Moonspear shrimps is bugs

Her nose itched and Meerkat wriggled it, then rubbed at it with the back of her paw. Meanwhile, she listened as Fennec indulged her morbid curiosity, speaking of a marriage to Germanicus and all its ill-fated trappings.

Wasn’t he married to Rue? she questioned without thinking, then shook her head. Sorry, that’s not important. It sounds like the whole thing was a sham? I’m so sorry, Fen, that’s…

Well, there really weren’t words that properly encompassed the breadth of that situation. Meerkat wasn’t much of a swearer, though “fucked up” didn’t even really cover it anyway, did it?

I’m sorry you went through that. I understand a little better now, why you seem bitter sometimes, Meerkat said after a moment, touching apologetically at her sister’s shoulder. It sounds like you’ve been misled and let down by almost everyone close to you.

Everyone they knew had seen struggles. Just look at their parents, for instance. But Meerkat didn’t want to draw comparisons, just acknowledge Fen’s hardships in particular.

I promise I’ll try not to be one of them, she added after a moment, for whatever that’s worth.