Art & Code by Rex 2023
"Speech!"
Ikuchi had after getting his belly full of fish thanks to his new friend, started trying to find his way home again. Though he had ended up making a huge circle. His head was hurting too from trying to remember where he had been and where he needed to go. He was definitely not good at this. And thinking just made it worse. He wasn't good at thinking.

His siblings had always been the brains, he couldn't claim to be the brawn in their litter either though. No that went to Nova. Ikuchi was good at eating and cuddling things though. He wasn't smart and he knew it. It was part of how he ended up here in this place in the first place.

He was laying with a paw over his eyes and muzzle. Anything to make the headache of thinking go away. Maybe he should go and swim to that island Sulfur lived on? Maybe they would help him out more? No that was stupid, he couldn't swim, he never remembered to not drown. He sighed. If only he knew exactly how to find that smell again. He could probably follow it home. After all he had first smelled it at home so he could easily get back if he followed it.

Gavroche was having one heck of a day. First he tried to show compassion to their enemies - what a mistake that had been. His aunt had seen him as he ran off into the Gulley, telling him to go home… but then that colorful Raider came after him. She was so… Gav huffed. His body ached from fighting her… but he didn’t regret the scuffle they got into. That girl made him see that in order to be good, to protect those and help make sure they weren’t hurting, he might have to fight the big meanies who would hurt others in the first place. He was small, but he wouldn’t let his size hold him back. As soon as he got back to Ethne he was going to ask his father to continue his training. Dusk gave him a good start, but he needed more training and actual practice with fighting opponents that were actively trying to best him! Gav had been so focused on just moving ahead that he hadn’t noticed the lump of fur in the herbs and flowers until he was falling on top of it. An “oof” left his lips as he collapsed on top of his brother, gaze widening as he looked down and realized Ikuchi was here too. “Iki!? The heck are you doing here?! Since when do you leave the falls!?” It was more the shock that Iki was out here at all. At least he was okay…? But great… now he had to find out how to get them both home which was… uh… a direction… "Speech," 'Thought.'

Art & Code by Rex 2023
"Speech!"
There was a nice quiet here. The flowers smelled good too. But all the nice was not home either. He missed home.

An oof left another as they tripped and landed on him, and from him came an "ow" sound. Neither had seen the other.  But as his name was dropped he sat up looking over his shoulder at someone he hadn't expected to see. His tail wagged at first. A familiar face! He loved seeing gav!

But all that dropped as a second later it seemed to dawn on him. His face turned to fear and his eyes started watering. Tears threatened to fall. "Gav! Your lost too!?! Oh nooooo!" he turned and aimed to wrap his paws around Gav in a hug as the tears started gushing forward. Mom was gonna be so sad that they were lost!

Okay, so he was lost too… His green gaze flicked back over to Ikuchi and the boy frowned. One moment his brother was happy, smiling and wagging his tail, and the next his face became fearful and tears began to form in his eyes. Before Gavroche could say anything his brother had scooped him close and hugged him as he cried out. The winged boy frowned, gaze turning back in the direction of the beach as his ears fell. “Mmm… yes and no… Aunt Haydee is going to catch up with us… she’s at the beach.” His shock had given way to sadness. He whined, leaning into his brother for support. “She’s mad at me… I think… I wanted to be nice to the wolves who came to our pack, and show them they didn’t need to be mean…” His gaze fell. “This lady was trying to grab me. I… I don’t think she wanted to hurt me but… I threw my bag of herbs down and ran… and… and then there was this colorful girl… her and I got in it and her sister showed up and… gosh Iki I don’t know what to do… Everyone is so angry with each other and now I’ve upset auntie too because I went after them…” Tears began to prick his eyes too. “I… wanted to h-help…” And there came the tears, streaming down his cheeks as he pulled away from his brother. “I could hear the wolves behind me getting mad… w-what… what if they hurt aunt Hay? It’ll be all my f-fault…” "Speech," 'Thought.'