Yellow accepted the sample from Pallas almost automatically, holding it as he finished explaining. Things were making a lot more sense this time, and they were glad. The fungus must have been magical in nature, meaning it most likely wouldn't get them sick or anything. And it wasn't like all fungus was automatically dirty.

"It's a good idea!" Yellow told Pallas, sniffing at the sample curiously. There was a faint odor of rot clinging to it, but now Yellow knew that it wasn't actually rotting. "It must be useful. I wish I'd been able to do that." If they'd known about the fungus earlier and been able to keep in contact with their siblings from far away, maybe they'd never have lost them.

Pallas' promise and little pat brought a warm smile to their face. "Thanks so much. I'm really glad we can be siblings." And this family was one they could share forever and ever, without fear of ever being lost again. Yellow looked at the tuft in their fingers with almost reverence. The little piece of magic fungus could do so much good for all the families in the world.

They took the sample in their mouth, swallowing quickly and grimacing a little at the aftertaste of rot. It was too bad it didn't taste good, but it was only temporary. Everyone'd eaten sour berries at some point, and Yellow figured this wasn't so different. "— What do you mean by cleaners?" they added belatedly. "Are they siblings too?" If so, it seemed a little weird to refer to them just as 'cleaners'.

Being skittish around outsiders, though, they could understand. Or maybe understand wasn't entirely the right word. Yellow did not really think on the topic much at all, but simply glossed over it as not noteworthy. They weren't, but it wasn't totally unthinkable that others were. Cycles ago? Maybe. But people changed, as they always did. That was normal, too: not noteworthy.

@Pallas gm tagging

For Yellow, the link came slowly. A trickle in, too weak even after the infection took root to truly speak to them. It came, instead, as the firing of certain centers of the Sifaka's brain; tiny floodgates being opened that swam with chemicals. Warmth, safety, a mother's touch: these were the surges that made up the soup that now swept through Yellow's cortex.

In a language without words, it sang to them. And "I love you" were the lyrics.

For Pallas, Mother's always-present approval had bloomed strong. She had watched, those same floodgates flittering more and more open, as Pallas had delicately maneuvered this situation. Now her gentle presence became strong: a tight embrace more than a brushing touch. "You're doing so well," she whispered, her voice strong in his mind. "I'm proud of you."

With this came a new piece of knowledge: the next time Pallas was back home, in the nest, he should come to Mother. They had something to discuss.

But not now-... not yet. For now, there was a sibling to care for. A bond to build. A family to expand.

"Take your time," she whispered, that smiling approval like the warmth of a sun Ursa's bitter cold would never know.

@Pallas

Pallas watched partly expectantly, gently smiling up to Yellow when they were happy. It was good to bring joy to a new sibling, and he rumbled in a sort of purr, shuffling in tighter to the sifaka to touch his shoulder to their hip. "I'm very glad, too," he purred out. The joy of new family was compounded by Mother's embrace, and he was content.

He watched with round eyes when Yellow ate the piece, nodding sympathetically. "It will take some time to develop the bond, but not too long. It is stronger in the tunnels," he spoke quietly, nudging his nose farther into Ursa. "As for the cleaners, they are-- akin to distant family. They do not speak, and they simply desire to do what their role is- to clean. They keep our home, or bodies pristine, orderly- while they may be overwhelming at first, they are very thorough." His tail flicked closer.

"The praetors, too- they help keep our home safe, but they love us as the cleaners do. It will take time for them to warm up to you, as they do to everyone." He settled in further, leaning his cheek onto sifaka as he rumbled with pure joy.

Mother's caress was akin to a nicely made bed after a long holiday, and he melted at the touch, eyes shutting. 'Thank you, Mother,' he hummed out in his mind, the sugary emotion pouring from him probably near tangible to Yellow's mind. He would attend to their future conversation, but for now, he would enjoy Yellow's company and welcome them home.

Quietly, he pulled one eye open, looking up to his sibling. "We can stay here during the storm, but would you like to go home afterwards?" He had to pry himself away to stick his nose out into the cold. He huffed at it, shaking his head, and leaning back into sifaka for the gentle warmth they provided each other.

@Yellow

Huh. In a way, living life as someone with a single, defined purpose didn't sound so bad, or maybe that was the infection of Order talking? You knew where your place was, what you had to do, and what you were happy doing. Everything was set out for you. Life would be easy. So was it really that strange that this was what the cleaners and praetors wanted, even if they couldn't quite imagine that kind of life for themselves?

"You live in entire tunnels?" Yellow asked, wide-eyed. They thought of the tunnels connecting the rooms: from Polaris to Ursa, from Eridanus to Orion, many miles long. "It must have taken forever to build! --Did you build it? Or were they already there? Do they lead to other caves? I'd love to visit; I've always wanted to go on an adventure..."

