Dragoncrest Cliffs I think I left my conscience on your front doorstep

She had made her way to the opening of the den, slowly moving towards the light on shaky legs. There was still very much she didn't understand about the world, but courage and curiosity flowed through the tiny girl like the waves of the ocean that surrounded their home. She had no fear of the unknown and only wanted to see what was beyond the darkness of her home.

When she finally reached the light, she plopped down on her butt and looked around. The seastar squinted against the bright light, her soft puppy eyes not used to so much stimulation. But that didn't deter her wanderlust one bit. She stood and started to take another step, hoping to make it much farther before anyone knew she was missing.

Each day, her journey to the Obsidian’s den took longer than the day before. She grew absolutely rotund and her small feet never stopped aching. But she kept her promise to @Erzulie and her children. She already adored them dearly and could only hope she had a chance of earning a special place in their little lives.

Hello, sweet girl, Meerkat said upon arriving at the roja den and discovering a tiny face lurking in the doorway. She took a moment to marvel at how quickly the pups were developing—and to breathe through a flurry of kicks—before adding, What are you getting up to today? She closed the distance and very, very carefully lowered to her haunches.

She recognized the woman's scent; she had been here a few times, and so the seastar thought she was likely safe. 

Aminthe's tail slapped against the ground and then she jumped up and bounced with no grace over to the nice lady. She couldn't understand her words just yet, but the tone was similar to the one her mothers used when they talked to her.

She collapsed on Meerkat's front paw and stared to chew on her toes.

Aminthe bumbled up to her, adorable beyond comprehension. Meerkat reached out a paw, hovering it by the tiny girl’s shoulder in case she took a tumble. She grinned when the Pebble did gently collapse on her other paw, promptly gnawing at her toes. It strung a little, though she stayed still, bringing her free paw down in gentle strokes along the baby’s head and back.

What if, she said after a moment, noticing a stick nearby and bending to drag it nearer, grunting with the effort. What if you chewed on this instead? she proposed, gently withdrawing her paw from Aminthe’s mouth and nudging the more appropriate chew toy toward her. She felt sorry for Erzulie’s poor nipples, her own aching in sympathy.

This adult let her chew on her toes for a moment, much to Aminthe's delight. Her tail thumped behind her as the woman spoke. 

Then she was presented with a long, thick object. Suddenly she was overcome with curiosity about the gift. She abandoned the tasty toe in favor of checking out this new thing. 

The seastar promptly got to work on the stick, holding it between her tiny paws as best she could and gnawing off little pieces of bark. Her tail continued to thump erratically against the ground as she was thoroughly distracted, at least for now.

Aminthe didn’t seem to mind the redirection. In fact, she took to the stick quite enthusiastically, exploring it with her mouth as infants were wont to do. Meerkat nosed the baby’s crown, then gently eased herself into a prone position close by. She could see little bits of bark flaking off the stick and kept a careful eye on things, making sure Aminthe didn’t swallow anything she shouldn’t while getting the most out of her new teething toy.

Aminthe was distracted by the stick for some time, but she grew bored of it easily, as she tended to do. 

Suddenly the woman was much more interesting again. The seastar abandoned the stick and jumped up. She threw herself at the lady's soft chest and began to chew on the hair, grabbing large mouthfuls and yanking back with all of her weight. It was fun, and she would do it for as long as the nice lady allowed.

She simply gazed at Aminthe as she chewed, shifting every now and again to get more comfortable as her own pups quickened. It didn’t surprise her when the little girl eventually grew tired of her plaything and returned her attention to Meerkat.

When Aminthe mouthed her chest, grabbing and tugging with surprising ferocity, Meerkat rolled her weight onto her left elbow and slung her right foreleg over the baby’s back. At the same time, she arched her muzzle downward to playfully, ticklishly nip at Aminthe’s ribs.

She paused her chewing when she felt Meerkat's paw on her back. Then she felt tickling on her side and she rolled over, releasing her mouthful. 

She reached up with tiny paws and batted at the nice lady's large, soft muzzle. Then her moth found that too, and she grabbed a hold of the woman's lip. Aminthe didn't tug but she chewed gently on the flap of skin; it was surprisingly entertaining.

