Hestia had previously hatched, though she struggled to even break free back then. Regardless it was a wonder how the young thing even lasted out of her chrysalis for a few short weeks before falling into a tiresome sleep. Luckily that time had given her just enough time to know her mother Nemesis, who was a strong and beautiful trinoceros. Along with a white regal and blind dog who went by the the name of Magdalena. It would have been fairly clear to others outside her family that she held awkward proportions of a child hybrid. Enough to cause just a hint of concern for her well being, at least until she would grow past such stage. But being the cross of a rhino and snapping turtle there was sure to be some odd angles and development especially as a child as most creatures are.

Though before her new chrysalis crawled and wrapped around her like a mother to a child, she seemed to be of great health. Obviously the nature of Origin thought differently, possibly offering aid to a child who would have had some difficulty one way or another. Day by day the Iolite chrysalis slowly grew, shimmering dully in what light drifted through her mother's home. She would have been three cycles by now, rapidly approaching her adult size. This fact was glaringly obvious with the current state of the crystal, it's daunting size laying against the back corner of the den. Over time her gem had been glimmering, pulsating with healthy life that fed the young hybrid. But within the recent days the shell has become dull, a giant eyesore of what it once was; hope. Perhaps it was signally the end, once could only hope the end of her entrapment.

@Nemesis

Nemesis

Magdalena had said, she had said, they all had said, that the reformation of crystal meant Hestia would come back. That it only happened to gems strong enough to reform... But that night, when Nemesis returned to her cold, quiet den, she felt her stomach drop. What if they were wrong? Her body ached as she laid down, wishing quietly she could just see her daughter's face one more time. How long had it been? Too long, really, and it hurt her deeply. Her only solace was in the children of others, Louie's, Magdalena's, Diamondfang's, Hasira's... But it had been so long now that she was finding it harder and harder to hold out hope and love.

The gemstone was a dull, no longer glowing with blue flames of her daughter. Dead. She tried to ignore her fears, but they haunted her-- kept her from closing her eyes. Instead, the trinoceros stared at the stone, unmoving, as the rest of the Merrymen slumbered elsewhere. She could hear nothing but the quiet murmur of the wind outside, encouraging her to sleep.

How could she sleep with her daughter's tomb taking up her den? Her home? Nemesis was a creature of habit-- she couldn't, nay, she would not leave her den, her child. But it hurt so much, staring at the dull cerulean, knowing that it was her fault for not being more careful. Not protecting her. Not watching, not staying close, not loving her enough.

She would give anything to have her daughter back.

table by shax


@Hestia

An unnoticed soft hum of the gem had fallen into dreadful silence. Though even the absence of sound was smothered by the winds of Monoceros. Bit by bit a single bluish line began to travel across the iolite chrysalis. Cracking off like spiraling and spindly stress of an old world, laced with chaos these lines made not a sound. Until it pulsed. Violet flashing across the gem's once glimmering surface, though quickly fading into a void like hue again. Moments pass and another flash had taken the darkness of the cave, lighting all up with that loving violet light. The crackling lines that laid across its surface were now white with such contrast of life that seemed to be almost struggling.

A few more moments passed, each allowing the light to brighten, allowing the chrysalis to sing its loving song. Until finally a spec of the gem began to crack; disrupting the music and releasing more light. But with this tiny flake of the chrysalis gone and hope thick and heavy in the air the lights faded, though that sound of crackling glass stayed. The large chrysalis had the outer appearance of any iolite gem now, except its thin walls seemed to bend and ripple at what was coming.

It happened suddenly, a tail crashing through the crystal wall, this portion unknowingly facing the worried mother. Another crack and ripple assaulted the iolite prison, the top spitting and parting making way for the walls to fall around the large form that was Hestia. Face hidden from sight as she was toward the corner, but there was movement. Slow and steady she lifted her head, as if looking at the world for the first time.

@Nemesis

Nemesis

A pulse broke through the air, stirring her dull gaze into focus. The sensation raced across her skin like the gentle brush of a familiar, warm wind, but it was electric. Pounding. At first, her dark stare couldn't make sense of what she was seeing, small, tiny blue scratches tracing the gem. Glowing, and then violet raced over her vision, and then darkness. Another brilliant pulsing flash, cracks growing so large that she could tell that they were real, if only internal. Her breath held, slowly as she rose, her nose nearly touching the surface.

The chrysalis fractured, a tiny piece dropping nearby. White, hot light began to flush out of the shell, so bright it strained the mother's eyes. She flinched, turning her head away, as the crackling, shattering sound began to become overwhelming. Shattered gem flew against her skin, hitting but not cutting through her thick, leathery hide-- and the den shook as the situation settled around her.

Nemesis realized she was still holding her breath as she turned to meet her daughter's eyes, perfect and blue like her very own. A worried wail escaped her lips in the form of a gentle sigh, her legs brushing away the remains of the gem to press her knees against the smooth shell. Quiet, breathless, she reached across the babe to find her daughter's cheek.

