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

She thought about whispering for Ajei to stay close, though she glanced backward and saw the young girl was already doing as much. Meerkat offered her a tight-lipped smile and then proceeded with caution.

Apprehension filled her when they came upon a rangy male with shaggy white fur and a missing eye. Reminding herself that she shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, Meerkat opened her mouth to say something when he barked at them. She jolted slightly, blinking.

Hello, she forced out a bit stiffly, still trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, my name is Meerkat. What brings you to the copse today? My mate and I are trying to establish a claim here.

She wondered if he hadn’t noticed the scent markers, in which case they would need to strengthen them immediately. Ajei could help with that, after all, Towhee too. But Meerkat had a bad feeling he’d noticed and simply hadn’t cared, a thought which had her warily shifting her weight.