He was calming now, because the tiger was calming and no longer roaring and the taste of violence was fading from the air. But he still spoke in circles and vague indications and it was beginning to frustrate him. His tail lashed behind him, displeased, as he slowly got to his feet. Less then an hour ago had been his first time walking, but now he stood on his feet confidently, glaring up at the tiger with no fear. "Not urgent? To me - it is! I have been awake for minutes and I am attacked in the stead of someone else! No chance to defend myself or get any explanation...it's not fair!" It was with a childish whine that he ended his sentence now and he looked away, aware of it, and ashamed.

He sighed and rolled back his shoulder, feeling a pang of soreness over his neck where Rezik had held him down. "...Fine. But please just tell me straight. I'm tired of this vague talk."

But a name? He thought immediately back to the voice in his dream, calling for him. "Kestrel. Kestrel. Please wake up, Kestrel." Was that his name? But he didn't even know who that was. Still, it held some meaning to him, but he would carve his own place, his own identity.

"Kestrel. But you can call me Kass." He stood up to follow wherever Teosar would lead him, hoping that he would finally clear things up for him.

The tiger grunted with sad amusement.

"You remind me a little of your-... The one who had your stone, before. Our stones--like the one you bear," he explained, all the while turning to pad softly off toward the river, "somewhere on your body, carry our magic, our life," (for he'd only seen a chrysalis shard or two, and not the abdominal Labradorite).

"And before you grow impatient--Kass--I am explaining, and I know it's frustrating. You're lucky I was there," he added, and it seemed an abrupt, unexpected realization more than a demand for gratitude. He stepped down a little slope, glancing back to ensure the child was safely following, that he would not fall. And if he did--Teosar would catch him, right him with a huge and gentle paw, and continue. "Our stones can be given new life, when we fall. And sometimes, that new life hatches from that stone bearing echoes--in form, color--in shape--of the last owner."

He wound his way up, then, along a narrower trail and around to the right, glancing back with wary eyes to ensure that Rezik wasn't lurking somewhere in the distance, stalking them. He did not trust that one. Once they were out of sight behind the boulders, he dipped down to the water's edge, to a place where the slope was not so steep as to pitch a child into the frothing waters.

"Drink, if you wish; mind your footing, but I will keep you safe."

Then he lowered himself to striped haunches and chest, lapping at the ice-cold water, himself. He drank for a moment before he finished his explanation, lavender eyes seeking Kass's own. "The other half of your answer lies in the fact that these caves are run by tyrants, tyrants who once held much more power than they do. They violently oppress, and suppress, freedom. Your last stonebearer-... wanted to fight them. But those of us who fight run the risk of death, if we are ever found out. I suspect... that the one who was awaiting your hatching--his name is Rezik--killed him--killed N'chard. N'chard was coming around, understanding that rebellion was our only chance of survival--and I think Rezik killed him for it. Or turned him in, reported him to someone who did the killing. A stone... like yours, can bear echoes not only of shape... but of the past. Perhaps he feared his crime being uncovered. Or maybe he just hated N'chard so much he wanted you, too, dead."

Teosar took a breath, wincing. "You wanted everything. Was that too much at once?" he asked.

@Kass

At first, as he padded after Teosar, he was confused. What was he talking about, stones, and life before? He became quite aware of the hard stone underneath his body, skin moving against it as he walked. Was that what he was talking about?

Still, it took Teosar saying it for Kass to realize exactly how dire that situation had been. He would have died, if he hadn’t been saved. He lowered his head a bit, a small bow of respect and thanks. ”I…yes, you’re right. Thank you. For saving me.” He needed to calm down, this tiger was not his enemy.

It all fell into place, then, when a Teosar spoke of past lives and echoes. Shape and body. Gemstone. It clicked, like a puzzle piece previously astray finally completing the picture. He stopped for a moment, physically, ears perked. ”So I’m…someone reborn?” He looked up at Teosar and realized he’d gotten a little ahead and jerked back into motion, stumbling a bit, but feeling Teosar’s large paw halt him before he fell properly. He grunted a small thanks, a little embarrassed, but holding himself higher as he continued to follow.

He followed suit, drinking from the cool river, careful to keep his footing this time, in his own, and when the tiger began speaking again, he looked up and sat, feeling icy water clearing his head.

