Hen had grown quite a bit under the protective guidance of her Raptor Mom. Soft, fluffy, semi-yellow fuzz was replaced now with red, smooth, flat feathers. Her wings were no longer stubby, useless things, but instead, now they were layered with thick, red feathers. She felt good about that. They were nicer than Raptor Mom's stringy plumage, and brighter. Her head now sported a strikingly red crown, and she'd very recently begun eating bigger things, even pieces of the meat that Raptor Mom dropped during feedings. It had helped her grow bigger, but she was still tiny compared to her raptor siblings and even tinier compared to Mom.

"Ra'Ma! Ra'Ma!" She called, bouncing down the length of the cave towards her dear, sleeping protector. "Ra'Ma, I caught a crawler today and ate it!" She boasted proudly, the scales from the tiny snake still littering her tiny claws and facial feathers. "I's a great hunter like you! Mighty Ra'Hen!"

She was proud, but disappointed quickly to find her Ra'Ma sleeping. Not wanting to disturb the big lady's slumber, she instead opted to find something else to do. Surely she could find another Crawler and bring it as a gift to her Ra'Ma! Yes, this would be her proof of adulthood! She turned to take up the hunt again, head bobbing back and forth as she sauntered back towards the walls of the tunnel they called home...

...and after a few minutes of searching, she found another Crawler amidst the rocks and crystal chunks. She peeped excitedly and soon, the chase was on! She ran after the slithering creature as it made for escape, unable to find a hole to slip into along the base of the wall. Hen chased with flapping wings and a dipping head, trying to peck the little scaled thing as it evaded her.

He'd managed to escape from Canis without sustaining too much damage. Of course, the cerberus that he had ran into didn't fail to send him off with a parting gift - using his magic to forcefully push the reptile further out the entrance and into the tunnel. It wasn't so bad considering how far Ghanyarah was from them already, but the extra push was enough to convince him to take his leave. He was sure he'd return to that cave one day, stronger and smarter and a lot more dangerous, with intentions to do more damage than vandalization. Whatever damage he'd tried to cause earlier was rather insubstantial. But at least it was something.

The komodo dragon had traveled through the south-western quadrant, slowly making his way back towards the core. He wasn't quite ready to return to Cetus yet, and after a day or so of recovery from his attack on Canis, Ghanyarah was ready to venture out again. He had entered Polaris, but his visit was brief - the massive shadowy dragon had cast endless flames across the blue room in which he'd been born, bringing wavering heat to the air. Ghanyarah skirted around its edge and slipped into the next tunnel he came across, this one to lead him to Pisces should he follow it all the way. Which he would - Ghanyarah was a creature of cold and water, he didn't necessarily fancy playing around in the dangerous fire room.

Of course, he took his time, dragging his body lazily along the ground. He would listen and test the air for evidence of other Gembounds, and for a long time he was convinced he was alone - before a loud squawking sound rang through the tunnel, causing him to freeze. Ghanyarah narrowed his eyes and raised his head, flicking his tongue. On the stale air was the scent of a bird; similar to Eve, but still different, wild and dusty. His stomach turned. When was the last time he'd eaten? Who cares - the next time he'd eat would be soon. The reptile huffed and lowered his body again, progressing through the tunnel until he'd caught sight of the other Gembound. She was fairly rotund and covered in bright feathers, chasing some poor creature down the corridor. Ghanyarah settled into the dampness of the atmosphere, lingering still a distance away from her. He extended his senses to the air, pulling it, feeling the fronds of cool magic seep into humidity around him.

Post-Roll Edit:
Only nothing happened. The reptile cocked his head and grunted his displeasure before stepping back, trying to fit himself into a narrow alcove and out of sight of the chicken. His first attempt to shroud her in mist had failed - he'd have to physically hide himself for now.

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"Ra'Hen! Ra'Hen! Mighty Ra'Hen huntin' Crawly things!" Hen chirped cheerily as she chased and pecked at the snake. It curled and writhed to try to be rid of her pestering presence, but every bite it lashed out with served only to be insubstantial, barely plucking feathers as she pecked and scratched at it between quick steps and turns. She chased and chased and chased, and...

...suddenly, she felt purchase under her talons and chirped excitedly. It writhed around her leg but she ducked and pecked at it's head before it could bite or get away. It twitched twice, then went limp, spine broken by the blow. Thrilled, Hen whirled around with the snake hanging from her beak, ready to run back to Ra'Ma and show her how good a huntress her tiny daughter could be! As she turned, though, she saw movement across the tunnel's length, deep gray scales far bigger than the little crawlers she'd been catching. Hen froze, that prey instinct causing a flutter in her chest. Something is hunting me!

From afar he watched the creature as she pursued her future meal. He caught a glimpse of it - a long writhing body, scales that caught the light. Another poor reptile like him. Ghanyarah narrowed his eyes further, and some small animosity burned inside of him at the thought. He was known to catch smaller lizards and eat them, too - but something about a different kind of animal hunting his own kind just didn't sit well in him. It was no matter, Ghanyarah would take her out and make a meal out of her in due time. For now he watched, flicking his tail as his broad muzzle lowered to the ground, and he reached out to the atmosphere again. He tried to get a feel for it, but it was different than the caves he was used to. Though the temperature was fairly mild, the moistness in the air was alien, as if it shouldn't exist due to the dry nature of the rocks. It made it difficult to truly understand the properties of the air.

As soon as she turned and started to run down the tunnel, Ghanyarah blinked and shifted his focus back to her. His muscles tensed, and she approached fast - he had little time to try and prepare another onslaught.

