Neither Mordecai or Henry knew where they were going. It was somewhat relaxing for both of them - to be aimlessly wandering. They weren't afraid of anything anymore - hell, in Mordecai's eyes he couldn't ever be phased by anything again. He was almost jealous of his brother's ever-present smile.

It was obvious that nothing ever bothered Henry. All he needed was his brother, and all he had was his brother. He liked it this way, he decided. They had grown now to their full size - perhaps they would have been smaller if they hadn't retreated into a chrysalis, but they were about five feet long now.

It was quiet here - neither of them talked, but they were content with that. They didn't have to talk all the time, after all.

Henry was content. His belly was full. He moved slowly and lazily; relaxed. It was nice to just be with his brother and no one else after all.

The lights in the tunnel were off - only illuminated by the blue glow from the spire behind him. He didn't mind the light, it was horribly bright - borderline blinding in Polaris, but here it was nice. It was dim, barely flooding over the tunnel.

He smiled to himself and continued to make his way down the tunnel, peering at the worn ground beneath him.

Mordecai was also as content as he could possibly feel, but even that wasn't much. Instead of thinking about his brother, he decided to stare at the carvings littered across the walls instead, head tilted. "How long have these markings been here for?"

The question wasn't directed at Heinrich, necessarily. It was more to himself, but he heard his brother's answer anyway. "Longer than us," came the wheedling voice.
"We're still young, that's not a good measurement."
"Everyone is."

Mordecai was almost surprised by his brother. He hadn't considered or even realised such before. Everyone was growing at an impressive rate - they looked like adults, but they were only a few cycles old, still.

He frowned slightly, remembering the strange sprite on the cave ceilings. Were they a child, too?

Henry was almost confused by his brother's question - he had sound more thoughtful than he intended to. Briefly, the scarred head glanced over at the walls his brother was staring at. The carvings made no actual sense to him; so he continued on.

He was thinking; really thinking. No one had hatched that long ago, even he and his brother were still pretty young, and yet so much had happened. Not just to them - but to everyone. Both Henry and Morty had heard the stories of the giant dragon in Polaris, the murder of a sheep, the demon-stag of Orion.

They had heard of revivals and children - children having children. It wasn't just confusing for Henry - but his brother too. Regardless, he continued on.


"What is that?"

Mordecai had spotted something out of the corner of his eye and he felt Heinrich stop and turn to follow his gaze. "I don't see it," his brother said.
"It is there. Right there."
"Where?"
"There."

A confused grunt came out from Heinrich's throat. Moron. If only I could move for him, something in Mordecai's brain muttered. He quickly pushed the thought away and gently tugged on his brother's neck.

He felt his brother move and follow his lead.

As he got closer, Henry could see it. A small little yellow stone was just.. lying there, on the ground. What was it? Was it just a rock.

He got even closer. It was different to the type of rocks that he and his brother would sleep among. It had an unearthly glow to it - something about to was seemingly alive. For a moment, he was confused. It didn't immediately click in his mind what exactly it was.

He turned to Morty slowly, wide-eyed.

Mordecai knew immediately as they drew closer to it. He knew what it was, but for some reason it didn't frighten him. He caught his brother's gaze.
"It's someone's gem," he said quietly.
Heinrich seemed to consider. "Did it... fall off?"
"They do not 'fall off,' Heinrich.""
"Then why is it here? We should return it."
"We cannot 'return it,' Heinrich."
"Then what is it?"
"This is, in fact, the remains of another gem."

Mordecai didn't know he'd have to spell it out for him - but he did. He sat and he waited for his brother to digest the information given to him.

Henry was surprised. They couldn't just... leave it there, could he? He felt something like thorns in his throat as he gazed at the shiny little topaz. "What can we do?"
"Nothing."
Nothing? "What do you mean, nothing?"
"There is nothing we can do for it. Heinrich." He was losing his patience. Not that he had any to begin with.
"People have done the thing! Where they make a new thing with gems!"

Henry leaned over and picked up the yellow gem in his maw, turning to look at Morty again. There was pure determination written over his face. The only problem was Henry didn't even know how to do the thing.

Mordecai found himself unable to look at his brother again; his expression twisted and pulled at the scars littered on his face. But, he couldn't be serious, could he? It wasn't their place to toy with life and death, it seems.

It wasn't their place to revive some stranger they never knew.

The head shifted, peering at Heinrich. "Suit yourself. Find a hiding place for it until we learn to revive it."

This choice would be Heinrich's. And Heinrich's alone. Mordecai didn't want to be involved with Heinrich's eternal quest to be friends with everyone and anyone. He just wanted to be alone for a while.

Henry was practically vibrating with excitement. He looked this way and he looked that way, but ultimately he looked back at his brother, unable to speak with the gemstone locked in his jaw.

Morty looked at him, perhaps critically. "Fine," he said. "Carry it with you until we can find somewhere suitable to put it."

Henry grinned, distorted with the scars and the gem in his mouth. He began to slither back to Polaris, knowing exactly where to put it. He'd take care of this previous life for as long as he could, until it grow into a new life.

He'd love whatever creature that came out forever.