And Caustic Memories to Blind You (Nightmare)

Content Warnin's:

WOW! Second chappy of book threeeee! Um... Gerls whom are dreamborne trying to find solid thoughts between being a wiggly hungry nightmare, a gerl, and/or a wiggly sleepy forest. A lil dancin. Tails that stapped workin. Children being cute. And also learning curses from their aunt!

ALSO! Thanks to Emily Portman for her song Tongue-Tied that inspired the Adaline dancing and singing.

Turns out... Sun-Blessed taste worse than uncooked gutter trash after a hot day baking beneath their big weird Sun dad's gaze.

Because like... Girra laces them with His furious love and drowning affections and jealous protections. Really nasty ones. Like that time I...

"No. Not you." Murmurs the little glowing spirit stuck between my endless hungry tendrils.

Right. Yeah. Like the memories inside showed a girl trying to cook a prickle badger for her adopted siblings. Found out those spikey bits started a lot deeper than you'd think. Took a big bite and then had to take half a day digging out the stabby bits.

Or... or like the time it...

"It? You mean you?"

Yes. I found a girl sleeping beneath a bleeding Divine's Dream and just... couldn't resist slerping up the dribbling everything.

Got swept up into Verbess' fear and fury for a big sister to protect it. Became that. As... as more of me started trying to take bigger bites of Xafra's Driftdream.

"Hurts. To realize there's nothing inside the shell. I remember that. Just… broken copies of copies of copies. Kinda hurts to think about what's the us and what's just… chaff. Hoping we haven't lost anything important between lives." It agrees.

Yeah. Not a girl. A nightmare. Growing through the memories Warden kept for its beloved Pack Sisters before even being claimed. Made real when Xafra willingly Named me. Torn the then, into the now, through me.

"You were forged into the sister they all wanted, when the other option was to let the maw already eating the rest of you reclaim the spark. Loved. Protected. Claimed. But... Only so long as you remained what they saw you as?" It asks.

Yeah. Which... which is why I'm here. Mistress Lynette knows what's happening. Will... will make sure I can't hurt them. One way or another. Ya know?

"Okay. But you need to stop running. Stop thinking fast and begin thinking slow. Like trees do. Okay?" The little gross tasting Sun-Blessed I'm still chewing on advises. "These trees around have dreams you can nibble on while you wait."

Oh. right. Sorry. I'll... yeah.

"Can… you let me go yet? The Sky will drink me up. He won't lose me."

No. Sorry for that too. Need a Pack Lead to nudge the old command off me. I think. I hope.

The bleeding spirit I clutch between empty dreams doesn't have a reply to that. Goes still and quiet.

So. Focus. Be less a girl and more a monster your Mistress can track. Wrap all these endless empty ideas around the trees and... slow... everything... down…

Settle at the heart of this forest right as I feel a bit of Strife tug at a bit of the Name it gave me to jerk two cuties to stand at the edge of the me I'm growing into. Just as much in all these trees and plants and even a few birbs and sneks as the Frame slumped into the dirt.

"So. Before we go any further, Lynette, we should have a word or a dozen." Adaline says anxiously.

"Quite." The maw of the Horror murmurs. And her voice like... echoes. Through those wiggly squiggly things wrapped about her where vine tattoos should be. "Krahe has rooted down here, doesn't seem to be interested in swallowing just yet."

"Very cute, I'll thank you for not sharpening the snark further." Adaline drawls before the sounds of twigs snapping accelerate as she seems to clear a space to sit. "We have two things to talk about while we're... somewhat private and before we catch up to Krahe. You're splintering a bit after what Sekrhús did to you. Were blending earlier, after the first betrayal of the day. Now... You feel like a tree struck by lightning and trying to hold two halves together. I'm concerned, and need to know you're not going to put too much strain on yourself here."

The maw buzzes, thrums like a thing with a fractured tooth. But not... in any kind of anger. "Here? No. I've thirty-seven different contingencies schemed for this possibility with your Pack Sister. But... Later...?" She pauses. Lets her word's echo fade.

Settle across the edges of the forest I'm slithering through. Like a hand placed on a sibling's brow to test for fever.

