Sun Mote Copse you took all the lonely days and made them sing

Meerkat couldn't count the number of times an adult had dropped that line on her head (although Meerkat also couldn't count, period). It never got old, though. She beamed as Eljay egged her into a game of tag, a fiendish little glint in her eye as she let out a playful roar and scrambled after him.

At her age, she was mostly over-sized paws, wobbly legs and a slightly pudgy belly, which made for a low center of gravity. She was neither fast nor graceful and kept careening off course or tripping over herself as she ran after him. But none of this affected her enjoyment of the game. She let out loud whoops of laughter, sprinkled here and there with girlish giggles.

A particularly loud cry of delight escaped her when she just about ate shit only for Fig's paw to sweep underneath her and save her at the last second. She grinned up at her big brother, then immediately recommenced chasing the gray sitter, who had slowed down somewhat to allow her to nearly catch up to him.