Jayberry was, perhaps, a bit too proud.

The wolf strutted through Tunnel N. Her head was high, each step high and proud. Jay's chest was puffed up, and eveyrthing screamed 'pride'. Something glistened in her closed mouth, something different from normal. A large, red ruby. A pink-ish tourbelline. And a dull grey chunk of graphite.

The she-wolf approached her family's nest, excited to prove to her Mother that, yes, it had been worth taking her in. As she approached the nest, her head remained high, and she hoped at least Mother and Father were there.

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

@Huckleberry @Blackberry @Kitaka @Blueberry @Elderberry @Baneberry

Blackberry hadn't been content for a very long time, but this, perhaps, was one of those rare times where things were good. Well, perhaps not perfect, but things felt like they were better, at least for a little while. She had a new child and one in its chrysalis and Huckleberry's threat of betrayal was, for now, not a concern. They lay at her side now, leaves tied around their side to staunch the bleeding that her own talons had inflicted on them. Their flank rose and fell evenly as they slept and Blackberry knew that nothing would wake them up - once they were asleep, only they could wake themselves up.

She looked up when Jayberry stepped into the room and her eyes brightened. She looked excited and had a number of things wedged in her mouth. Looking closer, Blackberry realized that they were actually gems and she found her heart racing. Were those normal gems or had they been taken from those that she had killed?

"Jayberry," she greeted her. "Welcome home! What is this that you're bringing?" Her voice was unusually cheery, as if she wanted to spill her good news, but she at first wanted Jayberry to share hers.

@Dewberry (in case you wanted to be in it too)

Dewberry had been sleeping.

It wasn't obvious. After all, her eyes were open. But snakes did not have eyelids, so she was always that way. Superfluous discussion of snake anatomy aside, she was sleeping, and Blackberry's feathers made a very nice, soft bed. Plus it was warm. That was always a plus.

She woke to the sound of Mother's voice, and drowsily turned her head toward whatever she was talking to. It appeared to be very fluffy, and it held a mouthful of shiny stuff. Well, most of it was shiny. The grey thing wasn't. She flicked her tongue at Fluffy, picking up a slight trace of blood as well as another new scent, with a significantly stronger blood-scent. Now completely awake, she slithered forward to get a better look, a third of her body attached to Mother and the other two thirds hanging in midair. Snakes did things like that.

Jayberry's eyes scanned the nest. Huckleberry was there, but they seemed to be asleep. And she could scent blood in the air. But she was quick to acknowledge that, while injured, they were not endangered, so she looked up at Mother. The goose looked... surprisingly happy. And her voice reflected it. Had something good happened?

"M't'r" she acknowledged around the Gems in her mouth. She approached Mother, and carefully set the Gems down before the Goose. Then she backed up to a respectful distance, tail wagging. "I'm bringing gifts for you and Father. These Gems are from Gembounds I have killed over the last few days. I am sorry for taking so long to bring them to you, I wanted to bring them to you at the same time." The she-wolf inclined her head.

To her surprise, another thing appeared from the nest. It was long and noodly, and after a moment she dismissed it. If it was important, Mother would say so. Besides, she was in too good a mood to care much.

"And..." she hesitated, taking a deep breath. "With your blessing, Mother, I would like to attempt to give life to one of these Gems. I believe they would be a worthy asset to our family."

@Blackberry @Dewberry

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

Blackberry was as proud as any mother goose could ever be. It seemed that her luck was turning around. She had felt like Huckleberry's treason had shaken the family but no. She had a new child, a new gem, and Jayberry, who had brought many gems and an offer for another child. She was so proud of her daughter. She had once thought that she would be the hardest one to relate to, since she knew them so little when Blueberry had adopted her, but it seemed like she would be, after all, one of the family's greatest killers.

She leaned forward and rolled the gems a little closer, if only to look at them. They were truly beautiful things. Not because of their appearance, no, Blackberry could care less about gems. But knowing that they had once been the very life force of a creature, a life force that was now gone, was beautiful. She wished that there was still blood so she could taste those her daughter had killed, but that was alright. They weren't hers to take.

She pushed them back towards Jayberry and looked the wolf in the eyes. Yes, she was a killer now. Just like her mother. "You have done well, Jayberry, very well." She felt Dewberry shift around her neck and she looked down. "Dewberry, this is your sister, Jayberry. And Jayberry, this is your new sister, Dewberry. She's part of the family now. As for the gems..." She observed them for another moment before nodding, as if she had made a decision. "They are yours to do with as you please. You have earned the right to raise a child of your own, if you so wish. Unlike Huckleberry here, who gave up his life-given stone as apology," at the mention, she glanced down at the sapphire in front of her,""you do not have to give me anything. You have already given plenty to this family by proving yourself to be a great fighter and a killer. However, if you wish to give them anyways, we will proudly display your trophies."