"I'm not certain, there is a reason I insisted you be the one to inherit that iron needle. Won't work on this form. But can stop Elevar's flesh and those eyes Xafra gifted us from being used again. Just pop it back in your wife's shoulder till... till it seems the right move to remove it next time the Beast Below Commands something stupid of me." She replies. Voice quiet. Even gentle. But stiff with worry. Careful even. Like a big sister was when the littlest ones got sick in ways she wasn't sure they'd get through.

"Alright. I'll do my best to maintain your agency." Adaline responds with a sigh. "We're bringing Krahe back along with whatever's left of Krelliva. I don't particularly care what Krahe has fooled herself into believing she is now. She is our Sister. This Frame can be repaired, so if it's damaged, that's an acceptable cost."

That… helps the last bits of buzzing fear settle. At… Well, at least one Pack Sister wanting to keep me. No matter how wiggly wrongways I turn out to be.

"Agreed. But... Hmmm... Odd question. Did you ever have the misfortune to read Third Consort Metrik's Bibliography and Epigraphs? Or Matron Uphora's translations on the recovered copies? Specifically the observations on the degradation of both physical and more... shall we say, metaphysical biologizes?" The one who I now know is Lynette asks. Words seem... warmer? Softer. More... Like easy to grip at? let my outside roots wrap about as they echo through the forest I am. "The works that speak to a theory that not only is nothing lost, but that even ideas are never forgotten? Just... mulched and consumed to regrow upways and backways through the generations?"

"Yes. Was hard to get a copy and truthfully felt disappointed as it had little to do with what I'd hoped. Very little on the Sun-Blessed biological filtration systems that they're somehow able to incorporate into human bodies. The idea thing though. You're talking about both yourself and Krahe, I assume?" Adaline responds curiously.

"Yes. But more Krahe at the moment. The gerl is recalling how she was both the one protecting Verbess back when we first met her, but also the creature eating the Driftdream." Lynette whispers. "The trick, once Xafra sparked a Name for her, was to eat and tear apart the storm while you all bonded and accepted the gerl. Like cutting down a wrongways tree to let new things grow the way we want. But... Well, she's struggling. Using Dysphoric memories of the gerl she's growing into to deal with the thing she was."

Oh... Bitch tits! That makes sense! Still and very Half-knit like the big sister was. Buuut... Was a nightmare instead of a boy before.

"I've brought the leftover bisected bits I've emptied of nonsense for her to consume. Stabilize. And settle into. But need a gerl with a more... nuanced view of Quill Song to help Tune the reweaving. You. That odd ruthless Wisp Verbess, Schatzi, and Warden use wouldn't work here. And Quill-Song is still... beyond my fathoming. Which I prefer to keep that way. For now."

Try to... to part my trees a bit. Make sure there is a softer path for these cuties to walk. Make sure to keep any slithering empty Dreams from touching them or Adaline's quiet little song.

"Ah. That settles the remains of my concerns for now then. Krahe dear, I know you can hear us. We're coming in."

Rustle and wiggle the forest in hopefully looking agreement.

And... and then they take their first steps. The maw that is named Lynette letting Adaline lead. Each of her footsteps kinda cracks at everything beneath her. Make sure to slerp back anything and everything growing there to not make this a problem.

Let them find the unmoving Frame they all made and gave and even put in the Doll wiggler for me.

Don't even try to hide the empty storm rumbling tendrils from this Pack Sister and Second User. How they are rooting me to this place. Even let them see the little glowing barely not screaming Sun-Blessed dribbling angry curses across everything. Not because it wants to. Just... ya know? Hard for the one they call Krelliva not to bleed venom when impaled on nightmare teeth.

"Heya cutie. Can I bring Krelliva into the Driftdream so Infection can take a look and help heal it up?" Adaline asks as she locks eyes on my wribbling form.

Today's Pack lead asking but basically telling me what to do? Bitch Tits! Exactly what I needed to hear!

Quill's aren't... really... Like I don't trust them not to infect things. Her. So... just kinda... Try to let a tendril offer the spirit and memories. Hope she can slerp her up without getting too stung by the curses.

And the maw called Secondary User Lynette helps. Lets those weird not tattoo soft bits bridge the gap so Adaline can find the song or weave to do that. Even has them start snuggling the roots of mine. No matter how much the tendrils that are me bite or nip or start eating.

