The little thing felt things touch its body. It flipped its head around, trying to find the source and saw the strange bird thing. She called it Huckleberry. And the other one Mulberry. It looked between the two, Mulberry and the bird before its face cracked in a wide smile. "Mulberry! Huckleberry!" It cried out in its strange, high-pitched voice before struggling to its feet.

It then noticed the other things, the things that weren't Mulberry and instantly forgot about the other two. It widened its eyes and gave out another strangled cry as it staggered over to the wolf and the other thing that the bird called Elderberry. It looked between the two before cracking its goofy grin, giving its wings a few flaps. Jayberry! Elderberry! Baneberry!" Family! Friends! Good things, right?

It felt something nuzzle its back and it flipped its head back again, seeing the large brown thing with weird things on its head. "Da?" It asked. So there was Mulberry, Huckleberry, Jayberry, Elderberry, Baneberry, and Da? Who was the other one? What was her name? So many questions!

But then it heard a low growl-honk and turned towards Baneberry, who had its wings out, facing Jayberry and Mulberry. Confusion and then anger and then surprise and then fear. Its head was starting to move faster and faster as the world became less new and more old. It staggered forward, letting out another cry as it jumped towards Jayberry and Mulberry. "Miiiiinnneeee" it screamed in repeat, sending out a jolt towards Baneberry, wanting its heart to slow, to stop. Die! Not hers! They were Huckleberry's! How dare it try to cast them away!

It was suddenly screaming with anger, pacing and chasing its tail, scraping the ground and pushing at Baneberry, trying to get her away. Away! Away! "NO. Go away! Jayberry and Mulberry family! Friends! Huckleberry protect!" It let out another scream as it crouched, hissing and spitting in front of Baneberry.

(OOC: I'M NOT ACTUALLY TRYING TO KILL HER OMG)

@Kitaka @Jayberry @Elderberry

Two other Gemlings hatched, one beginning to wail as soon as it was out, staggering forward to collapse at the mean pup's paws. It was funny looking, with a head kind of like Blueberry's, as well as a general body shape. But its front legs and wings were not unlike the bird's, although it had Blueberry's gem.

The last one, however, was kind of funny looking. Its body was largely like that of Blueberry's, but from its neck up it looked like the bird. There was soft things growing down its back, tufting out from its rear. It seemed to be having trouble standing, and Jayberry hopped from paw to paw, yipping, "Like this, see? Like this! It's easy!"

The bird welcomed the new Gemlings, giving them names. Baneberry, Huckleberry, and Elderberry. She helped Elderberry to her feet, and Jayberry bounced forward to sniff at Elderberry, tail wagging. "Hello hello hello! Welcome!"

The first one who had hatched, stepped between her and the others, spreading its wings and saying 'mine'. Jayberry was confused, and tilted her head, saying, "No, ours!" And then the one who looked mostly like Blueberry was up, pushing at Baneberry. And she couldn't have that!

Jayberry yipped, bounding forward to try and step between the group. "Hey hey! We're all friends, we're family! Don't fight!"

@Kitaka
@Elderberry

Bane groaned. She was just trying to protect her family! And now her brother sister thing was trying to hurt her! It was so frustrating how these creatures could be. But Jayberry seemed to be challenging her, and her other sibling was too. And the wyvern-like Gemling didn't appreciate it.

"Dare challenge me!? Fight!"She yelled, lashing out with still developing claws at the two other kids. At least Elderberry didn't try to stop her from protecting them. Both wings were outstretched, talons clawing at her family.


____________________
"You only get what you greive."

Tags: @Blackberry @Jayberry @Huckleberry
Notes: She isn'tgoing to actually hurt them, just a mild scratch if they don't dodge orif she fails.

The hybrid's gaze followed the goose- large and strange and oddly spiky, not that they had anything to compare it to. She was speaking to each of the young siblings in turn, not only introducing their names to themselves- but one another as well. Huckleberry, Baneberry, the formations of words were alien to the young one, but they carefully stored the names for later use.

Then it was their turn.

The newborn hybrid's downy ears flickered, their vision filed by an avian face, as someone loomed into their vision, and spoke. Elderberry, she said; and it took a moment for the newborn to register that she was talking to them- no- him. Elderberry. That must be his name. The hybrid blinked slowly, and offered a nod, before leaning into the goose's large and strong head, using it to push themselves onto wobbly legs. Soon, they were standing on thin, awkward legs and wobbly hooves, downy tufts twitching as he balanced.

One of his new siblings approached, calling names... and he pulled up the newly-learned names. It was Huckleberry. Downy ears snapped to attention to his own name, and Elderberry tilted his head, questioningly.

