The Orphan Hatchery

It's always quite sad when an orphan is brought in. More often than not they are injured in some way, whether it be a deep gash, a broken leg or a crack in the egg shell. These injuries can threaten their lives. We do our best to heal them so they can live good lives, but I know you can't save everyone.
A shell crack, depending on the depth, can be a minor problem or a life threatening situation. If it is serious, the infant inside could be at risk of death, forcing us Eledhrim to take drastic action to ensure the infant's injuries are tended to and the crack sealed. We have developed a special paste that hardens once applied to the shell. It completely seals the crack, guarding the infant from further harm. Once that is done, the egg is watched carefully to ensure that the infant is developing correctly. If it appears that there might be complications, the egg will not be adoptable until it is determined what kind of special care it may need post-hatching. If care will be extensive and it will clearly need to be with a flight associated with Riders, it will be adopted by a family who has at least one other Rider in it so that the infant will have proper support from both it's Eledhrim partner and the family they are with.
Hatchlings, that is Drakie-kin between the ages of fresh out of the egg to about the age of three years, they are a different matter. An injured Hatchling brought to us poses a wide viraty of problems. Firstly, they let out distress screams which are deafening. We wear ear protection when handling them and pray that an adult who wouldn't mind eating an injured Hatchling didn't follow. The Drakie nurses who assist us would then have to fight them off. Broken bones are a pain to set, especially delicate small wings. Gashes are difficult to stitch since a Drakie's hide is extremely thick. Cleaning debris from eyes is a challenge and everything we do can risk us being bitten by the baby. Even young ones are strong and their teeth can easily take off fingers, even hands. This forces us to tie their mouths shut, in order to protect ourselves. The babies don't understand that we're trying to help them; they're scared, injured and separated from their parents, very likely new orphans.

Purpose / Function

To house and protect orphaned Drakie eggs and Hatchlings until they are old enough to fend for themselves or are adopted by an Eledhrim who wishes to become a Rider.

Design

It is a very large room, large enough for adult Drakie of many breeds to fit. The room is rounded and vaulted, made of softly colored brown stones. The ground itself is dirt.

Entries

There are windows near the ceiling which allow for ventilation, as do the small holes dotting the walls. There are three main entrances, one that leads from a courtyard which is the primary entrance for the Eledhrim, a large one on the west wall for the Drakie and then a blocked off entrance for the Leviathans so that the Hatchlings don't drown.

Sensory & Appearance

It is quite well lit in the day, dark at night. A comfortable temperature for all of the Hatchlings and eggs who are protected. Scratching sounds from eggs about to hatch can be heard softly around as well as the various squeals of the Hatchlings exploring their surroundings.

Denizens

Orphaned eggs and Hatchlings too young to fend for themselves. And live prey, small enough for the older ones to practice hunting.

Contents & Furnishings

Drakie toys. These can be small rocks, balls, sticks and lots of valueless shiny objects because even little Drakie love shiny objects.

Valuables

Occasionally coins, small gems or jewerly can be found, usually stolen from the Eledhrim who work in the Hatchery. They also tend to be reclaimed by their owners.

Hazards & Traps

Beyond the adult Drakie that keep an eye on the orphans, loads of magic traps are in place for intruders. They are non-lethal as young Eledhrim are known to sneak in without permission and no one wants the death of a curious child on their hands. Actual threats are killed by the adult Drakie.

Worth The Risk
I have watched hundreds of eggs and Hatchlings pass though our care. Some have grown and left to be on their own, joining wild Flights while others are adopted by Eledhrim, becoming partners with them. Knowing that these helpless babies have been healed and have a chance at full lives is a wonderful feeling. I've seen those partnerships grow, it's amazing. Saving their lives, healing their wounds and illness, it's worth the burns, bites and bruises. It's worth the risk.

Type

Room, Medical, Nursery