"This is going to feel weird, but you'll be safe. Feryudra is with Xafra, and will probably be delighted to help you make a new body. Fully customized. Bet not many hermit crabs can claim that cool hotness." Adaline reassures the mess I'm offering up as she kinda... slerps it into the Driftdream through her eyes.

Forest shivers like a bad storm just passed us by. The weight of water on leaves and branches dumping in relief to mist everything and everyone below. Okay. good. Neat even. But...

What now?

"Wonderful. Now, time to help your Sister forget about being both a forest, any kind of hungry thoughtless nightmare, and all other nonsense." The maw purrs like she can hear my thoughts, all those wiggly extra weird bits twisting to weave around Adaline. Not quite touching her Frame yet, but hovering around the Quills and seeming to writhe and pulse in tune with their song. "Help me Tune these, then we'll have her eat them up. Much like Schatzi did to help Verbess. Only two steps removed. To directly access Krahe now would invite problems."

"Forget or refocus? Seems wrong to take anything away. This is a part of my Sister as well. Makes a rather awe-inspiring forest too." Adaline comments as she assists in Tuning the morsels.

Buzz branches and leaves and nudge bugs to wiggle at her sweet words. Glad that this weird way I am now isn't a big scary problem for her.

"Both. It's as Metrik postulated. Nothing is lost. What is forgotten now can be found later under... more stable circumstances. Easier than even before since you'll remember and share your perceptions of these other Fractals." She replies. "Despite how cleanly I severed the gerl from the storm before, here those same bits are. Growing bigger than our gerl can lock her impressive fangs around. "

Can't help but cackle in a way that makes all the big trunks of these weird trees that are me creak in... in... memory. One of mine? Not the girl before I wasn't or the nightmare I might have been.

This drooling maw looming over. Giving me a choice. "I have a Nightmare to hook and butcher, dear one. Life is unfair and will clip your wings if you don't take the leap before the monster bites. Pick your poison and toss the rest. We have schedules to keep."

The Lynette with the echo of a Name huffs like she heard that memory. "Yes. Exactly. Is why Adaline is best for this. As a Half-Knit she can help, as you would say, pick the best bits and burry the rest for later. Like all gerls and boys and othersuch do when they remake themselves."

"Okay. My apologies for questioning you so much. I've... Caused enough harm already today. I'm going to try something here that should assist. Rufus mentioned the idea of incorporating dance into the Quillsong a while ago but I haven't had a chance to implement it." Adaline admits as she begins pacing around the edges of the clearing and sets her Quills to a steady song matching her footfalls.

"Don't apologize, Adaline. You acted exactly as you should have. And if we're to consider our Xafra's feeling on guests, they should have listened to Krahe and Infection's demands. Are lucky this is the worse that we let befall them." Lynette murmurs as those really savoury sweet smelling wriggly not tattoos writhe free to wrap fully about my Pack Sister. Start to sway to her song and motions. "I brought you here because you're clever enough to question me. To make sure I don't miss something important. I'm glad it was you mantling the role of Pack Lead over this today, I've no criticisms of your choices."

"Appreciated. Let me know if I should alter what I'm doing, otherwise I'm going to start spinning all of this delightful sister shadow forest into a yarn she can use to weave herself together." Adaline responds, picking up the pace and intensity, starting to spin at odd intervals and jump at others as she begins to sing.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"Sister, I am bound,

To weave your form with song and dance,

Shattered Moon watch me now,

Turn dreamshadow real and true at last.

I dye a Sisters heart,

Red for the love I feel for you

Cold fingers, tie you tight,

looping you through my soul tonight."

At first... everything grinds against her song. Her motions. Her words.

Just like the time she and Schatzi decided to try wrestling this new Frame into some pretty dress or another. Felt wrong and too tight and like I'd just... look like a gangly mess wrapped in colors too pretty for her.

But... then Adaline tugs a belt while Schatzi zooped a string about and... and I looked down and could see why they thought this would fit well around me.

No reflection yet. But the girl I wanted to be trusted them.

Let them cook, so to speak.

