Pebble Epilogue: The Very Good Idea

Merisel realized that the weather was beginning to get kind of yukky. It's time to hop on Near for the brief trip back to the hollow tree burrow where she and her family live. Home? Family? What are those? Well of course it is when everybody takes care of each other and is kind to one another. Also it's much warmer to sleep all together. Her three new friends agree that sounds very nice. They don't have a family, and nobody takes care of them at all. It isn't bad, but the family thing certainly sounds better. 

Merisel remembered the scary time after she hatched, before Oophaga found her. With the clouds coming in, she didn't like to think of her new friends by themselves, probably all huddled together in the bottom of the pond, while the wind whipped up the water and scattered all the silt around them. It sounded cold and lonesome and kind of spooky. It was much nicer to have the adults and the big hecks, they were very warm and always made her feel safe, plus Thisbe and Oophaga knew the best places to find food.

Then Merisel had a Very Good Idea. Everybody get on Near, and we will ALL go home, and all be a family together! The others agreed this was truly an inspired suggestion and so they all piled onto the patient Near (with Squonk clutching his rock) and in no time they arrived at what was now their home. 

Thisbe had just been about to go and look for Merisel. It was going to rain soon! Glad to see the bokku and her pet arriving, it took a second to realize she'd brought company. An ubra and a trio of hatchlings, one of whom seemed to be carrying a rock around. Merisel explained that they didn't have a family, only now they did, because they were going to join this one. Please?

Thisbe and Oophaga exchanged a look. Thisbe was thinking, what in the world was going on at that pond? Four parentless babies had been abandoned there. Very strange. There must be some sort of egg thief on the loose. She made a mental note to keep a close eye on the babies. No more outings supervised only by the hecks until she could get to the bottom of this. It didn't particularly occur to her not to take them all in. They were very small and cute, and needed someone, after all. And in general Thisbe had a difficult time refusing Merisel anything. 

On Oophaga's part he was thinking about how it would be fun to have more babies around- and one of them was another draphibi! He'd show her all his favorite things. She seemed to be the only one without a pet, hm, he'd have to help her find one... 

Everybody headed in to sleep out the storm. They all slept very soundly as the wind and rain wailed overhead.