#thank you so much for your patience Pheel!!!

[ringleaderising]

@dire-vulture I think we can call this frolicking?

"I can't trail him anymore, it's like at a certain point 'e just vanishes." "I don't like the idea of him being alone out there, Pig- he's a child-" "I'm well aware, Sow, it ain't like I raised the boy too-... Now don't look at me like that, we're gonna find 'im, but maybe it's best if we regroup with the girls." "...Head him off at the godfall?" "Of anywhere he'd know where to find us, it'd be there, Darlin'." "...alright. I just, hope he's okay. I'll ask Dethrone to... give the area one last fly-over before we head to Light."

There's some sense of homesickness, as he crests the hill to the sweet scent of flowers and a bustling, highly-populated clan on the hills below. Once again, Runt thinks about perhaps going home- or maybe waiting out the godfall in Light, where his father had insisted they'd finally let him join in on the hunt- to seek magic in the aftermath of collapse- he thinks about when his clutchmate Whelp earned her cleaver, the stories she told before joining a pirate crew sailing out not far from here.

He forgets every desire to return home, however, when his footing becomes unsound and he tumbles down the edge of a steppe toward the sound of music slowly growing louder with every little scrabble for footing or bounce against stone. he sputters to a stop at the feet of a Coatl with a lute, laying flat on the ground for a moment to just listen to the pleasant sounds. "No I'm okay! I just need a minute... or a bunch of minutes."

Once he's gathered his bearings (And the nice coatl has helped him back to his feet) Runt takes stock of where he is. He's not sure he's ever seen this many dragons and flowers in one place, it's a little overwhelming- and well aware that 'overwhelming' usually ends in "viciously destroying the nearest wooden/bone/metal that one time when he got really really worked up/cardboard object' he figures it's probably best to move on quickly. "I like your music! It's a lot softer than the stuff mommy and daddy like, their music goes... goes BWAAAAUGH NEENLENEENEELENEEE. And then somebody screams and makes computer sounds." He dusts himself off, clamoring up on a nearby stump. "Could you tell me where I'm at, Mister? and maybe um, how I could get home?"

It's a short conversation over a brief walk to speak to one of the leaders about what to do about Runt making his way home where the hatchling remembers to introduce himself, and tells Snoatl he likes his name, too!

Tarragon is a comfort Runt didn't know he quite needed on this journey- especially after a spill like that! Quiet and kind he's an easy reminder of Miss Mortis from back home at the circus- but he's far cuddlier than the nocturne's sharp edges made sharper with bone. He listens, as Runt explains what's happened- He's not sure how he managed to get this far away! There was the circus near home, and the tavern outside of nature- and then, of course, the puddle he dove through spitting him out in the sea of a thousand currents only to spit him out AGAIN here, in wind, near Florabrisa- he's trotted all of Sornieth in the last few days and boy, his little feet are starting to get tired.

And maybe he misses his parents. and his stupid stinky giant sisters who are going to get their cleavers in the next godfall- oh!

"Mister Tarragon- could you show me how to find my way to uh, Light territory?" And after a moment of consideration, Tarragon assures him he can do just that.

Runt's goodbye is a little more touchy than maybe most would have expected, the hatchling quick to cuddle up into the tundra's mane as a thank you. He leaves a handful of treasure and a few broken crayons behind, mostly because that's all he's got on hand to pay the kindness of Snoatl and Tarragon back, and Sow was adamant about the importance of exchanging payment for information just as much as goods.

"I'm sorry I messed up some of your flowers when I fell into them! I promise once I'm big I'll come clean up my mess!" while that's likely a long way off, Runt reasons he'll never forget the promise, as he's sure never to forget the kindness of the dragons of Florabrisa.