Stavanger Bay [m] Be our guest

He gasps a laugh when a bemused Kirain corrects him. He’s glad she’s back to laughing too, the weirdness of the moment passing quickly. But Bushtit is even gladder that he won’t have to jam any sticks and/or leaves into unmentionable places.

Oookay, that makes way more sense, he acknowledges with an amused huff. Would you happen to have any of those things lying around? I don’t want to dip into your stash, though if you could show me what they look like, I can try to find some on my own.

He pockets her suggestion to cease his activities. Bushtit hasn’t gotten laid in a couple of weeks, though that’s only because he hasn’t had the opportunity. And if one presents itself, well, he’s not sure he’s very good with self-control…

This conversation just reminded me of something, he says abruptly. Do you and Solenya like parties?

Hm, good question. We can definitely check our medicinal stash, Kirain replied, thoughtful. Lemon balm and peppermint should be easy enough to find, even without visuals—their scents are pretty distinctive.

She turned and began padding deeper into the trees, glancing over her shoulder with a flick of her tail to beckon him along. Sage can be a bit trickier, she added, but it also has a strong scent, if you know what you're looking for.

As she trotted forward, her mind began cycling through the herbs she remembered having tucked away. She really did need to organize that stash better.

Then the word party reached her ears. She perked up and glanced at Bushtit, offering him a curious look.

Party? she echoed. I’m sure Solenya would enjoy a party! Without missing a beat, the questions began to tumble out— What kind of party is it? Why is it happening? Where’s it happening? Do we need to bring anything? Who all will be there?

They flowed so naturally that she didn’t even realize how rapid-fire they were. She was already half-invested in the idea.

He gives the nearest sequoia a parting glance before trotting after Kirain. There’s plenty more where that one came from. He admires their stately presences as they move through the woods, although Bushtit keeps one ear trained on the sound of his companion’s voice as she regales him with herb lore. Then she barrages him with questions about the party.

It’s a summer festival, he tells her, at the hot springs between the mountain ranges. Do you know of them? If not, he supposes he can do his best to provide directions. I guess they—the hostess and whoever else she plans to bring or invite—will bring things to trade. There’ll be singing and dancing too, he continues, recounting everything he can recall from his conversation with @Journey. You both should plan to come!

He stumbles over a tree root, though he’s quick to strike out a foreleg to maintain his balance. Bushtit laughs sheepishly, then resumes trailing after Kirain through the hall of the giants.

Kirain lit up at his words, eyes going wide with wonder. A summer festival? How exciting! she beamed. I’m vaguely familiar with the area. I’m sure Solenya would know it well, with all her wandering and meeting the surrounding packs.

Her gaze drifted down the path they walked, narrowing slightly in thought. Should they go? She was fairly certain Solenya would want to, but a flicker of hesitation stirred in her chest.

Will you be there? she asked, shooting him a playful sidelong glance, a glint in her eye. Singing and dancing along? She didn’t mention his stumble—just teased him gently, her tone light.

I’m not sure we’ll have much to trade, she added with a small shrug, but it’d be good to make connections. We can’t always hide away here in the Sentinels, after all. And hey, maybe we’ll even do a little recruiting!

She came to a stop at the cache and knelt beside it, carefully uncovering the stash. Her brows furrowed slightly as she sifted through the contents. It was more sparse than she liked. Definitely need to restock soon, she thought.

After a few quiet moments, she pulled out a sprig of lemon balm and sage, setting them aside with care. Here, she said, offering them. Take a look—and a smell. Seems we’re out of peppermint… She gave a sheepish smile, guilt flickering across her face. She may or may not have chewed through the last of it.

Clearing her throat, she added, Peppermint leaves look a lot like lemon balm, only the scent is sharper. Crisp and cool, like fresh snow in early spring.

Yeah, I plan to check it out, he replies. And, I mean, that depends on your definition of singing and dancing, Bushtit adds without really thinking.

But she’s a blushing virgin, or so he assumes. He clears his throat. It’s kind of too bad she’s so young and inexperienced, because otherwise Bushtit feels like she could be such a catch. He’s just not into those things, though hopefully he’s made a good friend for life!

I’ll probably show up empty-handed, he goes on with a shrug, so I wouldn’t worry about it. Just come to network, like you said.

She stops in front of a stockpile, so he lingers behind her and observes. She sifts through the contents, extracting a few stems which she places in front of him. Bushtit does as he’s told and studies them. If she’s out of peppermint, these must be lemon balm and sage. He tries to guess which is which.

Noted, he says, dark eyes drifting up to Kirain’s face. I really appreciate it, Kirain.

Do you have a specific type of song and dance in mind? she asked eagerly, her tail wagging behind her in steady, excited sways. Will you teach me? I’m a quick learner!

Her eyes sparkled with genuine curiosity, clearly delighted at the chance to learn more about his culture.

When he mentioned coming empty-handed, a quiet breath of relief escaped her. The tension in her shoulders eased. She hated the idea of showing up unprepared—being a burden when something was expected made her stomach knot.

Huh? Of course! she said, brightening again. I’m here to help, like I said. That’s what friends are for, right?

Sex. He’s talking about sex. But he doesn’t want to make things weird again, so he just shoots her an easy smile and shakes his head.

Nah, he says aloud, I don’t actually know any songs or dances, outside of the horizontal tango. Bushtit adds, But we can learn together when we get there.

Now that he knows what to look for, he supposes he should head out and reap—somewhere that’s not claimed territory, of course. He doesn’t want to take another pack’s resources when there’s so many to go around elsewhere.

I should probably head out. Thanks for letting me meet the trees and put filth in your ears, he quips with a lopsided grin as he prepares to depart. Please tell Solenya I said ‘hello!’ He pauses, in case Kirain wants to say anything, then offers, Bye, Kirain. Take care of yourself.

She was a touch disappointed by his initial response, but brightened at his next words.

I’ll hold you to that! she chirped, eyes gleaming. Though fair warning—I’m a terrible dancer. A soft giggle escaped her as she returned his grin with one of her own.

It was lovely having you around. I’ll be sure to tell Solenya, though I’m sure she’ll be disappointed she missed you. Her expression softened. And… I hope that pee thing clears up soon.

With a teasing glint in her eye, she darted forward and gave him a gentle nuzzle to the shoulder before turning back toward her cache.

There was work to be done. With a focused snort, she shoved her nose into the task ahead, letting herself fall into the rhythm of sorting supplies—allowing Bushtit to slip away without further interruption.