Blackberry listened to the apologies and the explanations of her children through narrowed eyes, suspicion quivering every fiber. But she had to admit, few of them had ever showed any signs of breaking from the family. Well, at least, not yet. Besides Huckleberry and Baneberry. By bringing the wolf to the nest and by refusing the summons, they both were under her furious glare. Any wrong moves and a confrontation would take place.

She first looked towards Elderberry, feeling a small wave of calm pass through her. Why was she angry at him? He had proven himself to her already, his devotion far outpacing the others of the family, his complete trust in her and his love for battle made him the son she had always dreamed he would be. A perfect child. Yet feeling the barrier, the inability to truly understand her son, made all the motherly instincts within her alert and frustrated. She shifted uncomfortably, wondering what to say. "You make the family proud, Elderberry. You are worthy of your name. You are strong and loyal, but yet I can't help but feel that there's something missing." For a moment longer, she gazed at Elderberry, at a loss for words before turning to Mulberry next.

She glared at the young hyena, wondering if she should trust her words. She remembered the time they had practiced together - Mulberry had been the weakest, the worst at her moves. Perhaps she had become stronger. Perhaps she was lying. Or perhaps she was not cut out to fight. This thought almost brought a hiss to her beak, but she held herself back. No, Mulberry was as devoted as ever. "You shall have a chance to prove it to me soon," she replied, coldly. "And, by the Spire, hope that you have practiced enough." Without another word to Mulberry or another thought her way, she turned her head to Jayberry, interest finally pricking at her eyes.

She hadn't thought much of Jayberry. She knew her the least, having never met her before Blueberry brought her to the tunnel and rarely spending time with her. But would she be the child to kill first? Would she be the one to truly prove herself to the family? "Have you, now? And who have you fought? Who's blood has touched your tongue? Who have you killed?" To think that the wolf would be the first to follow in her footsteps. To be the first to kill their enemies. The other had fought, sure, but, to her knowledge, none of them had killed a Greater Gembound. Not like she had.

She stood and walked towards the wolf, leaning her head close to inspect her face. They were pretty much level now, with Blackberry's head only raising above Jayberry's ears a little bit. She stared deep into her eyes, but she didn't see the darkness she had hoped she would see. A darkness that she saw in herself whenever she gazed in a calm pool of water or a thin sheet of ice. He daughter had not yet killed someone. Without a word, she stepped back.

Her head snapped towards Huckleberry, rage flaring in her vision as she turned to face her last child. Once they had finished speaking, her whole body shuddered with rage and the silence stretched out as Blackberry comprehended all of this. She bared her teeth and took a step towards Huckleberry. "You brought a stranger into our home, a stranger who insulted me, berated me, and could be a threat to our family! You allowed yourself to be pampered and carried, like a helpless stray! You associated yourself with an enemy! And you think you've done no wrong?!" She suddenly jerked forward as Huckleberry moved the claws away from their face for a moment, raised a claw, and scoured it down their face, feeling blood well beneath her claws.

She stepped back, giving her talons a small shake to get off the blood before wiping it on the ground. She would not taste her own child's blood. She turned away from her child coldly, stepping back towards her nest. "No strangers are to come here," she announced. "Anyone that doesn't belong here is an enemy. Only with my permission may anyone besides the family enter the nest." She glared around at her children, as if daring them to disagree with her.

Blackberry's eyes raked her children, looking intensely at each one of them. How would they fare in a fight? Would they compare to her or even Blueberry? Elderberry, perhaps. He was committed, strong, loyal. She looked forward to see what he could truly do. Mulberry? Maybe. She showed promise. She wasn't as natural a fighter as she would expect from one of her children, but she wanted to get better. And she would. Blackberry would make sure of that. Jayberry is the one she was excited about. She could see the bloodlust in her eyes, the want to fight and to tear apart and to kill. She wanted to see it for herself, watch her child tear open an innocent creature, destroy and ravage a hopeless carcass. Take their gem for her own. But Huckleberry? Blackberry didn't know what to think. They were strange and their mood swings had never gotten better. Weak and pitiful, dropping out of fights for one reason or another, but still displaying the fighting spirit passed from their parents.

As she looked at Huckleberry, the child gave off a terrible roar. She didn't flinch as she narrowed her eyes. She wanted to see what would come next. Would the child give into their anger and attack her? Or would they attack another child? Or run? Or just sit themselves down? She felt the energy building in their body and prepared for a strike, but nothing ever came.

Disappointment coursed through her body. She was both excited to give her child a thrashing and desperate to see their anger and hatred. But they just collapsed on the ground and cried pitifully. "Get up," she snapped. "There's no use mewling to me. Your anger is your weapon. Strike true and fast and don't give in until your enemy is dead." Her eyes flashed. "But strike me once, Huckleberry, and I'll make sure you'd wished you'd never been hatched." Her words were stone cold truth. No mercy would come from Blackberry.

Turning towards the rest of the family, her gaze softened and lightened a little, now gleaming with excitement. They were ready now. Finally. The bird they had fought had been a quick decision on her part, but now it was time to lead a full planned assault. She nodded towards Elderberry. "Oh, we will fight together soon." She glanced at Jayberry. "I will give you the opportunity you desire."

She stood tall and glanced at them gathered before raising her voice. "Children, we have waited long enough. You are all almost full grown and it is time for our first true fight. I have an enemy that has eluded me for some time now. I made the mistake of leaving him alive and he tormented me when I was in Hell. He lives in the forests and claims to be their protector." She spoke the words with a mocking tone. A ridiculous fool. "I shall face him soon and you shall stand beside me." She narrowed her eyes, stopping on Huckleberry for a moment, as if to dare them to refuse.