Dragoncrest Cliffs Underwater

She sat under the tree at Mossbloom, staring down into the creek’s waters. Twice now since returning from their trip, @Mercy had declared an intent to explore outside of the territory. Well, she’d asked her mother and, to Meerkat’s credit, she had allowed it, as long as the girl took a companion with her.

Meerkat sensed it was only a matter of time now before the young woman went further and further afield, then wandered off for good. Call it a mother’s intuition. She just hoped Mercy would tell her mother and brothers first, say a proper goodbye. Meerkat would have to stay strong when that day came.

Feeling needy, she rose to her feet and went to find one of the boys. She wound along the stream headed toward Corsair Beach, even though @Stingray and @Swordfish were welcome to move freely around the territory now. They all spent time at the rendezvous site still, so the odds were in her favor she might find one of them there.

When she didn’t come across either one, Meerkat began rambling in no particular direction. She was just thinking about calling out to them when she heard another voice lifting into the wind. Her mouth dropped open, her heart practically leaping out of it as recognition registered immediately.

In hindsight, Meerkat wouldn’t recall a single detail about the race toward that sound. When she spotted Njord, tears blurred her vision even as she ran toward him. She didn’t see his altered appearance. She was too busy throwing herself into his arms and burying her head in his neck, drawing in his familiar scent and warmth. Meerkat clung to her prodigal husband, sobbing despite feeling nothing but joy, joy, joy.