Sun Mote Copse where the wild things are

She told her mother to stay in the copse as long as she liked, though Towhee insisted on heading east for a few days. She wanted to fetch a skin she’d left in The Heartwood. Meerkat walked her to the northern border and waited until her swarthy figure vanished before deciding she might as well patrol while she was here.

The woods were very quiet this morning. Meerkat felt a little lonely but she reminded herself to revel in this peaceful solitude. It wouldn’t last long, as the village grew (including newborns in the none too distant future), so she told herself to savor it.

And she did. She circled the entire copse, ending up where she’d begun, and felt a deep sense of rightness with the world. She did want to go find @Njord, though before she had the chance to seek out her mate, someone approached. The very same moment Meerkat recognized the visitor as Sialuk, snowflakes began to drift down from above.

Sialuk! Meerkat exclaimed, her voice overly loud. You brought the snows with you, she quipped as she closed the distance, minding her friend’s bundle as she went in for an embrace.