The name that the wolf gave Huckleberry went in one ear and out the other, considering how damn long the thing was. No, she would definitely not remember it, but at least they were offering help. It seemed like she should probably try and walk, though. How else were they going to walk around?

Taking a deep, shaky breath, they started struggling on the ground, scraping at the rocks to try and get their feet under them. Little by little, they managed to get a hold and then slowly rise to their feet, although their legs wobbled weakly and their eyes were squeezed shut from the sudden headache. They tottered a bit, trying to get over the wave of sickness but then snapped open their eyes and stumbled back at the mention of going back. "N-no! There is bad things there, a bad bird. Evil bird! No, no no no, Huckleberry can't go back there. Mama...tunnel maybe. Family tunnel." Their eyes were drooping from the strain of standing and flopped forward, exhausted from the pain.

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

emotion: Comfortable
tags: @Kin-Kin
notes: here

Kin-Kin heaved a sigh, thinking hard about the change of approach. Their reluctance complicated things. Her pointed ears twitched in thought. "If it makes you feel better, kid. But y'know, I don't think any trouble will get to ya with me around." She winked to lighten the mood, watching as they struggled to their feet. "Which tunnel? Do you know? Any scents or sounds?"

Kin-Kin slowly began to pace in a circle around Huckleberry, keeping just out of reach of any potential lightning strikes, raising her muzzle and sscanning the area, especially for any sign of said... evil bird, more to ease Huckleberry's nerves than anything else. After a while of seeing nothing, she glanced back towards her charge, hesitating as she watched them struggle. "Say... need any help there, kid?"

---

When I speak.

When I think.

@Huckleberry

Huckleberry could barely hear Kin-Kin now, as the pain was getting greater as they tried to stumble to their feet. But they kept falling back, their little body getting weaker. They panted from the effort, but still managed to find a way to respond. "Family...tunnel....Polaris...one way...Orion....other..." They tried to take some deep breaths, but it wasn't working so, instead, more tears flowed unhelpfully down their cheeks. They couldn't even get past this. They bet Mama was feeling a lot better, hanging around with the family, hating them for leaving them. If they ever got back, they would not be welcome.

Suddenly, Huckleberry was shaking their head, scared to go home. Scared to know what Mama would say. "No," they moaned. "Mama will hate me. They all will hate me! I left them, I ran away! Weakness! No, no no no no can't go home."

They struggled to stand again, but just flopped back down and looked up at Kin-Kin with eyes leaking tears, giving into the weakness that their family so despised. "H-help me..."

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

emotion: Worthless
tags: @Kin-Kin
notes: here

Kin-Kin knew that tunnel immediately; she'd used it many times. After all, she'd dug a den in both of those caverns and frequently travelled between them. "I know where that is. I'll take you there soon," she reassured, with a swish of he tail. Relief was evident in her voice. At least Huckleberry had been well enough to remember that.

Kin-Kin's ears swivelled back to the youngster, and the relaxed look on her face slowly changed to a troubled one. What happened to wanting to get back? This task was getting more difficult by the second. And although she wanted to help, she was starting to feel a little strained from playing the hero. She hoped she wouldn't get tied down with them for too much longer, but if it came to that, then... what choice did she have? Kin-Kin didn't really know what Huckleberry wanted or why they were so hurt. She didn't know the family either, but she knew they'd be better equipped for this than her. "Don't be silly. That's not what family is like," she tried to comfort, lowering her voice soothingly. But what did she know about family? She'd never had anyone. "When they see you're hurt, they'll just want you to get better."

Kin-Kin looked at the young one's tearful face, and let out a breath. For the first time, the golden wolf stepped beyond the lightning rod she'd made, hoping that they wouldn't lash out, and nudged her nose into their side- the contact gentle but firm. The hope was that they'd put their weight on her and rise to their feet.

---

When I speak.

When I think.

@Huckleberry

Huckleberry's ears flattened against his skull and he bowed his head, looking away from Kin-Kin with shame. How could he think that how could he? Mama loved him, yes she did. She would not throw him out, no no way. No way. How could Huckleberry think that?

As Kin-Kin came closer, Huckleberry felt his heart begin to race and immediately jumped it with his magic, feeling it slow a bit. He needed to stay calm. Calm for Mama and Papa so he could return. He needed to return. When the wolf's nose pushed into his side, he used the leverage to push himself up and managed to stand on trembling legs, leaning against the wolf heavily. He took shaky breaths as he shook out his head, as if there were flies buzzing around his ears. "Can I walk? Can we walk? Where is the tunnel, where is the family! I can't find them!" His shame for running deepened. If he hadn't been so foolish, he would be with them right now.

He shouldn't have run away.

