As darkness compressed upon the lone feline, she found it startling hard to breathe. The shadows swallowed her whole, and without Basil at her side, they felt strange and foriegn rather than protective and inviting. Her toes were dipped into the shoreline, her claws digging into the All Mother's waters, as she struggled to find air in the unending darkness.

She struggled, more so, with understanding. It wasn't like the All Mother to take her sight-- not like this, not violently, not abruptly. Not when she cried out for help, at her most vunerable.

"All Mother,"

The cat mewled, feeling more like a kitten than she ever had. She trembled in her coat, pale eyes wide, trying to find any sort of sign in the shadows.

"Why? What does it mean? Oh, All Mother, I wish I could hear you as Blackfeather could... Blackfeather."

Dovefeather perked up, the shadows starting to wash away, the light of the cavern painfully bright at first. The feline winced away from the blinding light, claws sinking into the ground. Conviction followed as she raised her chin towards the ceiling, tail twitching as she drew some answer from the abrupt, sudden blackness.

"She is with You... But I must go. You understand, don't You, Mother? Perhaps You don't know what my path is, once I leave Your Garden... Know this, I won't forget Your Ways, and I will return... Thank You for guiding my paws, O All Mother."

'Welcome back, kiddo. You mind waitin' with uncle Bones for a sec?'

Diot turned to face the American Wild Dog, smiling widely for this is the fabled Bones he had heard about! It had been many cycles since Booker last spoke of them, but like always Diot did not mind. Walking over to Bones Diot didn't say much. Only leaving those small plants in his wake, spouting up at his presence with the soil. Reaching out he placed a small hand on one of the Bone's paws.

"Good Bones...pure Bones..."

A simple smile was all he gave them, until Booker spoke of danger. Diot turned around, quite suddenly even for the peculiar tamarin. Diot had sensed a rising sickness in the caves, within the local gembounds. He was one who observed many of them, and many lately seemed to be deeply troubled. Diot watched as both the skunk and his father had a mini standoff. Diot doubted that glare would do much to the numbat. He had been through worse before.

Luckily Bones had trotted over before it escalated much through snide comments. Managing to move the skunk up and on top of himself in just a few seconds.

'What was your name?'

"Diot! I am excited to help you travel safely through Eridanus Uncle Bones!"


"Speech"

You can rest.

Fleur's ears perked up, eyes brightening at the idea - perhaps they had realised just who she was, and were going to gather some device to move her faster... but as soon as the idea popped through her head, the dog's head was - "Okay, your face. Your face doesn't, doesn't belong the-" - where she'd rather no living thing be, ever, thank you. There was no time to process that horrific feeling before he was moving, trying to half roll, half flip her onto his back, and Fleur snarled, snapped at one of his oversized ears, teeth clacking on open air. Panting, vision swirling and nausea stilling her limbs, the skunk groaned as loud as she could - directly into the beast's ear, because fuck it, if they were going to toss her around like a sack of potatoes, she could at least give them a migraine in return.

"I would. Like. It noted," she slurred, razor-sharp claws digging into the dog's side with more pressure than strictly needed, "That if. Any. Of you. Ever. Do that. Again. I will enjoy. Removing your face," the skunk finished, glaring down at the rest of their little party with a sneer. At the dog's vague response, her head swiveled to glare at the back of his neck, hot anger and embarrassing defenselessness rolling a flush across her face. "You pull. A stunt like. That. Again on. The way, furball, and. You'll need. More than the medi-rat. To help you. Promise."

She fell silent, trying to call on the patience Diamondfang had instilled in her since childhood, tail twitching like a snake in the grass as she slowly released her death grip on the wild dog's pelt. It seemed their impromptu road trip had one other member - who at least looked as emotionally put out as Fleur felt, which improved her mood a bit. At the moment, petty wins like that were about all she had, because thinking about Nemesis, or Magdalena, or even Louie filled her with an unfamiliar toxic confusion.