@Dewberry @Jayberry

Something important had happened. Dewberry could feel it in the air, the air that smelled strangely sweet but had the scent of blood clinging to it. Among more scents such as goose, wolf, snake, and some strange combination of goose and another creature. She recognized few of the words being spoken, and wished she could see what was going on in Mother or Fluffy's braincase, if only it would help her understand.

A few words, however, she did recognize. Dewberry was one, of course, being her name. Family - a warm, comforting word. She liked that one. Jayberry took her a moment to figure out, but Dewberry eventually realized it was a name. So words that ended in -berry were names. Sister - she thought she liked that one, too. It had a nice ring to it, and it was fun to say. "Sister Jayberry." she repeated, testing the new words on her tongue. "Jayberry, Mother, and-" the snake paused, searching for the right word. Dewberry? That was her name. But it didn't feel right. There was another word she was supposed to use. "-I." Yes, that was it. That felt right. "Family."

@Jayberry @Blackberry

Jayberry wagged her tail, watching Blackberry hopefully. Would Mother allow it? Oh, oh, she hoped she would. She wanted to help the family as much as possible, and if not by killing, then at least she could help bolster their numbers.

Pride rolled in her chest as Mother looked over the gems, pulling them close to look them over. Would she approve? Had she done well? Had she proved herself? And, for the slightest of moments, she felt doubt, as mother rolled the gems back at her.

She locked eyes with Blackberry, not looking away like she wanted to. It felt as though Mother was looking through her, judging her, searching for... something. When Mother praised her, however, she could do little more than brighten up, giving her Mother a wide, doggy smile, and wagging her tail. "Thank you, Mother."

And then, to her great glee, Mother allowed her to give life to the gem. "Thank you, Mother." Then she was introduced to Jayberry. The wolf inclined her head to the snake, wagging her tail. "Welcome to our family, Dewberry."

She pulled close the hummingbird's stone, looking it over. It wasn't damaged, surely capable of supporting life. Laying down, she held it between her forelegs. "Mother, can you help me to make a necklace of sorts, like yours? I would like to display my spoils, as you do."

A deep breath, and she touched her nose to the stone. There was a tug on her own gem, hidden away in her mouth, and then the stone between her legs began to gleam. Her eyes lit up, and she wagged her tail - she had done it!

@Dewberry
@Blackberry

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

Blackberry looked down at Dewberry as she began to talk slowly and she nodded encouragingly. "Yes, that's right. Sister Jayberry!" She happily looked back up at Jayberry and watched the flow of life from the wolf to the gem. Satisfaction flooded her at the sight of the faint glow in the gem. Another member of the family. And if Jayberry was going to raise it, it would certainly be a killer. Excellent.

She raised a wing and touched her necklace, feeling the old, preserved vines around her neck. "You want a necklace too? Find a vine or something to make the chain and I will make you one."

@Dewberry
@Jayberry
(sorry for the short reply)

Sister moved her tail from side to side and did a strange thing with her mouth. She seemed happy - maybe it was a way to express that? Before Dewberry could think too much about it, though, Sister looked at her and did the tail-thing again. Sister was happy to see her! Dewberry was so, so happy. I should do the tail-thing too! Let them know how wonderful I feel. She tried imitating Sister's doggy smile first, but to her great disappointment her mouth couldn't move that way.

Well, there was always the tail, right? Determined to express her happiness somehow, Dewberry mimicked Sister's movement, inclining her head and attempting to wag her tail. Well, it was more of a messy thrashing than anything recognizable, but at least she tried.

Then Sister started doing something new. She leaned down her head and touched her nose to a gem, and it started glowing. Mother and Sister both seemed very proud of it - pehaps making shiny rocks was a hobby of theirs? The gem did look very pretty glowing like that. Dewberry could certainly understand.

@Jayberry @Blackberry

"Yes, Dewberry. I am Jayberry." she offered to the snake, tilting her head as it attempted to wag its tail. She couldn't help but to chuckle - it looked rather odd on the little reptile.

The wolf's face lit up when mother agreed to make her a necklace, and she was quick to nod. "Thank you, Mother."

The she-wolf stood carefully, not wanting to risk harming the gem, and began to trot up and down the length of their tunnel. But there were few vines in the tunnel, and none were of a worthwhile quality. So she returned to mother, saying "There are no vines here that would be able to make a necklace. May I go look for one in Polaris?"

@Dewberry
@Blackberry

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