hc. eliksni biology pt. ii
Eliksni that have undergone the change are regarded with care and
given respect. It is they who will continue their species, their House.
Unfortunately, the adaptation isn’t full proof. This means that not every
clutch will be a success and roughly half, if not more than half, of the
eggs laid by a mutated parent may not hatch. Those that do also have
the chance of dying before they reach one week old.
Eggs from Eliksni that have not undergone the change will produce
more successful clutches with the vast majority surviving to adulthood.
This sometimes causes the mutated parents to become jealous.
If two mutated parents couple and both lay a clutch of four eggs, the
likely hood that more than three of their combined offspring surviving is
very slim. Two of Elik’s warriors have already laid their first clutch and
only one out of the six eggs they produced together lived. Four were
stillborn and one died shortly after reaching three weeks old. Even
when bred with a non mutated Eliksni mate, the survival rate is not
much higher.
In theory, a mutated Eliksni could fertilize its own eggs. The only
issue with that is, once laid, they will die within days and not hatch.
Only one such attempt has been made and the parent was so
overcome with grief, they could no longer serve as an active hunter.
For parents that are ready to lay eggs, an older female will act as
the House’s matron. She soothes, comforts, and aids the parents as
their eggs are laid. Once that particular Eliksni has recovered, they
will return to their active duties while the matron cares for each clutch
with the help of other elder females.Some males will lend a hand or
two if there is a need and usually end up as guards for the nesting
chambers at some point in their lives as Dregs and or Vandals.
