Phoenix Maplewood stoned at the nail salon

Rye said he hoped to visit again someday, though likely not for a while. Meerkat could certainly relate to that sentiment. He'd lied about the pack's location, though that didn't bother her. Actually, the context made a whole lot of sense to her and the yearling smiled gently, a hint of pain in her brown eyes.

"Hey, I get it. No worries, Rye," she reassured him. "Your first, huh? That's exciting. Congratulations."

She considered his offer, which was particularly generous considering the newborn, and Meerkat smiled appreciatively. "First, tell me more about it. Then maybe I'll decide if it's worth a visit," she replied with a wink.

"Oh, and by the way," Meerkat remembered a moment later, "I lied too, kind of. Suricate is my first name, though I never go by it. Everybody calls me Meerkat."