Post-Roll Edit:
He made a desperate grasp for his magic and failed again, but the komodo dragon wasn't about to let a potential meal slip through his claws. He gurgled his frustration and lunged out of his hiding spot, obviously already noticed from the way the chicken had frozen in spot. Ghanyarah launched himself forward, powerful limbs thrusting the heavy reptile towards the chicken in pursuit.

table and code © chelsea of ORIGIN

The big, nasty Crawler had spotted her, too. It stared at her for just a second, the two locked in a stare-down of predator and prey... then, she did the only thing she could think of. With a great, loud SQUAWK, she turned to flee, wings flared in an effort to pick up the pace. The chicken could run, but with plump body, not nearly fast enough to escape...

...and as she ran, she left behind smoldering foot prints in her wake. Her feet felt hot, the scales gleaming with tiny sparks and embers. As she ran, she make a racket, loud squawks to try and awaken her deeply sleeping Ra'Ma.

Permission to have Ghanyarah capture Hen has been granted ;)

With great, bounding leaps he pursued the chicken. Her loud calls rang through the tunnel, agitating him further. It didn't matter though, as far as he had seen there was nobody else here in the tunnel, nobody to save her from getting eaten. Besides, the lizard had to eat; where was the crime in that? His lips turned up in a sneer as he galloped after the chicken, attempting to focus on any way he could possibly slow her down, summoning all his willpower to freeze the water in her body.

Post-Roll Edit:
Except as he ran, his massive clawed hands grasped the smouldering rock below. The sparking embers caused a flashing hot pain to run up his legs and he scowled, breaking his focus. It only served to speed him up as he was quick to close the distance between them, racing after the chicken with his broad jaws open just a sliver. Once he was close enough behind her, Ghanyarah lunged. Gaping and hungry maw clasped the chicken's rear end, and as soon as he made contact, the reptile skidded to a halt and pulled his head back, squeezing with as much force as he could hold in his jaws. Her struggling made it difficult for him to get a good hold on her, so he angled his head upwards and briefly released her, hoping to catch her again at a better angle.

table and code © chelsea of ORIGIN

Pain was a new sensation for the chick. As the giant Crawler caught up with her, he lunged at her, and in her final act of avoidance, she'd mistimed her steps and felt those sharp, toothy jaws clamp shut around her backside. The sound that escaped her beak in that moment shocked even her, a strangled screech that echoed trough the entire tunnel. She flailed her useless wings and felt her body lift, but not from her own attempts. Suddenly, she was away again, but only for the briefest of seconds before those teeth clamped down on her chest and back, half-swallowing her whole. At that point, Hen was many a racket the likes of which no mother could ignore...

@Ghanyarah

Deep in slumber had the Mother of Raptors been, but the loud racketeering of another jerked her into reality. Flaring her nostrils, she blinked wide awake. The loud noise of squawking and screaming drew the monster to her feet as the puzzle came together. 'Hen.' she quietly thought. It was not a happy and excited sound that the chicken made. It was a sound of fear and terror. Her child.

Growling deeply, Ra'Ma careened down the cavern, toward the sound of Hen. Massive feet thundered on the ground, and she inhaled greatly, eyes trained on the miserable little lizard attempting to murder her child. Hen had fallen eerily silent as she had approached. She could not be too late. She could save the child... her child.

Post-Roll:

And a roar unlike any other filled the cave, the sound reverbrating off the cave walls. She would give this bastard a chance to run and hide wherever his body would fit before she feasted upon him.

@Ghanyarah

The hen landed square in his jaws and he chomped down, eager to finally shut up her incessant crowing. If it wasn't because he was worried that somebody would hear, it was definitely because it was just plain annoying - he never really liked to listen to animals in their death throes before he ate them. Perhaps Ghanyarah wasn't as cold blooded a killer as he came off as - or maybe he just found the sound more of an inconvenience. Either way, he had her in his grasp and he was just about ready to swallow her whole when something came charging down the tunnel at him. His sunset pink eyes flickered towards it with the hen still in his mouth. Grip tightened, and for a moment the komodo dragon was exasperated - obviously her screams had attracted another potentially hungry Gembound.

Only, this wasn't just a hungry Gembound.

The raptor lunged forward and uttered a shattering screech, and instantly Ghanyarah felt fear blossom in his heart and his bowels with the urge to relinquish themselves. This creature was much larger than he, as were the rows of teeth in her mouth. She was probably faster too. At that moment, the dragon found himself valuing his life far more than a meal. He spat the chicken out, though she was already bruised and battered, then turned and fled as fast as his pudgy little legs could carry him. He ran, never once looking back at the monster that had beaten him out of his lunch.

table and code © chelsea of ORIGIN


exit Ghanyarah!

Hen felt a numb relief flood through her at Ra'ma's vigilant approach, then dull comfort when she heard her protective matron's mighty roar of violent protest. She dropped like a brick as the crawler let her go, running for his life and rightly so. Ra'ma had never seemed so enraged. Hen felt safe with her as her guardian. She only hoped... Ra'ma felt proud of her... that she'd done well... as her tiny misfit daughter...

...oh, her vision was fading. The floor, cold and smooth beneath her, felt foreign and far away. Not cold, though. Something felt tight on her, between her eyes. Her head throbbed, but no pain came. Blurry-eyed, she shifted her head with a quiver and looked up at her Ra'ma standing above her.

Then, with a sigh and the crackle of protective magic, Hen fell into a slumber the likes of which she'd never known. Red gemstone would slowly form a protective shell around her damaged and broken body, but for now, only the slightest glow of orange light gave any sign that she would live through this dire experience...

-exit / ko hen, begin mutation-