Bug listened with big, round eyes and rapt attention to Kalama's lessons. In her mind, glowing mushrooms and mist and bones and bone-sniffers all swirled into one fantastic image, and her draconic tail switched back and forth behind her as she pictured it.

Her spell of awe was broken by Dread's additional message--forestalling any terrible disappointment--but the symbolism, if any were really there, of his magic didn't really strike the child. She happily broke it, crowing good-natured laughter at her father.

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD," she cried, springing up and prancing around him; "Bananas aren't STRONG!" More child's giggling was met only with Dread's even stare, still fixed on Kalama--he didn't answer Bug--but she hardly noticed. She danced back to the chicken, instead, still wide-eyed and happy.

"WILL you teach me to be strong? When you're, um. Done being-" Bug paused, and looked around -"busy?" Her brain tried to put two and two together--that there was something not quite right about that statement, and the empty den--but gave up after a couple of seconds with a cheerful mental shrug.

"Will you teach me?! Will you will you will you?!" An overactive child in every cliche, the kitten then bounded around Kalama, sparkling-eyed and hopeful.

She paused and tried to add a magical, whispering 'Will you?!' too, but her magic did absolutely nothing, and the kitten was left abruptly still, one forepaw in the air, an expression of sudden concentration--and confusion--on her face.

@Kalama

Kalama's eyes roved over the cave, finding nothing but rock walls and piles of shiny things and statues. Where did he get all this stuff, anyways? Kalama, quite frankly had no idea how to get out of here. And the last thing she wanted to do was ask Dread. Or Bug. Speaking of them, the little dragoncat was talking to Dread--so she Was his kid. Huh. Kalama thought that was kind of weird. Almost as weird as Dread telling Bug bananas were strength. She clucked a laugh.

"Of course bananas aren't strong," she said. Would Dread really tell his kid that? What a bad parent, Kalama thought. She should be a parent. She would be a great parent. She flicked an eye back towards Dread, feeling his stare on her. Dread leaned towards Kalama, and she stiffened, eyes locked on to him. Ready to either flee a blast of fire, or claw at the dragon's face. She wouldn't get bitten a second time. Something bright yellow plopped out. She crowed in fear, jumping in time with the yellow object's bounce. She stuck her head in the direction of it. It was a banana. She narrowed her eyes at Dread. The lack of threat made her angrier than a real threat would've. Irritation began to well in Kalama.

She flicked her eye down to Bug. Hopefully she hadn't notice Kalama's jump. They was bouncing around her with energy Kalama could only be envious of. Bug was beginning to bite at Kalama's nerves as well. She fixed her eyes on the kitten. She couldn't be mad at Bug. They were small. Her annoyance redirected itself towards Dread.

"When I'm done?" She said. She cocked her head, staring at Bug.She considered the possibility. Well, someone had to keep an eye on Bug. Teach the young gembound real strength. And parent them. She'd be a much better parent than Dread, she was sure of it. If there was any gembound most suited for the job, it was Kalama. She'd have a Parent of the Caves award by the time she was finished with Bug. And someone needed to keep Bug warm until she hatched. Yes, this was Kalama's child. "I suppose so. Once I leave this shiny cave, sure."

She squinted at Bug's expression. She quickly came to the realization Bug must've tried to use that weird magic she had earlier. Kalama seized the chance. "Ah, you tried magic again? Magic will fail you, unlike pure physical strength. That always works." She nodded to herself.

She could still felt Dread's stare still on her. Constantly looming over her. That combined with the fact she'd managed to get lost in a single giant room caused her irritation to grow. Kalama shook out her ruff, trying to calm herself before she ended up in another fight with Dread. And snapped at them anyways. "Stop staring at me Dread! Look at the rocks, Lizard!"

think "speak"

@Bug

Bug's eyes widened further, awed. She was oblivious to her father behind her, his neck-spines slowly rising, like hackles on a dog, at Kalama's words.

"YEAH! You're right! Dad says you gotta practice it a lot or it stops working. But he says his never doesn't work. Never... Never does... Did I say that right..." She looked lost, for a moment, before shaking herself and blinking. "He says his always works," she clarified, and then confessed, "But mine doesn't. What do you use, um, physical strength for? Can you--"

She paused.

Childish imagination struggled.

"...Push things?" she decided.

"And thank you! For teaching me! I'm so glad I met you! You're really nice." The kitten crept a little closer, sat down into herself--fur fluffing around her--and began to purr, shining eyes locked on Kalama.

@Kalama

"Never doesn't?" She parroted. She tilted her head, staring at the roof with one eye as she thought about it. "Yeah, that sounds about right." Even if it wasn't, words were dumb. Kalama speaks plenty well. "Your dad can only do it cause he's big. Magic is dumb. Being strong--real physical strength you need real smarts to learn.

"Push things?" Her eyes sparkled. Bug didn't realize the sheer possibilities. "So much more. You can fight things in glorious battle with pure physical strength. You can mark things with your talons, and they'll never disappear. You can get cool huge muscles that stick out. Kalama didn't exactly have any at this time, given that she was still thin from her recent hatch.

Kalama blinked. She wasn't used to getting told thank you, but she liked it. It was nice. Mostly she heard "Kalama stop," or "Kalama dont beat up that two cycle old gembound." But this was different. She wanted to be told thank you more. "Of course!" She said, fluffing her down."I'll train you when you finish hatching," she said.

Her brooding instincts suggested that she hatch Bug, who was clearly still not fully grown. Kalama, of course, didn't know that. But she nudged the little kitten beneath her with a foot. She kept the kitten tucked beneath her fluffed feathers, where she could give the most heat to speed up the egg process. She gave Dread the look of a brooding chicken, and made a chrr sound. daring him to take her newly adopted doughter away.

DICEBOI rates Kalama's intimidating stare a 17
there was supposed to be a intimidating stare roll but origin hates my guts DICEBOI says it is 17