Sun Mote Copse Leaving blood on the paintwork, though primroses grow in circles round his feet.

Meerkat trusted Towhee implicitly as far as babysitting went. As soon as her mother told her to rest her eyes, she let them slip shut. They only reopened when a certain little bairn came careening out of the family’s cottage. She restrained herself from getting up to check on Skipjack when he took a tumble, reminding herself that he needed to sort himself out regardless of his capabilities.

Luckily, he jumped right back onto his little feet and leaped at his grandmother. Towhee caught him in her arms. Meerkat smiled at the sight, which imprinted itself on her eyelids as she closed them again and settled down to sleep in the sunshine.