Sun Mote Copse athough it’s dark now, i know we’re gonna make it to sunrise

Oh, it’s okay. You can call me Meerkat, she said. No, we ju—

The sound of paws scurrying in the leaf litter made her lapse into abrupt silence. Meerkat listened to what sounded like canine footfalls, though the noise quickly moved away, out of earshot. She drew in a breath, then decided there was likely no threat.

Sorry, I thought I heard something. Anyway, my mate—Seal’s dad—and I decided we’re going to start a village here in the copse, Meerkat shared. We will be sister packs with all the Moon villages, although I suppose we will be a Sun village, she realized with a quiet chuckle.

The laughter quickly died in her throat. It was difficult to make merry on such a day, though she wanted to be a good hostess. Meerkat motioned for Ajei to join her and turned to continue striding now along the copse’s fringe. She’d hardly walked very far at all before coming upon the scent of a coyote.

What brings you all the way out here today? she wondered, trying to make conversation even as she scratched her paws against the ground to overlay her own scent.