ORIGIN

Well, Aure wasn't particularly resting at the moment; he currently resided in his nest, yes, but perched atop the half-eaten carcass of a rat. Grasping a hunk of meat off of the ribs, he pushed back. Stripping flesh from bone in a clean strip, the wyvern tossed his head back and choked it down. Rinse and repeat a few times. The rat was barely together at this point, save for a few joints holding the bones together and meat left on the legs and most of the neck. Those little bits would be saved for the other bastards, as bait left by the rat-rocks.

Standing, hooking his talons in the ribcage, Aure was just about to send himself down the cliff and carry the carcass towards the boulders; yet, a chittering sound echoed through the gaves. His ears perked forward, bright eyes immediately flitting toward the source. Despite having never heard the sound, he recognized it as a hyena's call. As far as he knew, Giggle was the only hyena about (unless Skeena or Vinea counted, of course) and Aure adjusted his trajectory. Perhaps Mother was calling for him? Or anyone, really? At least he had food to offer, if that were the case. A low woop! slipped from his beak, echoing down the chambers and across Canis. The drawn-out sound was distinctively his and, hopefully, recognizable right away.

His eyes caught the sight of Omen, and he acknowledged the bird with a simple chirp. Where there was Hallowed Caller, there was Mother. Aure peered down, circling a few times. There, indeed, was his mother, but something else. A smaller hyena, it seemed. A younger sibling that Giggle had not told him of, yet? Nothing seemed to be odd about it, nothing seemed to suggest hybridization. Curiosity piqued --- as if it had ever gone away --- the wyvern woop!ed again and began to descend.

Setting his half-eaten meal down, first, Aure alighted a few feet away. Tucking his wings against his side, he abandoned the carcass to trot forward and greet Giggle. "Hello, Mother! I have a rat," he chirped, indicating the obvious, "I was going to leave the rest of it by the rat-rocks, but you can have it if you want." After all nuzzles and nips were complete, Aure's attention shifted towards the purely hyena cub behind his mother. "Who are you?"

@Zawadi

The cub then realized that Giggle was Aure's mother. She didn't understand how gembounds reproduced, but she understood the basics of family ties. She watched as they embraced each other, then afterwards, the Bonebound leader noticed her. He asked who she was and her mind froze. Well, she was a cub, and cubs did not do well when nervous. Her ears flattened as she looked at the bird. Her accent was 100% there and noticeable, but she remembered to show respect, so she did not hesitate to answer. "I'm Zawadi. It's nice to meet you." Her paws shuffled a bit, a clear sign of nervousness. Oh why did she have to be so scared?! Well, she was just a cub. She didn't dare mention asking to join the Bonebound. That would be disrespectful having just met the leader, so she hoped that Giggle could ask for her, then the cub could speak and discuss with them afterwards. She had never met any leader before. Just. Be. Calm.

@Giggle @Aure

Giggle offered Aure the same brief, but affectionate, nudge back. "Keep the rat--I've eaten," she answered--then added, "but thanks. This," she went on--and now her dark eyes shifted back to Zawadi (why is she cowering?), "is Zawadi."

Giggle looked back to Aure, and there was an expression there--an expression hidden from all but the front: she was amused, but slightly exasperated, as if dour about the whole thing. It was the look of a parent introducing a terrified child who had no reason to be afraid--though Zawadi was hardly her own.

"I found her not far off. I don't think she's a new hatch, but she's young, and she's curious about Seers and all that. She asked about the Bonebound," the hyena added. "I thought I'd bring her to see you."

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ROLL THE BONES

@Aure

Why is she cowering? He thought, coincidentally mirroring Giggle's own musings.

Aure immediately lowered his own ears and head, trying not to seem so intimidating, since he apparently did. "Well, hey, I'm Aure. It's nice to meet you, too!" Tail wagging slightly and wings adjusting, the hybrid tilted his head, "there's no need to be so scared. Hungry?" Bright eyes moved from Zawadi, down to the rat carcass. He stepped back, allowing plenty of space for the feast --- the meal was basically the cub's size, after all.

His beak clicked, a rather bemused smile on his face, "you're more Bonebound than I ever will be, Mother, but if you say so."

