This time, this time Mojito was going to actually make it across the border. He knew was allowed, he wasn't going to get in trouble but that didn't make it any easier to build up the courage to actually do it... and he'd wimped out more than once already.

But not this time, no he was going to do it if it was the last thing he did! Taking a few deep breathes and swallowing the lump that was forming in his throat. Then he screwed his eyes closed and took one step, then another and when he opened them again he was on the other side of the marker. Now that he was on the other side it was much easier, his legs carrying him forward as if all the nerves he'd had to work to had been nothing... maybe he had just been a bit too worked up?

"Speech!"

TABLE & CODE © SKELLE 2020

Unknown to him, Zee had been watching Mo for quite some time. The poor boy seemed terribly frightened to even step paw upon Armada's territory, and at first glance she'd almost mistaken him for a second-guessing intruder. The tiny floppy eared pups were not a litter she she often, though she had had the pleasure to meet them when they were barely out of the womb. He was small and fluffy and adorably child-like, and so Zee couldn't resist but to pull a small prank as she might with her own kids. Realistically the grasses of their plains were tall enough that Zee didn't need to duck, though she still put herself low to the ground to stalk through towards the boy. She came around careful to approach against the wind, and right as he moved to place a paw over the border she leaped out towards him with a grin and a "Boo!" "Speech"

Mojito was pretty sure his heart stopped, sure felt like it anyways when a loud "boo" sounded behind him and someone larger than himself jumped out at him. Mojito practically fell over, and maybe considering the goat horns poking from his head he should have, but instead, he stumbled over his own paws, instinct kicking in and driving him to skitter away from the startling noise as quickly as possible. It was only after he got control of his limbs again that he really stopped to observe the thing that had startled him.

A woman, close to his mother's age... maybe a bit older? An impressive pair of twisting horns rising from her head, so unlike any he'd seen before. But there was something familiar about her scent, and her coloration. But he shook that nagging feeling off to glare up at her.

"That wasn't funny!" He said, his voice as stern as he could make it, though it broke in true adolescent fashion. Was he doomed to be harassed wherever he went? Or was this adult just behaving childishly for the fun of it? He hadn't jumped out to scare any of his siblings in seasons and frankly would have assumed a woman of this wolf's age would have been too old for something like this.

"Speech!"

TABLE & CODE © SKELLE 2020

As soon as Mo turned to frantically book-it away from her, Zee realized perhaps her prank was a bit too far for the cautious little thing. She chased after him and tried to suppress her giggles as she called out. "No, wait, I'm sorry!" While she might have managed to keep back the bulk of the laughter, Zee still wore her grin of good-hearted amusement as he turned back to admonish her. "That wasn't funny!" It was, actually, hilarious, but Zee forced her grin to fade and nodded solemnly. "You're right. I apologize, I'm not great at containing my impulses." She wanted to say more, like how adorable he looked and how badly she wanted to touch his floppy ears, but contained herself. "Come on in, I promise you you are safe in the Armada lands. I will personally lay my teeth upon any who dare to bother you." Lifting one paw to her chest she made a shallow bow, not giving the Klein her title along with her vow of security. If she could make him feel more important than she was, perhaps she'd see his worries fade a bit too. "Speech"