The great bear, lying chewing on a new branch (as he so often was) outside the den, glanced balefully after the capybara child. His entire skull seemed to shift and move as he chewed, and small, beady eyes followed Aquamarine.

At Azrael's words, Sergei grunted.

"Me, too," he agreed. And that was all that he said. But at Reji's words, he prepared to block the entrance--once it became the exit. Once Aquamarine was inside, she was not, apparently, to leave.

He did not know why; but he hadn't been inducted into the Hive to think.

Once Aquamarine was passed, he plodded over and simply blocked the exit with his mass, lying back down, his hairy flank a furry wall all its own. And then, he went back to chewing.

Aquamarine nodded her head, understanding what Reji had told her. The child looked at Reji warmly, but with a glint of seriousness. "Sure, I'll swallow it. But before I do, I need to explain how my kingdom came to be. And to do that, I need to go back in time before I even existed." With that, the small pup began to tell a story that they probably would not even believe.

"A long time ago there was a white owl named Aetius. She was what you called a researcher of the caves. She went around using her arcane magic to find out lore, secrets, history and all she could of the caves. The information she collected was astonishing. She even made a fair deal with Nemean to be her servant, in exchange for some information. Nemean told her that Astraea died, but the thing that revived him made him a deer. Tethys, our leader, was just a small child at the time. She met Aetius, and because Tethys had arcane magic, Aetius decided to tell her every single bit of the information she uncovered. One of the most sacred secrets that Aetius told Tethys, was how Astraea used to look like before he was a deer. A little while later, Tethys met Astraea for the first time, and told him she knew what he looked like and why he was a deer. She meant no harm, she was just a curious child asking questions. Astraea became very enraged. Fortunately Aetius was nearby at the time and came to Tethys's defense. Aetius told Astraea that she was the reason that Thethys knew of his past form. Astraea decided to kill Aetius, and ripped her stone from her brutally, all while doing this in front of Tethys as a child. Astraea told Tethys if she ever told about what she saw or his past form, he would kill her. But Tethys decided to entrust me with this information. Tethys realized Aetius said she had a daughter named Zutar, so she was able to find her and let her know of her mother's death. Zutar was very angry, and made Astraea her worst enemy."

She took a short pause before continuing. "When Tethys became grown, she, Orlaith, and Zelk decided to create The Sea Kingdom, a kingdom for mammals associated with water. Tethys, knowing how evil Astraea truly was, decided to make Astraea and the other masters permanent enemies of the kingdom. We don't trust them, especially Astraea. Astraea was willing to kill someone just because they knew who they used to be and that was not justified at all. The only gembounds who know of Astraea's past form is Aetius's daughter Zutar, Tethys, and me. I know I am just a kid, but Tethys told me all of this to make me aware. Astraea is a monster, and that's the truth."

She then decided to talk about her kingdom a little more. "Our kingdom is basically a sanctuary for those who are meant to co-exist with water. Like polar bears, alligators, dolphins, tigers and so on. There are different jobs to pick from, so everyone has something to do." Now that she said her piece, she decided to swallow the thing Reji gave her. "Time to swallow I guess." She swallowed the fungal clot in one go, and it was unbelievably disgusting. But she swallowed it nonetheless. Now she waited for all the information she would ever know about Astraea. She also listened to see if Reji, or Pallas had any comments or questions on her true testimony.

@Pallas

Pallas stopped by Reji when she returned with part of the cluster. He didn't leave his sight on Aqua- not when the light dimmed with Sergei over the exit of the den. They were trapped in there, now. He squinted along as she did, though, after her instructions were given, glancing to her for a brief moment at the inner voice.

Mother was growing stronger. Good. They'd soon be connected stronger than ever, back to the norm.

Pallas's anxiety dulled as Aquamarine agreed, though it only flared up as she begun on a tirade. "You don't have to go that fa-"

But, she was going anyways. The linsang squinted. He... Wasn't there to witness such an info-dump, mostly just intent on getting her to ingest the cluster before anything happened. A lot of it, truly, parsed right though him. He'd paid attention, yeah, but there was just a whole long-winded story that could've been summed up pretty easily. If she wasn't being... Fed this, like Pallas'd worried before.

