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Infecting everyone, you're quite the problem
![[Image: NVHk2bm.gif]](https://i.imgur.com/NVHk2bm.gif)
At that moment in time Envy appeared too nervous to do much other than listen to Amras' words as they felt the energy flowing and tingling through them in waves that ultimately manifested in rolling clouds from their emaciated hide. The little one nervously glanced around, holding completely still as Aaliyah felt for their scruff, allowing themselves to be picked up and carried above the water gushing and burbling below them in a way which was, to Envy, terrifying.
As the danger seemingly passed, fear slowly dissipated, and Envy was given the chance to think about their newfound power. They seemed to finally find their voice and reply to Amras' words, and they did so gruff and sharp despite their high-pitched voice."No. It's mine," the little one huffed grumpily, seeming to assume that the Gryphon was out to steal the power that they'd only just discovered for themselves. Fear and nerve was slowly, piece-by-piece, replaced by a jealous longing to keep to themselves the one thing they appeared to own.
At first the rolling clouds of pitch-blackness coiled around Aaliyah's face, but soon began to reduce in both amount and opaqueness, the silhouette of the small long-bodied creature more and more apparent in the mist. Finally, it disappeared completely, a last wisp huffing out with a sharp exhalation, and the glow fading from the child's lilac gaze so that the angry little weasel was, once again, just that.
When Aaliyah put Envy down at the water's edge, all anger and jealousness was suddenly abandoned, and the reason for their being here suddenly welled to the surface. All the yelling had caused their throat to sting and burn as though blistered, their voice crackling like old leaves. They didn't speak as Amras' apology appeared to wash over them, the wonderful lights beneath the water failing to frighten or induce any kind of wonder. The little one darted between Aaliyah's still-dripping legs, capable of a surprising burst of speed when they were desperate. They reached the water's edge, and dipped their muzzle into the cold, and refreshing water.
They took a mouthful...
Couldn't swallow.
Envy sat back, leaning away from the water as they gulped desperately. A shiver ran down their spine; in the water they began to taste the cold metal of their gem, seeping in and poisoning the water. In desperation they spat it out and tried again, sucking up another draught of cool, clean water. Again, the gem got in the way until the young one spat it out onto the earth, retching and panting, and whimpering.
One more try.
This time, the water they coughed out was tinted red with flecks of cinnabar, and the little one veered backwards with a shrill sound of fear. Upon calming, they hung their head and did not return to the water.
"Mamma..." they said, voice broken and trembling, twisting their head around to look at Aaliyah, and their gaze was one of complete and utter defeat. "I can't do it. It's not going to work."
They tottered back to Aaliyah and lay on the ground beneath her belly, curling up.
"I'm not going to make it, mamma."
"Speech."
"Thoughts."
@Aaliyah @Amras
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Infecting everyone, you're quite the problem
When Envy was in desperate need of comfort, neither of the adult Gembounds seemed to know what to do. Their dry throat burned but they began to sob anyway, losing even more water to the scraggly fur on their cheeks. They huddled close into Aaliyah's soft and warm belly, leaning into the combing motion of her warm tongue eben as it rasped along their bony spine, and their sobs subsided gradually to listen to what they had to say.
Their adopted mother, whom Envy had thought to be infallible, appealed to Amras for help. The little one raised their head in hope, wet eyes wide, but only silence greeted them for a long while. When they finally spoke, Envy buried their head in Aaliyah, although their rounded ears were still perked and listening. They thought about the moment when they'd felt fear and anger, adrenaline running and magic flooding out of their gem; perhaps that could happen again? Perhaps need was so dire that they could tear themselves back from the brink?
Amras had said earlier that few magic users wielded such dramatic results on one's first attempt. Perhaps they were special; perhaps they had something that no-one else did, and that was a gift of magic. Envy desperately wanted that to be true; they wanted something that no-one else had, something others would want but could never have. Then, perhaps, they would feel complete. Only now, the possession of such a rare gift could mean the difference between life and death.
Envy wiped the tears away on Aaliyah's belly fur an looked towards Amras, their eyes filled with hope. Even though the Gryphon had never used such a spell themselves, there was at least hope; and if their current success with magic had been anything to go on, it sounded easier to them than drinking normally. "I want to try it," they declared, sniffling. "It sounds easier than drinking, anyway." And surely, even if it was so different, it might be like that other magic that had leaked out? Surely despair was just the incentive they needed to perform a miracle.
wobbling away from Aaliyah, they lay down on the ground, closed their eyes and covered their head with their paws, desperately trying to tap into the floodgates that had opened before.
C'mon. I don't want to die. I want to live. Like everyone else...
Again, they felt a surge of power, the floodgates inside them opened wide and far. Envy gasped in shock, their throat quickly changing from burning, to satiated. Dampness crept into their fur, and moisture pooled around their whiskers, but in desperation the air quickly went from humid to parched, the ground beneath hem cracking into parched mud.
At first, Envy raised their head, eyes showing a glint of triumph- but it didn't last long. soon, the young one felt their stomach beginning to turn with nausea, their head beginning to throb. They began to pant, head swaying and dropping to the ground as their vision began to spin in a fit of dizziness. Nausea mounted. Their breaths quickened, heart hammering with a low thrum in their chest.
This couldn't be right.
"I-I... Think it worked bu... no... doesn'... feel right," Envy slurred, sides heaving, vision spinning, as finally they opened their jaws and vomited fresh, clean water onto the earth. Completely exhausted, they felt the worst of their tremors subsiding, the dizziness having passed, but they felt like simply sleeping.
But at least they were no longer thirsty.
With a groan, Envy slunk over to Aaliyah's side, flopped down against her warm fur, and lay still.
"I'm... still hungry, mamma..." came their hoarse whisper, a long while later.
"Speech."
"Thoughts."
@Aaliyah @Amras
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Infecting everyone, you're quite the problem
Comforted by Li's gentle reply, Envy cuddeled up just that little bit closer, another shudder running through them. Their headache was just beginning to ebb, and with a deep sigh, they struggled to remain in wakefulness. Luckily, their hunger did most of the work for them.
Envy looked at Amras with half-lidded eyes as the gryphon began to speak, but the meaning of their words seemed completely lost on them. They scoffed. "I'm not gonna eat bees! That'd be stupid!" the little weasel stuck out their tongue, although the mention of honey caused them to lick their dry lips and salivate, wondering if the sweet taste they imagined was in any way similar to the real thing.
Envy narrowed their eyes and considered their options as the gryphon asked if they wanted to help- although the question was far more likely to be directed at Aaliyah. Envy didn't really think they wanted to chance swimming, especially not after their near-miss with the water spell minutes ago. Again, they stuck out their tongue between sharp teeth. "I've had enough of water," they complained, falling silent for a moment to watch, head tilting, to see what they were doing.
Before they knew what was going on, Envy once again whimpered and curled up, watching the walls of water breaking about themself and Aaliyah in a way that looked to Envy like any second they'd come crashing down and sweep the both of them away. They could barely hear Amras' words above the roar, but they caught the gist of it, and looked out into the water flowing around them. Occasionally, the weasel caught sight of a silver flash amidst the rolling waves, but they daren't approach, and turned instead to gaze expectantly at Aaliyah. "Maaamma...?" they whined, voice pleading, tugging with their small paws at her chest fur.
"Speech."
"Thoughts."
@Aaliyah @Amras
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