[RiDragon]

This April had been uncharacteristically cold, which caused the Egg-snatcher Shartile to over-sleep.  By the time the season warmed into proper spring and broke the reptile's brumation, it was midway through May.  However, the creature did not fully understand the concept of time.  To him, he was awake, it was warm, there were flowers budding, and it was time for his yearly ritual of egg snatching and hiding.  The fact that he had missed the actual Easter holiday did not affect his routine at all.

[RiDragon]

He stretched out his body, bringing relief to muscles cramped up from many months of low energy and being curled up in his den.  He scampered his way out of his den, stretching the feathers on his back and head out and sighing at the feeling of sun on them.  Pastel feathers and scales starkly contrasted the natural green of the park he had made his den in.  Though he made his sleeping place rather close to human civilization, he had not been disturbed much at all.  This place was only frequented by humans when it was warm, after all.  Plus, he needed to be close to them so that he could properly complete his egg hiding.

[RiDragon]

The Shartile preened his feathers for a few moments, running his sharp teeth down them far more delicately than he appeared capable of.  Dirt and grime from being underground smoothed out, making him even brighter than he had been before.  He used his small forelimbs to comb through his large head feathers last, enjoying the warmth of the sun giving him energy and purpose.  When he was finished, he turned back to his den and vanished for a few moments, returning with his tail wrapped around an egg.

[RiDragon]

He took a few moments to clean the egg he clutched ever so carefully.  It wasn't fertile, it wasn't even an egg his species laid.  No, it was an Easter egg, his favorite from the first year he had done his egg-hiding.  His sub-species of Shartile were known for hosting egg hunts, as well as keeping their first eggs with them for the rest of their lives.  He was quite protective of it, and did not plan to use it in hunts.  Luckily, it wasn't a real egg, or it would of stunk by now.

[RiDragon]

He gently released his egg from his tail, being careful that it would not move from its spot before darting back into his den.  After about five minutes, he again reemerged, this time with his tiny raptor arms full of smaller, but still quite colorful, eggs.  All of them carefully painted and unique, all with prizes inside of them that even the Shartile had no idea what they were.  How the eggs got there, or where they even came from, was a mystery even to the Shartile.  It was rumored that The Gods of Fertility gave the Shartile eggs every year so that they could be hidden for the children, (including those who were children at heart,) of the world.

[RiDragon]

The Shartle carefully placed the other eggs on the ground, inspecting each of them for structural integrity.  Though the Gods wouldn't give him broken eggs, he was still obligated to check them all, just in case.  He was clumsy sometimes, after all.  The sun was still rising, but that didn't mean he had forever.  There would be children here soon.  He had to work fast.  Not knowing that he was, technically, already quite late to the Easter season.

[RiDragon]

The park was a perfect place to hide eggs.  Hibernating so close to humankind was risky, but it gave the creature the best chance to hide eggs in a place that they'd all be found.  It was quite sad when eggs weren't found, after all.  Though, eventually, someone always found them all.  Even if it was years later.  Rumor has it the longer the egg takes to find, the more amazing the prize inside was.  The Shartile didn't question the logistics of it all.

[RiDragon]

The Shartile spent the next hour dutifully running around the park.  He hid the eggs in trees, tucked behind branches and leaves.  He hid eggs under the slide, in places where the younger or less bright children would easily find.  He hid them on chairs and benches, more easy places.  He also chose hard places though, to give those who wanted a challenge their dues.  High in branches, tucked behind nooks in the equipment, buried under the wood chips with only a tiny bit showing, in the shadows of tall structures, on top of the swingset.  Anywhere that one could think of, he hid the eggs.  

[RiDragon]

The Shartile was just putting the finishing touches on his final egg before he heard the sound of a child calling out in the distance.  It hadn't seen him, luckily, but it still gave him a start.  He quickly adjusted the egg one final time and bolted towards his cave, almost forgetting to grab his large special egg before he slid inside.  He had a good point of view of the park, though he couldn't see everything.

[RiDragon]

The first child to find an egg was...  A tad confused.  At first, the parents weren't sure if they should allow him to open it.  It could be a trap or poison by someone wicked.  Eventually, a brave teen cracked it open...  Revealing a small spinner toy, beautifully crafted of redwood.  The child who first found the egg squealed with glee and took it to play with.  The adults were confused and still weary, until one child mentioned how there wasn't a real egg hunt the Easter before.  Perhaps some nice soul knew that this was the first warm day since the holiday and finally hid the eggs?  Or maybe it was the Easter Bunny!  Regardless, the park was soon full of screaming laughing children.  The Shartile watched, satisfied from his burrow.  He didn't mind that the Easter Bunny got the credit, he was just glad he was able to help out.  He curled up in a cooler section of his den and took a nap, smiling a toothy grin.