The child simpered when a small smile graced the white Gembound's features, a tingling warmth that only spread when she hovered closer in her earlier mishap. Perhaps it was this very intimacy that had lent her the courage to face the articulate rodent and not soon after, his silent friend. Though to their credit, there was only kindness in their wake and an innate desire on Delphine's part to know all that'd come to her behest.

'Booker. Khloros.'
She could taste their names along the tip of her tongue and with renewed effort, her lips moved to speak as the others had. With furrowed brows and soundless putters, the child's face contorted into a series of comical expressions until at last, a sound came forth. "Mmm-mmmm-" Brief was the attempt but the effort had left her winded. Her emerald gaze shot to the floor, embarrassed. Really she'd wanted to utter the name that the smaller one had said during his arrival though all she could manage was a quavering hum.

Then...

Too fast. It'd all happened too fast. In a moment's notice, the space between them shifted from a too-fragile union to strained vigilance when a rhythmic clicking sounded from a path into Polaris. Delphine's gaze shifted first to the white dog, sensing the rising discomfort that she'd instinctively attempt to dispel with another gentle bump of her crown against her shoulder. Her jadeite nubs rubbed against the creature's white coat before she pulled away to watch the defensive positions assumed by the one called Booker and Khloros. How strange.

The young filly stumbled forward a step, reaching but not quite touching the smaller Gembound. Whatever it was that had wrought such trepidation from her companions, she knew that she did not want for any harm to befall them. So in her own silent manner, Delphine puffed her chest out and lifted her crown just an inkling higher as if the sight of a newborn baby, still slick with fluids could at all be intimidating.

What came was the least of her expectation and a sight too new for the child to maintain her act of vigilance. Unlike the first three Gembounds, these two walked on two legs with a coat that was so unlike their own and their mouths, how peculiar they were!

Impulse overrode the filly's defensive mechanism and before she could think twice on her action, Delphine jumped eagerly and messily. She stumbled, falling but slightly against the delicate one called Magda before shooting up with too much gusto to her right therein bumping shoulders with the sickly foal. Then she was off, bounding forward with little regard to how she intended to break so that when the time came, one leg stumbled after the other and the world became a mess of grey and blue. The impact against the hard grey floors momentarily stunned the newborn Gembound but when she came to, her emerald gaze was but centimeters from the more colorful of the two-legged species.

A silly smile curled along her visage and without thought, she-

Post-Roll Edit:
Sneezed. A plume of dust spouted forth and the incessant niggling along her nose subsided with a contented nicker and no further attempt to stand from where she'd fallen, head to the floors and what was indiscernibly a wagging rump in the air.

The tawny youth padded to Polaris today. The magic here buzzed with much more life than anywhere else, invigorating him. After using up all that magic during the storytelling event held by a white deer, Usui had felt empty on the inside. His magic reserves weren’t quite back up to what they were. Tail sweeping low to the ground, the lion moved his well-toned frame along, blob of dark brown mohawk ruffling his head while wheat-coloured hairs stuck out on either side of his cheeks. Usui found that he looked odd. It was neither being entirely clean nor being entirely covered in hair and so, he felt awkward at this adolescent stage. The male wished he would hurry and grow up already. Wisdom…yes, wisdom often came with further development even though he had tried to expand his knowledge since he was a cub.

Feeling rather bored and in want of company today, Usui cast his magic to feel is any other gembound was around. Perhaps Polaris provided that special boost for he was very successful. Immediately, a ton of colours flared up in his mind's eye to his surprise. It almost seemed like a gathering of sorts. Chuffing and flicking his tail in curiosity, the tawny youth shifted into a quick jog towards the group whereupon he saw a numbat, Void whom he vaguely remembered, Magdalena and a curious little numbat. Their attention was upon a coal-black foal who had just hatched from her chrysalis. With a smile upon his face, the lion padded forward and bent his head low to snuff the foal. "Hello there. I'm Usui, young one." He then rumbled a laugh and then took two paces back and sat upon his haunches. Pale green eyes settled onto the other's, wondering what she would do next.

________________

The owl gave the faintest of nods to Adeyemi as he found his way over, accompanied by a soft sigh. "There are many strange creatures here," she said in a whisper, eyes quickly shifting between the creatures. Her eyes briefly settled on the not-mouse-creature who was... definitely doing something, all right.

She fluffed herself up as her unblinking gaze was shifted onto the plumper (and shakier) version of the sickly creature. Newborn, like Adeyemi was, though without the seared legs. However this one presumably did not become trapped in the prison they were trying to escape from. A shame. She turned her head head to look at her much-brighter companion, beak opening ever so slightly before the sounds of one of the creatures moving caused her to snap her head back forward.

Oh dear.

It was heading towards-- it fell in front of the two birds. The owl shrieked out her wordless surprise, talons clicking and scratching against the cave floor as she quickly made her escape about a foot or two from the newborn. Only when she was at a safe distance, did she consider perhaps the child was injured. And then did she consider the fact that she left Adeyemi for dead. Oops.