There was a lot going on; Elderberry's ears flickered, gaze lingering on the happenings around him. Baneberry seemed to want to fight someone, for some reason. He couldn't say why. A wolf pup was yapping and barking welcomes, and hopping from paw to paw, seeming to move towards him before Baneberry placed herself in the way. Elderberry's ears lowered and he wobbled his way over to the wolf pup, casting a sidelong glance at the raving wyvern-like hybrid. "Name?" Elderberry asked the wolf pup seriously. He didn't remember being introduced to them.

@Jayberry @Baneberry @blueberry @Blackberry

No matter how light the reprimand was, the hyena still recognized it for what it was. She ducked her head apologetically, and then flinched at the sudden fury in Blackberry's next words. One tentative, worried glance up told her that the wrath wasn't directed at her though. The goose was talking to the moose about...something. Kit didn't end try to keep up, she just dismissed it as none of her business and focused on the other Gemling.

The canine called out a friendly greeting while Kit just stared back at her. Before either one could do anything else, another shattering crack split the air. All eyes turned toward the tiny shape that tumbled out of its chrysalis, and into the hyena's paws.
Kitaka's dark brown gaze fell to the newborn and stared in at it in shock. Had its gem been anywhere less visible than smack in the middle of its forehead, she might have doubted what it was. Instead, she knew full well that it at least should be intelligent, even if it didn't prove it whenever its first action was to scream. And scream.

Blackberry's touch roused Kit from her shock. She glanced between the older Gembound, and the new life, and then back again a few times. This Huckleberry was hers? What was she supposed to do with it, she thought, mistified at the very prospect of being responsible for anything. Thankfully, she was saved having to respond by another ear-splitting crack.

Another creature left its chrysalis, and lay among its shards before the group. Kitaka watched dispassionately as Blackberry, and then the moose, moved to greet and welcome this new life. With the little family all in view, the hyena finally started to put together the fact that they were, in fact, a family. Somehow, each of these new Gemlings were a part of Blackberry, and a part of the moose.

She didn't get any time to think about how that was possible though. Another scream shook the air, the same hybrid that had screamed before, though this time its target appeared to be one of its own kind. Kit glanced between the two, and then watched the wolf when she approached them. Too much, there was too much happening, the hyena thought as she backed up a couple steps of steps.
Just as she did, the largest of the hybrids seemed to try and leap forward. It didn't succeed, but she could have sworn it was looking straight at her when it had tried.

Having senses that these new lives were precious to her friend, Kitaka looked to Blackberry for direction. What should she do, she silently pleaded with her eyes.

@Blackberry

Blackberry stepped back to watch her children greet each other, proudly. Well, she thought that was how it would go. She did not expect for them to descend into chaos so quickly. When she turned to interact with them again, she was met with growling and hissing and screaming. She didn't understand why they were fighting each other. Was it her aggressive nature that had carried over to them? She didn't like the thought that her own children were so aggressive, they couldn't help but fight among themselves.

But no, it wasn't aggression. It was protectiveness. But in all the wrong places. She began to grow angry when she felt the shimmer of magic in the air. She had created this children to be a family! She had brought Mulberry with her to be part of that, as she assumed Blueberry did with Jayberry. They couldn't fight! How dare they?

As the commotion began to rise, Blackberry shot into the middle of them and opened her beak, letting out a terrible, loud, screeching honk, as strong as she could make it. She immediately descended into a fit of coughing, but when she straightened up again, her eyes were blazing with fury. "IDIOTS," she screeched, her temper having taken away all control. "You are supposed to be FAMILY!" she whipped around to face Banberry, her face contorted with anger. "ALL OF YOU are family! This is Mulberry and Jayberry, and they are your sisters! It doesn't matter how they look, they're family! If I ever see you treating them differently again, you're going to regret it!" She glared daggers at the young hybrid before turning to face Huckleberry, equally as angry. "And YOU! I don't care what your sibling does, WE DO NOT ATTACK FAMILY! You fight your enemies, you shed their blood but your family is all you have! I don't want to EVER see you being aggressive to your sister again! Or your brother and other sisters! DO YOU UNDERTSAND?!"

After giving Huckleberry an angry look, she turned towards Elderberry, her gaze softening. "I'm sorry, I didn't tell you about your other sisters! The striped one is Mulberry and the wolf is Jayberry. And they are part of the family too." She stepped towards Jayberry and Mulberry and opened her wings to gather them close. "No matter what we look like or how we were hatched, we are one family now. If your siblings are ever mean to you or single you out, come to me. I'm your mama, Blackberry and I'll protect you all."

As she began to calm down from her rage, she beckoned for the rest of the family to gather close, pulling her wings back so the the quills would not catch on them. "Your mama and papa love you very much. We will always love you. Protect your siblings. Learn, grow strong. We will teach you what you know and our family will thrive. We are what we have. Promise me that you will protect and love each other."