Feel the bits boil and the trees shed summer's leaves and teeth made of the stuff between dreams fold away for the day. Like when the worst nightmares tumble into being more silly than scary when you start giggling at them.

Feel the Quills on me start to Harmonize with the melody Adaline's weaving through the little wriggly kinda nightmare roots I only just now realize I'm chewing on. Devouring. With Frame and empty Dreams and... and memory.

Eat every bit I can. Feel less like a sleepy forest or a starved empty dream with each bite. Till... till there isn't any room.

Glance up in worry at the parts left over. But my Pack Sister already saw the problem and is pulling them close. Nuzzling the little almost used to be me so close. Even lets them melt into her Quills and Frame and those magical whatchamacallits Xafra's mom helped install. Settled and sleepy and happy and safer than ever before.

Leaving everything so quiet.

Buzz the Quills on my Frame in a careful and quiet <Locate>

Adaline slows her dancing song and stumbles to a gradual stop with a joyful <Locate> in response.

Hits like a dropped rock to the head. A Pack Lead's Harmonics, even gently and happily given.

Feels like everything inside and outside cracks, just a bit. But tits stay attached. Even if I'm struggling to get all the gears and limbs and lack of roots to use for balance to move right.

Decide to just... Well, first things last. Should have done this the second they got here.

Let my Frame fall. Forehead touching the messy forest floor that used to be a part of me as I thrum with Quills and mouth. Bowing and offering the self for any other adjustments needed. "Sorry. Pack Lead. Mistress. Slipping and making a mess of things and this one like that."

"You did your task, and you're making it back alive. That's all that matters." Adaline states as she hefts my Frame over her shoulder. "Home has gotten weird, but we'll be together. Got a lot to fix and figure out once we return."

Curl happily about her. Holding on tight while asking. "Weird? Like...?"

"The Estate is roused. Each Spire scattered all about." Lynette answers, moving to walk behind us. "And to echo Adaline... You performed your task to, quite literally, the best of your capabilities."

I pause. Take it the Mistress now that the weird wiggly things are fully not attached to her. Find... yeah. Just like Adaline said. Girl's split worse than a tree licked by lightning. Still burning inside too. All these problems around like rain keeping that fire from sparking out. But soon as everyone is safe and settled...

No idea. Today was already the worst I'd seen her have. And that was before waking up to the mess of a morning.

"Okay. Okayokayokay... This one is a little cracked, but should be ready to run however you need in a bit. Just... let it know." Then twist around to give Adaline another snug. "And thanks, Pack Lead. For Tuning this one. Love the idea of dance woven into things. Is like when we'd let Quill-Songs roar while fighting or sex but... more thoughtful and artistic."

"Comes with growing up mundane and having to weave yarn with a drop spindle then learning to weave Physis the same before becoming part of our Pack. It felt correct for one as energetic and wholehearted as you. No need to run yet, though. We just need to follow this heartstring back to Xafra through the roil."

Let Quills settle in agreement and curiosity. Absorb the song spilling off her. Try to... to Tune more of this Frame and my Harmonics.

Feel the weird wiggly strand from our Xafra tied about her fingers.

"Oh that is weird. But neat though. Will be useful for all you slower cuties to catch this Frame next It runs full tilt." I cackle, then... sober a bit. Carefully reach into the Driftdream I can feel through her. Check on Krelliva.

Find Infection and Xafra with that one. It's pretty upset and screaming but... not violent.

<Tried not to bite that one too much. Hope it and the big guy in the sky are the forgiving sorts.> I mumble through the Quills.

<An apology from you would likely be sufficient. What happened when you were occupied was... much more serious than your own actions.> Adaline responds the same way as she carries me through the barren field into the unstable goreway.

<It... yeah. Drat. Wish this ones was the biggest mess.> I huff. Try to start getting a feel for the way this Frame weighs and sways. Ready to run and do whatever my Pack needs to make this righter than it is, even if it'll probably be more wrong than it was.

Pass through the other side of the magical meat tube to find First Mistress and Xafra sitting on the edge of their Spire. Talking softly as we arrive.

Let Quills thrum out a more pronounced <Locate> in greetings.

