Again the bright light shined in through an opaque screen of brilliant green blue. A dark form shifted inside the chrysalis. It was growing far too large for its current home. Stretching out had become difficult as when she reached her full length her head hit one end of her cozy home and her back legs hit the other end. She couldn’t even fully stretch her legs out in front of her. Slender flexible paws opened and closed on her forepaws.
Gently she reached out with a paw and brushed it over the smooth surface. It was a beautiful color something she had come to adore. Such a pretty blue green color and the way the warm light filtered through onto her was so nice. But this was getting cramped and she didn’t like it. Suddenly as she ran her clawed paw over the surface, cracks began to form. Slowly these cracked and began to spiderweb across the entire surface before it finally shattered and her deep black purple body fell out onto the soft mossy leafy bed of sorts.
She landed on the moss a small tangle of wings and limbs. Her form no larger than month old puppy. Brilliant yellow eyes blinked several times as they gained focus and she looked around finding a golden form standing nearby.
Sleepily a form stirred within a thick brown and greenish blue chrysalis that was too thick and milky to see through. Though light still filtered in through the blue green specks and lines that swirled and made wisps on the surface of the chrysalis. A long slender form shifted within the chrysalis. She had been curled much of her life as she seemed to be too long for her chrysalis. Her six limbs moved in succession as they brushed the shell of her chrysalis.
As she often did the lanky creature pressed a single paw against the smooth surface of her confines and pressed as she always did in an attempt to stretch. As she did so with just the slight pressure, a spiderweb of cracks burst from the center of her hand like-paw and it shattered, bursting open with a gush of fluid and falling chrysalis. The young thin lanky girl fell out onto a bed of leaves and moss. Her soft lavender pelt glistened as did the bare flesh of her face, muzzle, and limbs. Her short fluffy tail landed on her back leg. Slowly she opened her eyes and began to take in the world around her. The first thing she saw was the bird and strange form of the black-purple sibling. Turning her head from its place on her forepaws, she found what her sibling was staring at. A golden form stood holding something in its arms as if it had been awaiting them.
The small feline form shifted and moved within its brilliant deep red chrysalis. Paws moved as if they were running, her tail lashed as if they were running from something terrifying. Suddenly all four paws struck against the hard surface of the chrysalis. With the strength of the strike the shell shattered and out tumbled the form of a small golden cream colored lion cub. Eyes shot open with shock as she landed with a thud on a bed of moss.
Sides heaved with exertion as she lifted her head. She looked like her father in all but the small deep red button gemstone resting just above her brow bones. Soft blue eyes opened gazing around as her body shook. She found herself surrounded by three creatures. Two of them she knew by the feel of their magic. She knew they were her siblings. The final form she didn’t know. A golden form standing with things held in its arms.
The small cub was curled up inside of the chrysalis, more lion than grub. The white marble like walls of magnesite held him inside, comfortable and warm. Actually, it wasn't all that comfortable anymore. He had grown much during his time inside of it, and his back was arched in an uncomfortable position against one wall, his legs bunched up against the other. He felt the time was right too-- something was calling him to emerge. Cracking sounds filled his ears, coming from outside of his own chrysalis. And so, he pushed, his golden legs kicking against the magnesite, which broke with a Crack! and the small lion tumbled out onto soft moss.
The cooler air licked against his fur, hard at work, trying to dry it of the goo from the chrysalis. Looking around, with bleary eyes, he was able to make out four distinct shapes, three of which seemed to have come out of chrysalises like his own, although they were different colored ones. The fourth shape though was different. And it was holding something in it's arms.
He didn't know why, but there was a tingling feeling in his forehead, his gemstone. He pushed out the magic through his paw, and a small sprig sprung out of the ground.
Sun had been waiting for this day. It was his normal morning routine. Come up to the top platform and clean and shine the chrysalis. He had felt that the time was coming that it had been a full cycle since Aristotle had passed. He had told James and Comet the day they would need to be here for when the children would hatch. Sun however remained his usual calm self keeping with his routine, even though it was the day they should hatch. He had finished cleaning them when cracking sounds filled the air from all four Chrysalis.
Quickly the gibbon grabbed the sheets of absorbent moss he had found and stood by as the chrysalis all cracked and the four children came tumbling out. All four each resembled to some varying degree be part lion. Though the one that had emerged from the red chrysalis looked just like a little Aristotle. Then as his attention was brought to the final child, he watched as a small little sprig of the tree they lived in grew up in front of him. A light smile played on Sun’s lips as he waddled forward to help dry the four children of the goop from inside their chrysalis with the large swatches of moss. ” I know what I’m going name you little boy. Sprig fits you way to well.” Sun said aloud as he began to dry the four children off.
