Dragoncrest Cliffs earth laughs in flowers

It rained so heavily this afternoon, Meerkat gave up on her hunt and returned to the rendezvous site. She tried to coax @Stingray, @Swordfish and @Mercy to join her in retreating to the cover of the trees bordering the saltmarsh to wait out the deluge. She promised them they would go on a field trip when it let up, maybe to Bluepeace Meadow.

What do you want to be, Meerkat asked conversationally in the meantime, when you grow up?

She wondered if any of her trio would want to kill the time with a little heart to heart. If not, maybe @Aminthe and @Quennell would join them in their shelter and she could pick their little brains instead. Even if she were not the resident coach, she was so curious about the youths’ aspirations for the future.

:3c

quennell had been caught in the rain, chasing after snails and slugs until he was drenched enough to know this was no fun.

so when he spotted the little family under the treeline, he bounded right after them. this family was his family too, yeah? no personal space, dudes!

MEEMEE! he called out vibrantly to none other than Meerkat, whose name he surely knew but it did not seem as fun to yell as this sudden nickname.

Before any of her own youngsters could answer her, a voice cried out, “Meemee!” Meerkat mouthed that nickname with amusement, turning and smiling welcomingly at Quennell. It reminded her of Veteran’s nickname for her (“Coach Meekah”) and her heart panged as she wondered how her former favorite was doing these days. He would be totally grown up now…

She brought her attention back to a focus, motioning for the leaders’ son to join them under the shelter of the trees fringing the marsh. He was only a month older than her trio, though he was taller and ganglier. Probably he was right in the middle of a rapid growth spurt.

Hey, Q, she rejoined, coming right back at him with a nickname and a cheeky smile. I was just asking these guys what they wanna be when they grow up, Meerkat said, raising her eyebrows in invitation.

gonna keep going but if i should wait for the other kiddos lemme know! :D

quennell decided he very much liked this new name.

q.

it sounded so mysterious, very spy-like. or or or! pirate like! his tail whipped behind him a million miles an hour as he unceremoniously flopped down. likely somewhere near meemee's paws and the other kids. just as happy to consider meemee his own mother-figure for the moment.

i will be a pirate. de sea be mine for explorin'!

We can keep going and they’re welcome to jump in any time they like. :)

A pirate! she repeated, thumping a paw against him welcomingly as he flopped down nearby. Tell us more about that, Meerkat coaxed, wondering if Quennell was playing make believe or if this might be something he truly wanted to pursue when he was older.

sobo always be bringin' treasure back. he said this with a huff and dramatic eye roll, but the waving of his tail betrayed any hint of upset or sass. one day, i'll go get dat treasure. bravin' de seas! fightin' de sharks!

he boasted as he rolled onto his back, kicking out paws as if he was wrestling with a shark already.

What about Loko? Doesn’t he find treasure too? Meerkat asked, thinking of that day when the two of them had beachcombed together.

But Quennell was too busy fending off imaginary sharks. She watched him, laughter in her eyes and on her lips, and pushed onto her feet. She shook some rainwater from her pelt and moved to stand over him, careful to mind his flailing limbs.

Want me to pretend to be a shark, so you can sharpen your shark-fighting skills? Meerkat offered, always keen to cheerlead her mentees.

quennell had not forgot about loko, but he viewed the other brother more as an adventuring pirate. wasn't he off doing something like that? the young boy could not recall and found he was more interested in meerkat for the moment.

yeah! he yipped in delight. flailing limbs paused for the moment so he didn't accidentally kick her in the face. although that seemed pretty viable on a shark!

be de biggest n' baddest shark!

Oh, definitely, Meerkat rejoined with a wink, breaking the fourth wall just a little bit when she began humming the “Jaws” theme song under her breath.

Right when the tune crescendoed, she gnashed her teeth and leaped at Quennell, only to spin at the last second and slap him with her tail. It made a funny thwack sort of noise, since they were both fairly wet.

gonna sorta 'wrap' if that's okay <3

she hummed and something about that sour tune spiked quennell's heart greatly. so he was gripped with great surprise when she turned, tail slapped against him with a wet SMACK.

he bubbled with laughter, unable to attack the 'shark' in such a fit.

quennell wondered if he could get her to repeat this again and again. for practice. totally not to laugh himself free of the rainy day.

’Course! I’ll archive. :)

Her eyes widened a little at the unexpected noise. Quennell promptly burst into laughter, which Meerkat found highly contagious. Soon the two of them were lost in paroxysms, leaving the adult feeling pleasantly weak in the knees. But as soon as she recovered, she fully intended to resume the game. She was determined to properly prepare the young man for his life of piracy.