It seemed to take endless cycles for the bird to recover from its injuries. Its head dented and bruised, concussion after concussion, and eventual damage to its brain. The obstacle course wasn't supposed to be that rough, but for Apple, it had ended in catastrophe. Even after pulled off the field and tended to, it was hopeless. The bird was damaged beyond repair. So the body had formed the crystal shell around it and they had slumbered for many cycles.

But now, it seemed, even their instincts had given up. The gem shivered, cracked, and released the little bird onto the floor of Polaris. Disoriented, confused, and barely awake, the bird tried to stumble to her feet, but to no avail. Her limbs weren't working right, her brain out of coordination with the rest of her body. She could barely move at all. The act of breathing and blinking her eyes was now a conscious effort. But she still had hope, just as she always did. She could get through this. The worst of the injuries were healed. She just needed to learn to live with this."

Blackberry had seen the chrysalis a while ago and could sense it - it was about to release its package to the world. Whether it was a new gembound, a mutation, or simply a injured idiot, this would be the first and last step they took back in the world.

And this would be the day that Huckleberry decided where their allegiances lie. With the family or with their enemies.

She stalked through Polaris and approached where she had found the crystal. It seemed that the gem had hatched and had spilled out a little bird, struggling to move or stand. Perhaps it had suffered some injury that it had not recovered from. Pitiful. Pathetic. Something so weak and hopeless had no use in this world.

She turned to Huckleberry and gestured to the bird. "Tell me, Huckleberry," she hissed. "What do you see here? What is this bird to you?"

Huckleberry knew something was wrong, from the instant Mama had demanded they follow her. She was angry, they could tell it as clear as day. Was she still angry about the wolf? But that wasn't wrong, they weren't trying to do harm! Was she angry about their weakness? No, they were strong! They would fight!

They almost seemed to disassociate as they followed Mama through Polaris, their head whirling. Mixed excitement, fear, and boredom clashed in their head. What to expect? What emotion would win? What was going on?

When Mama slowed, they looked up and immediately caught sight of the bird. What a pitiful sight. They looked like they were in pain. Or maybe just painfully unable to do anything. Huckleberry wondered what it would be like to be so disabled. Hopefully Mama wasn't here to show Huckleberry what they'd become. Hopefully Mama hadn't done this.

But she probably did. And Huckleberry realized that they didn't really care. Mama had killed - of course she would do something like this. They blinked and stared at her. "It's an injured bird." Their voice was monotone and emotionless. "It should be dead but its not its alive. I don't know them."

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

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notes: here

Blackberry narrowed her eyes at Huckleberry's response. Guarded, perhaps? As if they didn't want to show their true feelings? Or perhaps the bird really meant nothing to them. Or maybe this was just another weird mood swing. Whatever the case, it didn't change what he next request would be.

She looked back at the bird, her stomach talons shivering with disgust. Huckleberry was right - that thing should be dead, not struggling on the ground. Something that couldn't even stand wouldn't be able to survive. Perhaps it was a mercy to kill them, but Blackberry didn't want to think of it as mercy. This was wiping filth from the caves.

She turned back to Huckleberry and gestured again towards the bird with her wing. "Huckleberry, you are to kill this bird right now."

Apple watched the other two things approach. The strange goose and what she could only assume was her child, despite them being significantly bigger then her. She listened to their conversation - it was hard not to with them being so close by and she widened her eyes with horror. A thorn, sharp as a sword, pierced through the hope. She was useless was she? Was this not something she could recover from? But she couldn't help but stay positive. She knew she could do it.

She didn't want to die! Her beak opened desperately, trying to chirp a plea, but little sound came out. She took a few heaving breaths in and stared directly at the hybrid, her eyes wide. After another attempts, she managed to whisper, "Pl...ea....se....n-no...."

Huckleberry stared down at the little bird, hearing Blackberry's words wash over them like hot water. Kill them? Could they do that? They had never killed anyone before. They knew that this was a test - Blackberry was sure to kick them out if they refused. They couldn't leave the family! No, that was their family! Blackberry was their Mama and Blueberry was their Papa! And how could they leave Jayberry and Mulberry and Elderberry and Baneberry? They couldn't!

But did that bird truly deserve to die? Could they really take an innocent, helpless life? And then they turned and pleaded softly, their voice so small, so desperate and terrified. No. They couldn't. They couldn't do this.

