Echolalia

When the raven hatched, it was abrupt.

The blue gemstone had been there for quite a while. Had blended in rather well with the quartz, admittedly, until suddenly it didn't. In a sudden explosion a new Gembound was dropped to the ground - rather rudely, too! - squawking as she came to awareness for the first time ever, and wasn't that a surprise! She gathered herself slowly, standing on stick-like legs, blinking the one eye that could and peering around and OH OH OH wasn't everything just beautiful, just shiny-shiny-shiny and gleaming-gleaming and she wanted it ALL, she needed it, desperately-now-now-now!

Well... perhaps not now, considering she wasn't quite big enough to carry it. She was, really, not the prettiest thing. A scraggly little bird, thankfully not too young 'else she'd be even worse to look at! As it were, she was covered in pinfeathers that stood up every which way, a funny black-gray that wasn't quite either color, and with her head snapping every which way to try and take in everything she looked rather silly.

"Oh! Oh so pretty-pretty-pretty!" she, well, crowed, "Gorgeous-gorgeous-gorgeous!"

Far, far, far away, way
People heard him say, say

Oh, if only they'd found this place earlier so they could have shown Researcher! It was so easy to get here, really. And the work was practically already done for them: a series of tunnels and caves stretching into the room's wall. They wouldn't even have to carve the rock themselves! Although! They did wonder how small the miniature caves got. Maybe there was a point where they wouldn't fit anymore—oh, but they should find out! The old-fashioned way, and the only fun way!

About to clamber inside, Karyo was only distracted from their mission by a cracking of gemstone. They recognized that sound! It was a BABY! (Thalia had taught them that word. They were quite proud of it.) "Hello!" they barked excitedly, bounding toward the newly hatched raven. "Yes! I know! Pretty!"

Oh, actually. Strike two: the place wasn't secret anymore. Also, there was no whirling vortex of winds to study. Strike three. Karyo sighed, and put the idea behind them.

"You're a baby," they informed the raven cheerfully. "I was a baby too, a short while ago! Might still be one," they added. "And I also like pretty things! We have so much in common already!" They growled loudly in an attempt to purr, then reached to bump the raven affectionately with their head. "Wanna come explore those caves with me?"

They were hardly going to pass up an adventure because the location wasn't ideal for their research base, of course. And the idea of child safety didn't concern them at all. After all, they were a child, too! And they'd made it this far just fine!

@Echolalia