[B] Egg-specting Part 2 [Peck & Fierce Warrior]

[CelestialRequiem]

Their nesting materials needed replenishing. Between her and Owlbear flattening all of the leaves and straw each night and Peck's two Marshfowl scattering the remnants everywhere in search of bugs during the day, the den was looking bare. And now that they were expecting- again -this needed to be remedied before the eggs arrived. Owlbear probably would have objected to her wandering from the den, despite the fact that they were well within Rise and Shine's territory and thus she wasn't in any present danger. Thankfully, Owlbear was busy getting food so there would be no objections for now. So, Peck took her time meandering through the swamp, making neat little piles of acceptably soft plant matter to carry home later and enjoying a peaceful moment to herself.

[rexcorvus]

Unfortunately for Peck, the peaceful moment for herself was interrupted by a rogue shuppy that came streaking through the marsh, knocked into one of her legs, bounced back, and fell into a nearby puddle. What ensued was a great deal of squealing and flailing before two more shuppy appeared (like some kind of deranged beach nightmare), also promptly tumbling into the same puddle and immediately began fighting one another in a splash of dirty swamp water.

"For the love of - "

Fierce appeared from behind a cluster of oak trees, exasperation clearly on his face as he latched his tail around one of the more stubborn shuppy (a gray one with rows of little sharp teeth) and hauled it out of the puddle. "I can't leave you alone for five seconds -"

He didn't seem to notice the kiokote nearby, even less when a second later he, too, fell into the puddle with a bellow of outrage.

[CelestialRequiem]

Peck only just barely managed to avoid splashing around in a puddle herself as the unexpected force collided with her leg. The events that followed were such a whirlwind of chaos that it wasn't until all four of these newcomers were enjoying a nice swim that she really pieced together what was going on.

And then she laughed.

She laughed loud and heartily, completely unashamed to do so and for quite some time. Still chuckling a little, she approached the creatures and their keeper and asked, with nothing but genuine kindness- okay, maybe a little bit of amusement as well -in her voice, "Would you like some help?"