He was inside his gem, sleeping softly. He was warm, he was safe, and he heard a voice outside his home that always spoke to him since before he could remember. He didn't understand what was being said at first....but as time went on and he grew, he gathered a word here and there. Love. Hope. Wonder. Those were the first words he knew, and they latched into his heart to rest there like comfortable birds in a nest.

He curled into his shell, smiling to himself. He was loved, he knew it, by this soothing voice outside his shell that somehow sounded sad when they spoke, and he didn't understand why she sounded sad.

And when it came time to exit his safe, warm home, he was filled with the desire to find the owner of the voice and tell her it was going to be okay. She was wonderful, he knew it, and he needed to say so.

So he shoved his shoulder against the wall of his home till is splintered, and he hit it again and again, till his shoulder hurt, till the cracked, sharp edges cut into him. He shoved one more time, and the whole side of the shell he was throwing himself against collapsed, letting him out, and he fell to the ground, coughing up warm fluid, feeling the cold air of the outside world contrast against it and made him shiver.

He looked up with cold blue eyes that sparkled in wonder, searching for the voice. His mouth opened and closed, soft child sounds croaking from his unused throat.

Ashtoreth was... Around. Or well, as around as she could be. Laying where Hasira had left her last-- where the rhino twins had left her, maybe-- she didn't remember exactly what had happened most recently. She was dimly aware of what was going on in Orion, with Hasira, with the monsters that trapped her here. She had stopped trying to run away, but more so, she stopped letting herself think. It was better to just be numb, and quiet, and out of the way.

So when a shattering noise hit her ears, the child did not even flinch. It wasn't happening to her, it was happening away from her. Her dark eyes still opened and quietly looked towards the source of the sound, but she didn't dare try to find out what it was. She didn't have those kind of luxuries anyway.

The capybara was just outside of the room her stone egg lay, trying to stretch her legs out as they were growing stiff from her curled up for the past couple days. The days were beginning to form together, growing restless from the wait and little did she know that the very moment she leaves was when it would all begin to happen! Crack crack The very sound caught her attention and she went alert. Could that be? Carrie quickly turned to turn around the corner and behold the very thing she was waiting to happen! "Could . . . could this be it?" Watching as the stone shell would crack apart, soon revealing the little life that was inside. She walked over and watched with tired eyes, trying her best to not look away. It wasn't hard at all, for just watching this event took her breath away. They were waking up and they were so small. ". . . hello there little one . . ." Talking so softly to him, lowering herself to the ground and watch with an eager gave. The subtlest smile form to her lips. --------- "Speech" Thoughts OOC: words words

@Yarrowfeld

The stone beside him on the throne had began to shake and shiver but Hasira didn't know this yet. His eyes were closed, he was resting as he did nowadays... Ever since his Goddess had brought him back from the dead and demanded that he live. He had done nothing but rest in compliance with her request. He couldn't displease his Goddess no matter how much it hurt him. His whole body ached and it was all he could do to keep living with the various wounds that were all over him. He didn't know of the state of his subjects, didn't particularly care. All that mattered to him was that he was living with meant the Plague God's lesson on warmth meant that he was to not seek it. His old way was good because he had died from the beating and the disease.

That was just fine with him, it meant he could raise his son right. It meant-- Oh?

He heard the telltale crack of a gem splitting open, and his eyes finally opened to see two cold golden pool staring back at him. His son was awake.

The stag felt a smile growing about his scarred muzzle. He pulled upon his magick and felt water enter his body, giving him enough energy to rise onto his hooves. Still, it felt sorely painful and he wheezed heavily. All the while the fawn within the stone stared at him, absorbing all of the information. "My son... You are here at last." The fawn within the stone pushed his way out and stood atop the throne, staring up coolly at his father. Hasira would have said more but he heard something in the distance, another cracking... He remembered the child he made with Carrie and grimaced. Well, it was here now and nothing he could do about it. Shouldn't he go say hello and introduce the siblings to each other? "Come, my son. Would you like to see your realm? And perhaps, learn your first lesson?" Little did he know the fawn had already learned plenty within the dark confines of his chrysalis but it played along anyway and scrambled off of the throne to his father's side.

