Blackberry was quite surprised when something mushy and yellow was pushed through the branches of her cage. It flopped down in front of her and she recognized it immediately. At last, a proper chuckle broke through that haze of misery. Of course. A banana. She leaned down and carefully began to peel at the skin to get to the fruit beneath. Wilder had grown her one in that cave and that, too, had succeeded in cheering her up. She carefully picked at it until most of it was eaten before she finally whispered a small "Thank you."

She was more then a little surprised at this news, though. "Huh? She didn't tell me anything about that. Although...perhaps that was when..." A sheet of anger passed over her and it twisted her expression just for a moment. "That asshole!" she spat, suddenly. "Thinking she can get away with anything when she's as damaged as that. If I ever see her again, I'm gonna beat the shit out of her!" It seemed to have taken a hold on her for a second. She was breathing heavily, a small, tense tremble clutching her diminished frame, her eyes blazing, but then it was gone and she sunk back into the grass. "She gave life to three more stones. What she thought she'd get out of it is anyone's guess - probably to start the family over again. The kids were deformed and one of them died right in front of us. Probably because she got herself beat up right before giving life to them. And now there's two more children, running around with the family curse of misery and blood. I should never have nurtured that lust for blood. I should have taught her not to hurt and kill recklessly. Maybe I was angry, maybe I was deranged, but Jayberry loved the kill. Not the fight, not the adrenaline, but the murder part. All the blood and the feeling of domination. And now she thinks she can turn around and live the domestic life? That's bullshit."

Her feelings were Jayberry were complicated and even trying to wrap her head around it made her dizzy. She loved her - of course she did, she'd raised the pup from hatch. She was the only one of her children left that still believed in her. But...she hated her too, because of who she was, because she couldn't let go, couldn't accept that she'd done anything wrong. She wasn't going to make amends for anything. If she wanted to change, Blackberry would have to leave Jayberry behind.

She listened to Kera's explanation and snorted. "A worthy goal. It's okay, you can hate me. I hate you a lot, for what you did to me, but I don't blame you for it." But she found herself strangely...moved by what she was saying. Never before had anyone, especially an enemy, ever regarded her as anything more then a vicious, mindless monster. She had tried to convince herself for a long time that there was more to her then this but it had been hard to really accept it. Hearing it stated out loud...it felt so real. She closed her eyes for a moment and nodded. "Thank you...I...that means a lot. If you think I deserve to work for a second chance...I'll take it. As long as I'm not immediately murdered after the trial." She snorted again, but there really wasn't anything funny about that.

Blackberry herself didn't quite see the irony in what she was saying. Jayberry hadn't suffered as much, she hadn't regretted anything or tried to make amends. In fact, she'd turned around and tried to start the family all over again and that, in Blackberry's eyes, made her as irredeemable as she had once been. She grumbled to herself, trying to figure out what exactly she was feeling about this. "I don't know. I didn't stick around for very long. But the kids are innocent. If you talk to one of them, maybe you could get a better picture." She stopped herself before revealing the location of the hidden nook, some loyalty to her family apparently still alive in her heart.

She very much hadn't expected the conversation to go this way. She didn't think Kera would ever be showing some kind of regret for what she'd done. Blackberry had gone through most of her life thinking that Kera had been okay with it all, that she'd done it in complete control. But Blackberry knew that the rush of a fight could really mess with the head.

She blinked and lifted her head just a little. "Yeah, maybe it was wrong. But I don't really care what you think about it. I hate you for it but I don't blame you. But if you were looking to apologize, then I forgive you." The words came out before she could stop herself and, for a moment, she was surprised herself that she'd said it, but the surprise slowly cleared away.

She looked back down, back to picking at what remained of the banana. "Yeah, I figured. Wilder wanted one so I could have a chance. The Kingdom want it to show they can be just. The Seven want it so they can kill me properly." She paused as Kera continued and found that she wasn't surprised by her announcement. After all, she'd been talking to her, helping her work through it in a way. Perhaps there were some people, after all, that would testify in her defense. "I...I don't know how I could ever thank you for that. I promise, I want to change. I already have. I don't want anyone else to be hurt because of me."

Blackberry shrugged, probably the first full-body movement since she'd carefully shifted herself over. "Doesn't matter. You have it." She was fine if people didn't forgive her. As far as she was concerned, she didn't deserve forgiveness. She didn't need it. The only thing she needed was death and the thought of a second chance, while endearing, felt more like a punishment then a mercy. But if it would serve to make things right, to at least begin to make up for what she'd done, well, she'd take it. And Kera was offering her this chance. She'd take it.

She didn't really understand what had gotten the wolf so emotional and she blinked, confusion washing over her face. So far through this whole conversation, Blackberry had been the one breaking down and crying while Kera had been stoic, impassive, neutral. She wasn't going to poke and pry, but she made a mental note. For later reference.

She chuckled again, a little more heartily then before. "I'm well aware. If I did betray you, I doubt you'd offer me the mercy of a quick death. I don't have any intention of it, but I guess my word isn't worth shit at the moment." She watched the wolf rise and offered only a small nod and a last. "Thank you," to her as she padded away.

She looked after the wolf as she greeted her old friend and wondered how this had ended up happening. How had she and Kera come to, maybe not a state of forgiveness, but an understanding? How did she get the will to live again? It'd been a rollarcoaster for the past few cycles, ever since the fight. She'd wanted to die, then live, then die, the live, then die, and now she was back to living again. Although she doubted that she'd be given that favor for much longer.

She set her head back on the ground and looked out of the bars in her cage, wondering what kind of fucking mess this trial would end up being.

*exit