They trailed off, scooting closer to Pallas for warmth. It really was too bad that such a beautiful cave had to be so cold. Yellow wanted so badly to stay with their new family for a while, but it really wasn't a place for a sifaka to live. At least I can visit! And stay longer if I bring the blanket! they thought, trying to cheer themselves up. It seemed more and more like some kind of blessing from a higher power that they'd gotten the banner when they had. Maybe the rift really was benevolent and knew what was best for its visitors!

@Pallas

Pallas had to consider this for a moment. The answer was a yes, of course, but he was surprised. Were tunnels interesting? He wasn't sure if he should be excited for them or not. Eventually, he nodded with a "yes" to the first question, followed with "And- no, I didn't help make it. They're exclusively in Ursa, as far as I'm aware." Backup nests would be nice, but it would mean that their resources would be split too far, and could they risk that?

No, he decided, they couldn't. They could plant nodes all they wanted, but constructing an entire nest would leave the Ursa establishment vulnerable. And what if they were caught in the duration of that? No. Pallas sidled in closer to press against Yellow when they came closer, his mind idly thinking.

"You could go on an adventure." His voice was gentle as he spoke without a filter, eyes staring off into the distance. "You could take Mother's senses to the other caves, as I once did- hide her, and keep her fed." His head raised then lowered, nestling on his outstretched paws. "But, for now, would you like to warm up back home? We would be getting out of the weather." His gaze turned back to Yellow, his head still resting. If not, then he was perfectly comfortable here, anyways.

But, he was excited to show them the way home- excited enough to project that through the link, just at the edge of Yellow's consciousness.

(do you wanna start aiming for an exit? up to you if so)
@Yellow

Huh? Pallas' words were met with more confusion, though Yellow did like the idea of going on adventure with family. The first thing that came to mind at Pallas' suggestion, though, was an image of them carrying someone's eyeballs around. Which, okay, that probably wasn't what he'd meant. Why wasn't their brain being more helpful in trying to understand this?

"Explain?" they asked, taking a peek out of the blanket shelter. A snowflake landed near their eye, and they blinked it away with a slight smile. "What do you mean by 'taking her senses with me'? And why hide?"

They only pondered over whether to go to the tunnels for a brief moment. It was cold out there, but how could Yellow not go meet their new family?! "Sure!" they agreed, scrambling to their feet. "You can tell me more about Mother on the way!"

@Pallas yeah! yellow still has some questions but we can probably exit soon

Explain? Ahh- he... He was getting lost in Mother again, wasn't he? He knew what she was about, but not Yellow, and he glanced down with a hum. "She can see through us- feel what we feel, and by planting her Hive in other caves, her senses can expand. It's how we stay in contact." He glanced back to Yellow, shaking his head sadly. "But, some people don't like us, because they think we shouldn't be with her. Because she makes us happy, she cares for us- they dislike us out of ignorance. Dislike her."

he sighed, drawing himself in a little before perking up, ears raising. Yellow stood- and the blanket came with, and Pallas shoved to his feet too. His long body stretched out of it, and he let out a small groan as his muscles woke back up, straining before a smile back to his sibling. "Of course- I would be glad to." He flicked his tail before stepping out into the snow, holding it high so Yellow could follow.

"Mother is a wonderful being. She cares for us, she makes our family happy, she lets us connect to each other. People think we steal others from their families, but that can't be farther from the truth." Especially since Yellow was looking for their's, right? "She wants our safety. We don't steal from families, we let them grow, let them connect in ways they were unable to before."

Pallas looked back, slowing down to talk but trying not to step on their blanket. "Where do you think you've seen your brother last?" That would be a good start, he decided, to encouraging Yellow to get out and help with both of their families.

@Yellow
keep doin questions then! :0 we'll let the exit naturally come

Yellow made a face at Pallas' explanation. "Huh. That's pretty nasty of them." What was wrong with a good, happy family, anyway? If they were jealous, they could just join the family. There was no need to stew in that jealousy when there was such an easy way to happiness! And, well, if you didn't get visits, then maybe that person didn't really like you enough anyway. Wait-

Yeah, that, or they fell asleep. So there were more possibilities, but in none of those scenarios was Mother and her magic fungus at fault! Maybe those other people would feel better if they just accepted her help. Yellow followed Pallas with quick but little steps, unable to leap long distances in their usual way with the blanket's weight or to swing from tree to tree.

"In Eridanus," they told Pallas. "It was a long time ago. There was-" a fire, "-something stressful, and I fell into my rock to sleep. I haven't seen him since I woke up. His name is Sebastian, and he's friends with Rift, a green cat about as big as him."

@Pallas