Jayberry looked up from Mulberry as Papa spoke, wagging her tail and the large Gembound. She liked Papa! He was nice! Her attention was drawn to Bane, who looked rather upset. "Baneberry! What is wrong?" she whined quietly, although she didn't leave Jay's side.

Mulberry, it seemed, had begun to accept her, as the hyena turned a smile her way. Jayberry beamed at the pup, her own gem-fang glistening as her tail wagged excitedly. "Family!" she agreed, nodding her head excitedly.

She listened intently as Mother began to speak again, tail wagging happily and tongue lolling in a lazy grin. Mother explained that Orion and Polaris were attached to their home, and that they could wander. So the wolf pup nodded, and once Mama had settled down in her nest, the wolf pup nuzzled Mulberry, before bounding over to curl against Mama's side. Mushrooms bloomed beneath her, softening the ground into a comfortable bed for the wolf pup.

[EXIT JAYBERRY UNLESS SOMEONE INTERACTS WITH HER]

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

Blue grinned happily, ignoring Blackberry's dark look. He knew that they were only messing around, for the most part. He listened attentively to his mate, nodding when it was appropriate. "We care for you all. We will protect and love you no matter what." He confirmed, settling down next to Blackberry in the nest. They would need to expand this thing, for sure.

[E X I T]
____________________
"Hear my war cry"

Word Count:
Tags: here
Notes: here

Baneberry looked at Jay fter Mama had finished her speech, shaking her head. "Talk later?" She whispered, trying to not let Mama or Da know that she was uncomfortble. If they worried, then that'd mae her worry, and Baneberry did not like worrying. She liked to protect, and she liked friends, and she liked family.

____________________
"You only get what you grieve."

Word Count: 55
Tags: @Jayberry @Kitaka @Huckleberry @Elderberry
Notes: here

Elderberry's lanky limbs were starting to ache. His eyelids were beginning to droop, gaze flickering. His ears pricked towards Baneberry, but it didn't seem like she was talking to him. He looked around. Papa was moving over to Blackberry, where he settled down. The newborn clacked his beak softly.

His hind legs straightened, pushing himself to his feet with a stumble, before finally regaining his balance. The lanky, feathery little thing tottered over to his parents, where he pushed his way in next to them, and sank back down onto his belly, legs folded uncertainly beneath him. His beak opened in a yawn.

Elderberry felt safe here, surrounded by an unbreakable barrier of strength and family.

Resting his long neck on the ground by his knees, he allowed himself to drop off into sleep.

-exit Elderberry-

When Huckleberry saw that Mulberry was feeling better, he leaped to his feet and swiveled around. Everyone seemed to be curling up around Mama and Papa, but Huckleberry didn't feel like sleeping yet! He leaped over with excitement and jumped in a circle around the group, fluttering off the ground every so often, cackling with happiness. The family was all together! So happy! Even Baneberry, who was a little ways away. Huckleberry, of course, did not notice their solitude at all and instead leaped at Papa and landed on his back.

"Papa Papa, family family!" he crowed loudly before suddenly dropping down, his light weight crashing on Blueberry's back, all of his energy completely spent. His wings drooped to the side as his eyes went shut and, within seconds, he was snoring gently.

*exit

Like all others present, Kitaka turned to watch, and listen, to Blackberry as she explained about the adjoining rooms.
They had come through Polaris on their way to the nest, so the pup was already somewhat familiar with it. It was large, much larger than any of the tunnels she'd seen thus far. The air in it seemed to crackle with energy too, which she particularly liked. It made her feel full to brim with it, like she'd never have to sleep again and she could just run and run!
She'd probably go back there soon, she thought absently as Blackberry finally finished.

Whenever the goose moved away from her, to sit on the nest, Kitaka slowly stood up, stretching her legs as she did. She watched as first Jayberry, and then Blueberry and Elderberry moved to sit on the nest too.
Huckleberry didn't seem tired yet. They ran around in a circle, flapping up every so often with a cackle. The pure joy of it made Kit's tail wag, and had her so distracted that she didn't notice Baneberry until after Huckleberry settled down.

The hybrid was the only one, besides her, not laying on the nest or asleep yet. Since she wasn't alone this time, or perhaps just because she wasn't the last, Kit didn't feel isolated like she had before.
She nodded toward Baneberry before finally turning toward the nest. After a moment's scrutiny, she decided to lay by Jayberry, mostly because she was laying against Blackberry. The closer she was to the goose, the better she would feel.

Kitaka didn't realize how tired she was until she was laying down. The journey here had been hurried, but she hadn't thought it had taken too much out of her. She didn't get the chance to realize how wrong she was. The moment that she let herself relax against Jayberry's warm side, she drifted off to sleep.

[EXIT]

Blackberry saw her family settling down around her and she realized that they were probably exhausted. She felt her own emotional exhaustion weighin down on her - all the effort that this day had taken. Travelling all the way back, watching her children hatch, and inspiring them to live bravely and just like her. It was a lot of work and she, too, was ready for a good rest.

With her children gathered around her and Blueberry nestled at her side, Blackberry found herself lulled to sleep. She rested her head on Blueberry's shoulder and closed her eyes, falling quickly into a peaceful, blissful sleep.

Jayberry opened her eyes groggily to watch her family. The massive moose whom had taken her in settled down next to Mother, affirming that he would care for them. Baneberry's voice drew her attention, and she nodded, before yawning, pink tongue furling from her mouth. "'course."

Elderberry, too, joined them in the nest, and Huckleberry flopped down on top of Papa, falling asleep almost instantly. To her shock, Mulberry laid down against her, and the wolf allowed her head to rest on Mulberry's shoulder, a protective gesture. The pup's eyes drifted closed, and her breathing evened out.

[EXIT]

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