Sun Mote Copse inner gold

TEXT WALL INCOMING! :o

Her younger sister’s question was even more direct and specific than she’d anticipated. Meerkat’s tail twitched, lips pulling into an approving smile even as her whisky gaze became considering. It was a very good question, one she wanted to think about for a moment before answering. She held up a paw to indicate this.

-I believe in trying to talk first, which may or may not require some mediation depending on the context. You don’t have to make nice, necessarily, but try to open a line of communication; ask questions; and seek to understand the other side. But you also have to know how to read a situation, know when it’s escalated beyond conversation.

I can think of an example, kinda sorta,- she continued after a contemplative pause, tilting a paw in the air. -Last fall, when we were still trying to establish our claim, Ajei came to visit. While she and I were touring the copse, a strange man appeared. I didn’t know if he was a threat but I put myself in between him and my young visitor. I introduced myself, told him the land was claimed. When he didn’t take the hint, I asked him to leave. I was polite but firm. I told him of other places he could go if he wanted to hunt, for instance.-

Even after all these months, her breath came a little short as she recalled the next part of the story: -He wouldn’t budge. He kept talking. I’m usually a good listener but I knew then that words weren’t going to work. I also knew it would be far too risky to attack. So when I saw a chance, I shouted for Ajei to run. I kept myself between her and the stranger, though I’m not even sure he pursued us. He vanished and, thankfully, we never saw him again.-

Her legs were a little weary after signing all of that. Meerkat blinked and gently lowered them to the ground. She wasn’t even sure she’d answered Jr’s question or that the story spoke particularly well to her leadership capabilities. That reminded her of something else that she wanted to bring up though, something which was most certainly relevant to the topic.

-Through experience, you get a sense for how to handle situations like this on a case-by-case basis. Which is why I was actually thinking we could make you the copse’s first honoree. It’s a role intended for retired leaders—or aspiring ones. I would need to speak to Njord about it but I for one wouldn’t mind if you took some initiative in the role, like vetting joiners and the like.-