ORIGIN

Gracie was giddy with pride at her friend's cheers, the positive affirmations had her feeling invincible. But the stinging on her nose reminded the bear cub that she wasn't as invincible as she felt. Not by far. Rising back up to her paws, a bit more practiced this time without as much wobbling, she smiled at Vazi and giggled when he made the scrunchy growl face. She somehow knew from the way his teeth were all flat that the motion wasn't natural for him, those teeth weren't as dangerous as the sharp canines in her own mouth. She subconsciously poked at them with her tongue, feeling the difference between the front fangs and the flat molars.

"Silly stomachs!" she chortled, trying to walk as fast as her friend to get to the berry bush. His legs were far longer and more experienced, however, and she arrived a short time after. Watching wide eyed as he munched on leaves and berries, the girl tried to follow his example.

Opening her mouth wide she smashed her face into the bush and took a large bite of everything. The leaves, the berries, and some twigs they grew off of. Some bugs scattered as well, so she probably got a few of those in her massive bite too. Crunching the mouthful around in her mouth, once... twice... the panda's mouth watered and drool pooled out of her mouth. She wasn't salivating, but her body was saying "hell no" to the concoction Gracie was trying to muster. Spitting it all out onto the ground, just missing her paws, she gave Vazi a skeptical look.

Was he kidding?

Lashing her tongue against her teeth, trying to clear the twig taste and bark from floating around her mouth, Gracie chuckled at her own silliness. She wasn't paying enough attention to see he had only ate the green leaves and black berries. "Ohhh." That made some more sense, but she was still wary of eating another bite. The first had made her stomach turn angrily, much different from the growl it originally started with.

Watching Vazi patiently, Gracie saw him pluck out a nice sized pile of leaves and berries and place them on the ground in front of her. "Okay..." she replied, leaning down slowly to the pile and giving it a whiff. The smell of berries was a sweet and tangy one, they definitely smelled good!

Scooping a part of the pile up into her mouth she chewed it cautiously a few times and a smile returned to her maw. It was delicious. Swallowing the mouthful she went and ate the other half of the pile. The pre-picked food was gone quick as light, and the panda cub turned her purple eyes hungrily to the bush. Following Vazi's lead, she carefully avoided twigs and bugs this time and she was all the more happier for it. "Dis so good," she said through a full mouth, chomping wildly and without much manners. One day, Gracie may eat like a lady. But not today.

Gracie ate and ate and ate till her stomach started to ache, she didn't know what point to stop until it was already too late. The panda cub felt very round now. Her belly was extended, bloated from her first dinner. Yet she felt satisfied. Coming into this world without a clue, and now she could talk, walk, and eat! She was thankful for her first, and only friend at the moment, Vazi. Without him she would probably be face down in the dirt still making dirt angels and blubbering to the gemless birds. "I'll learn!" she rang out, nodding. Twigs were ucky. A lesson taken from the berry bush: use your nose. If it smells good, chances are it is good to eat. Right? Until it proves wrong, Gracie determined it was correct.

"So full!" The bush was looking a bit bare of berries, Gracie's favorite as apposed to the sour leaves. She may have wiped it of all it's seeds in one sitting! One hungry baby with a sweet tooth.

She didn't mind leaving this place (there were others?), in fact, it was an exciting prospect. The panda only hoped she would be able to find her way home afterwards. This was her home, the place she was born. The expansive vegetation and earthy, damp smell was comforting. The gemless birds too! They were delightful with their short bursts of song. "I'll go!" she decided aloud. Later she would ask Vazi to show her back if they wandered too far away where she couldn't get home. "I like friends."

Gracie listened to Vazi with starry eyes, she admired him for his help and for being so kind to her. Her first friend was a great friend already and there wasn't much else to it. Giggling at his dance show of pounding hooves against the dirt, she rose to her paws and carefully teetered in the direction he was heading. The deer was slow and steady as to not lose her in the foliage of Eridanus. She remained quiet but nodded generously when he offered his wisdom on friends.

Humming, she trailed behind him away from her home and off to meet some new friends.