Reji darted between the other Hive members, one by one, touching her nose to theirs, if they allowed it. It was greeting--relief, frantic--and to each she murmured something like, "You're still alive!" or, "You made it-..."

As she did this, former Hive members would feel their link gradually reopen between them. Reji had planted a bit of fungus, herself, and took the time to tend it; now, those who had planted their own samples would feel emotion and faint thought--without the clarity of prior, but enough for vague impressions--link them and their scattered, nascent hives together. With time and strength, and the growth of the fungus, perhaps the link would grow stronger.

For now, however, Reji turned her attention to Dragon, though she sat among the HIve mind members. "My name is Reji," she began, and there was a tremor to her voice, one of real fear. "And the Masters want me dead. I dared to listen to someone else--an outsider--over them, and they see it as a threat to their control. They're monsters... they will kill any who disobey, any too weak for their plans," and now her voice held the shaking edge of anger. "And they are after me now. One of them has destroyed the main nest. My brother--Rezik--he is a bastard traitor to our kind. He turned over ANYONE to the masters, anyone who even thought of rebellion. He led so many of us to our deaths-..."

Reji looked down. Her ears sagged. She then gathered herself--and took a breath, lifting her head to meet Dragon's eyes.

"They'll be after me. Hard--for at least a cycle, maybe two. You seek knowledge, right-? Mother overhears things--and you're not unknown. Hide me here. Protect me--protect us--and I'll tell you everything I know. Everything about the Masters. About the old days." Her voice held an edge of desperation. "...Please. " She hesitated, then went on. "Information is all I have, and my allegiance to you, and yours. The Hive will help you--we can be allies!--if you help us. But if they find me--if they do find me--it means they've found all of us. They'll come down on you, too, for me even being here. Please. Don't let those assholes get me."

The Children of Rot have been tasked with keeping Reji alive for two cycles. If they succeed, they will be rewarded with a wealth of knowledge about the ancient caves, along with the alliance of Reji and the Hive. If they fail, they will likely be caught out and punished by Astraea for harboring her; he may demand that they 'volunteer' members for the next Trial of Hydra, or punish them in other severe ways. CoR and Hive members may tag Game Master Dark to interact with Reji at any time.

@Dragon (Khloros, Sergei, Legion...) @Phlegethon @Pallas @Azrael @Opal Three-Seven-Six

Dragon listened in silence--and then, as Reji finished, he grunted. He'd watched her dart between this Gembound and that, his critical eye noting her fear, her nervousness. That seemed real, at least. But "the hive"..?

"The Hive-? What is that?" he demanded, loudly. And then--Does it matter? Well--yes, of course it did; but did it matter to his answer? He considered this, and knew that no, it did not.

"I do not trust you," he began, slowly, "-and how can I? You are new to me, and new to Cetus. You are too... clean," he added, sniffing at her. Perhaps she'd been here a week or two; no longer. There was no rancid stain to her coat. Her dainty movements weren't those of one used to tramping through the muck. "Children of Rot, this is a decision we will make together--but I would suggest that we do not speak of her to outsiders. That she--and this hive--may remain here; that if the Masters, or others, come looking, we claim that we have not seen them! I cannot accept your alliance until we know who you ARE," he added, to Reji, "but knowledge I will gladly take. Do not draw attention to yourselves. We are here to survive, and luring angry Masters here will not do that! Coat yourself in the swamp, turn yourself black, and hide amongst us, if you will. Aquarian will not protect us of his own accord should they come--so do not be seen, and it will not be an issue."

As to whether they'd actively defend her, well... he'd leave that up to the others. But there were so many here he didn't recognize--was it a trap? Or were they her allies, her defenders, her bodyguards, too?

Relief flooded him as more and more arrived; there were so many of them, so many siblings and- well, there were some he didn't know from the other group, but he'd just have to see about them. He was wiping off the caking mud from his face as Reji approached. "Reji," he sighed out as he touched his nose to hers, stretching his body up to reach. He was so glad she was safe- so glad she'd made it- warm emotion flooded his system as he curled his tail about himself. Even as she moved on to greet the others, even as Pallas glanced away to finish cleaning off his face, he felt infinitely better just being around her.

A nervous swallow ran down his throat as his sibling spoke to Dragon and the rest of the Children. As much as he didn't know about the Masters, he found he had a poor taste in his mouth about them, seeing as he'd been fine apparently outside their control for so long. Now with this Rezik, with the past voice that destroyed their Mother... Well, Pallas certainly wasn't going to let anyone stop his way of life. As she continued, the linsang found himself nodding to her words, offering silently to assist the Children in exchange for her well-being, their well-being.

