"Me neither," Aure chirped, serious as a heart attack. He totally hadn't said anything about a hag!

Getting heckled and trying to heckle back wasn't the topic at hand, though. The wyvern was having his own little moral contemplation time, listening intently as his Mother spoke about morals themselves being rather foolish. She was absolutely right in all regards--- all Gembound had different perceptions, different ideas of what was good and what was evil, yes. A lot of survival was simply following your gut instinct, really; Aure hadn't particularly noticed that before. His thoughts looped easily back to Eythan, someone he saw as morally good despite his wrongdoings. The spotted hybrid wasn't a threat, anymore. In the past, he might've been killed for his transgressions, for justice. But Giggle had spared him, had let him continue on and help raise the new King.

It was a lot to digest at once, just as Pride's previous recounting of the whole... Incident, and Aure easily tucked it away to think about further--- when he only had dust and bones to call company. His throat feathers flared up as he hummed, then spoke softly, "I think you're a pretty good judge, even if you don't fit the description to a T."

The wyvern furrowed his brow, raising a wing-claw to itch at his cheek. Do that mind-touching magic--- to his Mother? It seemed like something that could go horrifically wrong far too easily, something that could spur an adverse reaction. But she seemed to trust him to control it, at least... so he had to trust himself. Bright eyes shifted to the darker corners of the bone pit, trying to imagine something not too terribly frightening.

Suddenly, he felt as if he were falling, falling, falling with nothing but the wind whistling around his ears and deafening the cries of someone up above. The cliff's edge was swarming further and further away, and no matter how he flailed his wings--- he couldn't get up---! He hit the ground with a sickening crack and jolted back to consciousness with a shuddering gasp. Aure's face fell as he glanced over to his mother, hoping he hadn't just broadcasted all of that with crystal-clarity to her, and he whined softly, "I'm sorry--- Mother, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

@Giggle

Giggle watched the brief vision with dawning horror, the sudden shock-terror of falling quickly eclipsed by the realization of what she was seeing, the memory of it.

She hid her reaction well.

A grimace, a brief close of her eyes as she gathered herself, and then she looked to Aure, trying to find her voice. Despite her strength, it still took her a moment, all that remembered sorrow threatening to pour back in. ...Azazel.

"That--that works, yes," she said, after a moment, hoarsely. "It's all right, I know. But it's--it's something that will stun most Gembound, I'd think, long enough for you to get away, or act. Always remember to use your wings; always remember they won't keep you safe. Remember the fungus. Learn what you can from that type of magic," she added, nodding at him, as if indicating the mind-scream.

She'd never, herself, learned the more offensive arcane magics--the grabbing-and-throwing, the controlling of physical matter through mind alone. That wasn't her sphere; her influence was on past, on future, on seeing, and on the threads of life that wound among the fungus.

She assumed Aure had much the same, but he was no seer--not yet, anyway. Who knew what he might learn, what he might choose to focus on, given time?

________________

ROLL THE BONES

His chest swelled in starts, an unreleased sob tightening his throat beyond belief. It didn't take a lot of intellect to realize what that vision had been of. The fall of a King, far too soon, but inevitable. Aure knew that the King had let himself die, but--- the panic... the struggle to right himself... that was a waking nightmare. The wyvern's ears flickered back, though he quickly distracted himself with praise. "T-thank you for teaching me," he chirped unnecessarily, pressing forth to nuzzle her.

"I'll be safe, I'll be strong. I'll survive." Wasn't that all that was needed in these caves? "I think--- I'll be a proper King."

Use what you can. Discover what you can't.

@Giggle

Giggle gave a little dip of her head in acknowledgement. Quietly, she took the few paces to Aure, closing the distance between them--and quietly she gave him a brief nuzzle.

"Go get some rest, kiddo," she said, with gentle humor. "We can practice more once you've done that. No point in wearing yourself out."

She turned, intending to pace back off to rest, herself--but paused, glancing over her shoulder with one forepaw raised. "Oh, and if you get an answer from the cat, let me know?" She liked to be kept updated. A drastic switch from her former, more hermit-like behavior... another return to her old self, perhaps, in a way. Though Aure was far too young to be aware of that. Still, Pride's words left her... not concerned, exactly, but sharply alert to possibilities. It bore keeping an eye on.

The hyena turned, making her way off with a shake of her pelt and a yawn.

________________

ROLL THE BONES

@Aure

Aure appreciated the nuzzle of encouragement, sucking in another breath to steady the heart kicking at his ribs. Some rest sounded... surprisingly nice. He would be safe and warm, and think in silence. His ears flicked back, and he lowered his head bashfully. The wyvern opened and closed his beak a few times, then shook his head as if he had given up on considering whether or not he should ask--- "can I sleep with you?

Then, running to get into the air, inviting himself to some snuggles, Aure chirped with a mischievous squeal, "I promise I'll keep you in the loop if you beat me to your den." He, of course, didn't fly at top speed (yet) waiting for an answer and taking his leave from the bone pit.

;exit Aure (unless stopped)
@Giggle

Giggle snorted in amusement, but it was warmhearted.

"You'll keep me in the loop anyway, young King--that I demand as mother to son." Her tone was good-natured. "I'll beat you there, anyway."

She wouldn't--she couldn't fly, after all--but in the spirit of things, she broke into a swift loping gallop, dust kicking up behind her as she raced her son back to her den.

________________

ROLL THE BONES

exit Giggle