Xafra's Quills scream instead of sing, her response garbled beyond comprehension before she shakes her head sadly. "Sorry Krahe. Still a bit out of it, can't get them functioning properly yet."

"Is alright. This one eh... ehehehe still getting mine to sound proper. Am sure Adaline had to guess at half its nonsense. Just... from the quiet end of the song instead of the loud." I offer. Let our Pack Lead settle me to sit on the Spire's top with them. "Bet you can walk straighter than this one too. Kinda... tried to be a forest there for a bit. Legs are suddenly a weird concept. Ya know? Keep trying to feel out where to bury roots and stuff."

Mistress Elevar looks us all up and down, glances to her twin, then back to Adaline. "I'm glad you returned intact. Well done. We've sent your Sisters down to check on the little ones. Have ensured all but two of the Dolls are accounted for. And Infection is tending to Krelliva with Xafra offering gentle aid as needed. Seems... the immediate is sound enough."

"Warden is down below, yes?" Lynette interjects, and with barely a nod from anyone she's stepping to the edge of the Spire and replying with. "Good. I need to have a word." Then hisses out a scratchy "Blitzköder" and is zipped down and away.

Our Mistress winces and watches her go. Then looks to Adaline and me. "I... How did she seem? To you both? Out there? Inside she's quieter than I've ever felt her be. And I worry she might... make a poor choice. Alone. Like always. But worse. If that makes sense?"

"Warden will stay with her. She's... Hurt, but more than that, she's being proactive to limit the amount of harm that can be done through her. She needs some time to find the limits of her comfort. I believe in her." Adaline shares.

Feel my own Quills twitch as some new Directives pulse through the Songs of our Pack buzzed up to everyone from Warden.

<Secondary User Lynette; demoted. User permissions removed by her own requests. Advise logged. List her as Factor 86 Construct with moderate to hostile threat level. Seek Pack and Primary User Consensus when/if confronting.>

Don't like that. Not one bit. But... Warden didn't really have any good options there. It did the right thing.

Elevar is about to say something, but then there is a crack of lightning and... we all get to watch as Lynette bolts off and away into the surrounding area with her odd lightning zip around spell. Not sure the why or what.

"Empty skies and bellies." I curse and huff. "Wish this Frame's legs were steady. Would try to keep up with them. For all the reasons. Forests around here are like... normal. Nothing like what grows around the Groves."

Our Mistress pushes herself to stand, watches as her twin disappears into the forests around. Murmurs to herself. "Alright. Then. Time to shift whom is where." Glances back to us. "Xafra needs to stay above to keep an eye out for those still out and about, and you're still recovering. So, Krahe. you and I are going to check on the little ones. Then I'm going to leave you down there with them while I bring Schatzi and Infection back above."

"This one...Okay. Yeah." Nod to her. "Good idea, Mistress. Don't need even half this Frame's old speed to keep those sweet kids outta trouble and safe."

"Exactly," She agrees while moving over to me. Slipping under an arm and lifting me as easily as Adaline did. Then looks to our Pack Lead. "Keep Xafra company, if you please?"

Adaline wriggles her way into Xafra's arms and curls herself about her. "Of course, dear wife."

Then Elevar kinda... half carries me down the Spire, past Feryudra, and into the Tunnels. Which... all seems exactly as they were but also make my Quills itch like they do when Calix tries to cook his weirdest ideas and ends up making something that has no right to taste as good as it does.

No idea. But we're soon at Sikkina' Sanctuary, and approaching the mess of two little ones and two Pack Sister Frames. Quills like... already buzzing in relief at feeling me be less a big wiggly mess and more just a tired cracked gerl.

"Heya wigglers and wobblers!" I call out as Mistress gets us close.

Sia blinks her one big eye at us and scoots over, all four arms paddling against the ground to move faster. "Hallo auntie Krahe. You're all respun!" She says with a fuzzy ear flick.

"Almost half way even. Still trying to remember what goes where." I agree while Mistress settles me to sit at the edge of the central hollowed out tree beside this little one. Trying to... wait.

Glance back. Find about a dozen tails I'd been thinking of as roots I needed to either ignore or burrow into the dirt just... flopped and dragging behind.

