ORIGIN

It hadn't been too long that he'd first hatched and made his way out of the misty tunnel. Inima had left him for her own adventures but he knew she would return eventually. She was his sister, after all, and that meant that they would always be able to stick together and find each other. No worries there! For now, he wanted to do something that just started buzzing in his mind. A baseline idea that wouldn't leave him alone. He knew what to do it was just a matter of finding the ingredients and making it. First thing was first, he had to find some... some round things. He didn't know what they were called but he had a picture in his mind.

A hiss sounded at his side and he reached out to pat the little rat pup who kept pace with him easily. She flinched slightly at the touch but didn't run. Daisy knew that this creature was how she would get her food and get to explore the caverns with protection so she'd tolerate his touch. Tennessee followed the faint smell and tickling in his mind that told him where to go. Hopefully he would be able to find it.

It was a little while before he found it. His nose lead him all sorts of places like over rocks, up trees, down into gullies but eventually it lead him to the right spot. He found a patch of green things, round and plump. He was still at a loss for a name until he went up and touched one with his paw. A gourd. That's what this was! He could make... The thing. The thing in his thoughts if he just was patient and careful. Boy would Inima be surprised when he made this thing! He let out a wild hoop before plucking one of the gourds and beginning to craft. First thing was first, he had to cut it into the correct shape. If he messed up there were other gourds that he could use for practice.

Before he could even begin to cut on the gourd, the magick which he had been gathering in his paw became too much. With a cry of pain he dropped the gourd and began to wave his paws away. "Yowchie!" He cried in pain. The rat pup lifted her head to peer keenly at Tennessee. After a moment of deliberation she trotted forward and snuffled at his paws. The smell of burned fur made her turn her nose up and pull away, ruby eyes lifting to silently question his actions.

"I'm okay, Daisy-girl. Just burned myself a lil'. It'll be fine though, just gotta keep on tryin'!" After his paws cooled down he looked at them and sighed. Alright... He had to have another go. He needed to make this thing! Tennessee focused and again attempted to cut the gourd by forming heat in his paws.

Again he tried to form the heat and again he made too much and ended up burning his paws. "Oh! Oh! Yahooie! Dang, that smarts!" He leaped to his paw and began to dance around, waving his paws in some sort of pained dance. Daisy watched on, head tilting to the side as she tried to figure out the lemur's strange actions. Was it some sort of communication? The rat rose onto her hind paws and began to wave her forepaws like the lemur.

After a moment Tennessee calmed and looked over to the rat. He couldn't help but laugh at her antics, mood no longer dampened by burned paws. "Oh, what a cute girl! Ha ha! No need t'wave yer paws like that. I'm the only fool burnin' 'imself!" He walked over to her and gave her head a pat. The pup flinched but didn't run.

"Think I need to go work on somethin' else first." With that he took off in a random direction. This place was filled with trees so he was sure he could find something to use as a handle for the... the thing.

With rat in tow he began to search for a stick to use. For a while he searched high and low for something to use and by a stroke of luck he managed to find a rather large downed branch. It wasn't in the correct shape but that was easily corrected. He cast around for a moment and managed to find a rather sharp rock. He picked it up and after staring at the stick for a moment he sat down next to it and set to work.

He began to carve and cut the wood, peeling away the hard bark on one side and leaving it smooth enough for... for string. Yes. But how would he get string? One thing at a time. He could cut this first then do the string afterwards. Or should he cut the gourd first? Yeah... Yeah, he should do the gourd first but for now it was stick cutting time.

He worked and worked diligently to make the stick exactly how he saw it in his mind. The rock worked on it to make it smooth and nice. Beside him sat Daisy as she stared off into space. At first she was content with listening to the rasp of the stone against the wood but apparently growing bored she sat up and began to root around the area, never straying far from the lemur. Tennessee watched her for a little while but then got back to work with the stick.

Minutes turned into hours as he carved and carved. A jaunty little tune whistled from his mouth to keep him entertained but finally, he was done with the stick. He stopped and laid back on the ground, tired, but satisfied at his work. His eyes closed as he almost slipped off into a doze but was awoken when he felt a scratching at his side. One eye opened to find Daisy standing over him with a grub which she unceremoniously dumped on his chest before turning and padding a short distance away to lay down.

Pleased that he had been rewarded for his effort he chomped down on the grub, turning a glance to his little helper. "Well, thank-ya kindly, Daisy!" He rested for a few minutes then stood up. "Whelp, guess I should get back to those gourds now. Come along!" He picked up his stick and went back to those gourds.

He sat down next to the gourd he'd been trying to cut before and concentrated. He was a bit fearful that he would burn his paws again but he didn't let that deter him and he again forced the magic forward. This time he managed to get just the right amount of heat. His paws smoked but the pain was bearable. It was time! "Daisy-girl, look! I did it!" Daisy lifted her head, looked at him for about three seconds before losing interest and laying on the ground, seemingly asleep.

Wasting no time, lest the spell wear off, he began to cut the gourd. Slicing it cleanly and easily with his steaming paw. After he did his clean cut the lemur began to clean the inside and remove the stuff within. He dumped the mushy stuff from the inside into a pile on the ground. At this Daisy looked up with interest. Tennessee took this as a time to take a well-deserved break, after all, he had to let the gourd dry and use this time to make strings for the... the thing.

He began to shovel some of the stuff into his mouth but when he noticed Daisy staring he offered some to her for eating. Together they shared the meal while in between Tennessee used bits of his own fur to tie together strings.

The pile of mush was almost gone between him and Daisy but Tennessee didn't mind. He'd just find them something to eat later, a much bigger feast! For now he needed to finish these strings. One long string made of rusty red fur was already completed and he was working on a second when Daisy suddenly turned her head, a hiss rattling from between her yellowed fangs. "What's the matter, girl?" He didn't have to wait long before a new voice sounded from the foliage. His pale eyes turned to see a new creature as it approached and sat a short distance away. It was a mouse-y looking thing but with intelligent eyes like his sister and not like those of Daisy's. In short... This was a potential new friend!

He waved one paw before lowering it back down to continue twisting the strings. "Howdy there, mister! This is called Eridanus? Boy, I didn't know that. I was jus' makin' stuff for my instrumental-type-thing. Don't know the name yet but the picture's in mah head bright as day, it is!" He pointed one of his toes at his noggin before giving a good-natured laugh. "Well, me'n'Daisy were takin' a short break an' makin' strings or rather, I'm makin' the strings. Daisy's just watchin' an' eatin'! Ain't that right, girl?" The rat pup hissed before lowering her head down to nibble at the mush.

"An' yup! Right ya are! It's my... well, like I said an instrumental-type-thing! Dunno what it's called yet but the name'll come t'me, yessiree!" Another laugh before he pointed to the mush. "Would ya like some gourd-mush? It tastes mighty fine!" Daisy lowered herself over the mush protectively, aiming a hiss towards the numbat. Tennessee was inclined to share but his rat pup was not. "Oh don't worry about her, she's just playin' around. Ain't that right? Another angry hiss as she crouched even further over the mush.