The Council Meeting

***The Council Meeting*** is the sixth chapter of the first volume of Star-Crossed. This also marks the last chapter of the first volume.

## Summery

It opens up at sunset in the Wolf Den, just after the events of the previous chapter. As they're all settling down and having their dinner, Bravo notices that Steven Universe isn't there, and rightfully confirms that he truly had left them. Kimba reminds her about Steven's family, thinking she knew of it, but while Bravo mentions Dash saying something of it, and she assumed that he's alright given how none of them are crying about it (unless they all got over it). Bravo and Kimba start arguing about it, Kimba saying how Steven can survive in the Bajelous Jungle while Bravo insists that she's just being "realistic", and they shouldn't be surprised if they find his dead body soon. During this, Bhoot joins in and recounts his experience with being healed by Steven, him super excited that Steven has magic at all. Alexander tells them all to quiet down, and that the only thing that matters is that they're all safe and sound, and they don't have to hunt tonight.

Following into the night, Bravo is woken up by distant noises coming from just outside the den. Bravo sees someone kneeling down right next to Kimba, and she soon readies herself, and pounces on the attacker. Knocked outside, Bravo finds that it was a Gem, specifically Peridot! The attack wakes up the rest of the pack, Alexander confronting her on what's going on and asking her why Peridot was even there at all. Before any fight could start, the rest of the Crystal Gems arrive, Garnet claiming they want to talk to them. It is revealed shortly after that the Crystal Gems' old home, Beach City, no longer exists, as they didn't find anyone, nor *anything* there when they checked on it, and they hoped that the wolves can provide an answer for them so they can catch up. Alexander and Raksha, while sad, insist that they don't know anything about their old home, and Bravo even questions what they meant by it ([vanishing] into thin air). After getting their answer, Garnet then inquires about what happened to Earth, which surprises all of them as they truly didn't know what happened there.

Kimba asks Raksha for help, who offers to tell them for him, and Kimba explains that while they don't know the details, they do know of a story that should explain everything. Raksha proceeds to tell them the legend of "Human's Folly", and how humanity had disappeared from the world not long after their "creations" appeared, leaving Steven convinced that he's the last known Human. Kimba quickly comforts Steven though, and claims that it's possible other humans are out there and that he has to be patient (though the others were sure that they were extinct). Kimba admits that he only said that to not completely break them, given his reaction to the story in the first place, though Raksha and Bravo insist he should know soon. After they finished talking amongst themselves, the Crystal Gems confront the wolves again, Garnet asking for one more thing from Alexander. Bravo brings Kimba into it, trying to make him tell them, but Alexander sends her inside before she could do any more.

It transitions to days later, showing numerous animals of the Bajelous Jungle heading over to a clearing by a waterfall, later revealed to be a springtime meeting of the Animalian Tribe with the main council (Alexander, Fox, Hazel and Ben) also present. Pauly informs Akela that many of the animals are on their way, though some from some groups, namely Farthing Wood and Watership Down, weren't coming due to both last winter and the rumors of Humans. Just before the meeting could begin, Fox tells Hazel that he's ready to tell everyone about what occurred earlier, claiming he held his encounter with the Gems to himself for too long. Akela soon announces the meeting, reminding everyone to not fight or threaten anyone and to have an open mind to the information. The first to speak was Ben, informing about the Savannah animals returning to the Jungle, about Pagoola's son, Bizo, and about his flock's investigation of the crash site by the plateau. Hazel speaks next, telling everyone about a group of spenderfoot raptors invading both Farthing Wood, and Watership Down, and how a number of casualties were caused by them. Before Fox could speak, Alexander cuts him off and tells everyone about a new group arriving, wanting everyone there so they can better adapt to things. Akela allows this to happen, in spite of the meeting not being a recruitment.

Alexander howls, signaling Kimba, Raksha, and the Crystal Gems to come out to show everyone. Fox immediately scolds Alexander for not driving them away, but Hazel and the Gems actually start recognizing eachother. In glee, Amethyst and Steven rush over to say hello, but Ben stops them claiming that they can't wander up to them whenever they want to. Kimba questions them how they could know, but Ben brings Steven and Amethyst out to the council before they could answer. Akela looks them over, and allows the council to speak their opinions on the matter: Fox and Ben both oppose the idea of letting them stay; the former reminding everyone how dangerous they are, and of their previous Gem War with them, and the latter (after looking them over) saying that they were too weak in their state and that they would either dry up in the sun or freeze in the snow, assuming a predator doesn't eat them first. Alexander and Hazel meanwhile are in support of the idea, both having more positive experiences with them: Alexander with the events between the Werewolf and Hollowhorn herd, and Hazel knowing them from Homeworld and how they helped him and his fellow rabbits return to Earth before.

Kimba believes this'll all go well, but they soon find it to be a tie between the council members. Akela announces that the Crystal Gems need two more to speak either for or against them before they can decide anything and asks who would do so. At first nobody answers, but eventually Baloo gets up and speaks for them. Baloo says that they have delt with this kind of situation before, reminding them of the raptors they have in their pack and how he sees this as no different from it. Baloo states that he sees nothing wrong with letting them stay and even offers to teach them himself. Akela still states one more is needed, but soon another voice appears to speak for the group: Bagheera. She tells them how the gems never knew anything about the world before appearing, and even tells Steven that no humans were seen in the Bajelous for 100 years, just to show the council how shocked and genuine his reaction to it was. She finishes her statement by offering them a full meal of a fully grown Club-Tail, along with a pile of berries, "buying" the gems into the tribe as part of Jungle law. Reluctantly, Ben allows them in as the odds were aginst him, and Fox (even more reluctantly) allows this to happen too.

With that, Akela announces to them all that the Crystal Gems are now part of the Bajelous Tribe, much to the joy of the gems themselves. While leaving, Fox questions what will happen now with them staying in the jungle, to which Alexander only says "We'll see."

## Features

### Characters

* Alexander
* Kimba
* Raksha
* Bravo
* Grey (non-speaking)
* Sierra (non-speaking)
* Tango (non-speaking)
* Dash (mentioned)
* Bhoot
* Peridot
* Garnet
* Pearl
* Envy
* Steven Universe
* Amethyst
* Hathi (cameo)
* Bucky (cameo)
* Dodie (cameo)
* Akela
* Fox
* Hazel
* Ben
* Baloo
* Ruffle (cameo)
* Pauly
* Pagoola (mentioned)
* Bizo
* Holly (mentioned)
* Pimpernel (mentioned)
* Toadflax (mentioned)
* Scabious (mentioned)
* Jasper (flashback)
* Bagheera

### Locations

* Earth
	+ Bajelous Jungle
		- Savannah (flashback)
		- Watership Down (mentioned)
		- Farthing Wood (mentioned)
	+ Beach City (mentioned)
* Human Zoo (flashback)