@Zawadi

Zawadi calmed down quickly very quickly and her fear evaporated into thin air. Aure was really nice! Why was she so scared? Well, she was just a cub and kind of new to the caves, so this was expected. Her spirit lit up even more when Aure offered her some food. She nodded quickly as she answered. "Yes please." The cub was now starting to get a great grasp on a very important lesson. Manners. The cub approached the carcass, and made a mental note to eat some of the carcass, and leave a very good portion for others who were hungry. After she finished eating her share, the cub decided that since she was here, she might as well tell him why she was here. He was a very nice bird after all, and she felt stupid for fearing him. In three cycles though, this would not be repeated. A grown female hyena she will be, not a little cub. "Thanks Aure!" After thanking him for the meal, she decided to get to why she was here, and she sat on her rump. "Giggle brought me here because I wanted to join the Bonebound."

@Aure @Giggle

Giggle stepped aside, settling on her haunches to let the pair speak. She only responded briefly--though warmly--to Aure.

"We are both Bonebound."

Then she sat, quiet; she wanted the two of them to talk, and she would only observe, for now. Behind her Omen circled in, fluttering to land beside her; the bird pecked idly at the ground nearby, and Giggle mentally warned her against getting between the cub and the rat carcass. It was Zawadi's now, and she didn't want Omen to get bitten for trying to take a piece.

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ROLL THE BONES

@Aure

As the little cub was eating, Aure couldn't help but just send a playfully betrayed look toward his mother. He said nothing further, simply allowing Zawadi to get her fill and step back with all the gratitude that little body could muster. The wyvern nodded, laughing softly, "you're welcome, Zawadi. You're going to need a lot of rats to grow into those paws of yours." Bright eyes glanced down to them, large and clearly puppy-ish. Bless her heart. His gaze then trailed over to Omen, pecking very casually at the ground. Smiling, Aure plodded forth; he stepped over the rat carcass, placing himself between the cub and the meal. "You get to have as much as you want, Omen."

Once that was all cleared away, the wyvern plopped down. Wings tucked to his side and sitting as a hyena typically lies down, Aure listened. "To be Bonebound is to be family. You must be willing to stand by your fellow Bound and protect them in any way necessary --- by magic, by voice, by tooth. Of course, young as you are, the older members will be the one doing the guiding and protecting. But, still." Rounded, hyena-like ears perked forth. "Is that what you want?"

@Zawadi

The small cub of course did not mind at all as Aure invited Omen over to feed on the carcass. The small cub liked to share with others. Then Aure went on to explain about what it meant to be Bonebound. Zawadi nodded at everything he said, then the question came. Is this what she wanted? Yes, it was what she wanted, and she wanted to be a part of the Bonebound, and one day, serve alongside the adults. She spoke, her voice as clear as day with no hesitation whatsoever. "Yes. This is what I want." There was no doubts in her mind at all, and this also showed on the outside physically. Though the older members would have been doing most of the guiding, one day, she would do the exact same.

@Aure @Giggle

Giggle gave a soft "hrmph" at the cub's unwavering agreement. Something about it seemed-... odd, how she'd latched onto that one topic, showing little interest in the other things discussed, and immediately agreeing to join up. But perhaps some youths were less suspicious than others, and less free-spirited. Bones knew that at that age, she'd been the same, even where others preferred to roam and learn the caves. She'd still not seen them all--not in her waking hours, at least.

"Whatever you decide, perhaps we can visit the bones afterward, and see what they have to say," Giggle suggested to Aure, glancing at him.

She had a nagging feeling that the pile might have something to say about all of this--or maybe it was her own strange thoughts insisting that there was more than met the eye. Whatever the case, she wasn't about to ignore it; whether it was her, or the bones, well. Those were two things she trusted most in the world.

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ROLL THE BONES

@Aure

It was odd that the cub seemed to accept so quickly, but Aure accepted with a gentle smile and flick of an ear. The Bonebound were not a permanent commitment, as much as family seemed to imply; Gembound could come and go as they pleased, as they desired. He hoped that they could continue to serve as a safe space for neonates to grow and learn, before they explored the Caves on their own. Apparently, Eythan had brought that purpose about, himself, in the form of two very different cubs. How interesting, hm?

"Alright, Zawadi. You will be Bound, then, among us. Even when you are away from Canis and on your own, you'll be family," he chirped, pushing up to his feet. Bright eyes turned to his mother's dark ones, nodding simply. Aure tilted his head, again, peering down at the little cub, "would you like to ask the bones? They may see things that we cannot."

@Zawadi