"Huh. Well that explains a ton." Look back to Sia, give her a lazy cackle. "Okay. Less than halfway. Like... three outta nine ways. How're you doing? Ears wigglin seems more comfy than yesterday."

Snek Doll bonks her head against the central floor Glyph... things. Makes a weird Blerp sound. Then slithers over and flops across Sia's tail then curls to lay beside her. "RIGHT?!? Her ears are all perfect and just the best kinda wiggly. Explains everything SO much better than everyone else's face twistings."

"It was spooky for a bit and I think momma Lynette is sad-scared but Sia is good and happy and has the bestest sisters." Sia responds with a wriggle.

Not sure I'd even know how to start to explain to these little ones how messy and hurt their mom is. Specially when they already probs know as much or more than me how hard Sekrhús command hit her. Should... leave that for one of this lil one's moms to lay out.

"I dunnoooo... You're sisters got some rough competition." I tease, glance past to Schatzi and Infection as Elevar moves to kneel beside them.

"Pack Sisters are different than childhood companions." Mistress assures Sia, reaches out to touch her tail. "And yes. You do. It's plain to see how good and perfect you are to each other."

"Good sistering is EASY." Snek Doll comments, those tall ears reaching out to bump at Sia. So much more... sumthing. Than before. Expected her to be a mess and endlessly worried and asking about Lynette. "And Sia and Sikkina and this one are the bestest ones."

"Mhmhmhm! We're learning from the second best so we can be even butters. Very smooshy." Sia insists with a large toothy grin.

"It's always a good scheme to watch your competition. Make sure we're not fast approaching your quality." Mistress agrees, moves over to lay hands on the Glyph. Head tendrils adjusting their clicking to a slower more careful beat.

Checking on the fresh wounds and healing cracks Lynette was planning on checking on this morning. Was even talked into sleeping in and not worrying so much since Sia and Snek Doll would be here.

"SO!" I state, turning to pull and tug my mess of limp tails around to rest over my lap. "I gotta... figure out how tails work again. Legs will be easy once these are wiggling about again. Need their balance, ya know? Any advise from the best brumble of sisters in these tunnels?"

"Nibbles!" Sia says with a nod as she flops to the ground and rolls over. "You gotta start with where the um. feeling isn't and work that area so it gets bepper."

"Huh." Pull one up. Give it a good bite. Feel... Most of the mess? Spit it out and cackle. "They need a good wash. Bleh! Taste like the forest I was trying to think like before."

Pick up a few more and start to bite them too. Figure out... I mean... yeah. Roots. They taste and feel like tree feet that wanna nap in the dirt instead of wiggle around to hug and snug all the warm sorts.

Only really like... twitch to try and nuzzle the floor to find more good cold dirt to get burred in.

"Welp. That there is the problem. They wanna be less wiggly tails and more stiff roots." I huff and poke at them. "That's gonna be a mess and a half to talk them out of, let me tell you. It was pretty comfy being a forest."

"Oh. Um. That's something a bit weirder then. Momma Elevar, what do you think?" Sia asks.

Elevar pulls back from her checking on Sikkina, gives us an apologetic look. "I'm... not actually sure myself, dear ones? Lynette made a point to study the nature of Dreamborne metaphysics, and shared an early journal with Adaline. I'd take a note from Xafra and try a mud bath. A touch of Resheathing my first guess. But..."

"But isn't a problem with this one's Frame. Else this one would be begging for that or a go in the Doll Wiggler." I agree, then shrug. "Could just take time. Tuning my Song and stuff. Don't mind taking a good sit down here while the rest of the Pack makes trouble above. Lynette or Xafra will take a peek when things settle."

Infection sworls over to me then. Carefully bumps heads while all those tiny Quills across its body sing in open and obvious apology.

"Stap thaaat." I growl gently and wrap a hand around the back of its neck to pull it closer. Quills twitching out a counter-song. "Not your fault, Sister. I'll get these bits twisting right soon enough. Just gonna be unsteady for a spit."

"Could they be both? Like um. There's those plants from Warden-self's time that have leafy roooots that get air food?" Sia asks as her and her big sister roll along the ground to cuddle near Sikkina's egg.

Elevar opens her mouth to say something, but hesitates. Then offers. "I... Possibly?" Looks to my sisters. "Krahe didn't have tails before, did she? All those years ago?"