And Dragon responded. "Us," Pallas spoke up promptly to the question of what the Hive was, glancing to his sides at the others of the Hive gathered. "I've lived here for some time," he was quick to add once the alligator was finished. "In the trees. I know I'm not part of you guys, but Reji- she's our sister. If the opinion of a local helps." He paused himself, considering Dragon. Did he speak for all of the Children? How could they be trustworthy? A lot was riding on this, but there was nothing else to ride on.

A sigh whistled from Pallas's mouth as protection was confirmed, anyways. "Thank you." He was right- Reji's coat would stand out too much. She was too new to everything. Turning his attention to the rest of this area's inhabitants, he raised his head and looked about. "Do any of you know any places we can secure for Reji? I have my den, but it might be an uncomfortable fit for her." She could fit nearby in the roots of his tree, maybe. Though, he turned his head to his side towards her- "Or we can secure where you planted your node of Mother. Would you be safe there?"

There were too many unknowns in this. They needed a safe place, and although it may be a cycle until this may happen, Pallas's fur that wasn't weighed down with mud found itself rising of its own nervous accord. There wasn't even a guarantee that hunkering down was safer, but if she kept constant movement through the caves that could only lead to further tracking and further danger. They'd have to see, and see soon.

Cursory inspection of the mite-swarm complete, Phlegethon's focus shifted to the odd blue creature - it was, as Dragon thought, entirely too clean. Too dainty. Too frail and unsuited to surviving. Its little peg legs reminded it of the marsh striders. Those Lessers were often cleaned up quickly the moment they stirred water, by any number of the ambush predators Cetus seemed to house.

But, Dragon had spoken and offered only that these refugees hid in Cetus - they would not actively be defended. The task of that would fall on them and them alone. With a hum, the slime-beast extended its neck over Pallas, then drew back a little with a retching noise. It lowered its immense head towards Reji, dragging it along the ground with the intentions of gargling up a sizable amount of pitch-black oil-slime.

Nothing came out, and it simply grumbled "sorry" and returned to its respectable place in the muck.

Lamia reached forward with one of her hands to brush against Reji's fur as she walked past. "SAFE," she rasped, trying her best to show her relief that her sibling was still alive and well. But there wasn't anymore need to speak in short, screeching sentences, as the hive's link began to open in Lamia's head again. She sighed softly and sunk gratefully into the mud, tail fin fanning out and waving softly behind her.

But now was the issue of the Masters. Lamia frowned. She was still confused. She had met two of them now, maybe three, and they'd all been vastly different. She hated the one that had destroyed the nest, but Tenzin she loved. Aquarian she was unsure about, but, certainly, not as trustworthy as her own father. Still, Tenzin had kept many things from her. She would not go and speak to him about this, as she did other things. Not about Reji. Because if she was wrong, and he was working with the one that had destroyed the nest, then that would be the end of them.

She was silent as she thought, before raising her head a little. Siblings, she spoke both through the link and through the water. There are many caves beneath the water that open to air. We could create a small tunnel connecting to the surface so that Reji can breath, maybe. I can help swim her down. But also... She paused, realizing what she was asking. Reji hadn't actually said which of the Masters were after her. It was possible Tenzin was in on it. I am friends with a Master. A good one. Tenzin. I will not ask about Reji, but maybe about the ones that are after her. Or Rezik. It may help us keep her safe.

The family was here. Almost all of them. The bear and the rat were missing and for them Azrael was worried. Had they been caught? Had they betrayed?! He hadn't seen the bear when the nest had fallen, but the rat had. He lowered his head. He had most likely fallen.

Head raised just a little as Reji ran past. One of his hand came out to touch her side, rumbling deeply with joy as the link began opening again. At last, it was time to return home. He sighed softly and sat down in the mud, not caring that the cold was beginning to seep into the fur of his tail and legs. He was paying attention to Reji, and checking every so often to make sure all the siblings were still there.

