Duskfire Glacier everyone hail to the pumpkin song

Ditto what Zoo said!

Makatza looked at Issorartuyok and huffed. Was Meerkat surprised? No, though she felt a surge of annoyance and disappointment. Her jaw clenched as the girl's mouth opened to say something, only to be cut off when some pumpkin guts struck her. It served her right, honestly, though it was all in good fun.

...until it wasn't. Just like the day she'd attacked Sikuliak, Makatza sprang at Veteran with clearly violent intent. Unlike that day, Meerkat didn't give her the benefit of the doubt. She leaped to interfere, along with the boy's mother (Lane) and someone else she didn't immediately recognize (Ensio). From somewhere behind her, the yearling could make out Issorartuyok's words of reproof. Of course, he didn't know that they would have no effect on the likes of Makatza.

With that said, Meerkat complemented the others' snarls with a booming shout of, "MAKATZA!" What is wrong with you?! she wanted to yell, though instead she said loudly, "WE'RE LEAVING. NOW." She favored the group at large with an apologetic look, sorry that their intended playtime had been ruined. Maybe they could resume and enjoy the pumpkins after she'd escorted Makatza away from the scene.

Her brown eyes eventually sought Issorartuyok's gaze. "Will you please help me escort her to her parents?" she said to him before her attention returned to Makatza, fully expecting retaliation of some sort and just hoping she could handle it with the northerner's help.