Verbess rumbles through their Frame. "No, Mistress. Those tails were not designed from memories. They are new growths. Unique to this Frame."

"I... Ye- yeah?" I reply carefully while pulling back from Infection. Not feeling anything but considerations and worry from me in its songs but... still kinda terrified of my little birbs not seeing me as the sister they lost. Puts a pit of bile in my gut. "I got the idea in my head of extra limbs like these and couldn't say no once the idea took hold."

"New Krahe is good and soft and wiggly and zoops so fast. Sister, do you think I would look good with more tails?" Sia quietly asks the Snek Doll.

"Hmmm... Yes. Mebe stay below twelve though. You'd still look great but might struggle to slither just right." Her sister whispers back. "Nine if you want a lot, three if you're just wanted two cute extras to keep this one warm. Five... five if you're wanting to make mischief."

"Mischief is important. Okay okie okie, definitely five then. I'll get Momma Lynette to help with that when she's back."

"It really IS!" Her big sister nods sagely. Ears whirring around happily. "Do you want them to be fuzzy or scaley or toothy? Or some of each in different places? Or some of something else with only a little here or there?"

"Um um. I think maybe just one toothy? And all the others fuzzy on the top and scaley on the bottom." Sia says with ears pointed at attention.

"Oooooooooh. Yes. That'll be wumberful. And you could also add feathers. Mebe on elbows. Can help you balance while moving around!" Snek Doll giggles, poking at Sia's arm. "So your fingers are free to help with whatever mischief your tails ask you to do!"

"Elbow feathers sound really neato. I could be pretty like you." Sia squeals.

Snek Doll's ear slow and tilt fully at her little sister as she sits up and gently bumps heads. "You. Are. Already. Prettier. All Red Eee. Just... not wiggler. But that's okay. And good. And colorful elbow feathers are good for balance. This one took forever before first Mistress fixed its–"

The girl cuts off. Stops. Just... freezes. Mid everything. Nothing moves. Enough to break the spell these two cuties had us all under watching them just... happily exist. Safe and happy and even giggly despite the mess above us.

Not the first time I watched this happen. Snek Doll happily melting into being the best big sister she can be, then tumbling into a bad memory. Stopping everything to try and end the thought. Not wanting to hurt or scare her little sisters by panicking.

But Sia quickly leans forward and licks her nose to startle her from her growing spiral. "Hey you, you're here with us. is cozy and snuggly and safe. Yup yup yup."

"Huh? What?" Snek Doll sputters and blinks as ears flutter like a birb's eyestalks after dipping in cold water. "Elbow tails. Right. Yes. No. Don't grow those there. Feathers are better. Colorful ones. You're going to love them ALOT! Not as much as the tail tails but more than you'd expect. Make everything better and easier to move and figure out. They also floof like fuzzy ears and can tell everyone things about your wordless feelings."

"And! I have four elbows! That's so good!"

"Exactly! You're going to be steady and SO ready for anything. Stairs and Spires and any snuggly tunnels." She agrees.

Elevar moves carefully then, moves to pull both the little ones into a big hug. "Alright. I need my Doll and Infection to help me check on the mess above. But we're leaving Krahe here with you all. Keep her from trouble. Or boredom. If you please? It's a balance, I know, but your three seem up for the task."

Can't help but chuckle at that.

Sia and the Snek Doll both hug her back before demanding hugs from Infection and Verbess as well. Which... of course they give. My little birbs like some big happy sea clam around a fresh catch, and Infection with all of its tail and never even close to pricking with an of the endless sharp Quills all over itself.

Elevar kneels to rest a hand on Sikkina's egg. Murmuring soft words of goodbye.

I get tackled a bit too. Nuzzled by my Pack that's just... so happy I'm safe.

Then they're heading out. And I'm left with three little ones filled with more mischief than I've seen since... well, the old memories of watching out for the orphans of a city.

"Honestly, It'll be good to rest this Frame's gears." I sigh while leaning back against a little wall of roots. Picking up a tail and poking at the teeth. Trying to... to clean out the gunk left from dragging behind through the dirt. Can kinda feel every bit of gross tasting mess lodged between each tail the more I consider them.