When she was done, he waited for a moment. Did he knew a place to hide her? Well, he had that little nook in Canis that he'd left bits of Mother in, but that was on the other side of the caves. Too dangerous to sneak Reji all the way over there. Other then that, he didn't really have a home or even a safe place to return to. He would leave that to the others. He stood again and growled, and announced to the gathered. "If anyone tries to hurt you, Reji, I will KILL THEM," he stopped himself from roaring the last bit just in time. "Wherever you decide to hide, I will protect you. I hide in shadows, like this." The gem on his chest glowed stronger for a moment, before the glow was suddenly hidden by a cover of shadows over Azrael so deep that he disappeared completely. Not even his silhouette could be seen through the darkness he'd created. "I hide, and if anyone tries to find you, I'll stop them."

"It is true," Khloros broke in, softly, "what she says about the masters." Some of the Children of Rot already knew this, but not all; and it might do good, he thought, for the rest to hear an outside confirmation. "The stag, Astraea; he claimed that we belong to them, that our purposes must align with his or that we are traitors. That we are unwanted byproducts of... Of what, I do not know..

He shifted his large, lamplight eyes to Reji. "I am in hiding, too," he said.

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The bear huffed with pleased surprise as Reji approached his nose, and then listened, with a flick of his ear and a contented shine in his small, dull eyes, to what she had to say.

When Azrael displayed an impressive control of magic, and a flex that would make a mountain jealous, Sergei felt immediately shamed. He had to prove himself! That he was as good as this-... this giant black--brother! He remembered not to feel shamed, then; they were, after all, brethren.

...Somehow.

...He still wasn't quite sure how that worked. But anyway!

The bear shoved up, with a surprising momentum to his bulk bringing him fully to his hind legs (and sinking him a little in the mud, whoops), and dropped his lower lip, jaws yawning wide. He gave a short, coughing roar, though it rumbled with bass.

"SERGEI WILL PROTECT," he declared, before dropping back down into the mud with a (sadly, very wide-spread) splash of black mud. He turned to glance sidelong at Azrael.

He didn't think his display had come close, but... at least he didn't look useless.

He hoped.

Legion listened quietly, and when the rest had spoken, they gave a little hum.

There was a brief internal consultation. Thoughts like sparks snapped along the synapses of their shared swarm-link, though the connection to the rest of the brethren wasn't strong enough to share it with them, just yet. Do we have enough space-? Yes. The den is big enough. Can it be expanded? There was a chorus of affirmation from hundreds of mites who knew that the den's bottom, beneath the lean-to of rock, was fairly wet dirt. It could be dug away.

"We have a den," they offered, tremulously. There were so many here... They turned to Pallas, giving him this response to the linsang's question. "She can hide with us. And you can come? We have pieces of Mother. But we are not strong enough to feed her enough, and to keep her guarded at once," they lamented. "You are small. She is small. We could care for Mother there together?" The idea was delivered with a tentative buzz. The swarm could see no issue with this idea, though as they eyed the other guardians--large guardians--it occurred to them that such big bodies might draw attention more than protect against danger. Still, that wasn't Legion's decision to make.

Let it not be said that Reji did not take advice. She seemed a practical sort, and at Dragon's observation, she immediately looked herself over and then dropped down to roll in the mud. "You're right--I'm less obvious now," she agreed, eyeing her now black-stained body (and giving a quizzical look and a brief "Don't worry about it?" to Phlegethon, who she assumed was apologizing for leaning too close). "It'll make me less obvious, but they'll still recognize me if they DO see me. It's the damn stone, see," she added, ducking her head to scratch at it with one paw. "Thank you, though. That's good enough for me." Dragon's offer was fair, she thought. He didn't know the Hive enough to trust them, but he was accepting them, and that would do.

Her tail swished as she looked to Pallas. "I was careful--I put mine way back against the far wall. But my Mother-Seed is... it can grow on its own," she added, almost dismissively. "Let's see your places." She gave a nod to Pallas and one to Legion.

To Azrael and to Sergei, she gave grateful nods. The big black winged fellow seemed particularly impressive, and she felt that with him about, any lackeys that Astraea might send after them would have a difficult time, indeed. "I'm, uh, you stick near me, big guy, okay? You can be my personal bodyguard, if you're all right with that. Both of you," she added, with a nod to Sergei. They were black, and brown, and wouldn't stand out too badly in the swamp. And if Rezik came to find her, she had no doubts that they could put him down without any trouble at all.

Reji eyed--a little sadly--Lamia, in the water. She wasn't at all sure what she could do with her. The creature seemed fairly restricted, there, and Reji wanted the family to be together. "Show me your hives, then--Pallas? And Legion? And uh. If we can dig a trench to get her there, that might be nice, assuming we can make it look natural."