Sun Mote Copse And so I quit the p'lice department

He asked her if she meant to stay or only visit. Her lips pursed. Before she could answer, he began musing out loud. Meerkat's heart fluttered a little faster than usual as she hung on every word. It sounded like he didn't necessarily approve either, so she felt a little crestfallen. But he didn't react sourly, like her mother. He seemed more contemplative than anything. And he had lots of questions.

"I'd go there to stay for a while. I would be an ambassador for Firebirds. It would help keep the relationship between the packs strong, I think." That was just an inexperienced and youthful theory though. "I think it would be exciting, like an adventure. I love my home and everybody here but I also want to live with other packs and explore the world."

Now that she was maturing toward adolescence and wiser in the ways of the world, Meerkat sensed this was the cause of her mother's flat refusal. Towhee didn't want her to go. And it wasn't just because of her age. She hadn't wanted Figment or Fennec to go either. But she had come to terms with those departures. And just like her older siblings, Meerkat intended to return. She wouldn't simply disappear, never to be heard from again. That mere thought made her heart sink. She loved her family at the copse way too much to ever be apart for good.