There, side by side, with Hasira having a heavy limp, they walked. It was then that the tiny young stag noticed something in the grass... A furry and feathery something. He walked over to it and glared down, golden eyes sweeping over it with interest. "Ah, one of the carnivorous scum. Have you taken a fancy to it? You can certainly have it as a pet if you'd like." It was just lying useless around his lands anyway, why no give it to his son? Maybe the little one would have fun with it. "You! Carnivore! Accompany us!" His shout was cut off prematurely by a fit of coughing but he got the point across as he carried on.

The white fawn kicked at the feathery thing before turning after his father and finally the trio came upon a cute sight. Carrie with her newborn... thing. Hasira saw it and immediately was displeased. It was tiny, chubby and appeared to be weak. He wanted to stomp the life out of it as it should never have been born but he held back. Maybe appearances could be deceiving and he could shape it into something useful. "What a cute little baby, Carrie. Is our son nice and strong?" His voice, despite the kind question, was rather cold. The little white fawn next to him stared with little interest at his brother. It seemed... misshapen... and in its presence the fawn felt even stronger.

______________________________________

"This is how I talk!"
This is how I think!

611
@Yarrowfeld @Carrie @Ashtoreth
---
5/10

He looked up at her, knowing it was her because she was speaking with that same loving voice. She sounded tired and kind of sad still, but really happy at the same time, and he didn't know why, but he just stared at her. He mimicked the stretch of her lips and smiled at her, feeling happy to see her, and clumsily, he reached up to her with his tiny little hands and he touched her cheeks on either side of her face, and he murmured, "Mama," soft as a breeze.

Then some other things came up behind his nice, kind mama, and he stared up at them, his hands falling down to the ground to support himself. It took him a while to understand what was being said, and the big, big, tall one was talking, so he had to crane his neck up and up, and by the time he made eye contact with them, he forgot what they said.

They looked....scary. Not like his happy-sad Mama. He bit his lip and looked away, down at the ground, then back at Mama.

She would keep him safe and happy! She already had, hadn't she?

Carnivore. Ashtoreth hated the word now, a curse, a slur of her own species. She knew what it meant-- to eat meat. How long had it been since she had been given food? At least they let her drink. The rest, Caves, she swore she survived on the dim light that came through the cracks of her prison walls. It seemed impossible, but how else could she survive? She felt like she was starving some days, and others she felt alive once more. Today was a starving day.

It wasn't fair that the Herbivores called her such a slur and then starved her. It was one thing to beat her, to hurt her, to keep her from going home-- but she wanted to eat. She wanted to feel like she could move when Hasira snapped for her to come like a pet. If she didn't, she'd get beaten. Part of her thought it might be worth conserving her energy otherwise. The young boy kicked at her and she redoubled her efforts to stand, keeping her glare down at her own paws.

Was this the stupid son he kept going on about? Must be. Hasira's son-- a thing made of pure white fur, sickly perfect. She didn't look past his legs, knowing better by now than to try to meet the eyes of the beast. She dragged herself after them, keeping her trap shut and her wings still, tucked neatly at her sides. She didn't want to draw attention to her most vital, fragile parts. Not again. She needed her wings to speak, to breath, to live.

Not that they would know anything about that. Her eyes lifted off of the ground when they reached some strange creatures. She met the babes eyes, the brownish, lanky thing with webbed digits. What exactly was it? She had no idea. She recognized the adult gembound beside him, understanding quietly that she was his mother. Was this another of Hasira's offspring?

Ashtoreth's vision cut to black and she slipped to the ground, nearly passing out. She clung to consciousness, shivering, trying to focus on what was going on. She didn't dare rest while Hasira and his Perfect Son stood over her, so close. They'd stomp her for doing something wrong, and she wanted to at least know why when it happened.

