Snowberry had been sniffing around at the carcass of some lesser gembound. He was looking for something to chew on for his teeth ached. He found himself having trouble with losing teeth and then having the pains of growing his new ones. Chewing bones seemed to do the trick! He had just found a good sized rib bone when an ear splitting screech reached his ears.
Hie head snapped up,at first he had no idea what that sound was. But he figured it was a call from Blackberry. No creature would call so boldly into Tunnel N unless it was their home. The young polar bear turned and trotted at a brisk pace to the source of the call.
Once he arrived he saw Blackberry and Jayberry. And, what was this? It looked like a freshly hatched gembound. Snowberry tilted his head to the side, unsure of how to go about the situation. He remained a small distance away, observing until it was appropriate for him to approach.
@blackberry
@cloudberry
@jayberry
Cheerful warmth bubbled up inside xir as xir family gathered. They had come at a moment's notice, just to meet xir. It made her feel important- no, more than that,
loved.
Jayberry caught xir attention first. "Hello. I am Cloudberry." xe replied in a neutral,
algid tone, as if this was some stranger, and wasn't xir sister. A faint confusion stirred inside them- weren't xe trying to welcome xir presence with the love she gave xir?- but xe brushed it aside. It was fine, just a slip.
Xe turned to the polar bear next- he had not introduced himself yet, but xe decided, personally, to call him White, the color of his fur- acknowledging his presence with a tilt of xir head. Xe turned xir attention back to Jayberry. "Thank you. I will protect you too, sister." There it was again, that frigid, even tone. That wasn't right. What was happening?
@Blackberry (if you wanna respond)
@Snowberry
@Jayberry
Huckleberry heard mother's cry and flinched. He was curled at that moment, not bothering to stop the flood of tears rolling from his eyes. She hadn't even let him be there at his own child's hatching. It was cruel, so curl, but a part of huckleberry pushed them to accept that this was just. It wasn't their child anymore, it was blackberry's. They had given it to her and forfeited the right to call themselves a parent.
But when her cry came he couldn't help but be excited and scared. It was an invitation to come see, to greet the newhatched. He didn't care that he wasn't personally invited - he was still part of the family and he would answer the call.
He scrambled to his feet, shaking away the remaining tears and hobbled forward, trying to keep himself steady and appear collected. If he gave himself away, Mother would be furious.
They came into sight and huckleberry did everything in his power not to cry out with joy at the sight of the baby. It looked just like him besides the magpie features. They looked as perfect as he had dreamed.
Each step felt forcibly slow as he walked up near the family and moved himself next to Jayberry. Mother had demanded she watch him so it would be better if he stay near to keep her happy and to show his submission. He dipped his head towards Cloudberry, awkward and flustered. He barely could manage the words. "Oh you must be...oh, hi, I'm your sibling Huckleberry. Um..." He glanced towards Blackberry and went quiet, lowering his head.