Reseda watched the happenings with interest. She didn't know what was going on between the two - and who the moose was anyways - but there was something bothering them. Perhaps something she could take advantage of. Of course, there was always something, but she knew that these two she could have her fun with. No need to be nice to them.

It was then that she heard the words 'love' and 'children'. So, they were mates. And they had created stones. She let her eyes wander until they fell upon the nest where three softly glowing gemstones sat, just barely visible above the blue blood-stained feathers.

Greed rose in her chest. What if she took them? What if they became hers? She could steal them away and perhaps destroy them...or, even better, raise them as her own. Children that listened to her and only her. Destroy what she desired, create fear, power, a regime of her own.

It was perfect. She only needed to get them away from the parents. The goose seemed to be leaving, which only left the moose. That was fine, she could deal with that one alone.

She crept around the moose, still silent and invisible, and then, as she approached the gems, cast her spell, pointing it on the other side of the creature. She needed to get him away from the gems.

Some ways down the cave, a copy of her slowly faded into existence. It wasn't very good, as she wasn't used to casting from so far away, and there were some minor errors in the detailing, but as long as she stayed some distance away, she was sure that the moose wouldn't notice.

"Hello there," the copy called. "Are you with that strange goose thing? I think she needs your help."

"Living with myself."
Nothing but lies.


tags: @Blueberry
notes:

Blue head something shuffle, anf then a voice. He stared up from his children to see a Komodo dragon, not too far away. Little did he know, that was just a copy of the Komodo dragon behind him. He was too far away to see the differences that would give away the illusion. Blue smiled coldly at the large lizard. This was none of it's business.

"What she needs and doesn't need is none of your concern. Leave." He demanded. Blackberry was really wearing off on him, and maybe that wasn't a bad thing. The moose laid his head back next to the gems, however, his eyes remained on the Komodo.



___________________________________________________________

"Can’t you tell?"
We’re all mad here.

tags: @Reseda
notes: here

Reseda frowned with annoyance. Did the Moose not care for the crazy one at all? Or were they just being stubborn? She did not understand the paternal instinct to protect the gems, not the strange relationship between the two. However, she knew that gembounds that cared about each other would do anything to keep the other safe. She had seen that with her eyes. She would have to move up the effort.

"Well, I'm sure it's not, but I don't want to see her get hurt! I saw her get jumped on! A big lumbering creature with huge claws! I didn't know what to do, I'm not a fighter myself, so I ran for help! You should probably hurry, that thing looks mighty nasty."

"Living with myself."
Nothing but lies.


tags: @Blueberry
notes:

Blueberry scoffed. Clearly the creature did not know who Blackberry was. If there was such a foe, Blue knew she could handle it. After all, they had fought many creatures together, and her skill was great.

"She can handle it. If she needed my help, she'd come get me. We've fought many battles together, killed, even. I know her well." Blue said with a threatening tone edging his voice. Leave now, it said, or else. No, Blue wouldn't leave the children unattended. He did not trust the stranger. He trusted no one, except Blackberry.


___________________________________________________________

"Can’t you tell?"
We’re all mad here.

tags: @Reseda
notes: here

Well, that was annoying. It seemed she had underestimated this Moose. She would have to try something else. She focused in on the darkness and projected her magic. If she could make sound come out from the tunnel, she could maybe get the dumb Moose to move.

The magic activated deep in the tunnel and, while it wasn't her best, there came a honking cry taken from Reseda's memories back in the bone room, when the deep one had torn the crazy one apart.

The copy jumped with surprise and it's eyes widened. "Oh no, that didn't sound good! I-If you aren't going to help, then I'll do what I can!" It scurried off into the darkness and Reseda let go of the magic once it was swallowed by the darkness.

"Living with myself."
Nothing but lies.


tags: @Blueberry
notes:

Blue felt his heart clutch at the strange honk from the direction Blackberry was in. Although he knew she often honked or hissed when she prepared to attack, he couldn't help but worry. The moose stood slowly and began to chase off after the Komodo, however he turned aroud and looked at his children.

He couldn't leave them behind like this, all out in the open where they could be taken, or killed. The moose shoved them beneath a pile of feathers and moss, moving them around and making sure they were well hidden. Keep the kiddos and mate safe. Once he was satisfied with the job he had done, making sure the glow wasn't visible to any snoopers, he turned and began to move after the Komodo.

