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Everyone reappeared back on top of the canopy. Thorn paused, holding her hammer close. Prim sighed.
"We did it... We actually defeated the Chaos Council." she said.
"Yeah, but that was... Insane." Gnarly said.
"So, what happened?" Hangry asked.
"A lot... A lot happened." Thorn stood her hammer up to her side.
"I think... We should at least fix our argument. Like talking this out?" Rustle said.
"Well, yeah. But how?" Onyx asked.
The blue hedgehog paused, his messy quills still riddled with twigs and leafs from before.
"Let's start by talking about our feelings. Remember, there's no wrong way to feel. I can go first if you'd like, because I have a lot on my mind honestly." Rustle said.
"... Fine, go on ahead." Thorn said.
"Thank you! So I feel... Wow, I mean like this in the most literal sense but I'm still reeling from the shock of fighting off the CHAOS COUNCIL THEMSELVES! Like, what the heck just happened?! We were just there and, my excitement is going through the roof on this! So what I'm trying to say is that I'm both shocked and excited right now. Anyway, your turn."
"Me?"
"Yeah. Just remember, there's no wrong way to feel."
Thorn paused, looking down at the ground solemnly.
"I feel... Saddened. I... Didn't wanna chase you all up into the canopy. I just wanted to protect the jungle. We were... Friends, right? But... I know that, after a while... All I saw was the constant taking. I just... Came to the realization that we were depleting our resources. And when I tried to get you all to stop, you continued. You never gave the jungle rest, nor respect, you were killing it off."
"Is... That why you snapped?" Prim asked.
"Yeah... I'm sorry, I just... I wanted to apologize, but I knew that I couldn't go back to the way things were after that stunt. So I continued, continued to be your enemy, and you continued to be mine..."
"I'm sorry, Thorn. We didn't know." Gnarly apologized. Mangey scampered up to them, whimpering a little.
"I... Didn't see it like that, honestly. But... I can see why you wanted to protect the jungle so much. So that we could still live in it and not eventually starve from always taking resources. Next time, we'll be more mindful, okay?" Prim said.
"Okay... Thank you, all of you. Now, do you all want to return to the jungle?" Thorn offered.
"Sure, we'd love that."
Thorn nodded, heading down from a tree back underneath the darkened canopy. Just then, a massive shatterquake erupted as a tree fell over, dividing the entire group up.
"Hold on, we'll go around!" Prim called.
"What?" Gnarly asked from the other side.
"I said-"
"They can't hear us. The tree is too thick. But... Why did it get knocked down?" Thorn asked, confused. She knocked on the wood, realizing that it was hollow.
"A... Hollow tree? Why is it hollow? That... Shouldn't be possible." she said.
Birdie cawed, signaling to the hedgehog and bat that the heart of the jungle was nearby.
Thorn blinked before realizing what birdie was referring to.
"Oh! Right, the heart of the jungle! It must've reappeared! C'mon!" Thorn pulled Prim ahead of everyone else, running through the jungle.
"How much longer?" Prim asked.
"Somewhere around here..." Thorn said, looking for the shard. She wasn't sure where it was.
Prim groaned, seeing this search grow tedious.
"Okay, we need to be careful- WATCH OUT!" Thorn pushed Prim out of the way, getting herself knocked into quicksand in the process.
Prim immediately tried to yank her out, struggling to get her out of the ground. Eventually, she yanked her out. The two panted, finally taking a breather from that.
"Here..." Prim handed back Thorn's hammer.
"Thanks." she took it, holding it close.
"Let's get going."
Thorn paused, keeping her hammer up to the ground, noticeably trying to keep herself upright.
"Um... Thorn? You okay?" Prim asked.
"I think I twisted my ankle." Thorn winced.
"Oh, um... Here." she scooped her up, flying her up onto Birdie before setting her down.
"There, feel better?"
"I... Thank you." Thorn thanked.
Prim nodded, flying back down to the ground in front of Birdie. She gently touched his beak, trying to be gentle.
"Now, where do you think the heart is?" she asked.
Thorn pointed to the northeastern direction. "That way."
"Got it. Let's go." Prim continued to head on, with Thorn riding on Birdie as they traversed through the jungle.
"So, Prim... I just wanna um... Thank you. Again." Thorn began softly.
"Well, I had to save you, and-"
"I'm sorry for keeping the jungle away from all of you."
"Look, it's fine. Really. I understand."
"I know, but... I just feel so guilty! Like I... I...!"
"Thorn, calm down. Let's take a breather, okay? Just... Let's start with a simple relaxation exercise."
"Like what?"
"Okay, um... Tell me five things you see."
"Okay? I see... Leaves, twigs... Birdie, you and... The grass."
"Four things you feel."
"Birdies feathers... The wristbands I have on, the... Leafs covering my feet and hands..."
"Three things you hear."
"I hear... Footsteps, crickets, and... The grass."
"Two things you can smell."
"The... Humid air and the... Natural vegetation."
"And one thing you can taste."
"I... Taste... Um..." Thorn paused. She breathed, looking over at Prim.
"It's alright if you have nothing, as long as you feel calm you're alright."
"Right... Right..." Thorn idly gestured for Prim to come closer. She curiously flew up to her, sitting beside her on Birdie.
"I... Um... Do you mind if I just...?" Thorn pulled Prim closer into a hug. Prim paused, just taking the hug and holding Thorn close to her.
Then she felt a small kiss.
"I taste... Light berries, like jam." Thorn giggled.
Prim blushed. "O-Oh, I didn't realize-"
"It's fine, I get that berries are an oddly relaxing juice cleanse, especially in the heat."
"You're... Not weirded out by it?"
"No, of course not! If anything, I find it kinda funny that we both like berries enough for juice cleanses."
"Really?! That's crazy!"
"I know, right?!"
Birdie cawed, interrupting their conversation. The two looked over to see the green shard, leaning up onto the Great Green.
Prim got off of Birdie, helping Thorn and letting her use her hammer as a crutch. The two walked over to the shard, with Prim picking it up before handing it to Thorn.
"I think... This belongs to you." she said.
"Well... Thank you. Let's head back to the others, then. I'm sure they're worried about us." Thorn said.
"Yeah, they probably are."
Prim helped Thorn back onto Birdie before they flew back to the knocked down tree. They reached everyone else, with Thorn holding the shard up.
"Let's reclaim the jungle. Together."