It was a strange sensation for Meerkat too, when Aminthe caught her by the lip and began to gnaw. She went still and tolerated it for fifteen seconds before gently prising her off and pushing onto all fours, moving her muzzle out of the baby’s reach.

But she didn’t go far. Carefully minding her belly, she ducked back down into a playful bow, rump arced upward and tail swaying like a feather on a breeze. She rumbled a playful noise and patted her paw on the ground, trying to get Aminthe to play and get out what remained of her youthful energy before her next feed and nap.

The pose, however, proved too unsustainable for her current condition. With a soft gasp, Meerkat brought her hindquarters back to the earth, once more rolling to rest her weight on her elbow. She felt the pups kick and smiled, even though it was a bit of a bummer that she couldn’t play with Aminthe the way she wanted.

When Meerkat pulled away, Aminthe looked up in surprise, the absence of her new playmate making sadness twist her expression. 

But then the nice lady lowered herself into a play bow, and the seastar's tail thumped behind her. Sshe ambled forward on clumsy paws, making it just in time to see Meerkat fall back and then onto her side once more. 

The seababe jumped on Meerkat's arm and started to gnaw on it. She was having fun despite the fact the the lady was unable to play with her in the normal way.

She swore she saw disappointment flash across Aminthe’s features too, which made Meerkat’s heart squeeze. But how could she stay crestfallen when, the very next moment, the little girl flung herself at Meerkat’s leg and resumed her gnawing?

Oh, you, she purled under her breath, gently tickling Aminthe’s side in the hope she would release her grip. I think you’ll be a fearsome huntress one day. And I’ll be happy to help you with that, as your coach. It made her so happy, knowing she could step into this role with this generation of Sapphique’s youths.

Meantime, she continued in the next breath, we really need to find you something to cut those teeth on! Maybe a bone? …one that’s not inside someone’s leg still? Meerkat chuckled, now applying her nose to Aminthe’s ribs while simultaneously pulling her foreleg away, as it wasn’t a suitable chew toy.

But they’d find one! As soon as she escaped the baby’s teeth, Meerkat pushed onto all fours again and said, C’mon, Aminthe, I’m sure we’ll find a bone around here somewhere, with a grin and wave of her tail.

The tickling would do the trick; Aminthe was overcome with giggles at the playful brush to her side, causing her to let go of Meerkat's arm. There was soft talking but she really didn't know what was being said; she just liked the sound of her voice. 

Then the nice lady was standing and motioning to her to follow—that she could understand. Aminthe stood on wobbly legs and toddled over, looking up at Meerkat expectantly when she reached her.

Goodness, was there a sight more precious than a happy, bumbling puppy toddling after you? Meerkat didn’t think so. She smiled so hugely, her eyes crinkled. She bent down to nose the crown of Aminthe’s head when she waddled into reach, then raised her head and peered toward the nearby roja den.

Surely someone has left something lying around, she murmured to herself, venturing nearer, feeling nearly as ungainly as the pup. Oh, look, she said louder, voice pleased as she discovered just the thing she was looking for around the side of the sett: a well-worn shinbone.

It was much too heavy for the pup, so Meerkat grasped it in her jaws and then swung around, holding the bone teasingly out of reach for only half a heartbeat before gently placing it at Aminthe’s feet with a, Here you go, princess.

Aminthe had no idea where they were going, but that didn't matter. She was curious and full of energy. She would try to lick Meerkat when she nosed her head, her tail whipping back and forth.

Then the woman picked up a large, smooth object and held it over her head. The seastar yipped and fell back on her butt. And when the new toy was set down, so jumped right on it and started gumming it.

Aminthe swiftly seized the bone, cutting her little teeth on it. Meerkat smiled to herself, satisfied, and settled down nearby with a soft sigh. It didn’t take much to wear her out these days, so as much as she hated to leave, she knew she would need the rest of her energy for the walk back to the burrow.

I’ll see you tomorrow, she murmured after heaving back onto her feet and nosing the gnawing pup’s crown again. Enjoy your bone, sweet girl, she added fondly, woofing to the girl’s parents to announce her departure before slowly moseying away from the roja den.