Huckleberry continued to sob, banging his head against the crystal over and over, as if it would do anything to break them, as if it would be able to break his gem, perhaps, but then the vines began to wrap around him, pulling him away and holding him down, although it wasn't a strong grip, it didn't hurt. It...it was oddly calming, in a way, being held with a firm but gentle grip. But it did nothing to alleviate his heartache.
As Cloudberry's words drifted towards him he felt another tremor run through his body. She did not know...she did not know that it was his lightning that had struck her down, that had damaged her so terribly that she had to sleep, ad Mama had told them she once had to do. He let out another sob before he found the strength to answer.
At the lion's words he looked up. The lights, the trees, the air around him. He saw Pride. He was alive, but he had been dead. He shook his head, not quite understanding the plight he had gone through.
He stilled completely, his body going limp under the vines as he stared blankly out at the proceedings. The only reassurance was that mama had made it out. And, if he had heard correctly, Jayberry. But nobody had said who had died. If Cloudberry was here, and Yewberry, and Jayberry and Mama survived, that must mean...
More tears ran from Huckleberry's face as he realized the truth. The horrible truth.
And just as he fell into more weeping, a glimmer of gold shone against the lights and the little catsquirrel came bursting from the trees. She had been running furiously, ever since Huckleberry's mind had glimmered with life just before his hatch, she had been running. And now she was here, standing before Huckleberry's cage panting hard, her eyes wide and glimmering with a hint of tears.
Huckleberry flinched at the sound of the voice and looked up at Shiny. He had almost forgotten about her but now hope came flooding back. He tried to leap forward and grab her, but the crystals wouldn't give her enough room to squeeze in. He whipped towards the lion, desperation making his whole body quake.
Cloudberry listened. Huckleberry's mounting panic only flustered her further; it only fed her own fear and confusion, fuel to a flame. Yet his words-... What is he saying..?
She was bewildered by his insistence that she was dead. She didn't feel dead. She took quick stock of herself (trying to ignore the massive white lion standing there) and spoke, again, softly.
"But I am not dead."
Then she looked to him again. Family should be... supportive, and as Cloudberry watched her brother (she still believed) falling into a childish series of sobs, she felt herself suddenly drifting wide. Clear, and cold, her own fear still hammering in her chest, the world seeming to fall into icy, crystalline chips.
He's weak, she thought distantly, an echo, perhaps, of her mother's sentiment. But he was. He was no more than a hatchling, bawling helplessly. She was terrified, yes, but-... he was older. He should be trying to comfort her. Protect her. He wasn't.
He was a terrible brother, really, when she thought about it. And Elderberry-... dead?
Some distant part of her stirred with very faint grief. She'd not known any of her own family very well, but Elderberry had been, at least, a noble one. Almost more approachable than the others, in some way: dignified and sure. She hadn't felt the same sense of unreality around him that she had with the rest.
But Cloudberry wasn't struck down by grief, as Huckleberry was. Instead she simply turned away, lying down and staring off into the forest, wishing to be anywhere but here.
@Sebastian
The panther couldn't help but to stare for a long moment at what his Niece had turned into, some part of him mourning that she had been so badly injured that her body had needed to twist and reform to heal.
But he felt nothing more than a rush of sheer relief, leaning into her touch before tilting his head to run his tongue through her fur, grooming her as he began to purr, rasping out in his wheezing voice
And then... and then there was Rift. The panther faltered, ears flattening and head dipping as he stepped away from Enka, irrationally fearing that he would be angry, that Rift would blame him. He had burned down his forest, and he had failed to protect them both.
But... but then Rift was on him, and he found himself stumbling as the mutated Puma was on him, grooming as fur. The Panther's eyes welled, and he began to purr, the sound wheezing, and he began to return the gesture, grooming his brother's green fur, that tasted vaguely of plants. The taste was... unwelcome, he only had a stomach for meat, for the most part, but he couldn't find it in him to care.
His heard ached when his fellow Puma began to step away from him, and he moved to follow. But Sebastian stopped himself, settling for pressing his side against Enka, beginning to groom her fur again, afraid that she would disappear from before him like a wraith. He listened as Rift began to address everyone, unable to feel anything but pride as the green cat naturally assumed the role of a leader, oration coming to him as naturally as breathing.
And, of course, Sebastian would join him.
Where... where was Mother?
Her feelings were disjointed - she knew she didn't like Mother, much, but she wanted her dearly. She was afraid, and Mother would fix it. Mother was protective of family, and even though they didn't get along, Mother wouldn't stand for her being afraid and alone and hurt, just like she had saved Huckleberry even though he was questioning Grandmother.
But Mother was gone.
Despite herself, she pressed against the Crystal bars, getting as close to the antlered lion as she could.
But then Huckleberry was babbling, saying he had killed Cloudberry? But, no, she was alive! She was looking right at her! And - Huckleberry came to the conclusion that Yewberry had been unable to. Elderberry - it was Elderberry. Her eyes widened, and a strangled, moaning sound broke from her throat, the sound of a wounded, dying animal.
@Mercurius
