ORIGIN

Most of the right side of my face was missing now, it hurt. Everyday it hurt and all I could do was suffer. Through the pain I pushed myself, trying to train harder and get stronger in my magical area as I was no physically handicapped. Usually, I never ventured to the Cliffs and even now with my waning depth perception it was only suicide. But I needed to test myself.

Carefully, with steady inching and my side pressed to the wall I managed to navigate higher into the cliffs. Jumping was far too dangerous, instead I let my body stretch out, placing my paws on the rock and pulling myself up. It felt... Awful. Limited by a body I had treated as a temple until I had decided to so foolishly attack that basilisk beast. With a sigh, my inner monologue was disturbed by the feeling of another and upon glancing upwards, I could see a foolish hoofed beast, newly hatched too, trying to gain his footing. I was no where near high enough to physically reach them, but I was considering climbing there. It appeared it was considering jumping down and I frowned.

"Do you want to die Gemling?" Musing, I sort of hoped he would attempt to jump just to lift my spirits.

Oh right, these moron babies had no idea of the concept of death and I put a paw to my head rubbing my temple. God damn it these creatures could be morons sometimes. "It means you go bye bye. No more life. Vamoose." Why was I wasting my time explaining the concept of mortality to a toddler? Seriously. Though this babe did look down at me and ask yet another easily implied question and I shook my head. Well I was pretty much done with wasting my time here.

"If you want to get down, come to this side of the cliff face and jump down the rocks." Easy for a creature with all four legs and perfect vision. Still, I kept that scowl on my face but my lips pulled into a mocking smirk, "Either that or you can jump off the edge and I'll try and catch you with my "super powers"" I laughed and it rang out between the rocks, my tongue the only thing that remained as fast as lightning and dangerous as ever.

Shit for brains had now decided to try and change the topic onto me and let's just say I was not down with that. Rather than address him directly, I turned my head away so that he could no longer view the marbled pattern of burned flesh. If he really wanted to know he should go head to head with a fire breathing monster. Not like I could say many people had been in such an encounter. Although it was through my stupidity that had earned me these battle scars and I remained silent.

That was until I scoffed, "You dumb hoof creatures are always so flimsy upon birth." This was a pretty pointless conversation with a gemling who didn't even know the meaning of the word danger. But that could prove potentially useful and while fragile now, I knew what some of those hoof beasts became and I certainly needed one in my entourage. Though I was pretty much done with allies. No one needed to help me and I didn't need to help them. Merry Men was a congregation where we served ourselves and occasionally strove towards a common goal. I wasn't expected to do anything other than provide the occasional medicinal aide. Even though that also came at a price.

"What I am is something that is going to help you survive the first few hours of your life. What you are is a helpless Gemling with nothing but a pebble to keep you alive." If he hadn't had such a bright red stone, I wouldn't have been able to see it but it was planted firmly behind his nose and if needed to, it could be easily ripped off for a greater purpose. Tail twitching, I stopped my ascent once and for all as I settled down on the rock I had chosen for my perch. "This place is called Origin. It is the Origin of life as it were, we are rock people," inwardly, I snickered at the remembrance of my night with that crow.

"I can safely say, you are the current youngest that I have stumbled upon. It has been a while since I was witness to a chrysalis birth." Done with explaining and ready to just get this hoof beast down, I deepened my almost permanent scowl, "Now. Stop delaying and jump down. Come towards me. 'So I can push you off myself'.

All the talking was leaving my jaw rather sore and it was beginning to stiffen up as I didn't constantly exercise the muscles. In between talking, I opened and closed my mouth much as a gold fish would to keep the muscles stretching and relaxing. As he clambered down to my level, I did have to admire how quickly he was able to gain completely control over his limbs and I nodded, pleased with his work. Gemlings were always the easiest creatures to befriend without my malicious intentions becoming noticeable. Magdalena was the only one who had "survived" up until this point. The others just faded away and it did annoy me to no end that I couldn't keep any dang gemlings together. They were such free spirits.

"Excellent!" Indeed it was, though I wasn't sure how big he would end up growing he was already taller than I was. Being a hoof creature, he wasn't a carnivore but that didn't mean he couldn't be taught to gore his enemies. Not entirely sure what to do now, as at first I had indeed been thinking of just sending him tumbling, I turned my back to him. Now it would be my turn to descend the cliff edges. "Just, follow me, don't push me or I swear that I will..." catching myself, I said nothing more as I began the awkward descent down.

Since having climbed these rocks just before, I was able to judge the distance better, but every occasional hop downwards I teetered too close to the edge for comfort and I immediately dropped my body to the ground to steady myself. Not nearly as graceful as Gwazi, but efficient. "M'names Louie. You?"

Once at the base, I cricked my stiff neck and allowed some time to catch my breath. Alright, so now I would bring back the newly born one to Merry Men and see what we could use him for. Ungulates usually grew quite big, big enough to provide a hand in any skirmishes that should break out. Hoof beasts were amusing as well, but I could see myself growing short tempered with them. Most, well, most of them I considered merely dumb herbivores that couldn't think for some themselves. Herd animals and all, they just followed each other around aimlessly until they realized they were walking in circles.

"Gwazi. Interesting name," suited the young hoof beast and I approved of it with a curt and definite nod. That would work. "Origin cave is where we live, you will now come with me to my home. But I have not been around much." I couldn't allow myself to be seen this way without regaining at least some of my dignity. It was shameful what had happened, I had allowed myself to get carried away and look at what had happened. All I was was a monster. "You will be... a member of the artillery. You are small, but I have hopes you will grow to a significant size at least. If not, you will be... whatever else we have I don't know." Putting a paw to my forehead, I rubbed my temple.

So, I wasn't really sure what to do with a gemling, I couldn't train him as he was as weak as anything. He was probably hungry but there wasn't really any thick vegetation here. Maybe a few clumps of grass but that was the extent of it. "If you want to eat, go nuts, there are bushes and things and leaves and whatever else you decide you enjoy eating." I would wait, but I would think about what needed to be done next. Recruitment was important for our cause.