Theea
Yla
to love life, to love it —
Flora’s voice carries out, shouting that she’s good, and I let out the breath I’d been holding—only for another crash to shake the house, making me wince.
I glance gratefully atDamien when he rises to check. I don’t move, waiting, shoulders tense until he steps back out and tells me it’s fine. His words pull a smile from me before I can help it—he’s right, Flora’s a total badass—and I relax before I can even try to argue about running in after her.
When he refocuses me, I nod and crouch down again. I follow his instructions carefully, glancing up at his face every few moments to make sure I’m doing it right. His steady tone grounds me, and when I catch the faint tug of a smile at his mouth, I can’t help but grin back.
“Yeah, those raccoons really don’t know who they’re messing with,” I murmur, pressing the brace tight against the post before I set another nail. This time, I keep my attention steady—no more distractions. Just me, the hammer, and the brace.
Calypso gets the upper hand over the hels at last; their squawking complaints trail off toward the ocean as they scatter. One, however, veers low enough to peck her head and tug her hair, flapping away with the most obnoxious cry a sea chicken has ever made. With them gone, the roof is hers alone again, palm fronds easy pickings.
Ronin and Remi are no longer troubled by the raccoon—it’s vanished into palms and seagrass with no intention of coming back. The real trouble is the rain of glass left behind. Shards glitter across the sand, tangled in curls and clothing, though mercifully not breaking skin. The stained glass window is intact, at least, and still waiting to take its place.
Inside with Flora, chaos reigns. The raccoon in the kitchen runs frenzied circles, hissing and chattering as Spice harries it from above. When claws strike scales, the little beast finds no purchase, and in a final frantic dash, it collides with the dragon’s hold. At the same time, Flora’s jaguar flushes its quarry from under the couch, driving it straight into her waiting, invisible arms. The adolescent screeches, thrashing and scratching as it’s caught, but the tide jaguar prowls behind like a shadow, silent and unyielding.
Round 4:
TLDR:
Calypso successfully chases off the hels, though one gives her a peck and a tug of her hair. Otherwise, she’s able to get the rest of the palm fronds off the roof.
Remi and Ronin are able to take care of the glass, and now should not have any trouble installing the new window.
Flora, Spice, and the jaguar badasses they are, successfully catch the two raccoons! They can release the rest of the family into the trees.
Damien is able to successfully refocus ADHD Theea enough for them both to get the porch reinforced.
Everyone report back to the porch when you’re done for your final tasks!
I glance gratefully at
When he refocuses me, I nod and crouch down again. I follow his instructions carefully, glancing up at his face every few moments to make sure I’m doing it right. His steady tone grounds me, and when I catch the faint tug of a smile at his mouth, I can’t help but grin back.
“Yeah, those raccoons really don’t know who they’re messing with,” I murmur, pressing the brace tight against the post before I set another nail. This time, I keep my attention steady—no more distractions. Just me, the hammer, and the brace.
Calypso gets the upper hand over the hels at last; their squawking complaints trail off toward the ocean as they scatter. One, however, veers low enough to peck her head and tug her hair, flapping away with the most obnoxious cry a sea chicken has ever made. With them gone, the roof is hers alone again, palm fronds easy pickings.
Ronin and Remi are no longer troubled by the raccoon—it’s vanished into palms and seagrass with no intention of coming back. The real trouble is the rain of glass left behind. Shards glitter across the sand, tangled in curls and clothing, though mercifully not breaking skin. The stained glass window is intact, at least, and still waiting to take its place.
Inside with Flora, chaos reigns. The raccoon in the kitchen runs frenzied circles, hissing and chattering as Spice harries it from above. When claws strike scales, the little beast finds no purchase, and in a final frantic dash, it collides with the dragon’s hold. At the same time, Flora’s jaguar flushes its quarry from under the couch, driving it straight into her waiting, invisible arms. The adolescent screeches, thrashing and scratching as it’s caught, but the tide jaguar prowls behind like a shadow, silent and unyielding.
Round 4:
TLDR:
Calypso successfully chases off the hels, though one gives her a peck and a tug of her hair. Otherwise, she’s able to get the rest of the palm fronds off the roof.
Remi and Ronin are able to take care of the glass, and now should not have any trouble installing the new window.
Flora, Spice, and the jaguar badasses they are, successfully catch the two raccoons! They can release the rest of the family into the trees.
Damien is able to successfully refocus ADHD Theea enough for them both to get the porch reinforced.
Everyone report back to the porch when you’re done for your final tasks!
— even when you have no stomach for it
