Chapter 32
Chapter thirty-two
The Only Proper Way to Hatch-Mother
by our trusted correspondent, Scaleheart
You must have heard by now, savvy reader, that house F— had a hatchling run away. I now bring you the latest development.
The servants of house F— report that the search for the hatchling has been quietly called off. Mr. F— has declared it feral.
This is, without a doubt, an utterly un-neighborly like thing to do.
Though the danger at present is small, the dragon will grow.
In a few years, it will be a true threat to the countryside, and a hunt will be called to bring the beast down.
In the meantime, it will menace the local livestock and people.
Honryshire won’t soon forget their own feral hatchling from twelve years ago, which at final count killed seventeen sheep, two horses, four cattle, and two people (as well as countless wild animals) before being taken care of.
That is what the countryside around nest F— now looks forward to.
This would all have been solved with proper hatch-mothering. The strict hatch-mothering style leads to hatchlings running away. No — only one philosophy of hatch-mothering produces successful dragons: gentleness.
This is how I mother at my nest. I am firm when needed, but always loving.
These little ones need mercy and kindness far more than they need discipline (that must come later, when their fire is igniting).
But even that discipline is made so much easier if the hatchlings trust and love their hatch-mother.
You must feed them often (small animals, fish, and vegetables do well for the little ones), more frequently than they even ask for food.
You must cuddle and coddle them, and make them feel like they have a safe home.
This not only produces gentle hatchlings, but well attached adult dragons who are secure in their nest site.
There are many dragons who are tetchy even at home, and it is because they were not hatch-mothered gently.
You must give the little dragons a home which they love, and then they will never stray from it.
When they are grown, they will be calm and assured at their nest.
If only all the hatch-mothers would realize this! A harsh hatch-mother is only creating more work for her sons.