She allowed the demon to pick her carefully off the ground, taking a breath from the last of her reserves. But she wasn't worried - he'd get her to the water before she needed to take another.

And he did, moving far faster through Cetus then she could drag herself before wading into the water. He stopped when he was about waist-length deep and lowered her gently into the murky lake. Lamia sent a gentle thanks through the link before diving forward, at last breathing freely once she was within the marsh's embrace.

She carried Mother close to her as she swam towards the tunnels leading towards the rest of the caves, blissful in their link and leaving behind whatever lingering sadness caused by Reji's death she still carried.

*exit

The bear, rather dumbly, turned to stare toward Mother's den. The expected guidance hadn't come, and so he huffed uncertainly, shifting from foot to foot.

"What do I do?" he rumbled, slowly, at last. She had given many commands; but which of them were intended for him?

He could guard her, or-... or he could feed her--or he could spread her or find the Children, but... but he could not do these all at once. He let out something almost like a whimper in his confusion.

Surely with Zelk wandering off, and Azrael leaving to help Lamia, he should stay-?

That sounded right, but he was still unsure, and let out something not too far off a whimper as he waited for a response.

Sergei's thought process--his wondering what to do next--was listened in upon and, in the end, approved.

"Yes... stay. Guard me, my son... and bury the tiger's stone. When the others return... then hunt for us both." Sergei was really only good at two things: finding food, and standing guard. It came of being both hungry and lazy. Mother was nothing if not good at taking advantage of her servants' strengths, and this was no exception.

Warm reassurance and loving approval flowed through Sergei, the fungus triggering the correct synapses, the right release of chemicals, to reinforce his good behavior...

The bear blinked slowly as the feelings washed through him.

Good... he was a good son... A pleased huff escaped him. He shook himself, his thick ruff throwing mud, and lumbered back toward the den.

Reji was nearly forgotten already. Mother's warm soothing thoughts washed it all away. It washed everything away. The faint hunger in his belly... the worry of what this all meant. It didn't matter; not really. He was safe; he was where he belonged.

That faint, nagging feeling that something was not right... it remained that: faint. Distant.

Unimportant. Unimportant, in the face of all that was.

The bear began the slow work of scratching up leaves, sticks and mud, burying Orlaith's fungus-strewn chrysalis with slow, methodical movements, following Mother's constant guidance.

All was as it should be.

exit Sergei