"Would you like some help cleaning your tails?" Sia asks as she starts digging through one of the three large woven containers that act as occasional seating down here.

"Sure. Just be careful around the fangs. Wouldn't want you to get bit." I cackle, offering her one with a few less sharp edges.

Snek Doll slithers over. Picking up one and starting to poke and prod at the mostly stiff tail.

Sia comes over with four brushes made from prickle-badger quills, the points dulled and softened but the shafts still strong and wiry. "These should help. and uhm.. I think we can have the sanctuary fill a basin for us with water to clean your tails once we get the big bits off."

"Wow, really? That's... huh." I murmur while offering her a tail, "Yeah. Those'll do the trick, actually. Perfect. This Frame could cuddle or nibble on one of the spikey cuties and not get a scratch."

"Mmhm. I asked Warden-self and Ciska to make them for your tails since I really wanted to brush them but didn't have a good brush." Sia comments as she gets to work with two of the brushes on the one tail.

"That's really sweet of ya. And thanks." Then I take up a spare one and start getting to work with them.

Takes a bit and a spit, but with these two little one's deft help we get most of the dry muck off the tails.

After that, the girls help me crawl over to the center of the Sanctuary. Chattering happily about getting Sikkina to try and weave wet water to help us wash the rest away. Overtop the floor settled Glyphs and still healing cracks about them.

Sia has a basin, and Snek Doll kinda... bleps and starts patting the root floor. Nudging her sister to 'stap nappin' and help clean their fast aunt up'.

Kinda start cackling at that. So much that I miss the start of the stream of water slerping up into the container. Just kinda dump a bundle of tails into the container for easy access and get ready to start working.

Isn't till the floor shifts that I notice the still unhatched little one making mischief. Sikkina deciding its past time she can move about.

Or roll. Actually. Because it's an egg-shaped mass that twists up from the floor, following the stream of water spilling upways, and latches onto one of the tails still dipped in the basin.

"OH!" Snek Doll exclaims and tries to explain. "Sikkina wants to help. And is also tired of naps."

Go very very still at like... this entire mess. "I... but she... Is... um...."

Oh Lynette is gonna crack sideways at this. Her littlest kid deciding that being burrowed in the heart of a magical sanctuary isn't as neat as being an egg that can roll out of it.

Sia's expression changes, becoming cold and analytical as she moves to look at Sikkina's more mobile form. [Warden-self please advise.] She intones so very loudly, seemingly trying to shout across the distance.

A pause as we all wait with heald breaths we don't need for an answer.

"Momma Lynette says that little sister needs to stay inside the Sanctuary till she hatches but that this is okie dokie. and that she's suuuper proud of Sikkina and that she definitely didn't stumble, nope nope nope." Sia says after a moment.

Oh. Okay. So might crack me a bit for letting this happen on a day like today. But... naw. This is good news. She kinda probs needs this spit of luck.

"Bitch tits." I agree and move to kinda... lump a few more tails around Sikkina's egg. "Easy. Fast aunt will help keep the little wigglers and wobblers from exiting the safe magical fold between the roots. Or sumthin'."

"Fast Auntie, am I allowed to say that too?" Sia asks with a mischievous grin.

"Sure. Can't see why not?" I murmur while snuggin the wiggly feeling egg close. "Bitch tits are better than normal tits. So you can only spit that when something's really neat. Can't just be like... sorta good. Or halfway the best. Has to be really amazing. Yeah?"

"Is Momma Elevar bitch tits?"

"No. Nope. But not because my Mistress isn't amazing. Um... like... It's not about the people. It's about like..." I gesture vaguely with a free hand. "The situation. The sway of things. The general Songs you're hearing get spun. Cuz you don't need the bits to be liking what's happening."

"Ooooo." Sia exclaims in understanding.

"Okay. Soooo..." I murmur, turning to look down at the egg. "This water you spun up seems just the trick. Wanna just watch or take to scrubbin' with your sisters and me?"

The egg seems to wobble happily but otherwise stays firmly stuck on my tail.

"Alright. Perfect. Let's... see if I can't be mostly cleaned up before all ya'lls mom gets back." I agree, and we get to work.

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