Sun Mote Copse dreams see us through to forever, where clouds roll by for you and i

All the arrangements were made, more or less. The Sveijarn-Corten pair could depart whenever it suited them, safe in the knowledge their home would be kept in their stead. Meerkat felt restless as she pondered this, meandering from one landmark to another before settling in the trees just south of Narwhal’s Respite.

She knew Skipjack was eager to get going, though Meerkat didn’t want to rush @Njord, nor hasten the departure from their beloved family and homestead. She supposed she could pour some of this restive energy into making additional preparations or, at the very least, spending as much time with her mom and the others before they were parted.

Meerkat stood, looking around before deciding to weave deeper into the southerly woods. Perhaps she would run into either one of the Towhees near the borderline. Her eyes drifted skyward, looking for any sign of Ghost, and when they dropped down again, she found herself face-to-face with,

Mo chride.

It wasn’t like Njord to fret, but fret he did.

Would the Copse, and their daughters, be alright in their absence?

Would Meerkat and Skipjack be safe on their journey?

Njord hunted the southerly forest as these thoughts ran through his head. It had been a long time since they underwent a big change… and it made the man realize he had become comfortable in life.

When Meerkat found him, Njord would appear a bit worn down. The Laird had just returned from a long hunt. His fur was messed and a smear of deer’s blood was rubbed into the fur along his jowels, where white hairs had already begun to grow as he watched the days of his sixth summer pass by.

Mo chride.

Meerkat’s sincere voice had a magical ability to calm his spirit.

“Mo leannan,” he crooned as he they met.

“Ah’ve cached a fresh carcass for the girls. Do ye think it’ll be enough?” he worried.

Her husband looked tousled, in a handsome sort of way. Meerkat couldn’t help but smile gently at him, reaching up to touch at the blood on his jaw. It was just beginning to dry. Her tongue replaced her paw as she cleaned it for him, then peppered his nearer cheek with sweet little kisses.

I think that’s a very thoughtful parting gift. The caches are well-stocked otherwise. I know mom always insists she’s a poor hunter but I think she’s just being modest. She’s traveled so much, she’s surely improved her small game… game, Meerkat mused with a laugh. Jr and Seal are both capable. Nyssa too.

She found it reassuring to say these things aloud. She only hoped Njord found her words comforting too. They would, without a doubt, leave pieces of themselves behind when they left the copse. But as Meerkat more or less constantly reminded herself, they wouldn’t be gone forever.

Our village has always been small but mighty. That’s why it has staying power, I think. Everything—and everyone—will be okay in our absence. We’ve made sure of it.

There was one pain point emerging, however, and she hadn’t let herself think about the possibility too deeply. But here with Njord, it was suddenly impossible to ignore. It was a consideration that could waylay their entire plan, though Meerkat had reluctantly concluded that she wanted to forge ahead, regardless.

I’m not sure if Otter will come with us. I sense that she may want to stay. And I know she’ll be in good hands, safe here at home, but…

But the tears came as Meerkat pressed her face against her husband's neck. He would understand this most difficult impasse.

Njord admired Meerkat’s optimism, though he silently wished another adult, like Fennec or Phox, was around to help Towhee guide the next generation. It was true – their kin would always hold this land in their heart. It would be protected, and those who called it home would look out for one another. They had all worked hard to carve out a place in the world to call their own, and Njord was sure it would not be given away so easily.

He basked in his wife’s sentiments and hummed a note of agreement.

“Ye ken just how tae ease me mind,” he commented with a gruff breath.

But next, Meerkat wore her heart on her sleeve for Njord to see.

It was one thing to lose a child… but to willingly part from one?

He cradled her head in the crook of his neck.

“I know, mo chride, I know…” he whispered.

“Otter’s life is full of love. She’s got a braw heart just like her mum,” Njord observed as he kissed a tear away from Meerkat’s cheek. “This isnae goodbye forever,” he reminded her.

A moment passed and then Njord had a thought. “I found something ye might like,” he offered.

Meerkat could be wrong. Oh, how she hoped she was wrong! She knew she should just sit down with their daughter and ask, though she was terribly afraid of the answer. It was hard enough as a mere possibility. The thought of confronting the actuality made her stomach quiver. She wasn’t ready yet…

She knew Njord only wanted to comfort her, though she couldn’t help but notice he didn’t refute her assumptions. Had he spoken to their little girl? Did he know? Meerkat sucked in her wobbling lower lip. She repeated his words in her head: “This is’nae goodbye forever…”

Her husband tried to divert her attention. Meerkat sniffed. It was hard to focus on Njord, especially with the tears blurring her vision. But she sucked in a breath and pricked her ears, hoping whatever he wanted to show her could actually provide a proper distraction.

Njord knew his wife enough to tell that many more thoughts swam behind the wet surface of her eyes. He offered her an encouraging nuzzle and then led Meerkat to a small glen of trees by Mercy’s garden.

There, a young apple tree stood and small fruit grew among its boughs.

“Ah dinnae ken if ye recall… but once upon a time, before we were ta’gether, you showed me an apple tree upon the Caldera,” he said. “When Ah found this one, it reminded me of fallin’ in love with ye all over again.”

Njord looked at the red and green fruit, not yet ripe for the taking. It was a mystery how it even got here, for there wasn't another in the territory. “Feels like, even in tha land, a little bit of us will stay here forever,” he mused.

Of course I remember, Meerkat said a little thickly, eyes lighting on the young apple tree. That was the first time you told me about Meares Island, after I asked about your accent. Your voice has always been so pleasant on the ears…

That made her think of something she hadn’t really considered in a long time. Had she ever told him she could only hear out of one ear? Even if she hadn’t, had he perhaps guessed over the years? Meerkat probably favored that side over the other.

Even after all this time together, all these memories we’ve made, we still have so much left to learn about each other, our children and the world, Meerkat mused, feeling a tiny bit silly for her profundity. We’ve had some really good times—some really hard ones too—but I think most of it’s still ahead of us, you know?

Even if they were away from the copse—and possibly their youngest daughter—a while, it was really just a short trip in the grand scheme. They would be back together before they knew it! In the meantime, they would get to show their blind son some of the wonders of the world. Meerkat’s heavy heart did a hopeful little leap.

Gazing between Njord and the apple tree, she said, What if we gathered a bunch of them and took them with us, to share when we’re feeling homesick?

Though it was nice to reminisce, Njord admired Meerkat’s vision for their future. She was right… their story was neverending. A new and exciting chapter was waiting to write itself.

The Laird hummed in agreement. “Ah look forward tae learnin’ with you,” Njord said with his lips curled into a grin. “An’ we both ken we’ll be learnin’ plenty from Skipjack,” he added with a chuckle for levity. Their intelligent son was curious and full of questions about the world around him… and his father still had much to learn when it came to understanding the challenges his son faced navigating new terrain without sight.

Njord looked forward to the quality time together, quietly reposed in thought as he regarded the same apple as Meerkat.

“That’s a bonnie idea,” Njord replied – and in some small way, it felt like something had come full circle.

His long legs planted themselves on the rough bark of the tree. His red tail curled as Njord reached up to carefully pluck a ripe fruit from the boughs.

Green leaves fell around them and intermingled with the Copse’s token rays of sun as Njord presented his beloved wife with the first of many apples they would pick together that day.