It was…a lot, but Kass met Teosars lavender eyes with burning fuchsia, hungry for answers. He listened, taking it all in, filing all the information as best he could. Tyrant leaders. Rebellion. Survival. A leader, killed. And he, Kass, was the leader reborn.

He swallowed heavily and shook his head. ”No, I just gotta take a second to process it.” He was quiet for a moment, imagining what would have happened. Someone that looking like him, calico fur, with a kingly glow, facing off in battle with the strange deer creature. A valiant fight, for the rights to freedom. For the right to rebel. And the face of the other splitting open, ending it all with a flash of sharp teeth, and a pain in the neck not unlike before, and everything going dark.

His tongue flicked out to lick at a stray droplet on his muzzle, bringing him back to the present. ”They were enemies - N’Chard and Rezik? How long ago was this? And…you,” he locked eyes with Teosar once again. ”You fought back. Were you and N’Chard…friends?”

Teosar hesitated, his words coming careful, gentle. Every now and then he cast a glance back behind them, wary. He was clearly intent on keeping this child safe.

"Yes, ahh--'reborn' might not quite be the right word. You're like... his child," he explained. Would the new hatch understand what that meant? "That means... you take physical aspects of him, but your life is new. You are new."

When Kass explained that he needed time to process, Teosar offered a sympathetic nod. This child was--mature, for his age. He should, the tiger thought, be running and playing with others of his kind, but no, he'd been hatched into this. Into a burden he should never have to bear. But that was always how it was--wasn't it? This damned place forbids a childhood. The thought was bitter.

"They were-... enemies, yes, in the end. Before that, they were... friends, of a sort. And I was--not close enough to call him a friend, no, but..." It was too much to explain piecemeal, like this. He took a breath and gave the entire story as a whole, albeit neatly summarized. "They were two in a group of many who served the so-called 'Masters' of these caves. I led rebels who fought back, where we could, from hiding. I tried to convince N'chard that this was the only way their people would survive--getting out from beneath those Master's claws. He'd finally come to understand this and... I think he had made the decision to join his people to mine, and likely Rezik killed him for that. Or turned him in to the Masters. I'm not sure," he admitted. "But it was... a tangled mess. I never had proof. He claimed he'd gone off with N'chard; N'chard went... somewhere else. He didn't know where, he said. Nobody ever saw him again." His eyes ranged over the child again, noting all those eerie similarities. The temptation to say 'until now' was strong, but this child was not N'chard.

"Don't let his past define you, child. He'd not have wanted that. But be aware that you might be in danger from those who recognize your colors, or your stone."

@Kass

The idea of Kass being a separate being from N’Chard, not defined by him, not a clone, came with the bitter thought that yes, he had already been defined by him. The moment he had awoken, stepped out of the deep dream of non existence, and already he had almost lost his chance at life because of N’Chard. Because of the past, of crimes unknown to the masses, and a friendship turned bitter enemies.

But he didn’t blame N’Chard for this. In fact, he felt sad. His life had been cut short by someone he’d once trusted. A coward, as Teosar had called him, that had disliked the thought of freedom for his people.

He shook his head. ”It’s not fair,” he repeated. ”Is it still like that? Are these…Masters still around? Suppressing freedom? How long ago was this, anyways?” It had to have been a while at least, right? That not-dream felt like it had lasted an age.

With a sudden desire to know more about his past life, about who N’Chard had been, how he died, he sat himself down on the stone and leaned back, looking down at the labradorite on his abdomen. He reached a paw to touch it carefully, calling on the magic that he had used before, in a desperate bid against Rezik.

"I-... don't know the answers to those questions. Understand, I can hardly wander around asking. In my time-... I was hunted. Is it the same, now?" He looked out, over the river, deep in thought. "I know that I see bones where the living once tread. And that stone is worn away where in my time it was fresh and raw. So-... many, many years. Past that, I am unsure."

Anything else he said, however, was lost to magic welling up in Kass's gem. It flared, plunging reality away for another vision.

It was dark. The gleam of black stone, of green seafroth chalcedony, and of his labradorite--they formed a trinity in this place. There was a soft rumbling, comforting--a feline purring--filling this space.

A black silhouette moved against Polaris's light, feline, the gleam and flash of pink at her cheek.

