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In the center of the green room, air thick like after a jungle storm, lay a pair of chrysalis next to one another. One of them was a shimmering green, almost light enough to blend in with the shrubbery that grew all around the room. The rock was very large compared to the other, seeming to hold a sleeping gembound who would come into the world of the cage already large. This was true, for inside that chrysalis was some who curled up as tight as she could but felt her tiny world becoming tighter.

No room . . .

She wiggled, trying to stretch out her legs. And stretch they did, pushing on the walls all around her. The strain was great and the young one all managed to slightly crack the shell; which allowed in some light but the rock egg went still again. She needed a break to catch her breath before giving it another go. One more time. Once more, they stretched out their legs, pushing as hard as they could but not much damage to the shell was done. Only a few bits of it broke away, she was still stuck inside. She pushed her nose out of the hole, sniffing in the fresh air.


". . . hewwo?"

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"speech"
Thinking

OOC: Let the African babies come forth

@troy

Indeed the forest room held many treasures, and these two had started life side by side, but completely unalike. Nestled almost shyly beside the green shimmering chrysalis sat a smaller blue boulder, shimmering and half sunk into the ground. To any passer-by, it was just a plain stone, pretty and blue but totally ordinary in every other aspect. The life inside knew better. This precious blue shell was his protective castle. Inside blue walls, he felt safe. Secure.

Tight. Cramped.

The foal shifted inside his cage, scraping sharp hooves across the stone surface. He'd had enough sleep. There was more he wanted to do. He wanted to run. He wasn't sure what running was just yet, but he'd figure it out, and when he did, he'd do it. He'd be the best at it. He'd never stop, not even for an instance. He'd be the best running thing in the world.

If only he could get out.

The boy shifted again, pressing his hooves against those walls firmly and pushing with young muscles... but those stone walls were impervious to him. He thought it treason, for his home, his castle, to turn against him. A prisoner of his own making. The boy twisted again inside his cage, uncomfortable and dissatisfied.

@Jasmine

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The light that broke though the hole she made caused the inside of her rocky shell to shimmer. This dance of lights did distract the small one for a moment as her eyes gazed upon all that glittered. So pretty. Almost lost in thought, the gembound snapped back in to reality as a sound came from outside her green walls. Sniffing from the opening, not sure what was out there but it would not stop her from wanting out. Giving it another go, straining to stretch out her long legs, pushing as hard as a [not even a] newborn could. Almost there. CRACK.

The walls of her chrysalis began to fall, letting in all the light of the room shine down on the new comer to the world. A small head lifted out from the rock, sitting high up on a long neck that stretch above the ground. She did it, the calf was free. Yet, would she be free from the mess of broken shells on the floor? Struggling to stand, long legs and knobby knees clicked together. Even if she was young, she wasn't a petite thing.

The spotted child stood up over the brush, blinking as the light shined in her eyes; soon getting as better look how high up she was away from her feet. . . . don't like this. Quickly dropping down to the ground with her legs tucked up under her. That is to high, to high. It didn't take long, though, for her attention to be stolen away and mind calmed when she saw the blue rock half in the ground. "Oooo . . . pweety." Stretching her neck out to get a closer look.

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"speech"
Thinking

OOC: she is freeeeee

@Troy

He was stuck. Trapped. That didn't suite. The colt pressed again, forcing his hooves against the stone as he tried his best to stetch himself out...

...but after a bit, and his gemstone not breaking, the colt relented, tired, strained. Disheartened. This sort of thing just happened sometimes. A gembound didn't always survive its chrysalis. Maybe he'd be one of the duds, one of the weakest ones, and just fade away, never to be noticed or found or freed. Yes, nature was cruel, so the colt had discovered. He'd never be free. This was his birth and his death. Yes, he'd be stuck in here forever. He wasn't strong enough. The colt gave one last feeble push, then with a stubborn and willful kick, tapped against his cage walls forcefully. A second later, he went limp, silent, accepting his seemingly awful fate.

@Jasmine

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The young one titled her head a bit as she noticed the shacking of the pretty blue stone. Not wishing to stand again, the giraffe scooted herself across the lush green earth to get a closer look. Is someone in there? Long neck head the soft little head as she would touch the blue rock with her nose. ". . . hello?" If someone was in there, why didn't they come out . . but then again it was so hard for her to break free as well. Maybe they were just tired? Doing her best to get closer, the young gembound laid her head neck to the blue rock. "Will you come . . come out soon?" Keeping her ear pressed to it, waiting to hear something.

Even without a reply, she would stay there for now; but her eyes did wander. There was so much green here, and the air so warm. After fighting to free herself from her stone egg it was natural for one to be tired.

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"speech"
Thinking

OOC: words words words

@Troy

Outside, there was a faint voice, soft and gentle. He couldn't make out the words, but instinctively, he knew she was concerned, whoever it was outside his shell. He wasn't alone. He tapped a hoof against the wall again, opening his eyes as last to stare at the blue glow around him, the faint hints of light that shone through cracks in his stone. Cracks. If he could just hit one of the big ones...

...the colt flexed his muscles again, bringing his legs up closer against his stomach, then aiming now, kicked out with as much strength as he could muster. The splintering crash of broken rock met his ears, soft sounds suddenly rushing in with the air to meet him as he slipped about inside the remains of his caste. Free and stretched out now, the colt blinked up at the trees above, adjusting to the new lighting. Dazed, he wobbly tilted his head to look at the spotty yellow thing beside him. Oh! This was the voice! He chuffed at her, rolling onto his side and trying his best to get his feet under him again. It must've seemed silly, a striped horse tossed about on his back, all floppy too-long legs and neck.

@Jasmine

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As the rocking of the stone began once more, she forgot to breath while watching in suspense. Would they come out? Soft green eyes stared intensely as cracks formed across the shell. Come one, keep trying. It felt like forever, how long did this all really take? A matter of moment, minutes or even an hour? Not that it matter now, for the other from within had broken free just like she did not to long ago. All she first saw was white and black stripes flailing on their back. Scooting over, she tried to give the colt some room. "You did it!"

Leaning in rest her chin on the head of the striped one, "I'm . . . glad" The giraffe calf was worried that she would be alone, not sure if others were out there in the green brush.

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"speech"
Thinking

OOC: friendss 8D

@Troy