Lazy days.

There was something going on off by one wall--she'd seen that, a hole burst through it--but other Gembound had gone to check it out. She left it alone, for now; the bones had whispered of cycles returning what had been sown, to finally be reaped. She hadn't been around when whatever was created was created, and so she let it be.

Senka was no longer a fear at the forefront of her mind. At last, after over two years of recovery, Giggle's mind was nearing something at least resembling a healthy state. It wasn't perfect, by any means--but her wit had returned, to some extent. Her cynical humor.

Sometimes, she was even happy.

Now she lay atop the ledge which overlooked her bone pit, gazing out at Canis. At the far walls, at the piles of bones, at the stalagmites hanging like so many teeth from the roofs. She was fed; she had had her share of water. She had rested.

She was content.

Beside her, the black Hallowed Caller hopped up, its single red eye peering. Its curiosity came to her as feelings, as images, but her mind translated it as best it could into words.

Why has no one come, mother-sister?

Giggle grunted, responding aloud, though she made sure to make her own emotions clear along their link. "They're busy. I suppose. Lots to see, lots to do. And this magic, it's filling everything. I wonder why?"

She glanced down at the bones, but they were unchanged from the last time she had thrown them. Usually someone or something--often Omen herself--had scattered them at least a little. Perhaps, then, the magic was unchanging--or again, part of a cycle. It had happened before, at least once in her recollection.

Hopefully another drought wasn't going to follow.

Will they come again, mother-sister? Her familiar tilted her head. She was wary of strangers, yet curious of them, and Giggle gave a soft snort as she glanced at her.

"They might. I don't know. If they come, I will read them the bones. If they do not, I am content."

________________

ROLL THE BONES

SKEENA

Skeena was hunting.

The hybrid couldn't tell if she preferred to be alone or not. Out here, the Voice didn't attack others, it simply tore at her. But when around others, it was quieter. And that was nice, not hearing a Voice screaming in her ear.

And yet, when she was around others, she feared. The Voice was vicious, and had already shown itself capable of taking control of her. And so she had secluded herself, taking out the Voice's rage on bones and lesser Gembounds.

A rat currently hung beneath the hybrid's jaws, painting her teeth and fur red. She wasn't the largest Gembound, and so this rat would be able to keep her full for a fair amount of time. It had put up a fair enough fight, but now it was dead.

She hadn't realized how close she'd drawn to another until a familiar voice echoed out. It was far enough away to be faint, but her keen ears could pick it up. Mother! she was startled to realize, and after a moment, the Gembound made her way to her Mother.

Approaching with a skittering of paws, Skeena smiled when she saw her mother. She set the rat's corpse before her mother - an offering, before stepping back, inclining her head. "Hello mother."

"Stay away from me..."
'I'm a monster inside...'

@Giggle

The hyena pricked big, round ears as one of her children came skittering in. Warmth flooded her and she stood, padding over and leaning down to nuzzle at Skeena, affectionately.

"Skeena. A good hunt, yes?" She pulled back some to look over the rat, pleased that her children were thriving. This prey, compared to her child, was oversized--yet Skeena had triumphed. This was good; it boded well.

"How are you?"

Her others had left the cave--and she had no idea if they would return. It was good to see the little one, at least, lingering from time to time. Giggle hoped she would find her own way, of course, but still--the occasional company was more than welcome.

________________

ROLL THE BONES

@Skeena

SKEENA

Skeena made a happy sound when mother approached her, leaning into the nuzzle, steadfastly ignoring the voice howling in her ears.

'Bite her, do it! Bite her and scratch her and bleed her! Her throat is right there!' She closed her eyes tight, before stepping back to speak to Mother. A contented smile crossed the hybrids lips, and she inclined her head.

"It was! Put up a fair fight, but in the end I won." she ruffled her fur proudly. "There are a great many of them around here, are they drawn to the bones?"

Mother asked how she had been doing, and she tilted her head. Really, she hadn't been doing much. Exploring, yes. But nothing of great importance. "Nothing too important, Mother. Merely exploring the nearby parts of the Cave System. Have you and yours been alright?"

"Stay away from me..."
'I'm a monster inside...'

Giggle listened, big rounded ears swivelling slightly. The scent of blood spiked in her nostrils as she thought over her child's question.

"Hmm," she began thoughtfully, lowering herself to her broad haunches. "I have seen them come to the bones. Mostly they stay by the western wall but many do chew on them. I do not know why. Perhaps they want the dead gone. Perhaps bones are food to them. Bones are food to me," she added, "but more the fresh ones!" An amused laugh rang out, rolling through Canis, and the hyena settled some, offering Skeena a brief nuzzle.

"And I have been fine. All is fine. Omen is fine. What have you learned?" And then, as an afterthought, as the hyena flopped down onto her chest and sent a small cloud of fungal spores all around her--"Is there anything you want to learn?"

________________

ROLL THE BONES

(I HAD NO TAG, had no idea this had a response!! Sorry!)

@Skeena

Skeena sat back, bringing up her hairless forelegs to groom her muzzle, licking her paws before fastidiously wiping off the blood that stained her fur.

Her tail curled around her legs like some oddly shaped cat's, and she grinned at Mother. "Maybe they like the marrow? It does taste pretty good, after all." And then, tilting her head, she added, "Maybe they get rid of the useless bones The weaker ones that wouldn't be useful for your Bone-casting?"

