momma said

It had become clear to him the longer he'd traveled why red pandas were known as homebodies. Without a long-legged dog to carry him around travel was quite tedious. Even if he booked it he was more or less a tortoise compared to most animals. His legs and his stamina were simply too short. A midgety, three-legged epileptic deer could run circles around him any day of the week. That was just a fact of life. Maybe one day he'd reconnect with Atlas and the two of them could pick up where they'd left off.

"Hello? Do you need help? Are you hurt?" Armando lifted his head slowly causing a small mountain of ash to fall off the back of his fedora and snowball down his shoulder. He stared uncomprehendingly at Cannival as he tried to place her. When it clicked he gasped and inadvertently inhaled a blob of ash. It immediately stuck on the back of his throat and caused him to choke before he could properly form her name. "Cann-hck!" He spluttered, one forepaw fluttering in front of his chest, and then choked the ash-blob down. A cough and a rough swallow cleared his throat completely and he wheezed, "Cannival? From Abaven? It's-" oh frik what had he called himself when he lived there?? Tobias? Rudy? ...Kirby? Kirby! "Kirby! Heavens I didn't think I've ever see a familiar face again!"