Huckleberry thought for a moment on Pride's words. They could go with them now or even just stay here a little longer. Maybe find a peaceful spot, a safe spot. Away from the family and away from Blackberry and Jayberry. But they couldn't. Not yet, anyways. Cloudberry was still back in the tunnel.

They lowered their head. "No, I should go back to the nest. Even though Mama took Cloudberry, they're still mine and I have to be there for them. At least for now." They honestly had no idea what was going to happen with Cloudberry and they couldn't run away and hide. Not now. They had to be strong.

Suddenly impatient to leave and get back to the gem, Huckleberry's head snapped up, his eyes misty and not really gazing at Pride. "Thank you. I'll come and find you again. And...and when I leave, I'll come here. Hopefully with Cloudberry."

They couldn't stay here anymore. They had been gone too long. How stupid of them to dare stay away from the family for this amount of time and for such a selfish reason! They turned and shot away, not really giving any kind of formal goodbye in their haste to return to the nest. They had the tiger's eye Pride had given them clutched in their jaws. Hopefully that would be enough to cover for their absence.

*exit

@Pride

Pride listened quietly, noting the name--Cloudberry--and the fact that there was apparently a nest. A gathering place..? For a moment an image of the Sinful Seven storming this nest, slaughtering those within, danced within his mind--but then he saw, in that same mind's eye, Huckleberry among the attacked.

Cringing away in terror, horror, watching Pride and the others rip his family apart. Forced to fight back, or to flee, or to watch as his family--horrific as they were--were killed. We shall need to wait, then, until he is not there. Of all the things this one deserves, that is not among them.

Externally, he merely gave an incline of his head, a flick of his tail, and opened his mouth to speak--but the hybrid was in no way waiting. Huckleberry seemed to have made up his mind about something, and was already turning to go.

"I wish you well, then," Pride called after him--and then, far more quietly, "though I cannot say the same of your family."

He watched Huckleberry go, and then stood in silence for some time. Only after the echoes of the other's departure had long-faded, only after Pride had stood in thoughtful silence for some few long minutes, did he turn and make his way back toward the Throne. He would double back multiple times, circle, wait--he had to ensure that he did not lead any Bloodberries directly to Envy. But he had to report, now, to his King.

@Huckleberry (just in case you wanted to read exit post)
//exit Pride