ORIGIN

Yellow Orchid — New beginnings, friendship, and joy.

For cycles, the chrysalis had been tucked away in the corners of the meadow, small, blending in with the flowers. The creature inside had been growing, too, until now- their back pressed against the chrysalis, limbs tucked in awkwardly to avoid the same constriction. Anyone else would have tried to free themself the moment things became too small. The cat, though, hadn’t.

Not at first, and not intentionally. It’s only when they shift, and the inside of the chrysalis begins to cave, that it’s even somewhat on purpose. The inside of the chrysalis is restricting, they realize, slowly. Once it had been a comfort. Now it’s much too small for even that. It’s much too small for anything.

The second kick is a copy of their first, more intent, still awkward and lacking any real force behind it. But it could be enough. It should be enough.

And it is, just barely- the chrysalis breaks and falls away. Not much, at first, just enough for everything that had been outside to begin to filter through. The gembound is quick to follow, though, half-pressing and half-sliding through the remains of the chrysalis, clumsily, to lay in front of it in a heap of fluffy fur. They blink, vision hazy, in an attempt to clear it, but they don't move.

They hadn't thought this out, clearly, because now they didn't know what came next.