ORIGIN

Despite the anxiety that pumped off of Blackberry in unseen waves, the hyena was at ease. She didn't delve into the reasons for why her friend was feeling off, or where they were going. All that mattered to her was that she was getting to go, and that every step they took was to somewhere new! New smells, new sights, new sounds, they washed over her and kept her mind busy.

Even when the pair stopped, and the goose began to pace, Kitaka kept herself occupied. She sniffed along the tunnel floor, which seemed particularly saturated with scents here, before turning toward the wall where the nest was. She didn't recognize the nest for what it was, she had always slept on the floor, but she recognized the scent of the goose. There was another scent here too, just as strong....

With her nose buried in the remains of the nest, she didn't notice Blueberry's arrival until he spoke. The deep rumbling tones spooked her, making Kit jolt and then spin around. Her hackles raised instinctively, and her lip curled in the beginning of a snarl. Then she realized that the scent of the new arrival was the same one in the nest. In that same moment, she also realized that the massive Gembound was not alone.

A small figure, similar in appearance to herself, appeared from behind the moose's long, gangly legs. They were even skinnier than her own, Kitaka noted fleetingly, before focusing on the canine again. Her dark brown eyes narrowed at the other Gemling as a wave of possessive washed over her. Instinctively, she stepped closer to Blackberry, her head lowering, not in submission, but in a defensive position.

Had it not been for the sudden crack that wrought the air, the hyena might have snarled out a warning to the other pup. Instead, the sound had her jerking her head back up, ears pricked as her gaze flicked about curiously. What was that, she wondered, just before her gaze found the movement in the thing the moose had set down. Something is in there, she thought, her hackles rising again. Something alive.

@Elderberry

Unlike its sibling, one of the smaller hybrids did not hear anything from within its shell. It did not feel anything. If it did, it would not remember a thing. That is, until it's gem hit the ground.

It was only half developed when it woke up, ready to hatch. But it wasn't strong enough to even move, much less break the gem. It didn't realize, yet, that it was supposed to go anywhere. It still had enough life support to get it through until it was fully developed. When Reseda had lost control and the gems had gone flying, this one had hit the ground hard, jolting awake the little one.

It waited, dormant, for something to happen; awake, but not fully conscious. Sounds we're around it, everywhere, but they were no sounds it could understand yet. Barely any light shone through the crystal because of its dark tones. It could see, though, and it could hear. It did not know what it was waiting for.

Perhaps it was this long wakefulness that would be the cause. Perhaps it was the hit itself. Perhaps it's mental development had been fractured. Perhaps none or all would be the reason for its difficulties, for the problems to come.

It was the crack that convinced it that it was time. The crack next to it and a small, chirping voice that seemed clear as day. Using its small talons, it pushed against the shell. It took a few tries before it got a decent crack and a few more before it pushed its way free. Light burst into its eyes and it screamed, pulling itself back, snapping shut its eyes. After a moment, its curiosity had the better and they crawled out, blinking in the light.

Blink blink blink. That was as fun. It did it some more. Lots of blinking and it made the light easier to see. It blinked rapidly, strangely, before locking its eyes on the strange gray striped thing in front of it. With a sudden cry that was sort of like a honk, it scrambled forward towards the hyena, its nose twitching and its eyes blinking rapidly. "Whaaaaaa" it screamed, strangely before collapsing in front of her, right at her paws.

As though in response to the sounds of breaking crystal, the final chrysalis of Blackberry and Blueberry's kin seemed to quiver in a quiet response, the newborn inside finally stirring into consciousness. Feeling the walls tight and claustrophobic around it and its long infant neck pressed uncomfortably to its chest, the young one opened its beak and strained against the amniotic fluid, beginning to squirm. Sounds reached the unborn child from outside, and newborn curiosity stirred, but was dwarfed by the desire to be free of these constricting walls.

The little one flexed and squirmed, before a satisfying crack finally greeted its efforts. Bubbles began to creep into the blue-tinged stone, fluid leaking out from within. The little one's efforts redoubled, its beak clinking against the chip, knocking out more tiny fragments.

One final strain, and the walls creaked, and finally gave way. A bedraggled lump, half downy grey feathers and half dark brown fur, flopped out, small head wobbling on long neck. dark green eyes flitted about in quiet confusion for a while, and it struggled to reclaim control its splayed legs, only to slump forward. Its own weight was something thoroughly alien.

Small, moisture-slicked ears pricked to its sibling's long wail, but instead of joining in, it simply turned to watch in quiet solidarity, taking in everything as its blurry eyes adjusted. Once again, the newly born hybrid began making an effort to gather its legs beneath it.

@Blackberry @Blueberry