She was quick to return Mother's nuzzle with a nuzzle of her own, the rotten smell familiar and soothing to her. The hybrid laid down as well, resting her head on her forepaws. "I'm glad to hear you are both well, have you hear from Serek or Vinea?" she couldn't help but to grin, however, and offer up what she'd learned. "I've learned that cave rats can't tell between each other and Gembounds mimicking their noises, and that they get stuck if they run face first into a hole." she snickered. "I've also learned that symbols can be chewed into bones."

However, she perked up when Mother offered to teach her. "Mother, could you try to teach me to read the bones?" she asked, hopefully.

OOC: Better that than never? <3

"Well, the old bones have no marrow," Giggle pointed out reasonably. And at the mention of Skeena's toying with rats, she "hrmph'd in amusement.

"Bones, hm? Yes, I suppose I can," Giggle responded. She sat down, staring down at the bone pit. "But first there are things you must promise me, Skeena. You must always promise to treat the bones, first, with respect--they're the dead! Dead friends, dead enemies, but death makes us all one, yes? We are all bound by our bones, bound to return to them. Our bones are all the guidance we can leave behind, and we can't treat them poorly. All right?"

She glanced down to Skeena, and then continued. "Next... if the bones grant you sight, it's a privelege to be their speaker! Their conduit. You can't turn away those who come for their guidance! It becomes your task to bridge the world of flesh and the world of bones, to bring their knowledge to anyone who wants it, no matter how much you don't like them. Unless they're really an enemy. Do you understand?"

Her tone, as it often was, was solemn--but, too, it was kind. She was ever a mother, guiding and guarding, and it was not fierce strictness in her voice. She was firm, but she held real reverence in her words, too--and genuine warmth for her daughter.

________________

ROLL THE BONES

@Skeena

When Giggle pointed out that old bones had no marrow, Skeena couldn't help but to grin, laughing, "Something tells me the Cave Rats haven't really figured that out, though. A few might have, but not as a whole." She had made a bit of a game out of seeing what cave rats would, and wouldn't, eat.

However, Mother's seriousness was quick to sober Skeena, and she perked up, making sure that Mother knew she was listening and taking her words to heart.

'Mama's girl.'
Skeena didn't know why the voice thought that was a bad thing.

Mother explained that the bones were to be treated with respect - of course. She had known that since she was young - not that she knew how old she was. She'd long lost count of the cycles, just knew that she had long stopped growing. "We're bone bound, of course, mother. In death, we're the same."

Her ears twitched, and she listened intently as Mother explained the responsibilities of one gifted with the Sight. She nodded emphatically, saying, "Of course, mother. One who wouldn't doesn't deserve to have the Sight."

The Voice sneered, but she ignored it.

She respects them, and already understands. Good! This is a good start.

Giggle nodded sternly, and then looked down at the bones. She seemed to gather herself--her thoughts--for a moment before speaking. And she spoke to Skeena not only as her daughter, but as an equal: as someone worthy of learning Giggle's own craft.

"All right-... So you must think of the question you wish to ask them. It can be anything; something general, or very specific. Become the question! Let it become you. All your thought. Lay or sit or stand and think of this question until it is all that you are. This takes practice but I think it is what begins the magic." Giggle nodded for Skeena to follow her, and stood, pacing down the path to come up alongside the bone pit.

"Remain your question, and watch the bone pit. Look at the bones. Sift through them, if you must, but let the bones speak to you. Call you." Giggle's voice took on something of the mystical undertones that she used when bonecasting: low and nearly-melodic, despite the rough depth of her voice. "You must seek the bone that resonates most with your question. One should call to you more than the others! Sometimes if I am asking a question for a small and frightened thing, it is a slender and chipped little bone that calls. Or if I ask about the death of the caves, a large, broad bone, as it is a very big idea." Giggle chortled softly.

She then turned to Skeena, looking at her. "There is no way better than doing, for learning. I will wait; think of your question, and hold it in you, and pick a bone. And tell me what question you would ask," she added. She likely would not judge Skeena's choice of bone, but she wanted to follow her thought processes, perhaps question it a little. Sometimes, what one did was unconscious until one was prompted to think about it by another. "Do not throw it yet! ...But choose one. Take your time. Never rush."

Then the hyena sat down, seeming to fade into the shadows with her sudden stillness--nothing stealthy or magical; she simply wanted to give Skeena time to consider, and think, while Giggle remained unobtrusive.

________________

ROLL THE BONES

@Skeena

Skeena held her breath as she listened to Mother. She knew this was a great honor - as far as she knew, neither Vinea nor Serek were capable of reading the bones but, then again, she hadn't seen any of them since they were children. But she had always remained near Mother's cairn, so she thought she might have known.

And almost as soon as Mother told her to think of her question, she knew it. To the little hybrid who only wanted her family to be healthy and hale, it was all consuming. She trailed Mother down to the bone pit, looking through the bones.

But she had to think of the wording. Think of what, exactly, she wanted to know. Did Serek and Vinea still live? Yes, of course she did want to know that. But she wanted to know other things. What they had been doing, if they were well.

And then there was a pull, in the bones. Looking around she approached the bones, until she found the one that seemed to pull at her. It was a femur - perhaps a fox's, or a medium sized dog's. It had heavy character, with various flowing cracks and fractures that told of an intricate story.

This was carefully brought before Mother, and she sat back as though to present it. "I want to know how Vinea and Serek have been since they left. If they have been well, or have met with adversity."