Looking behind him out on the balcony Sun motioned for the two standing outside to come in. ”What do you think of the names, Abraxas, Amaryllis, Adonia, and Sprig?” He asked motioning first to the winged and beaked child, then to the lavender lanky child, then to the lion cub, and finally to the grub like lion cub.
James had been pacing back and forth since he arrived, his ears down and tail swishing nervously. He paced back and forth, back and forth, almost until he got dizzy.
His head lifted at the sound of Sun's voice and he slowly walked in, fluffing up his wings nervously. He stared at Abraxas, at the golden fur on her neck and head, at her wings, her tail.
"... Abraxas," he mumbled, tearing up.
The stone Ari had practically slaved over. The stones he'd died protecting and giving life to. Oh he was going to flay the Collector and use his skin as a bag-
"They're beautiful," he sniffed, peering at the children with gentle awe, eyes glistening with tears, "... So beautiful."
James slowly walked forward, his hooved barely making a sound as he brushed his snout against Sun's back, offering support.
Comet followed James towards the tree house, the same worries that she had from Peggy's hatching pouring over her again. There was another feeling too... self doubt? Perhaps. But it was something more. She didn't want to spoil this whole hatching like she did Peggy's, something she still regretted.
As they entered the tree house at Sun's call, all her worries were washed away. "Abraxas, Amaryllis, Adonia, and Sprig." she repeated, "Beautiful." Comet's eyes passed over each in turn, settling on Abraxas first-- that was the gemstone that Aristotle had been talking about when she had still lived with him. She looked much like a small purple griffin, and Amaryllis was purple too. But it was a lighter shade of lavender, and she had six legs! Then came Adonia. One who was completely lion, completely Aristotle. Comet heard her breath catch at the uncanny resemblance of the late lion in her. Lastly came Sprig, who, she noted, must've been named that way because of the small sprig sticking out near his paw. Did he create that? And the colors on his back were rather pretty. He was the only male of the group, actually. Everyone one of them was unique in their own ways, and she couldn't wait to see what personalities would come out of this group too.
"You're all perfect." Comet smiled at them, and leaned slightly next to Sun. She planned to stay here actually, only for a day or two. Sun would need all the help he could get with taking care of them.
The small griffin let out a sound like a mix between a kitten mewl and a baby bird's chirp, as she felt the golden furred creature run her wet body down with the moss to dry. Slowly as he moved to Amaryllis to dry her as well. In places where her feathers would be there were soft down feathers, Where there would be quills was soft cream colored downy like fur.
Golden eyes gazed up as the one who had dried her moved away, now in her sight stood a large black figure with vibrant feathers, and a creature of pure white with a beautiful blue stone ear. They all three said a word seeming to refer to her. Blinking a few times she mulled the word over in her mind, then she chirped softly repeating it. ”A-Abrax-as?” She questioned looking up from the white creature to the black creature wondering what they were and if they were part of her. ”Family?” Was what came to mind when she thought of those that were around her. Slowly as she spoke she slid up into a shaky sitting position.
As the golden creature moved to her she lifted a paw and swiped at him while still lying prone on the ground. What were they doing? Though she swiped at it, they still came closer and began to rub down her body and skin with soft moss that wicked away the fluid from her body. As the creature rubbed her face she let out a soft rawring sound like that of a young lion cub.
She looked from all three large creatures to the three that had seemingly hatched with her. She gazed behind her at the chrysalis. There were four of them, and there were four of the newly hatched creatures. That meant they were something. She thought for a moment. She wasn’t sure what that meant they were, but she thought that one word fit. ”F-fam-ily.” She stumbled out looking around at everyone there. If everyone was here that meant they were all family didn’t it? She pushed herself up onto all six limbs. She was shaky but determined and stood on all six legs and looked up at the largest creature and boldly though on shaky legs strode up to it and did the only thing she could think to do. She reached out and poked its leg with a single claw.
The golden colored lion cub shifted as the golden creature made his way to her, drying her gently. She wasn’t sure how to feel about it, but she accepted it as it seemed to pull the chill out of the air as he dried her with the moss. Soft blue eyes cast between the three adults as they all spoke. She wasn’t sure what was going on but it seemed harmless enough and she accepted it easily.
Soft blue eyes caught on the whitew figure as she sat up on shaky legs. Slowly she came to a standing position and slowly made her way towards the white creature. Stopping a little ways away she tilted her head and looked up at them. They were beautiful and seemed so unique. She had an instant attraction to them that made her want to be close to them. ”Pretty.” She said softly in a single word as she looked up at Comet.