Sun Mote Copse “It never hurts to keep looking for sunshine.” —Eeyore

Her younger sister refuted her, causing Meerkat to press her lips together ponderously. How could she get Q to cooperate? Before she could contemplate how best to coax the littler puppy back to the rendezvous site, a freshly muddied Quetzal came barreling toward her. She could've tried dodging, though Meerkat just held still and let it happen.

She laughed upon impact, feeling Q's forelegs sling around her neck as mud smeared just about everywhere. Meerkat figuratively and literally leaned into it, pressing her nose against her sister's cheek and nuzzling it emphatically right before gathering some mud on her toes and wiping it off on the other child's neck.

And then an idea struck her. -"Come and get me!"- Meerkat chirped, spinning and darting back toward the area where Towhee still snoozed, totally unawares.