Slowly he emerged, pushing his head against the side of his chrysalis, ready to emerge again. He couldn't remember why he had rested so long, why he had chosen to hibernate for as long as he did, but he was ready to emerge once more.

It didn't take him long to shove his head through the surface, letting out a loud roar as he did so. He was free once more, alive and well, strong and ready to take on the world. Not so gently he shoved his wings against the sides, breaking them off and bringing himself out of his little shell, groaning at the wonderful feeling of stretching once more.

Oh his body ached to run and fly, but for now, he would simply walk around a few paces, shaking his fur our and stretching his limbs, one at a time, getting used to moving around all over again.

Zoey had taken a trip to her special hiding place. There were memories she wanted to tuck away, and little gifts she wanted to leave for a future-her that would one day inherit a world that she couldn't predict. The caves had gone into a bit of a lull, but she continued to do her work. She tended to the Forge's garden, and the days passed with the gentle ease of a life that was well lived.

She was happy. That was the gift she wanted to share with her future-self. That she could be happy, and that she deserved to be happy.

It was these thoughts that led her along the forest paths made by cave deer's travel as she made her way back home, back toward her garden. She was a bit distracted, walking more by feel than vision. She knew this place as intimately as her own carapace, and so her head was not held at an awkward angle to view the world, instead blinking down at the grasses and little flowers that bloomed, careful not to step on them.

She had ended up quite close to Moonsetter's chrysalis, but it was off of the deer path, and so she might have missed it entirely if not for the sudden roar that shook the earth and made the leaves rustle, sending birds into alarm calls and panicked flights into the sky. She froze at the sound, her quills rippling along her underbelly with nervousness.

She raised her head, then, rows of golden eyes peering beyond the tree line toward the sound.

The darkness showed little but a massive shape beyond. She reached for her magic on instinct, but she had spent the last several cycles in quiet solitude outside of her fellow Forge members, and... and what rose to meet her was a feeling of fear, one that made her quills bristle and her mandibles part, braced for... For a fight?

She struggled with that dreadful sensation, warmth draining from her as her magic refused to answer her, and found herself unable to speak.

@Moonsetter

He continued to shake himself off, feeling very good despite having just emerged from his chrysalis. He didn't really seem to care, a bit too neurotic about making sure every inch of his fur and leathery wings were stretched and ready to move without strain. He wasn't sure what he was going to go from here on o7ut, but he certainly wasn't going to let stiffness stop him.

As he did one last shake off, that was when he noticed the scent of another, faint, but there. His hackles raised slightly, his head lifting as he cocked his head to the side, listening carefully. Slowly he would lower himself to the ground, unsure if whoever was watching him was friend or foe.

On one hand, they hadn't attacked him while he wasn't paying attention, but at the same time, they hadn't spoken up either and instead chose to hide and watch. He let out a rather curious cooing sound, guttural and deep but almost friendly.

One step, then two closer, his place masked face staring into the darkness, unsure if he needed to protect himself or not. Who? He called out, his words broken but direct. Come out.

@Zoey