There was a lot to try and remember, but Bayo tried his best, only to jump away as Giggle suddenly became slimy.

”Eeeeew,” he said, giggling, like any child would, ”That's gross, mama!”

He cackled and sniffed at it, before touching it with a paw. He pulled away and gasped, trying to shake it off.

”Ew ew ew- it's on me!!”, he complained, trying to wipe it off on the ground, dismayed to find it stubbornly clinging, ”Gross!! It's like boogers!”

Bayo stopped his complaining as Giggle suddenly got serious, sitting down again and trying to ignore the stickiness between his toes. His ears fell and he looked scared, brows furrowed.

”That's... That's so horrible,” he said, voice small, ”Why does that even exist? That's... awful! That's so awful!”

If it was a fungal magic user who made it, then shame on them.

@Giggle

Giggle sat, smirking at the pup--cub?--and his reaction to the inky caps, which were even now sliding sludge-like to the floor: loosening from her fur and dripping away. "It is gross," she agreed good-naturedly, and there was humor in her tone. "But it can keep bigger, meaner things from biting on you."

As for Mother-? Well, perhaps she'd chosen a poor topic for one so young but it was important for him to be warned of, particularly if he were already delving into the magic so strongly. "...It came from another place, I think. Another sort of magic. It's alive, in its own right--it has a mind of its own--but it's... stupid, really. If you aren't connected to it--influenced by it--you can read it; and all it knows is to try to... sort of clumsily convince you. Just stay away from the white fungus, and you'll be fine. Pull it out of anyone you find, too," she added, "if you think it's safe to do." It was a horrible, horrible thing to see but she didn't need to tell him that now. "As to why it exists? I don't know. Believe it or not, your old Mom doesn't know everything," she added, with a playful nudge offered Bayo's way--perhaps an attempt to lighten the mood a little. "It might just be a fungus that found a mind of its own, really. All living things have to eat other living things to survive, right? Or it might be something that someone made, far from here."

It didn't come from here, at least. Astraea sure as hell hated it.

"Anyway, let's get off that topic. It's as gross as the black mushrooms, yeah-? Is there anything else you want to talk about, while we're out here? Or to practice?" Her offer was gently patient, allowing her child to go at his own pace--to lead in his own teaching, if he wanted to (he seemed pretty aware of his own learning and energy), or to stop, if he wanted, for now.

rain stock: D Sharon Pruitt wiki commons; hyena Benjamin Hollis on flickr

@Bayo

Bayo moved forward to snuggle into what fur wasn't covered in goop, blowing a raspberry, ”Of course you know everythin', mama.”

He inhaled and exhaled, shuddering gently. Stay away from the white fungus, but if he was able, remove it from others. Sounded easy enough, at least.

”Stupid mushroom,” he said, trying to act as if he wasn't terrified of it now.

He wiggled under Giggle's front legs and curled up there where it was safe, ”Can we go back? I'm uh... I'm tired.”

He wasn't but he didn't feel like practicing with mushrooms anymore. He wanted to snuggle up with his siblings in a pile with his mama watching over them so that the big bad mushroom didn't control their brains. Ugh.

”You're the only 'Mother' anybody needs,” he said, ”You're the best mama ever.”

@Giggle

Giggle snorted softly at Bayo's initial assertation that she knew everything.

"Wish I did, Bayo," she answered with amusement. But did she? Fuck, what horrors might lay out there; how badly would knowing everything shatter the mind with black secrets?

...Best not to think about that.

He kept on flattering her, the little brown-nose (ahh, but she adored him); she snorted again and shook her head, amused. "C'mon, then. Let this one 'Mother' get you back with your siblings, eh? We can have a nice rest from everything you've learned, and maybe practice more later on."

She led the way, pace easygoing, back toward her den; Bayo she gave a warm look, and the briefest lick atop his head.

He was a good kid. Bones, she hoped nothing would ever happen to him.

rain stock: D Sharon Pruitt wiki commons; hyena Benjamin Hollis on flickr

exit Giggle
@Bayo

Bayo giggled at the lick and galloped after Giggle, trotting along beside her and practically trotting under her legs. He was a clingy little thing, that was for sure.

With a distinctly hyena-like cackle, he tossed his head and took off towards where his siblings were waiting, way too excited for a simple nap. But that was Bayo, enthusiastic for everything that came his way.

Hopefully nothing happened, but alas... nothing could be guaranteed in the caves. But Bayo would try his best not to get into too much trouble.

@Giggle for vis
Exit Bayo