He had a few interjections. "Nemean? I thought you didn't trust masters?" and a disgruntled growl under his breath at the mention of 'special' arcane magic were some of the few that rippled out of him.

His mind darkened as Astraea came into play. "This- his.. Revival. Are you certain that bringing that information here is wise? If her knowing meant she died, then why risk us? Why risk yourself in passing on the information?" The sense of unease in his gut only grew. The masters- they were rather.. All-powerful. Not things to declare sworn enemies of so easily, and so alone.

But, if he revived, that meant he could be killed. That he wasn't as immortal as he seemed- but they couldn't do it. Not now, not while Mother was weak, not while they were hiding in the muck from an impending doom. It was hope for the future, yet only despair in the moment at the thought of magic raking his mind to find this conversation.

"You might want to be careful declaring such... hatred of the masters so proudly," he hissed under his breath, he head extending out to her level. It was a genuine warning, but with his tone of voice it came off more as a threat- not what he wanted, but still something that concerned him anyways. "You're safe here, but don't announce that to strangers. You'll get us all destroyed."

He waited, though. Watched, patiently, as she was inducted, head pulling back and up as he stood tall.

@Game Master Dark

Reji suppressed a grimace. It wasn't that she didn't like a nice chit-chat, but this kid was babbling. She waited patiently, trying not to fidget, to look at the fungus, to think about the urgency of the situation. Eat it. Eat it... she urged, mentally, waiting.

Still, she picked out a thing or two from Aquamarine's tide of words. One of the things that stood out--as it had for Pallas--was "Nemean." A fleeting grimace of horror crossed the fox-creature's face. And the other thing had Reji blurting, without being able to catch herself, "Astraea is a deer now?" ...Revived-? Astraea had died?

She shook the thoughts away. Given Aquamarine's flood of knowledge, she was either very trusting and foolish--well, she was; Reji certainly knew her own plans. But perhaps Aquamarine was also brave. It didn't matter, in the end. She was about to be nothing at all. She was about to be whatever the hive-Mother required of her.

As Aquamarine consumed the fungus, Mother began to truly awaken. The hive of Fornax and the multiple nests within Cetus began to slowly link, their magical threads twining back together. Thoughts could once again pass between the Hive's members, though they were still weak, somewhat unclear; still limited by distance.

And Aquamarine herself would be affected... differently than others. Reji was obeying Mother's commands. She thought that Mother's plans were wise. They always were. How could they be anything but? And her fungus did not seek a willing family member, this time; no. This child was a danger to them all. She had no concept of privacy. She knew where they were. She could not be allowed to leave with this information--not of her own free will. Instead, Mother's fungus quickly threaded through Aquamarine's body and mind, a brief if painful sensation of strings drawing tight through her body, mind, and limbs, her muscles, her very bones. And swiftly, the fungus attempted to usurp total control over the capybara.

For Aquamarine, everything would suddenly feel dark, warm, fuzzy. Nothing mattered, really; she was safe, here. Her mind was one with the Hive. Her values, her thoughts, her goals: these would be taken from her, to an extent. To be replaced with commandments. Orders. Ultimatums, which could not be broken. She needed nothing of her own. She would serve, and this was good.

The rest of the Hive nearby would hear these words, would feel them, but not be compelled as Aquamarine was.

"CHILD," the voice thundered, into the mind of what should, by now, be but a zombie of a capybara. "YOU ARE OF THE HIVE, NOW. AND FOR THE GOOD OF US ALL, YOU WILL NOW SERVE US. THESE ARE THE RULES.