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

emotion: Ashamed
tags: @Kin-Kin
notes: here

Kin-Kin allowed the young one to put all their weight upon her, and inch by inch, she tried her best to hoist them to their feet. It took time- but finally, Huckleberry was up, and Kin-Kin slowly stepped back, pressing her side against theirs so that they could continue to lean.

As they spoke, her ears twitched. I think you can. Step by step, okay? Just give it a go." she glanced back, and remained where she was. Huckleberry was beginning to panic, now- asking where the tunnel was, and the family. "Not far, not far. I'll take you, okay? I know the place like the back of a paw."

Kin-Kin took a testing strep, placing one paw in front of the other, and looking intently at Huckleberry- trying to convince them to do the same. Maybe when they got moving, the hybrid would be able to walk on his own. Maybe it was as simple as getting them started.

---

When I speak.

When I think.

@Huckleberry

Huckleberry stood, trembling, leaning heavily against Kin-Kin's body and watched as she put a paw in front of her other. Annoyance flooded through Huckleberry's body and all he wanted to do was recoil and prove that he could walk. Did this wolf think he was stupid? No, he wasn't stupid! Not at all! He would show her that he could walk!

Arrogance and frusteration drove Huckleberry forward and he began to walk forward with a swift pace, but he pushed himself too hard and within a couple of steps found his strength completely failing. With a grunt of shock, he crumpled to the ground and banged his head against the rock, making his pain even worse. When he had recovered enough to realize what had happened, his hissed with anger, a sound shockingly similar to his mother's own voice. He didn't meat Kin-Kin's eyes, knowing that he should have listened to her. Now she would tease him, berate him, for being so stupid!

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

emotion: Annoyed
tags: @Kin-Kin
notes: here

Kin-Kin felt the kid's weight leave her side, and turned around, hoping to see them walking by themselves... but alas, it was not to be. As she'd suspected, they simply weren't ready, and fell, knocking themselves out against a rock. Kin-Kin bit her tongue in frustration. Now they were right back to where they'd started. The she-wolf closed her eyes and allowed heavy sigh to leave her nostrils. When she opened them again, she noticed the youngster stirring- and tried to look nonchalant.

Rather than speaking, she tried to wait for them to feel ready- suspecting that they'd have a pride that was easy to hurt, and knowing that they must be shaken up enough. She also worried that she'd laugh out of the sheer irony of it all. But after she was sure that they'd had long enough to have fully come to, Kin-Kin spoke. "Wanna try again?"

---

When I speak.

When I think.

Huckleberry looked up at Kin-Kin and almost snarled at her. Standing there as if walking was the easiest thing in the world. Well, it wasn't! They were in a lot of pain! They couldn't help it. But they weren't going to continue to look so weak in front of Kin-Kin, not anymore.

Struggling, Huckleberry tried to scrabbled to their feet again, determined to do this without the wolf's help. However, even with their claws digging into crevices in the stones and their back hooves constantly trying to find a hold, Huckleberry just couldn't stand again, the pain shivering through their body just too much.

Finally, they flopped back, glancing at Kin-Kin again. Oh how they wished to be able to stand! They wanted to walk, walk all the way home and meet the family on their own four legs, but, obviously, it wasn't going to happen.

Huckleberry sighed and looked away, head bowed, a little embaressed to be asking. "C0can Kin-Kin carry me? I don't think I can make it. Sorry, so so sorry. But I want to see my family. They...might be expecting me.

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

emotion: Jealous
tags: @Kin-Kin
notes: here

Kin-Kin waited patiently, ears pricked and the tip of her tail twitching. After a few moments, she settled back onto her haunches, her cloak pooling around her hindquarters. She watched hopefully as they scrabbled at the earth, but again, it seemed to be too much. Her ears drooped slightly. What else could she do? Kin-Kin had to work hard not to look exasperated and keep her mild expression- but lucky for her, she'd had a lot of practice.

The she she-wolf stood to attention as they spoke, noticing that they appeared to have given up. Their question elicited a short pause before she reluctantly nodded. "So long as you don't shock me," she offered, with just a hint of trepidation. She rose up onto her paws again, approaching the hybrid where they lay. They were young, and quite small with the exception of their wings, but not so small that she could scruff them. Hopefully, Kin-Kin wouldn't have too much trouble carrying them.

She began to nudge at their chest with her muzzle, hoping to burrow underneath them so that she could sling them over her back. But it seemed she'd misjudged the distance; instead of stooping before Huckleberry, Kin-Kin slipped, planting face-first into the ground. Her damp nose stung and she bit back a whimper, letting out just a small grunt of frustration. She stood, sneezing out a snoutful of dust. After a shake of her head, she planted her paws and approached again.

"Ah-ha... ignore that. Let's try again."

---

When I speak.

When I think.

@Huckleberry