@Carrie

Oh the blessings that were given to the tired rodent, were things turning up for her and all would go right? As the child reached for her with such small hands, Carrie gladly leaned in and . . . were those tears in her eyes? They were, tears of joy. "Mama." And with their first word all seemed to perfect. "Yes . . I am." Leaning close to let her nose touch his own. The way he looked didn't seem to bother the female, after all she saw nothing wrong with the child. He was perfect in her own eyes, and she didn't want to look away from him until something cold blew in. Carrie didn't need to look up to know who is was. "What a cute little baby, Carrie. Is our son nice and strong?" Our son? No, he was her son. There before her and the child stood the lord himself and it seemed the child he had with the white doe. The one who told her all she needed to know to understand the truth of this world. "My son is all he needs to be, my lord." Was that sass in her voice? Possibly, but not like he would care. Carrie turned back to face her son, "Did you dream?" Cooing for his ears alone in a soft voice. --------- "Speech" Thoughts OOC: words words

@Hasira @Yarrowfeld

Hasira's smile faltered for but a moment when he heard the little capybara speak. Was that a little bit of attitude he detected in her voice? Had she finally developed a backbone so she could stand up to the lord? It would have been amusing if it wasn't too little too late. "Our son. Or have you forgotten, my dear?" Her voice didn't deter the stag in any way and he came forward, standing up right next to little Carrie. His head dipped down as he tried to examine the little newborn more closely. He looked even more repulsive up close. The stag smiled again at the little babe, scarred face turning up into a gruesome show of emotion. "Hmm, do you not think he could grow up to be a productive member of our herd? I think he could. With a little bit of training and a bit of time with the Goddess' son. He might be... useful." The last part of his words were meant mostly for himself as he mused over his future plans.

"The Goddess' Son" was standing a little ways back with his newfound toy. The golden eyes had been pulled from his malformed brother and were now on the tiny winged thing. He stared at it with an unblinking stare, leg lifted and prepared to kick at it again. "Son!" The leg lowered and the young stag's attention was turned to the scarred up hart. He gave one last look at the winged creature before trotting up to Hasira's side, golden eyes questioning. "Meet your brother... I bet you two will be the best of friends, hmm?" There was an edge to his voice, a sly cruelty as he tilted his antlers to the small brown thing to show the golden-eyed brute.

The white stag's eyes turned on Carrie apathetically and then to the little one who he gave a look of contempt to. So young and yet he was almost able to mirror his father perfectly. Why was he so angry with his brother? Perhaps because his father had dared have another child and dared give it attention, despite it being less than kind.

______________________________________

"This is how I talk!"
This is how I think!

361
@Carrie @Yarrowfeld @Ashtoreth
---
5/10

Mama asked him if he dreamed, and he thought for a second, pondering the word, then he smiled bashfully and nodded at her. He had really nice dreams, he knew, that he couldn't remember, but he knew they were fun and nice and sweet.

And when the taller, scarier gem came up to him to look at him further, he avoided looking up at him, feeling...weird. He wiggled up close to Mama, his hands clinging to her fur, and he buried half of his little head with his tiny little nubs of his antlers that had yet to grow nudging into her chin. He didn't like how the tall one spoke, how completely different its tone was from Mama, and though he didn't know what he meant, he didn't like it.

Useful. He immediately didn't like the word at all. He didn't know what it meant, but he didn't like it.

And then the tall one called over another one that was hiding around the back, and when the white one sneered at him, something clicked. This was his brother. His brother....didn't like him. His brother hated him.

Why? What did he do? He hid his head into his mother's fur, clinging even more. He didn't want to see such looks in the tall ones, looks of utter contempt. It scared him.

Ashtoreth caught sight of the precious, obnoxious, horrible white fawn going to kick her again and braced herself. The kick never came-- it seemed Hasira had something for the child to do. Something about the brother. She tried to focus again, taking a ragged breath.

... Boy, the new child looked rather scared. He probably should have been-- it seemed like he had some sense. These were bad people. Evil gems. If he would just remember that his family was awful, maybe there was a jewel of hope for her. Maybe she could finally have a friend again.

Probably not though. He would probably just use her, just like every other so called superior herbivore. She turned her attention towards a light that was flickering nearby, and desperately wished she could feel stronger. A pain wracked through her body as she looked at the light, her vision turning spotty, and she let out a quiet wheeze. She put her paws over her face and longed to simply stop existing. Nothing would be a welcome relief compared to this.

@Carrie