FIRST. YOU WILL NOT SPEAK OF THE MASTERS.
SECOND. YOU WILL NOT SPEAK OF THE EXISTENCE OF THE HIVE, OR I, MOTHER, OR OF OUR FAMILY.
THIRD, YOU WILL VALUE US ABOVE YOURSELF. OUR WELL-BEING, OUR SAFETY, IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR OWN, FOR THE FATE OF THE CAVES LIES WITH US.
FOURTH, YOU WILL DRAW YOUR KINGDOM TO US. ZELK IS ONE OF US. YOU WILL BRING THE REST. THEY WILL BE CONVERTED. THEY WILL BE WELCOMED AMONG US.
FIFTH, YOUR LIFE IS NOW SERVICE TO THE HIVE. THIS IS GOOD. THIS IS AS IT SHOULD BE. THIS WILL BRING YOU JOY. YOU WILL NOT DOUBT US. YOU WILL BRING US FOOD. YOU WILL GUARD OUR BORDERS. YOU WILL LISTEN FOR RUMORS AND BRING THEM TO US."

Reji waited, as the last of Mother's echoes faded away. And then she watched Aquamarine closely, and listened to her thoughts, feeling her feelings: her own attentiveness could be felt throughout the rest close by. She wanted to be sure that the child was truly taken over. One of theirs, now, her mind and emotions in service to the Hive. She knew that it was not a trick, it wasn't an order: it was a compulsion. A complete brainwashing. It left no scent, no trace; the rancid stench of fungus quickly faded, and unless those who could detect fungal life decided, for whatever reason, to investigate, then it was very very hard to detect. But she had to be sure. She fidgeted, a spark of nervousness flickering through her.

"...Is everything clear now, kid?" she asked, staring hard.

@Azrael @Aquamarine

Aquamarine felt like she was slipping away, listening to the commandments mother gave her. The last thought that was her own, was simply that she would trust mother over the violent Astraea. As that independent thought slipped away, and she became a child who served mother and her family. Reji asked if everything was clear, and she nodded happily. "Yup, everything is clear all right! Mother said I have to serve her and she gave me some rules to follow, and I am happy to follow them. I may need a reminder though to remember them all the time till I get it. Reji, can I go find mother some food? What does she like to eat?" The young pup looked at Reji eagerly, ready to serve mother. Though, what about The Sea Kingdom? Would Tethys be willing to wake Aqua up and return her to normal?

@Game Master Dark

Relief torrented through Pallas like a storm as Mother's words echoed in his mind. His eyes closed, mind reaching out- They were there. Mother was awake, and Pallas couldn't be more happier in the moment. With her arrival came a sense of calm like he'd felt when he first entered the hive.

He tilted his head as Aqua spoke. "Yes- We all heard them." A glance was offered to Reji, though- He still didn't trust her, even as the fungus had overtaken her. "We can feed Mother after our task is done." His voice had grown nice and sweet in front of her. After all, this was still a child, no? He had to be nice and calm with her, as much as his tail flicked this way and that. He stomped on it to cease its unhappy swaying. "We should seek out Zelk- and the rest of your Kingdom though, ey?"

He hated this. Hated how he was second-guessing himself. There was no reason to not trust her- she was part of the hive after all, and he should be nice to family- but this was... New territory for him. He'd just have to swallow down the anxiety and push through. After all, with Mother around, with his connection to the family once more... Things would be okay.

@Game Master Dark

Mother's link flickered along between the Hive members. Once again, the sense of calm well-being grows extremely powerful, the urge to nourish Mother and to protect the Hive, to keep their Homes safe, strong. It is once again their goal and purpose.

Aquamarine would feel the urge to act normal, to let nothing slip; to go about her business cheerfully, as though nothing had occurred. But meanwhile, Mother spoke, as she always did, her words ringing through their minds.

"You will need no reminder. My words will remain with you." And indeed, they were compulsions, now. They were Aquamarine's guiding purpose. She was a sleeper agent, in a sense: fully under Mother's control, but without giving any sign of it. "The others will feed me. You: you must spread this gift to your Kingdom. Go to Zelk!" And here, through the Mother hive in Fornax, Mother reached for Zelk's mind: one of their Sisters all along... "Pallas, my child... good child... choose a sibling, and go with her. Bring their others back. We will join them to the Hive. Zelk, you will help them... But they must not know why they are coming."

