Gleaming gold against the monochrome grays of canis was a medium-sized chrysalis, a beautiful pristine opal flecked with flame and sun. It was done growing, now, and the shell had slowly begun to weaken as the neonate inside began to stir. There was a faint tremble within and then a moment passed. Another shiver before the loud cracking of stone fracturing echoed and bounced over the barren stone walls.

And then it broke open and the calf was deposited onto a bed of broken bones and rock, gasping in its first, dusty breath. Gray and gold eyes flickered open as it scrambled to right itself, confusion clouding its newly awakening mind. It was wet all over and shivering from the chilly, dry air that seemed to penetrate like needles through the thin layer of fuz over its body. Legs like sticks managed to right themselves beneath its body and it stood shakily, adrenaline of its first moments beginning to slowly pass as it stood there among the debris, alone, confused, and a little bit afraid.

He twitched, almost a flinch, as something came into view. And something was a perfect descriptor of the strange six-limbed, long-tailed, navy and gold, antlered, long-tailed thing that approached. The soft voice, speaking a gentle greeting was soured by the sharp teeth, the claws, and, of course, the much much larger height. He was not fooled.

And the first semblance of thought and personality kicked in as it felt a surge of anger that this thing would be so rude as to try and trick him, when he had only just opened his eyes. The surge of instinctual prey-fear only furthered his frusteration and he immediately fought against it, standing up taller (despite the new-hatched shaking in his legs) and boldly staring down this stranger.

His face twisted strangely and his lips trembled as he struggled for a moment to figure out words, but it eventually formed into something - a brave, firm "No." as he glared at the larger stranger. It didn't make for an intimidating sight, this lanky, still-trembling new-hatched gembound calf staring at the massive hulking figure of Doru, but the opalescent, firey stone horn between its eyes glittered in response to his will and with the single word came a surprisingly powerful puff of wind around the calf, moving so that it didn't knock its caster over, but would slam full force into Doru.

He watched as wings - he had seen them already but hadn't known their purpose - caught the wind and took it to flight. At first he thought it was leaving and was moderately surprised it had been frightened away so easily, but he didn't take his eyes off of it and so saw it simply circle and land again. With Doru standing at its full height, it made the tiny size of the calf seem even smaller in comparison. He could probably lift him with one hand without any problem at all. Still, he trembled defiantly, pride running rampant through his veins.

He didn't fully understand what was going on, but what he did get was that he couldn't just stand down now, as if he'd made a mistake. He'd made an assumption and stood up to it, and he would continue to do so.

He lifted his head higher as more words were flung his way and he found that he had to figure out a way to respond. His eyes narrowed as he tongued phantom gibberish for a moment before managing to puzzle through a few bits more of a response. "No...fool. Don't....try to!" Yeah, that was close enough. It was becoming a little easier, the more and more he spoke, and so each word was more confident and came quicker then the last. "Not prey. Not weak!" It was objectively incorrect, of course, but in the moment, he thought of himself as quite strong and ready to fight if anything started. The trembling in his legs was beginning to fade.

There was an air of surprise and a long blink as the stranger just kind of...agreed. Calmed, offered empathy and extended a friendly conversation to be had. He didn't understand, but he was beginning to. His wide, defensive stance relaxed a little bit - not fully, or at least he naturally held his head high, it was hard to tell.

"Okay," he accepted the concession. He frowned, though, and his ears flicked back against his neck. "Attack? No - defend! Defend before attacked." He sniffed and thought for a moment, trying to figure out the idea he was trying to get across before he finished up with "Send a message."

He did indeed bristle at what very well could have been a threat, before Doru calmed him with a quick assurance (although he retained that fiery glint in his eye - he would not tolerate being threatened, not when he was so on edge). He wanted to get mad, rage at this older gembound trying to talk down to him, trying to tell him what to do, but he wasn't quite that stupid. He could understand how aggression could be a bad thing. If he'd been the one to walk up and get smacked in the face with wind, he wouldn't be all too happy. Perhaps caution in the future?

But the thought seemed to all of a sudden click a button in his mind that had him suddenly focus inwards. On himself, on the rush of blood through his veins. The heartbeat in his ears, the heavy breaths, the blur that fell in at the edge of his vision that threatened a tunnel should things become more elevated. How his nerves seemed to sing through his limbs, ready to fight or fly, how everything felt so terrifying and huge and dangerous. And it was wonderful. The adrenaline was like a flame fueling his mind, every beat of his heart was music through his veins. He remembered the darkness and nothing that came before this - faintly, like a dream fading away - the comfort of the chrysalis, the sleep of un-life. It had been like a cage. But now...freedom awaited. Freedom and life!

If a deer could smile, this one would surely be beaming. But the glint of a mad joy was bright in his eyes. "Dangerous? Sounds...fun." Perhaps it was a daring thing to say, and something so out of place for the newly hatched calf, still trembling from the exertion of just standing, but after the moment of introspection, he felt like somebody completely different. Like he had pulled himself free of the last tendrils of the chrysalis then, and he had fully emerged into who he is at his core.

He cocked his head at Doru and took a step forward, leaning forward, curious. "More dangerous? Tell me." He looked him up and down. "You are big. Are there bigger?"

He kept talking, kept teaching, and the calf was very quickly growing bored. Yeah, yeah, dangers and stuff, magic, appearances. He had figured out in the moment before that he was able to use magic and he was strong in it too. He had quickly worked out for himself that despite the smaller size, he wasn't defenseless, with the wind at his side. Already he had worked out that he could do that, and also run if it was not enough. Perhaps one day he would be able to do more.

"You talk a lot." he snorted, interrupting Doru's lecture. "What bigger then you? You have magic? Tell me that instead." Maybe the stranger would figure out that his patience was small and already worn away for the moment and excitement instead was growing like hot embers quickly growing to a flame.