The way she moved, and stepped-... these stones were hers. Cared for, protected. Who was this?

Teosar was peering down at him. "Little one-?"

@Kass

A millennia had passed, then. Teosar was a relic in these caves, as Kass might be a relic given new life. If he wanted to know more, then, about the current times, then Teosar wasn’t the one to ask. That was alright - the information he’d given him already had done so much. It had given him a start to understanding.

The vision, however, gave him something different. He recognized the space - that was the cave he’d been in. That was…that was him. The labradorite. But there were others as well, two others. Black and sea green. He didn’t recognize them, they hadn’t been there when he woke up. And the purring sound, the feline shape…who was that.

Was that the voice he’d heard? Calling his name? Begging him to wake up? Was that the one that had given him new life?

His mother?

As he came out of the vision, he found himself just staring off into the distance. He realized Teosar was looking at him expectantly. He started, shaking himself out of it. ”Sorry, I was just thinking. You’re still hunted, all this time later?” He paused for a moment, an idea sparking in his mind. ”I could ask around for you, if you want? If you’re still hiding maybe…maybe it’s better now. Maybe you don’t have to run anymore.”

He looked down at himself, at his colors. Hopefully they wouldn’t cause too much of a problem, that perhaps the inconspicuous place that his gemstone lay would be enough to keep him relatively safe, if there were others like Rezik that wanted him dead.

But it just wasn’t fair that Teosar had to run, that he spent his whole life running and now, after everyone else was gone, he still felt hunted. He was good and kind, and Kass wanted him to be free.

The tiger's thoughtful rumble was clearly born of hesitation. Putting a child at risk for this was... selfish. It would be selfish, and no, he would not do that.

"I would not mention my name. But if you ever find out what the status of the caves is-? I do not know if I am still hunted. Perhaps. Best not to risk it, but I've still heard tell of Masters in this era. You, though," and he nodded to the abdominal stone, pushing to his feet. "Remember that N'chard never had a chance to begin his rebellion--to join his cause to mine. As far as anyone but I and perhaps Rezik knew... he was still loyal. I think, for the most part, you should be safe."

There were 'what ifs,' of course. Caveats. Teosar acknowledged them with the briefest nod. "Though as I say... I am out of touch." A smile curled feline lips. "You are welcome to travel with me, if you like. I'd keep you safe, even if your stone was not that of an old acquaintance and kindred spirit. But if you choose to go your own way-... Know that N'chard was noble, honorable, and always put the lives and well-being of others before his own. It didn't make for an easy life-... but it did make for an admirable one." There was dignity and respect in these words.

@Kass

”No, of course not,” he corrected himself. ”I wouldn’t mention you, just…see if things are still bad, if there’s still even a need for rebels.” He hoped that there was not, that times had changed enough that gembound could live free. But if the Masters were still around, then he doubted that was the case. And the fact that he had been assaulted the moment he’d woken up…a cruel world indeed.

He nodded, relieved that at least he could go about with ease. He would not have to fear being hunted or fear the Masters trying to kill him at every corner. ”I’ll be careful. I want to learn - about the past and the present. But I won’t ask anything that might put me or you in danger. I promise.”

He stood a little taller at the praise Teosar spoke of N’Chard. He sounded like a true leader, a truly good person and Kass felt a rush of pride at having been born from his stone. It solidified his desire to find justice for him, to finish what he started, to live up to his name and his legacy. It didn’t feel like a burden - it felt like a promise.

”I’d like…to carve my own path. There are things I want to do, and someone I want to find. But…if I want to find you, where can I look? I’d like to hear more about the past. About you, and N’Chard. And, of course, if I ever find out if you are safe now.”

The tiger gave a sober nod, his ringed tail-tip flicking.

"I understand. And-... I don't know," was his honest answer, delivered a little more quietly. "My home has been usurped by Order. And even then it was no home. Only a refuge, filled with the bones of those who fell." He shook his head, grim. "Stay away from the white mold, Kass. It's another power that wants to control us. Other than that..." He leaned down, a friendly nose-to-nose offer of touch. "Best of luck."

When Kass was gone, he reflected, perhaps he'd go after Rezik. See if he could track the bastard down, and end this--though knowing him, he'd covered his scent in some slippery way or other.

@Kass