They shook their head, as if trying to clear it. But no! They were a Bloodberry! They were born to kill, to tear apart, to sink their talons into meat and enemies! They had to do what their Mama commanded! But they had to listen to their heart as well. A realization, the first of their life, came over them. This was their life. They made their own choices.

After a moment, Huckleberry sighed and turned to Blackberry, ears pulled back fearfully. "N-no, Mama. I can't. They don't deserve it. They need care instead of death. I won't hurt them." Their voice was clear, clearer then it had been in a very long time, despite the shake at the edge from the fear of Blackberry's wrath. They bowed their head. "Punish me however you wish."

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

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notes: here

Blackberry at first didn't believe what she was hearing. Her own child, refusing to kill, refusing to attack or even hurt. Her flesh and blood. The child of her and Blueberry.

It took a moment for the anger to arrive past the sheer shock. They hadn't really expected Huckleberry to refuse and were not exactly prepared for it. But now that they had said it, she knew that this would have been their choice all along.

The fury came swift and terribly. There was a loud gurgling from the back of her throat and her eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Punish you? PUNISH YOU?! I'll rip you to pieces!! How dare you! I am your mother and the leader of the family! You will do as I command! But I always knew that you were a weakling. A pathetic excuse for a Bloodberry. You do not deserve this family nor the love of parents and siblings. I should never have given life to your stone!" She lunged forward, eyes blazing with rage and her beak wide open, sharp teeth read to sink into flesh. She latched onto Huckleberry's throat and bit down, feeling blood well beneath her fangs.

Round: 1
Attempt: Lunge forward and grab onto their throat
Defense: natural defense
Injuries: none

Huckleberry knew that Blackberry was angry, but they weren't ready for the terrible and horrifying fury that she would unleash upon them. Just as they looked up they saw her lunging towards them, her horrible beak open wide. They screamed and stumbled back, but they couldn't get away. Pain surged through their body as the stabbing, sharp fangs closed around their throat.

They screamed and screamed, trying to get free, but Blackberry's grip was absolute. They could feel blood running down their neck and realized that she was there to kill. She wouldn't be content with just beating them. They were an enemy of the family now.

Huckleberry wanted to fight back, they really did. But there was an instinct within them, and instinct ingrained in their body. Protect the family. Mother is scary. Listen to mother. They couldn't go back on that now! Could they?

Their body froze up, stopping the magic before they even managed to think it up. Tears leaked in the corner of their eyes. They couldn't do this! "Mama, please," they whimpered, pitifully.

Round: 1
Attempt: shock Blackberry off
Defense: none
Injuries: bitten throat

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

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notes: here

Blackberry heard their pathetic whimpering and it only served to fuel her anger further. No child of hers was so weak and foolish. She was glad she wouldn't have to put up with the idiot anymore. Huckleberry had always been a problem for her. Not anymore.

She decided that just biting out their throat was too easy. She would play with them a little bit before she killed them, give them a true taste of her fury. She easily shoved them away, despite their size. They stumbled and she didn't hesitate to pounce again. She snapped her beak closed on their front left leg and twisted her head. It didn't break any bones, but it certainly broke skin and she tasted warm blood in her mouth. It tasted terrible - like a thunderstorm and like her own blood, but tainted. Disgusting, but she drank it eagerly anyways

Round: 2
Attempt: grab their leg and twist
Defense: natural defense
Injuries: none

A part of Huckleberry knew that their mama wouldn't react to such whimpering, perhaps even be infuriated by it. But still, there was that part of them that truly hoped that she would love them again, just as she did when they were a child. But it seemed that love was lost now, as she lunged towards him again, her beak and teeth crunching down on their front leg.

Huckleberry let out an earsplitting screech and twisted in her grip, pain shooting up their leg. In that instant, everything was lost to them. Fury. Anger. Hatred. Kill her, kill Blackberry. Mama was scary, but they were even scarier. They would show her the true fire that was within them, the thirst for blood that her children were supposed to have.

They shot so many sparks into the air, screaming and screaming, trying to call down thunder from the skies, but it seemed that no storm wanted to fall upon their mother. It seemed their magic was fighting against them. The ripped themselves away and crouched back, snarling, eyes blank and blazing.

Round: 2
Attempt: call down a storm
Defense: none
Injuries: bitten throat and front leg

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

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notes: here