___________________________________________________________

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

tags: @Blueberry
notes:

Huckleberry paced in front of Mulberry and Jayberry, muttering furiously. "Family, family, I protect family. Fight Baneberry? I will. I will! I fight Baneberry because Baneberry threatens family. Fight! Kill! Protect the family! I am the family. They are the family. Baneberry is family. Can family fight family?" There was slashing and she jumped blinking fast again. Blinking made her feel better. The world was better. Everyone should blink like this! Blink blink blink blink!

She stood there, staring at Baneberry for a moment, just blinking and blinking, wondering why it looked so scary. Did it want to fight her? Why? What had she done? She cocked her head strangely and sniffed the air.

Immediately, she gave out a howl and opened her wings, her eyes blazing with fury. "FAMILY!" Magic! Send the magic! Along the air, make its blood run cold. Stop its hard, stop its moving! But no, the magic wasn't there. Why wasn't it there? She wanted it there!

Time to kill! Time to use claws and talons and teeth, if she had them. She would have leaped for her sister, frenzied and terrible when the cry, the cry! familiar yet strange, pulled her from her thoughts. Mother? Blackberry? Angry at her?

At Baneberry too, but Huckleberry did not understand. At least, not at first, until Mama turned to her. She narrowed her eyes. Don't fight Baneberry? But hadn't she been intent on fighting and killing? Isn't that what she was supposed to do? It just seemed natural to her. But if Mama said it, she had a feeling she was right. Trust Mama. Do as Mama say. Blink blink blink.

Mama was scary though. She didn't quite understand that, but it was a feeling that pulled her ears back to her head. She didn't like that. Mama was scary. Trust Mama. Trust Baneberry. Shed blood of enemies. Love family.

It were these thoughts that ingrained themselves into Huckleberry's very core. The things that would always be the same. No matter what, the hybrid would never, ever go back on these promises.

She turned to Mama as she gathered them close and walked forward. She pressed herself against Mama's side and closed her eyes, enjoying the calming warmth of her mother's feathers. The quills on her wings, perhaps, were rough and uncomfortable, but her body feathers were soft. She snuggled her face into her shoulder. "I love Mama. I love family. I promise, Mama, I'll never fight family again."

She pulled away and raced over the Baneberry and did the same, pressing her head against her shoulder. I'm sorry Baneberry. I love family. I love you. I'll never fight you again." She turned to Mulberry and Jayberry and Elderberry and lifted her wings, giving them all a big smile. "Family!"

Blue shook his head as the kids began to fight, screaming and trying to attack each other. He had to hold back a laugh as Blackberry went and gave off a little speech. It was funny, watching a strange goose yell at five newly hatched Gembounds. At the same time though, he was proud. She was a good mother already, a better parent than him.

Add it seemed her speech went well too, as Huckleberry apologized, and seemed to be okay now. "Thank you Huckle, for apologizing. Baneberry, you too." Blue asked, stepping forward to get closer tho the family.

____________________
"Hear my war cry"

Tags: here
Notes: here

Bane was confused. That was their mama? And they were all family? Family didn't fight family, no. They loved each other? What was Banethinking? She covered her head with her wings, angry and ashamed of herself.

"I-I'm sorry Huckleberry. I'm s-sorry mama. I won't do it a-again." Bane stuttered, staring at her family with sad eyes through her wings. Family was the only thing she had, and she was already fighting with them.

Then she looked to Jayberry and Mulberry. "You are family. I will protect you. I love you all." She muttered, taking her wings from her eyes. Today, she learned a valuable lesson, one that would stick to her for life. Family was all you got, and you can't mess that up.

____________________
"You only get what you grieve."

Tags: @Kitaka
Notes: here

The bird-moose-angry thing bristled, before yelling loudly. It lashed out with its soft-ish claws, and Jayberry pranced back instinctively, ears drooping and tail wagging placatingly.

The one with the bird-head-moose-body turned to her, the one named Elderberry, and asked her name. The wolf pup gave him a great, doggy smile, woofing, "I'm Jayberry!" the other pup, the one who had seemed angry with her, at fist, looked afraid, looking at the Mother Goose.

The Mother Goose made an awful, loud noise that descended into coughing, and Jay stepped towards her, concerned. However, before she could, the Mother was yelling, seeming behind herself with anger as she shrieking at Baneberry. To her surprise, the Mother told them that she was family, to be taken care of. And she took her other words to heart, saying that family was all that mattered, that they were to never harm each other.

The Mother spoke her name, and Jayberry stepped forward into her wings, nuzzling into the softness of her new Mother's feathers. "I love you Mama, Papa." she said softly, tail thumping a soft rhythm. The wolf leaned forward to nuzzle Baneberry when she apologized, as well.

And then there was a funny warmth in her mouth - in her Gem, as her Magicka reacted to her happiness. Mushrooms began to bloom beneath her paws, before spreading out, cushioning the ground beneath the entirety of her family - her Pack.

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.