After the excitement of the display of magic, the days seemed to drag on, knowing that just weeks remained until the clutch joined the ranks of the younglings and would both unveil their status and receive their names, an exciting milestone for all young Kobolds. As the days pass, the first of the hatchlings reaches the end of his third year, the oldest and largest of them receiving the name Losq, a fight nearly breaking out between Elder Blonc wanting him for the defenders and Elder Tuli wanting him in the mines, both looking only at his bulk and strong back.
Ultimately when no decision can be reached the youngling was asked his opinion and neither were particularly pleased with his response. It seems young Losq's desires lean more towards the brewery, much to Elder Aldr's delight, someone big and strong is always handy to move the kegs. Unfortunately, none of them truly seeing his thoughtful nature and careful hand, though eventually he'll show them he's more than his size.
The days come and go, and more and more of the clutch reach the end of their third year, Plk and Itr and Beys and Qot and Ujr and Wlde and many more are named and begin their days traveling between their new apprenticeships and the brood chamber, their status' for the most part as expected in the high single digits to low double, until just a single hatchling remains, weeks separates her from her siblings and that time is marked with frustration and anxious waiting.
One morning when the cave sits empty save for a single hatchling wandering the hall, looking for someone to speak with or even just a tail to grasp and run away while the startled minder turns, spotting her favorite target the still quite little Kobold, at only 70cm, she is expected to be near fully grown but still a bit further to go over the next few years, creeps behind Korse, only herself to be surprised as he turns and scoops her into a hug.
"I've been waiting for you little one, I expected your little tug on my tail much sooner to tell the truth. I know being the last must weigh on you, but that is simply the way of life, we cannot bid the sun rise and set faster to suit our whims, even if we never see it here beneath the mountain." Korse gives her a grin, "you'd either like or despise the sun, most of us spend our lives within the earth so we never take to it too well, but you've always been a bit different, and the warm radiance of it all does feel quite pleasant on the scales."
"Now, why don't I tell you a story and let you in on a secret that everyone knows but hasn't put word to yet, at least not where your curious little ears could hear." Korse plants her down on his bench next to him and pats her head, rubbing that pleasing place right above the ear membranes. He opens a book, something the young Kobold has rarely gotten to interact with as they are quite rare, not keeping well in the caves. "This here is my personal journal; I traded with the humans above for it many years ago when I started my role as Elder and took charge of all the hatcheries." Looking to the hatchling, he would not get to call her that for much longer, his smile both proud and sad, as ending one chapter in life can somehow be both at the same time.
"Do you know why I still work at one of the hatcheries even though I am in charge of them all?"
"Nope... uhm... maybe? Experience? Lots of the thing’s adults do is cause experience." muses the still too smart for her age little one.
"Exactly right! Well done. Well another perk of my class is somewhat special, each year I may designate a single one of the hatchlings as long as I have taken a significant part in their raising, I give them a special Title and it gives them a little boost, a title, that gives a few ability points and helps your growth a little and in return I gain a little bit of experience as they grow and succeed in life, but it has risks, if they fail to grow themselves, or die before their time, then I get penalized." Korse gives a slightly dour look at that thought, remembering the times he's lost his chosen youths over the years. "It mostly only applies to the years between now and your class being unveiled, with the biggest boost for me based on how good a class you get."
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
The young kobold tilts her head, "why tell me?"
"First a quick story, then we'll answer just that." Korse shakes his head, he should have anticipated that response. "I Ascended to the 4th tier and became a Master Broodkeeper 9 years ago, the same year I became an elder, as my predecessor was just waiting for me to Ascend before he retired, I chose my first [Pick of the Litter], this is apparently a term the surface dwellers use to mean the best out of a group of young creatures, and named them after myself, this youngling was Kora, you're very much like Kora, could never keep her where she was supposed to be either, she has since gone on to be one of Elder Bolst's best trappers and was the one who made the last lock on your door, the one that trapped a minder in the chamber for a few hours, and I very much hope she gets to teach you. Next came Korb, strong and fast, he quickly learned the spear after he apprenticed with Elder Blonc, but unfortunately he passed just before he came of age when goblins raided an outer guard post... damned smelly gobbos." Anger and bitterness evident in his voice and snarling face as he nearly spits the last.
"Then came Korc, don't mention him in front of Chief Ortik, he's still around but an unfortunate incident with the humans lead to a misunderstanding, they told the chief to 'put a cork in it' apparently another of their odd sayings, and it was taken to mean something particularly obscene... He had placed a particularly nasty curse upon the offending human before things were settled, it nearly came to open conflict..." Korse can't help but laugh as he tells the particular story, "Korc remains a valuable member of the clan working on one of the outer moss farms, but the chieftain's mood always sours considerably whenever he sees or hears of him."
"Then came Kord, he left the clan after the last great gatherings, like some of the young do, to bond with a pretty young Galetalon, I hear they're doing quite well in one of the lesser clans, but news is hard to come by. Next you met Kore just a few weeks past, he is a promising young mage, one of the best since Ylst herself. The sixth is an unfortunate story and left me quite affected when you yourself were hatched. It took me nearly a full year to recover the experience and levels I lost, Korf loved to dig, just days after his naming and his starting work with Elder Tuli, he decided to expand his alcove within the brood chamber... weakening the support for not just his den, but those adjacent to it, late in the night while his siblings slept. 3 promising young Kobolds lost in a single poor choice... He'd be gaining his class today if he were still here..."
A somber mood fell over both Kobolds, pained expressions on Korse's face. They weren't supposed to get attached to the hatchlings, things happened and the Culling was cruel, but he could never really help it, Kobolds never knew which hatchling was whose, as all the eggs were raised in the same hatcheries, but he always considered his [Pick of the Litter]s his children.
"The next two are still here, in their brood chambers, you've probably met them on your little wanders about the place", sighing as he remembers the futility of his actions, it wasn't until Kora herself got involved that they managed to produce a locking mechanism that could keep her in, and by then it was pointless as it was too complicated for most of the minders to operate too. "Korg, not the best name for a young lady I will admit... But I had started a tradition, and it didn't feel right to stop. She's apprenticing with the Matrons, a lovely voice for the choir and quite the memory for the lessons and stories. There is some contention over the last remaining of my children, Korh some say his name should be pronounced kor-he while others that it should be like Kore's name, I'm getting a bit of pressure to change it upon his coming of age, the top suggestion is Khao, many of the others don't know much about the surface, but I'm aware of a farm animal of a similar name and I'm afraid if he ever becomes a trader as he wishes that the surface dwellers will 'Moo', the sound that particular beast makes, at him" a grimace on his muzzle and somewhat embarrassed look in his eyes as he attempts to make the sound.
"And now that takes us to today, can you guess what I'm going to say next based on what I've just said?"
"Hmmm... you always pick a hatchling helping their growth and your own, and name them after yourself with the next letter in the alphabet after their name, but all of the clutch has been named and there aren't any kors yet... "
"You're choosing me? Wait, my name is going to be Kori? I'm Kori! I'M KORI!!!!"
The hatchling jumps down and dances about, nearly roaring her name and laughing, the wide smile on her muzzle and glee in her eyes infectious as Korse can't help but laugh and join in.