Oh well.

Once Adeyemi's assault seemed to be over with (rather harmlessly, but the owl knew the he'd throw a tantrum over it) she approached the suddenly very still four-legged creature, leaning forward to peer at it's head. She ignored it's peculiarly-moving lower-half for a moment as she asked, in a very soft-spoken voice, "Are you alright?"

The owl then swiveled her head to the turaco, eyes unblinking as she inspected her friend for damage, but he seemed to be fine. There was another little sigh, which quickly turned into another startled screech as a fifth four-legged creature approached the group. She fluffed herself up once more, silent.

________________

The turaco nodded in agreement, eyeing the gathered group with distaste. "I think strange is putting it lightly, my dear," he muttered. Even if he was, technically, only a few days older than the newborn Gembound they all seemed to be clustered around, he felt no connection to the creature - it had none of his grace, none of the danger. Or, well, that's what he thought - until it started cantering towards him. With a squawk, he only managed to stumble backwards a step, weak legs collapsing beneath him. "Hault, foul beast! Desist! Sto-"

A spray of mucus interrupted his screeching, and Adeyemi sat, stunned for a moment, staring at the newborn. "You...! You!" Words seemed to escape him in his fury, and he sputtered, chest feathers and crest puffed up to their fullest. He turned the venomous glare on the owl when she approached, though it seemed to be in response to the question rather than her abandonment. "No, I am not bloody well alright! I am covered in whatever that," he complained, pointing to the newborn with a wing, "produced!"

Still, staring at the thing, it did seem rather harmless. Gaze softening, the bird let out a disgruntled chirp, patting the foal's head with his outstretched wing. "Do try and get a hold of yourself," he advised, eyeing it speculatively. Whatever he was going to say next was cut off by his companion's screech, and he shot up, moving to stand in front of her without thinking, wings raised up and beak wide in a show of strength. Or, well, a show of strength in his mind - it was probably quite comical, coming from a bird roughly the size of the newborn itself.

@Booker post is donee

At this point Magdalena had no chance of staking her claim on the new child. She'd been eager for the connection between Booker and the Baratheon, to be admired; maybe she was just greedy. She had those things. She was doted on entirely by the Merrymen. Louie looked after her like she was still but a helpless child, and Nemesis ensured that she was safe and warm and moved. Magdalena wanted more. She admired the ones who could live and teach with no worries; she admired their independence. The dog was blind and naive, and she wanted more. Maybe, just once, she wanted somebody not to think of her as weak, but wise. Strong.

She listened, nodding as the child hummed; unknown to Mag, trying to speak the name of the white dog. Wide straw eyes stared at the horse curiously, but her attention very quickly shifted to the approach of the two birds when Khloros fearfully asked what the beasts were. The group took on a defensive posture, and the babe rose and leaned against Magdalena. She responded by stiffening her legs and providing a steady shoulder to lean on. It didn't last long, however; the horse was soon off again, galloping off to greet the newcomers.

Meanwhile, Usui had appeared. She could feel the tug of bacteria, recognizing him by both culture and smell, and soon, the sound of his powerful and gentle voice. All chances of Magdalena seizing the child had since been vanquished, but perhaps that was for the best. As she ventured off to meet the two birds, Magdalena could feel the sickness stirring inside of her. She blinked, and her breathing grew fast and shallow. Before long her head felt light, and a persistent pain settled in behind her eyes. The sickness was crawling up from her stomach, into her chest, her lungs. Magdalena squeezed her eyes shut and suddenly heaved. Nothing came out - thankfully - but Mag feared she wouldn't be long for this world. "Oh- dear-" She sputtered, and her legs felt weak - eyes grew wide again before she doubled over, the sickness taking hold and leaving her unconscious.

(Mag is unconscious, feel free to skip me!)

"I dunno, Khlor," came the whispered reply. "They seem... friendly?" The last word was tilted up as Booker watched the newborn foal trot off to the two newcomers, and the numbat couldn't stifle a giggle at its sneeze - and the response from the two creatures. The arrival of yet another Gembound caught his attention, and he twitched to focus on it. The creature was gigantic, similar to Baratheon, but unlike in his earliest days, Booker didn't scurry away. Perhaps it was the constant exposure to things so much larger than himself, but all the numbat did was trot towards him, tail raised in greeting.

"Wel-come to the party, Usui," he called up to the other male, grinning. His head snapped to the side, however, at a heavy thump, echoing in the chamber. "Magda!" He hurried over to the dog, inspecting her anxiously, darting glances back and forth between her and the others. "Oh dear. I think she passed out," he offered, relieved that he couldn't find any signs of poisoning - something he was quite familiar with, due to his affinity for fungi.

Khloros was a bit bemused, and more than a little intimidated, at the sudden influx of other Gembound. He'd been around a grand total of a maximum of one at a time, his entire life (which had, granted, been thus far quite short) and now he was surrounded by a crowd.

