Sun Mote Copse Jimmy goes to space.

Towhee stood beside the log where she'd lived with Meerkat those first few weeks of her life, staring toward the center of the rendezvous site where her growing child played with a dead rabbit @Phox had dropped off a little while ago. The Regent bit her lip, then strode toward her daughter, who ignored her approach entirely. Meerkat was sprawled on her back, holding the carcass in the air with all four legs, laughing as she tried to balance it and apparently oblivious to her mother's looming shadow.

-"Hey,"- Towhee eventually said, swiping out a paw to brush the youngster's ribs. This caused Meerkat to drop the dead rabbit and flop onto her side, eyes smiling up at her dam. -"I'm going to go on a patrol."- The pup began to push excitedly to her feet, so the Regent took a deep breath, shook her head and continued. -"I want you to stay here."- She saw the questioning look pass over her daughter's face. Meerkat's mouth opened but Towhee cut across before she could get a word in edgewise. -"It's not because I don't want you to come with me. It's—I think you're ready to stay here by yourself. I trust you to hang out here on your own. This is kind of a big deal, ya' feel me?"-

-"Oooooh,"- came Meerkat's response to this. She looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. "'Kay, cool!" she decided breezily, flopping back down onto her side, yawning and stretching in the grass. Her tail thumped the ground as her eyes rolled up toward Towhee again. She grinned.

She shouldn't have been surprised by this reaction. Meerkat had always been such an easy, pleasant and obedient child, so far. But Towhee hesitated before agreeing, -"Okay, cool. I'll see you in a little bit."- She gave the pup a bit of an unnecessarily imperious look before adding, -"And stop playing with your food and eat it, ya' goof,"- before finally turning and striding, a little mechanically, back toward the edge of the rendezvous site. She had to inwardly coach herself to not look back as she headed toward the borders.

Towhee felt a little out of sorts as she made her way there. She knew, logically, that Meerkat was old enough for this. The kiddo certainly didn't seem to mind. But it was kind of a big deal to the Regent. She slowed and gave herself a moment to breathe. She couldn't help but wonder if Meerkat's easygoing temperament as a child meant she was going to be a difficult teenager. The thought made Towhee huff and she began moving again.