Duskfire Glacier everyone hail to the pumpkin song

Of course, Makatza did not cooperate whatsoever. Meerkat had expected as much, though she inwardly reeled a bit as the girl launched into a loud tirade. When she made a threat, the yearling sensed she was going to try something. She braced for action, though somehow Makatza managed to launch herself at Ensio, bite him and make a getaway before Meerkat or anybody else could possibly intervene.

Utterly nonplussed, Meerkat could only blink after her retreating figure as Ensio shouted at her back. The sound of the boy's spit made her look sharply at him, moving closer. "Are you okay?" she asked. Seeing the blood trickling near his ear, she said, "You're bleeding. May I clean it?" She wasn't any kind of medic but she could do that much.

While she waited for his consent, Meerkat fidgeted, glancing over at her fellow adults. There was no way to redeem this party, was there? It was a complete and total disaster. She should've planned better, perhaps requested Makatza only attend if escorted by her parents. She'd learned her lesson for next time, though Meerkat didn't think there would be one. After all, this was hardly her first failure. Maybe she wasn't cut out for this.

"Well, it's a bust. I'm sorry, everyone," she said to the group at large, swallowing a sigh. "Thanks for coming. Feel free to take a pumpkin with you if you like."