___________________________________________________________

"Can’t you tell?"
We’re all mad here.

tags: @Reseda
notes: here

Yes! This was her chance! She almost moved too soon, as the Moose hurried back to gather the gems back under a pile of moss. Once she was sure he would turn his back again, she removed the moss and feathers and gathered the eggs together. Now the question of how to move them. They were pretty small, so she guessed she could carry them in her jaws.

Carefully, she opened her mouth and set the three gems under her tongue. She had an overwhelming urge to swallow them, but she had to stop herself. Once they were secure, she turned and scurried off, hopefully before the Moose had even realized what happened.

*exit Reseda with the gems

"Living with myself."
Nothing but lies.


tags: @Blueberry
notes:

The moose had thought he had hidden them well. He thought that he had been a good keeper of the kids. However, as he made his way from the tunnel, he heard a faint scurrying, the smallest of noise. Any old gembound would have ignored it, but Blue did not.

He was a paranoid parent. He was a scared mate. And he would investigate everything. Blue moved back to the nest, and at first he saw nothing wrong. The shape of the nest hadn't really changed, as far as he could tell. However, he rooted around in the nest for the children.

After a few seconds of not feeling them, Blue began to frantically tear the soft bedding apart, his eyes wild. Where were they, where were they, where were they!? Blue didn't stop until feathers and moss were strewn about, and no glow or gem to be found. The father felt tears prick at his eyes, sadness and panic settling in.

However, that sadness was replaced with anger and frustration and hatred for himself. How could he be so stupid!? How could he be so careless!? He had known something was fishy, but no! He had to just play along. Now his children were gone. Now Blackberry would hate him.

The moose didn't let this shut him down though. He let the anger and fear fuel him. Blueberry turned to the direction that he hadn't been going in before, figuring that whatever took his children had to go the way he wasn't look him. He would get his kids back, even if it meant dying.

*exit Blue

___________________________________________________________

"Can’t you tell?"
We’re all mad here.

tags: here
notes: here

Blackberry was covered in blood. Of course. She stalked back into the tunnel, her head held high, knowing exactly what she was going to say to Blueberry. She knew how to handle this now and how to be the best parent to her children. No, their children.

But then, as she got closer, she realized that Blueberry wasn't there. She blinked and looked around, but there weren't exactly a lot of place to hide a huge moose.

And that was when she realized something else was missing.

She sprinted to the nest, her heart freezing. The gems, they were gone. All three, without a trace. The nest was in complete shambles, as if someone had torn in apart.

After a little while, she stopped. She felt empty, as if a part of her life had been torn away. Blueberry had always been there for her, he had always waited. Why would he be gone now? Surely he hadn't taken the gems and left her?

No. That made no sense. There was no reason for him to do that, especially considering his previous actions. But she could not think of anything else, unless someone had stolen them. And whoever that was, they were in for a nasty surprise.

The rage exploded and she screamed, she screamed and screamed, horrible and honking, sending her into a fit of coughing. And when the was over, she screamed some more.

Someone was going to hurt for this. Someone's blood was going to be payment for this pain. Still screaming her head off, Blackberry shot further into the tunnel, ready to tear apart whoever had taken her children.

*exit


___________________________________________________________

"Lock the doors and close the blinds"
We're going for a ride.

tags:
notes:

The cave was stained here and there with gore and blood.

Black's nose worked, brow furrowed, as he carefully stepped his way in. There was the stink of reptile, and the stench of bird--and the less malodorous scent of... Deer? Horse? Something like that. He shook his head as he found the cave empty, though the scent suggested it was only freshly so.

It mattered little.

Kera had told him where to look, and so he did: the stone had been left behind in their flight to Orion, but it was important, now, that it be retrieved. He thought she might be reluctant to return here, though he was unsure why. Guilt, perhaps? But over what?

...It mattered little.

The black dog paced in, nosing about in the crevice where he knew to find the topaz, and cautiously lifted it in his teeth. He had a job to do.

Quiet, he turned and padded off back the way he'd come, unaware of the sheer luck of his timing, of his arrival and departure.

He was unconcerned, as he had no idea the violent lengths to which the others went--but would not, perhaps, have cared. He had what he'd come for, regardless, and without a second thought, he departed.

________________

//exit Black ; ooc - done with Blackberry's permission