The magic show had ended. The Gembound had all filtered away, dispersing back to their home caves and their lives. So the green and red tomb was left in the harsh light of the Spire. Forgotten.

Perhaps this was a mercy, that Tourmaline wouldn't return to the jeering crowd.

The Spirelight shone through her chrysalis like a candle to an egg. She twisted, turned, as she snapped awake. Her mind was still a haze, but she knew something wasn't right. Why am I trapped!? Let me out! Let me out!

Her thrashing was slow, but it worked. A paw punched a hole where the stone had thinned, and then she's sticking her head through there, to wiggle free. The last push just ends up making the whole chrysalis collapse though, and Tourmaline tumbles out, a heap of far too many limbs and wet cat.

And she just sits there, coughing up chrysalis fluid. All of her nerves felt like they were buzzing. Maybe her head would clear when her lungs did...

Well, the big event, that grand seeking out of the strong and wily, was over. As per usual, the swell of noise within Orion had faded away, and the cave had returned to its typical graveyard silence. East couldn't say he'd miss the activity; all too often it meant trouble's arrival. Whether a long chrysalis nap was included as part of the surprise package came down to the latest host's intentions. Looking at the present outcome, though, reluctant thanks ought to be given: at least the matches spectated this time lacked death in the name and blood spatters on the arena floor had been kept to a minimum.

But that was accounting only for the goings-on in his neck of the cavern system. Oh, plenty could be heard about what had transpired elsewhere, some things entertaining and others plain gruesome. If any belief could be invested into chatter, the magic display in Polaris had encountered a couple almost literal showstoppers, resolved by the aforementioned host and judge Overseer Tectus. Swift action might've been, but nevertheless a messy aftermath remained for any recent visitor's judgment. Therefore morbid curiosity had tipped his wings toward the area for an ill-advised flyby gawking.

One didn't need much more good instinct than the average Lesser possessed to give the Oil-slicked rock erupted from the earth a wide berth. If the sight reeked any worse of bad business, he would've had to roll up generous wads of the nearby glowing mosses and plug them into his nares to avoid inhaling noxious fumes. East spiraled above this spot, blatant distaste held within his gaze for the blight upon the landscape the corrupted spire caused, careful to never allow his glide to dip low enough to graze talons against its jagged tip.

"Real piece of work, aren't you?" A low mutter emerged from his beak. "What, somebody decided to redecorate around here? Thought the place needed less color?"

Once flown well outside the spire's radius, the hawk swooped for a safer observation perch. A flutter of dark feathers heralded him settling upon a tall crystal outcropping, its natural radiance untainted by any questionable magical influence. There he rested, shoulders hunched in quiet and morose contemplation of the new spot of rot grown upon the cavern system's heart, until a series of sounds distracted him. A sharp crack followed by the thump of a body hitting the floor and weak coughs swung East's head in the direction of their source.

No search necessary when the obvious first place to inspect was the previously unbroken chrysalis rooted into the ground. Freshly deposited, a mountain of wet fur shook with the unmistakable signs of life. A Gembound was gathering their bearings while fluid dripped from jaws.

"I'd offer fetching you a drink of water," he drawled in reference to the wooden cup dangling from his neck, "but seems your mouth's a little full about now. Doubt you're in much of a mood for quenching thirst after having a swig of your own self."

So far luck had saved him from returned residence in his quartz, the stone always firmly attached to his head instead of constructing a sturdy cage around him. Hopefully, a combination of it and swift wit would ensure such visitations were few and infrequent. He'd no desire to end up soaked to the bone and multiple days removed from the occurrences of the outside world like this unfortunate soul. Too much bad could happen in such a small span of time.

@Tourmaline