Northstar Vale moss, mourne

At almost the precise second Swordfish volunteered to remain behind with Mercy, Ray hollered, not it!

Well, that was easy. He should have known his brother would be inclined to remain here and rest, but he wanted to be absolutely sure he wouldn't be the one left behind. Who knew when Fish would suddenly express a desire to see the whole world at Meerkat's side? He thought highly of his brother, of course, and would welcome the blossoming of a more adventurous spirit, but Ray was also a little selfish.

Unlike his siblings, the journey hadn't tired him one bit. Okay, maybe a little bit, but he was too busy absorbing all the new sights and smells to notice how sore his paws were. This was his calling! How could he ever return to a simple, idyllic life at the Sapphique rendezvous after such a grand adventure? Out here, it was easy to forget all his troubles.

Not that Ray had many of those. He lived unapologetically in the moment. Even Njord's continued absence had slipped his mind, and Mr. Bubbles was no longer around to make fun of him. Giving his brother and sister each a sloppy parting kiss, Stingray scrambled after Meerkat, eager to rustle up some grub.