"You're okay... Hestia, you're okay... Oh, thank goodness... My baby..."

table by shax


@Hestia

The child seemed confused, dazed even; but the truth was she was thankful to have come back. Lifting her head up a little higher she scrutinized the rocks and crystal shards before her. As if waiting to see their lines waver and for reality to melt away as it always did within the clutches of her dreams. Yet it all seemed authentic, but she was still unsure; until a familiar voice caught her attention. It was one filled with love and worry, it was her mother; Nemesis.

Eyes wide Hestia wanted to scramble to her feet, but even though she had been growing she wasn't fully used to the mobility aspect of life. Craning her neck she met her mother's warm embrace, nuzzling against her cheek. Where immediately the youngster began to tear up. Curious blue eyes that would deepen into a marvelous violet slowly became obscured from the tears. Voice scratching and building she muttered but a few words, apologizing for something she unknowingly couldn't have controlled.

"I-I'm sorry mom. I tried, but I was so weak"

@Nemesis

The sounds of struggle did not go unheard by the canine. More and more time had been spent away from Nemesis' den, where the chrysalis of her daughter continued to stagnate. She'd found distraction in her own children, though she wasn't entirely thankful for it. They were a handful, especially the blind one, and while Magdalena had resigned to carelessness towards it she knew she couldn't neglect it entirely. Louie would notice, Louie would care. She had promised him that both of them would grow to be great, and she would ensure it. But that didn't mean she was going to go easy on it just because it was blind. She had faced the very same hardships; she would ensure it turned out equally as powerful.

But when the telltale sound of a cracking chrysalis had echoed through the ridges, Magdalena was quick to abandon them. Her paws moved quickly, carefully - she only stumbled a few times before reaching the den. Had she been able to see, she would have witnessed the first embrace of the re-emerged daughter with the trino. Alas, she saw nothing - merely heard her voice. It tugged at her own heartstrings as well. Magdalena lingered at the entrance, quiet, gauging the situation before she couldn't help but speak: "Little Fire." Her voice swept forward in a relieved whisper, straw eyes gazing - though directionless, they were uncharacteristically warm.

@Nemesis

Nemesis

Nemesis reached over the babe's shell, her breath stirring against the cheek of the rhino turtle, the salt a lingering aftertaste on her inhale even before Hestia spoke. Tears, not just her own, were pungent in the air-- and they broke the mother's heart. Hestia's cheek met her own and for a long moment, there they were, making a warm contact that Nemesis had missed oh so dearly. Her sweet, precious Hestia. The hearth in her home, the source of light and joy and love that filled her world.

The words escaped the reborn child, broken notes cracking with a heart-wrenching apology. Nemesis was shushing Hestia immediately, a loving, nurturing hum of a, "shhhh, shhhhhh," to her precious, living, alive, surviving child. Her throat was thick with a lump that she couldn't swallow, but despite the pain searing across her emotional state, she managed a weak but true smile.

"Shhh, no, shhhh, Hestia. My baby, you're so strong. You have no idea... You came back, and that's all that matters, Hestia," the mother's own words were shaky, but overflowing with relief. She had been so sure that her child had been lost forever, but it turned out that indeed, Hestia was as strong as her mother. She had done the impossible, come back from the dead. How she had died... Well, that, Nemesis didn't know. If she had the emotional capacity to spare, she might have found vengeance and asked what had happened-- but as it was, for now... There was nothing Nemesis could do but weep and smile and coo to her precious little fire.

Magdalena's voice whispered through the air, a murmur on the gentle wind, and Nemesis pulled away from her child to give her midnight stare to the blind borzoi. "My Princess, our little fire... Come, come see," she encouraged warmly, too overwhelmed to care for the poor choice of words. She wanted Magdalena to approach, to touch and feel the warmth that had returned to their lives.

The next sentence was as much for her own sake as anyone else's in that moment,

"Everything's alright now."

table by shax


@Hestia

Each breath the hybrid pushed through her nostrils and over their tongue held a lingering aftertaste of salt, from tears very much their own. The 'new' babe had waited hardly any time for one to speak up. Nemesis shushing their tears and heart pained words almost immediately. She had failed them hadn't she? She wasn't strong enough to fight off such sleep, how she must have broke her mother's heart from such failure. The hybrid attempted not to focus so much on the guilt, drifting into the concentration that was the loving and nurturing hum coming from their mother. Words greeted her and Hestia accepted them hungrily, clinging to each syllable as her mother pushed all doubt from her reeling mind.

It was a heartwarming moment, even more so when another voice whispered through the air. Such a gentle voice that was all too familiar to Hestia. Little Fire. That was her, though it could be debated she wasn't particularly little anymore. But it stuck and radiated with love.

Turning her gaze she scanned over the borzoi. Tears subsiding yet still on the verge of overflowing at any moment. She had missed them for every day she was gone. Though no words left her lips, overwhelmed by all the senses and emotions that were coursing through her veins.

@Nemesis
@Magdalena