Sun Mote Copse “A hug is always the right size.” —Winnie the Pooh

Towhee didn't say anything, though Meerkat sensed that she should stay here, no matter how much the rest of copse tempted her. Fortunately for her, a distraction presented itself a moment later as one of her older brothers strode into view, a dead bird in his mouth. She bounded over to greet him before he'd even had a chance to speak. The sight of Bronco with a pheasant stirred some memories already fading into the ether of her early childhood, making her tail wag.

Her eyes tracked his movements as he plucked a feather. She wondered what he planned to do with it. Before he could demonstrate his intentions, Meerkat glanced over her shoulder to check on her mother. Towhee loitered in the background, seated now and gazing in another direction, her expression preoccupied. The pup gazed at her a beat, decided she was okay for the moment, then faced forward to see what Bronco meant to do with that feather... and the rest of the bird too.