Noctisardor Bypass we built this city on rock and roll

rendezvous day! @Mahler @Witch @Druid @Worripa @Skaigona

It was time. The den, as cozy as it was, had been feeling a bit too cozy. Sequoia felt the children grow more restless with each passing day, especially her own. Praimfaya's children were still a bit young yet, but they would be fine a little bit early.

Evening was beginning to settle in when Sequoia rounded up the four children. The sky was a brilliant gradient of blue, purple, and pink. Sequoia paused only once to give the den a long look, then began to herd the four children toward their new home.

It was a lovely little clearing near the lake with a few trees smattered about for shelter during the rain. Plenty of water, plenty of food, and plenty of room to stretch their legs, something Sequoia had noticed them doing more and more these days.

When they had all tumbled in behind her, she glanced back to the crowd. Mahler may have chosen their first home, but this one was all Sequoia. Well, what do you think?

yay!

milkmother sequoia had chosen a lovely day for their outing. skaigona did not notice how the woman's eyes lingered upon the den that had for so long housed them. and so she did not understand that this was amau.
turn by turn, she walked alongside witch, scampered sidelong druid, and marched with worripa, until eventually they stopped and the girl was free to look at the new bounty of sight.
she was awed, and stood still a long moment, only drinking in the sheer volume of new details, not quite overwhelmed but a bit dazed with delight.
and then skaigona dashed forward with a loud crow of joy.

She walked slowly today to avoid tangling her own legs, feeling both accomplished and relieved when they arrived at their destination without a single tumble. Druid took several moments to survey their surroundings, a smile touching her mouth when Skaigona went careening away with a happy shout.

She made to look up at Sequoia and answer her question, when she noticed a spot of color out of the corner of her eye. She turned, head tilting as her eyes fell upon a cluster of fungi sprouting up from the soil. Druid had seen such things before, knowing them by sight if not by name, but she had never seen this variety before.

These mushrooms almost resembled little trees with thick trunks and broad, flat tops. When she ventured closer, she noticed wrinkles along the meaty stem. What most captivated her was that bright golden color, a lovely contrast against the green backdrop.

Finally looking to her mother, Druid wondered, Mama, what’s this?

I found this handy dandy “mushroaming” guide. She’s found some Pacific golden chanterelles!

The four little ones scampered along, and Sequoia was happy to see it. There were parts of the den she would miss, but by and large, she was glad to be out of it and back to sleeping out in the open for now. Besides, she could always go back when she wished. They just wouldn't be spending every waking (and sleeping) our in there anymore.

Druid was asking a question (as she so often did) about something she'd found on the ground. Sequoia wandered over to investigate, sniffing at the plump mushroom to confirm her suspicions.

That there is a mushroom. Without explaining further, Sequoia plucked one and chomped it down. It wasn't her favorite flavor, but it was something, and what better way to teach the kids what they could and couldn't eat by... eating the things they could!

skaigona had come loping and breathless back toward her family, tripping twice along the way. while she had not been close enough to hear the words exchanged, the war-girl traded an energetic pant for a gasp as sequoia snatched up the odd little trees.
she still had not heard the name for what they were, but skaigona was consumed by her caretaker's zeal. she lunged from where she was toward the shivering clutch of fungus, biting into the nearest fleshlike head with a brave growl.

Sequoia identified her finding as mushrooms, seconds before chomping down on one. Druid’s head reared back in surprise. She had never seen her dam eat anything besides meat before and it had not even occurred to her that these strange plants might be food.

Skaigona lunged at another mushroom, tearing at it with her teeth. Druid blinked as she watched, fascinated. Not only were these chanterelles edible, they were apparently palatable too.

Soon, Witch and Worripa came scurrying over to see what was happening and they, too, joined in the feast. Druid continued hovering there as the others fed, then struck out a paw to touch the nearest chanterelle. It felt strange to her, almost rubbery, and soon she leaned in to touch her nose against it, then take a taste for herself.

Chewing thoughtfully, she tried to decide what she thought of this odd food source. The texture was very different from meat. It broke down in her mouth while she ruminated, turning into a sort of gruel she eventually swallowed. It went down a bit easier than gobs of chewed meat, though Druid didn’t think she enjoyed the earthy flavor very much.

She reached out and pulled at another of the mushrooms with her teeth, though she didn’t intend to eat any more of it. Instead, she tugged it from the soil and dragged it a few feet away, leaving the others to their meal as she proceeded to poke and prod the unearthed chanterelle.

All four pups seemed immediately interested in this new food source, and Sequoia couldn't help but grin at their newfound curiosity. She watched Druid in particular, who was the last to eat one, but also the most studious of the bunch. While the others chomped down with little regard to what they were eating, Druid chewed more thoughtfully, even taking one to study more carefully while the other pups seemed to quickly devour what was left of this small patch of shrooms.

She left Druid to her own devices, instead deciding to focus on the other three for a moment. Witch, Skaigona, and Worripa would surely fill their bellies with this today, but there was something she wanted all four of them to know, so she spoke loud enough that Druid would catch her words even from where she inspected her specimen.

Now, you should know that while some mushrooms are edible, some of them will straight-up kill you. So make sure you know what you're eating before you eat it. You can always bring one to Mahler or me, and we'll let you know if it's a threat or not.

the war-girl recovered herself long enough to hear sequoia. bits of pulped mushroom dribbled from her lips, but she attended her milk-mother with a stand of her pale ears.
straight-up kill you. despite the fact that all indications and her own mother suggested these fungi were fine, skaigona let the mushrooms gently tip off her tongue.
she came over to stand alongside druid, giving the growth a proper once over, her demeanour a bit sheepish.

Druid glanced up at the sound of her mother’s voice, ears pricking inquisitively as Sequoia warned the four pups about other types of fungi. Her eyes widened and she glanced at her siblings, just in time to watch all three mouths open and let the partially chewed mushroom dribble out. Druid couldn’t help but chuckle lowly at the sight, though she heeded the gravity of her mother’s warning.

Skaigona caught her eye before coming closer. Druid sat up a little straighter and nudged at her sister, then glanced down at the chanterelle. Deciding she was done with it for now, she said, Let’s explore some more. Mama, that’s okay, right? she added, gaze lifting to Sequoia. She hadn’t entirely grasped what moving here meant, the freedoms the rendezvous site offered.

Of course, Sequoia said. There was no need to hold them back. Instinct would keep them close, Sequoia knew, and little by little, they would gain their independence. It would be difficult to let them go, but Sequoia had been through this enough with other folks' kids to know that it was important to let them spread their wings. Holding them back would only breed contempt.