Blacktail Deer Plateau i told you i didn't want to go to this dinner

A few beats of silence passed in the wake of her bellowing. Meerkat held her breath, heart pounding in her chest. Her legs trembled, even though she tried so hard to stay still and listen. When an answer came—in her father's voice, not someone else's—the yearling's mouth fell ajar and she actually screamed.

She did as she was told, scrambling across a narrow part of the river and scaling the plateau, looking around wildly for any sign of her dad. Tears of joy were streaming down her face and she kept unleashing whoops of giddy laughter even as she frantically searched, knowing she would actually find him this time.

There was a clearing near the center of the plateau where she found not one but four figures. Three of them were familiar, though Meerkat only had eyes for Phox. With another strangled bleat of joy, she ran to him, throwing her still-dripping body at him and showering him with kisses even as she shook with glee.

Sure, some of this overpowering euphoria was because of the poppy seeds she'd popped earlier; but mostly, finally reuniting with her long lost dad was the best feeling she'd felt, past or present. Hell, Meerkat might never touch a red flower again, 'cause nothing would ever beat this high.