Page 172 of The Villainess Chose Naps Over Death Flags

The troops dispersed to search while Caspian walked toward where the dragon had fallen. His Matter Manipulation had done significant damage to the surrounding area—the ground was torn up, rocks and earth scattered everywhere.

But something else caught his attention.

A cave entrance, partially hidden behind fallen stones. And from within... a faint sound.

Caspian approached carefully, moving aside the debris with his powers.

Inside the cave was a nest.

Dragon eggs—or what remained of them. Most had been corrupted by the Blight, their shells black and cracked, clearly dead.

But in the corner, separate from the corrupted clutch, was a single egg that looked different.

Not a dragon egg.

It was smaller, about the size of a melon, with scales that shimmered frost-white and ice-blue. A Frost Serpent egg.

Caspian picked it up carefully. It was still warm. Still viable.

The serpent parents must have hidden it here, he thought. Probably killed by the corrupted dragons when they moved into the territory.

He tucked the egg carefully into his satchel, cushioning it with cloth.

Caroline would love this.

A sound from deeper in the cave made him pause.

Caspian moved forward cautiously and found another nest—this one clearly belonging to a griffin.

Two adult griffins lay dead nearby, their bodies torn and corrupted. They'd fought to defend their nest, but the Blight had taken them.

And in the nest, huddled and terrified, was a baby griffin.

It couldn't be more than a few weeks old. Its feathers were still downy, its lion's tail barely developed. It had the distinctive golden-brown plumage of its species, with a cream-colored chest.

When it saw Caspian, it shrieked—a tiny, fearful sound—and tried to make itself smaller.

"Easy," Caspian said quietly, crouching down. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The baby griffin trembled, its large eyes—golden, like an eagle's—fixed on him with terror.

Caspian slowly extended his hand. "Your parents fought bravely. But they're gone now. You're alone."

The griffin chick made a soft, mournful sound.

"But you don't have to stay alone," Caspian continued. "I know someone who would take very good care of you. Someone who has a habit of collecting orphaned creatures and giving them ridiculous names."

The baby griffin tilted its head, still scared but listening.

"She named a shadow wolf 'Shadow,'" Caspian said. "And a Dreamweaver 'Mochi.' Your name will probably be equally absurd. But you'll be loved. Protected. Safe."

He reached forward slowly and scooped up the baby griffin, cradling it carefully against his armored chest.

The chick struggled for a moment, then seemed to realize Caspian meant no harm. It settled against him with a tiny chirp, its body still trembling.

"There," Caspian said. "Caroline is going to absolutely melt when she sees you."

He carried the baby griffin out of the cave, one arm supporting its small body, the other hand resting on the satchel that held the Frost Serpent egg.