Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

After carefully cleaning the newborn and gently placing it beside Seol, she began licking its face despite her exhaustion.

Although I had already wiped the newborn clean, it was only natural for the mother to lick its snout and face to remove any remaining amniotic fluid or birthing membrane. It was an instinctive act, after all.

‘Whoa! She’s taking care of the baby herself!’

That moment made me realize something crucial—unlike most lizards that become independent immediately after birth, Seol and Bini were a species that cared for their offspring. This was similar to Girdle-Tailed Armadillo Lizards, which live in family groups in rock crevices, or Solomon Islands Skinks, which care for their young for six months to a year.

It made sense. The majority of lizards are born fully developed, looking just like their parents and capable of hunting for food right away.

But licking off the birthing membrane and amniotic fluid?

That was a common maternal behavior, yes, but it was a trait more commonly seen in mammals that actively raise their young. This meant the probability of Seol personally nurturing her offspring was high.

—Kkukku.

As if to confirm my suspicions, Seol continued licking the newborn, making sounds that seemed like she was asserting her role as its mother.

Or perhaps she was imprinting her voice onto the baby.

The newborn responded with an adorable cry.

—Kkyuut.