"Don't tell them," Reji agreed, aloud. She was a little puzzled by how the capybara had shown no signs of the pain she knew must have torn through her body. Strong, perhaps? Or just so tightly-controlled by Mother that she hadn't cried out? "They hate the Masters, right? Well, tell them you met someone here--don't tell them details--who knows some of Astraea's dirty secrets. And tell them that this person said they'll tell them these secrets, in person. Convince them to come here, to me." Zelk would help, and she was a big bear; Reji just hoped that whoever else was part of this 'sea kingdom' would not be problematic, once they got here.

@Aquamarine

He crouched at the entrance of the den and watched with sharp eyes, although two palms were facing behind, the eyes within watching carefully in case others decided to approach the den while his back was turned. But when Mother began to awaken, well, he was distracted.

The sense of connection with the other hive members, the unity that She brought them was suddenly so deeply fulfilling. He had been lost without this connection and he welcomed it back wholeheartedly, with a small sigh that echoed through the connection. Mother's takeover of the capybara did not phase him at all. He trusted her wholeheartedly. If she thought that this was the way to keep the hive safe, then he would comply.

He grunted in confirmation and his voice rumbled through the den. "I protect Mother and Reji now - I help feed Mother. Maybe take the fish with you, brother, if it is a sea kingdom." And distantly, through the connection, Lamia could hear all of this as well from Cetus's swamps. Her voice came through a little garbled, but recognizable - "If you require me, brother, I'll accompany you to this Sea Kingdom. I have met Tethys before."

The child nodded her head and spoke out loud, ready to please mother. She looked at everyone as she spoke. "Ok guys! I'm going to head over to The Sea Kingdom now and try to get them to come over here. Those who wanna come can follow me. I won't go to fast though, so you guys can see where I am going." Aqua was such an innocent child, and kind whether she was controlled or not. She turned to make her way out of the den. Once she was out, she would start walking and make her way to Tethys and her group. Unbeknownst to her, Tethys would not come easily. She may have hated Astraea and the masters, but she would not let other creatures control her or her members. Aquamarine knew Tethys, and was kind of worried about her queen's reaction to following her. She may refuse. Her worried feelings could be felt through the link she had with the others. She could only try her best.

-Exit Aquamarine

@Game Master Dark

Mother had spoken. The linsang turned his head to her node here, thinking wordlessly on simply the path he'd take to go there. Up through Pisces, then through that ice tunnel to Fornax? That sounded like a plan to him. He pulled it to the forefront of his brain, intending to deliver it to Aquamarine, though perhaps only an implication of a thought came through as it was a fragmented instruction.

Ah, well. She made her way here, she could make her way back.

Pallas dipped his head to Reji. He would have just forced them to convert then and there, but that could give them trouble, drive them out of being so covert in their operations. Her plan was better, yet it may take some convincing to draw all of them that way. He would try, nevertheless. "Of course."

He was putting his mind to who could help, but now that Mother was active she'd need more feeding than ever to grow stronger. Azrael? Sergei? They were both intimidating, and perhaps not the best choice. He could feel Azrael's eyes on them now, peering in from over Sergei's back. He was about to respond when Lamia's voice was received.

'Thank you, sister. Will you be able to make it there on your own? Your help would be welcome.' He directed the inquiry back, trying to project it as far as he could. They could use familiarity here, and Lamia could be put to use now as she had some struggles in Cetus's murky waters, no doubt.

To Azrael, though, as he crawled over Sergei's back, he nodded. "I think they have enough fish, but I will bring them a gift." Aqua was nearly ready to head off, and he glanced to her before charging up his tree. Would they enjoy stones as gifts? He wasn't aware that they held life, after all.

It was ironic, then, when he picked up the amethyst, as it was once left behind by the Aetius Aqua has mentioned cycles ago. With it in his mouth, he used the rope to quickly descend from the tree, a snippy 'Wait, please,' ordered to the capybara. He made to catch up with a slinking body.

He tried his best to overpower the emotions flowing from her with an uncharacteristic confidence from him. They would do this, one way or another.

;exit Pallas