Jade Fern Grove he's got looks that books take pages to tell

Xan was... a little awkward. But he had potential, and lots of it. That was something Sriracha could work with. There was more to him than his sullen attitude. Sriracha had seen glimpses of it, here and there, and couldn't wait to see the boy come into his own.

Sriracha snickered. Your accent is atrocious, Xan, he said. But you'll get better. I believe in you, amigo. He didn't realize that he'd slipped into his native tongue for the last word, and so he didn't translate. As for Xan leaving, Sriracha didn't mind at all. He trusted the red-eyed wonder, and he knew that there was something personal going on. He liked Xan, he wouldn't begrudge him his freedom to do as he wished. We'll be right here. I like it too much to pack up so soon.

Then came the hole.

Spitting and sputtering, Sriracha attempted to expell the dirt from his mouth. Scowling he looked upon the hole, then grinned. Success! They had-quite literally- stumbled upon a den, but Sriracha's investigation turned up the same results as Xan's. I hope there are, he said. Just one measly den wouldn't be enough, and would definitely mean they'd be digging their own. With everything else they had to do, it would be helpful to at least get dens taken care of. I wanted us to be able to sleep together. I-I meant all of us. A communal den, so to say. He stuttered after his initital, suggestive statement, ears twitching down in embarrassment. Of course, if it makes you uncomfortable I would never make you stay with us. He didn't even know if that's what Ocra or Kessa would want.