardian.

One quick glance and he found the nyulop tugging leaves off of one of his indoor plants. Frowning, he approached them.

“Excuse me… Miss?” His voice carried the weight of what he didn’t say. Stop destroying my plants.

Rue turned her dark blue eyes onto the Doctor. Most would see them as lovely, the deep color almost like a clear twilight sky. But that’s not what he saw. Dane’s fur prickled. It seemed more like a cold, dark ocean, vast and empty.

“What. …” She glanced at the little lop clutching at the Doctor’s mane. She squinted. He cleared his throat and gently handed her the child. “Be careful…”

She didn’t so much mind his words as she clutched the child in her claws. They weighed practically nothing. Taking a closer look at the fur, Rue tilted her head. “It’s white???” Before Dane could correct her, the child blinked up at Rue and immediately started sniffling.

Rue gasped, a smile spreading across her face.

“Now, I need to..” Dane never got to finish his sentence. Rue had already rushed out into the bright sunlight, haphazardly holding the child to her fur. The last thing he heard was the door softly clicking back into place, blocking the sound of the now crying child.