Luckily, his growing nervousness was suddenly distracted when Magdalena simply... fell over. He did not have time to concern himself with the oddly pretty, mysterious little owl or her cocky bright friend, nor the massive lion who was padding over the stone.

Ears pricking up at the note of concern in Booker's tone, he trotted clumsily over, lowering his own foal's head to snuffle over the elegant white dog.

Something bloomed in him, born of suspicion and concern, and suddenly a warmth spread through his own body--faint but clear. He could ...sense, could see, swarms of life hurtling throughout her body, wildly out of control.

Worried, he turned his glowing eyes to Booker. His voice, when he spoke, was hushed with worry.

"I can see them, in her." He started, realizing he could see them in Booker, too--and as he glanced around, in everyone. He turned his gaze back to Magdalena. Hers were definitely more out of control, the bacteria nearly overwhelming her fragile body.

"There's... too many. Too much. They're too--... alive. I think it's what's wrong with her," he added, uncertainly. Then he glanced back to the other dark foal, hesitant--should he stay beside the white dog, or did the black foal need assistance?

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BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

((ooc -- @Delphine))

Affectionate was the snort that exhumed a plume of warmth along her feathered friends, the only means by which she could offer her reassurance that she was, in fact, fine. Her ears flattened and she nudged her head into the extended wing, elated by the simple gesture before lowering her rear to the ground in its entirety. The fall had admittedly discouraged her from making any standing or walking attempts so that even as her emerald gaze sought those of her earlier three companions, she made no move to return to their side. Though it seemed such was a trivial concern when a sixth Gembound joined their small congregation.

And oh, how big he was!

Delphine marveled at the entrance of the strange predatory creature, equally as fascinated as when the two birds made their entrance.

'Usui.'
Just as he lowered his crown, her own upturned to memorize this new scent as unique as the five before him. His arrival emboldened her or perhaps she'd simply forgotten that she'd fallen earlier for once more, she made to stand with shaky limbs and imploring glances toward the closer two Gembounds. Hesitance and uncertainty ghosted her movements but in her success, she'd all but dismissed the initial fears.

In truth, her intention had been to study the largest of the Gembounds but a soft, familiar voice broke some such reverie and instantly, her attention shot back. From over her shoulder, Delphine watched as the gentle creature collapsed along the cavern floors and before the young child could register what had happened, Booker and Khloros were at the woman's behest. Their concern put the newborn babe into motion and she ambled forward, stopping just beside the one so like herself. She listened to him speak but her understanding fell short. Frustration flattened her ears in the only way she knew how to express said emotion and without thought, her muzzle pressed beneath Khloros'. She wanted to know what had happened.

"Mmm-mm-mag... Da?" Delphine thought nothing of the first word she'd managed to utter where desperation was concerned.

Carefully, the child made her way beside the fallen Gembound and folded her legs beneath her. Young she may have been but within her was an innate sense of loyalty and ever stronger, a desire to protect. So it was there, beside the white one, would she remain though when Delphine rested her crown against the cavern floor. Her gaze settled on Booker and it was with child-like ministrations that she gently nudged the creature, wanting and searching for comfort and reassurance where her own bravado failed.

( @Usui )

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The owl was silent, peering almost apologetically at Adeyemi before her head swiveled to look at the horse again. Everyone seemed to be exchanging names - she expected her companion to do the same.

It bothered her, somewhat.

She made her way back next to the turaco and fluffed herself up with an inward sigh, quietly watching everyone once more. She found herself looking at the sickly one the most, however.


________________

@Adeyemi

Whether noticing his feathered friend's discomfort or simply fed up with not being the center of attention for this long, Adeyemi seemed to return his attention to the crowd of oddities that had gathered, turning to face the owl and subtly checking over her, as if she could've somehow been injured in the, oh, ten seconds since he'd last looked at her. "Perhaps we should... join the party, as the tiny red rat says?" The words were oily and smooth, but more genuine than anything he'd said to the tiny newborn - it seemed that the owl just had that effect on him.

He slowly waddled over closer to the crowd, eyeing the downed dog before shifting his gaze from one Gembound to the next, before finally settling back on his companion with a shrug of his wings, as if to say, well, here goes nothing. The turaco cleared his throat, before bowing low to the ground, almost touching the stone with his yellow beak, multicolored wings sweeping behind him in a display of greeting. Or, well, mostly wanting to show off his feathers, but a bit of genuine curiosity, at least.

"I do believe I've been rather rude, you'll have to excuse me," he began. "I am Adeyemi, and this," the bird cooed, lifting his wings only to use them to point to the owl, "is my companion. You are... Booker," he mumbled, "Khloros, Usui, and I do suppose the rather ill creature is Magda." The nickname was said with obvious distaste, Adeyemi either too proud or too stupid to hide from offending the group. He finally stared at the newborn, voice gentling for the first time.

"And you. What is your name, hm?"