The ground split open. Tiago tumbled from the rocky nest, clutching his tiny brother and the speckled egg tight against his chest. Rocks rumbled and dust billowed. The world shook beneath him.
Tiago landed in a soft tangle of damp fern fronds. The egg wobbled dangerously on his belly. He curled his tail around it and pressed his little body over both of them. Slowly, the shaking stopped.
A giant leaf sheltered them from the warm rain. Tiago rested his chin on his brother's head. The droplets drummed a steady rhythm on the green canopy overhead, and he thought: we are okay. We are safe.
"Are you still here?" his brother whispered. Tiago hummed a low purr. The vibration rumbled through his ice-blue scales and traveled deep into the eggshell between them.
A tall amber-scaled dino stepped through the ferns. Her nose twitched. She spotted the three huddled together and her amber eyes softened.
She nudged forward slowly. Her rough tongue pressed gently against Tiago's forehead. Behind her, two more dino shapes emerged from the green. The family settled close, forming a warm wall against the cooling valley air.
A sharp crack split the quiet. The speckled egg split down the middle. Something moved inside.
A tiny head with big shiny eyes pushed through. The new dino family gasped in unison, their low chirps of surprise echoing through the ferns.
Tiago's brother reached a small hand toward the newest hatchling. The little one blinked up at him, then let out a soft peep.
Tiago curled up against his brother, the new hatchling, and the amber-scaled mother. Their combined warmth sank into the damp fern floor.
The valley was still. No more shaking. No more falling. Just the soft breathing of a family that found each other.
Tiago closed his eyes. The earth was quiet. His brother slept against him. The hatchling nestled into the warmth. He thought: this is home.