©sanctuare-2k15

Booker's ears spread out flat on either side of his head, avoiding brushing against the skunk's dirt-coated underside, expression a blank slate of carefully contained annoyance. Then he turned on his heel, mouth opening to give the guard a piece of his very angry mind - but the scowl turned into a dropped jaw, beetle-wing-black eye widening as Bones simply scooped the oversized furball onto his back. Expression doing its best to mix 'impressed' with 'that shouldn't be attractive,' the medic didn't shake it off until Diot's voice cut back in, answering Bones' question, and Booker scratched at the back of his neck, gaze guiltily twitching away from the dog. Someday they would have to talk, really talk, about the warmth in his chest whenever he thought about just how consistent Bones' definition of love, his unwavering trust, had always been, but now was definitely not that time. For now he watched Diot introduce himself, calm, timbred speech as soothing as always, ruffled fur slowly smoothing back into place until he was placid enough to step forward, slinging an arm up and around Diot's shoulders and not-so-subtly bumping the scent gland at the base of his throat against the tamarin's fur. "Thanks for helpin' out, son," Booker offered, arm tightening into a half-hug before he moved away, head tilting up to glare at Fleur until she was slowly retracting her claws from delicate dog skin. And then his brain switched tracks, back onto the Dovefeather train, and he hummed, shimmying back into his den and beginning to pick saplings, gathering them in an odd bouquet. "She'll be alrigh'. Always been stronger 'n me, an' there's only one person she wants help from at the mo'," the numbat explained, hesitating for just a fraction too long to go unnoticed before he added the heavy-dosage painkillers to the bundle. Going cold turkey now would only exacerbate the whole situation. Done, he turned on his heel, gesturing to the collection with a wiggle of his wrist. "You mind carryin' these for me, kiddo? You're better with keepin' 'em alive then I am."

Bones watched Diot's little hand on his burnt paws for a moment. Oh. Diot, he thought to himself. His ears flickered back and he leaned in to gently nudge the top of the tamarin's head half-affectionately and looked around to peer at the numbat. He watched the gembound wander forth and hug his percieved son before looking away, somewhat respectfully.

He was, however, greeted with the grumpy face of Fleur. "If you would rather walk then you can," he said. His ears flicked again, though he didn't really wait for an answer as he turned towards the Eyes. He mulled over Booker's words for a moment, ignoring the growing ache in his legs as they began to protest against carrying the skunk.

"How long will she be, do you think?" He turned his head towards Booker and Diot again, voice quiet. He didn't want to rush whatever ritual Dovefeather was playing in right now, but he didn't want to be ambushed by some monster while he had a crippled lady on his back.

The tired dog lifted his head higher, peering past shubbery and grass with ears perked high, half-prepared to shove Fleur off his back and defend the three should some excuse for a villain from children's stories show their face.

@Dovefeather

The numbat had not so subtly slung his arm around Diot, obviously rubbing his scent gland all over the tamarin's mane. Such an event made Diot smile with fondness. And such emotion triggered a myriad of small colorful flowers to sprout from the depths of his overly thick pelt. The sight of these humble plants made his emotions very clear. Warm, fuzzy and at peace. Being surrounded by family and a family friend was a nice thing. Though reeling his thoughts back the numbat was...still marking him... Absolutely no shame on the numbat's end for such a display. Allowing a few more moments to pass they turned to their father who thanked them warmly, pulling them into a half-hug.

Though listening to the words between both Uncle Bones and Booker it seemed to be apparent another gembound was also going to be traveling with them. Who? Well Diot wasn't entirely sure, but family was family! It was a nice feeling to always have more! The numbat turned on their heel, wiggling select items towards Diot.

'You mind carryin' these for me, kiddo? You're better with keepin' 'em alive then I am.'

A wide smile he quickly placed them inside his already well packed bag. Musing to himself that he should deposit some of his inventory to make room for any goodies along the way. Off in a flash he walked over to the burrow, a line of budding plants following in his footsteps. He was in there for a few moments, the sound of rustling could somewhat be heard depending on how far he actually went through the various rooms. Only to come bursting out of the burrow happily with a much lighter bag on his person.


"Speech"

The darkness faded and the vibrant colors of Eridanus had returned; it took Dovefeather a moment to adjust of course, but she nodded. Peering into the water, she could see the stick bellow-- the gift would be safe here, with the All Mother. Nothing trespassed in Her Waters for long...

The stones, however, needed more personal care. She rose, returning to her nest, and pawed out the jade rib, round kyanite, and the strange, X-shaped mawsitsit, considering the best way to hold them all. If only she had a bag.

Her tail swished and she glanced over her shoulder, expecting the others to return in a matter of moments now. She had the answer, as daunting as it was.

"I will keep my eyes open for You, O All Mother."