The next morning Juniper woke to find that Aoi and Flora stuck to their pn and left sometime earlier in the morning. Only Aurora and Vesta remained with her in the bed and she took the opportunity to wake them with a few gentle kisses…before enjoying a few, less tender ones. However, Juniper stopped short of progressing their fun, much to the consternation of the two Pals. Yes, she loved to py hard but a girl had to work hard too. So, she shooed them from the bed and dressed before heading outside.

  Naturally, she found the two early birds crouched around the bushes once more. When they noticed the trio walking toward them, Flora and Aoi stood up and said their "good mornings" with a wave and a smile.

  After the pleasantries were exchanged, Juniper turned to Aoi and gave her a quick look over. “Did you sleep alright?”

  “Uhhh. Not really, no. Sorry if I was a bit restless,” she admitted with something akin to a grimace.

  Well, Juniper couldn’t bme her considering the circumstances. “Don’t be. It’s hard to go through all that and then lie down and try to sleep like normal. In fact,” In the pause, she reached out and put an arm around Aurora where she stood next to her. “If it wasn't for Aurora, my first night would've been very rough.”

  The Lamball smiled at the memory and offered Juniper a bump of their hips in return. “Sometimes you just need a snuggle buddy!”

  “A snuggle Pal,” Flora quickly added with a chuckle.

  “Right you are, Flora.” Juniper nodded in agreement and looked back to Aoi. “Speaking of which, maybe we should think about getting you a Pal. You seem to be very interested in Flora’s work so...a Glumos?” Juniper certainly wouldn’t mind having two of those Pals around growing their food.

  “Oh, I don’t know…” Aoi’s words trailed off as she gnced at over at Flora before momentarily dropping her eyes toward her bare chest, and beyond. “That’s…well, we’ll see.” The look had been nothing more than a gnce but it made Juniper wonder how piqued Aoi’s curiosity was. Still, she wouldn’t push it. Not everyone was built the same. It took a particur kind of person to try and seduce a strange creature within hours of being shipwrecked on an isnd. Or fight one to accomplish the same result.

  “No rush,” Juniper offered before dropping her arm and indicating Flora. “There is plenty of time to decide on something like that but in the meantime, I’m sure Flora is happy to work with you.”

  “Yeah, work!” The emphasis on that st word was accompanied by a wink before she turned and regarded the bush once more. Leaving a now characteristic heat blooming in Aoi’s cheeks.

  This time, Juniper couldn’t help but ugh as she shook her head. “Why don’t you two finish up here. Aurora, Vesta, and I will get started on the day’s chores.” The endless list of chores. It was both a blessing and a curse that there was so much to do. Sure, it was daunting, and almost overwhelming at times, but it also gave Juniper something to focus on. “When you’re done, come find me and we’ll figure out what to do next.”

  With this newest pn in pce, they broke out into two groups to work on their respective tasks. While Aoi and Flora continued working with the pnts, the trio went to the shed and began brainstorming ways to use it now that they slept somewhere else. Storage probably? That and a pce to do work since the inside of their little hideaway was still dark. Not that they had much to build or fix right now. Hopefully, that would change when Lily returned with supplies.

  An hour or two ter Aoi and Flora finally finished up and joined them in the shack as well. Whereupon Juniper took the opportunity to dole out more work to her Pals before picking Aoi’s brain too. Naturally, she suggested what came down to a garden shed. Not a bad idea if they actually managed to get some tools. Of course, any food they harvested would be kept inside their new home for safekeeping.

  Over the course of the day, Aoi seemed to open up and rex a little more around Juniper and the Pals. She continued to chat with everyone at lunch and dinner, sometimes about things other than pnts. She even cracked the odd joke or two! The sight of it made Juniper smile, and ugh, and she felt very much at peace with the little group she had gathered. If only Lily would become a permanent fixture. However, Juniper didn’t fault her for not wanting to get too close. Speaking of Lily, how would she react to this test development? Juniper didn’t expect celebration or encouragement, she only hoped it wouldn’t be met with admonishment.

  It was those thoughts, as much as future pns, that lulled Juniper to sleep that night after a long day of work. With everyone settling in, she had a much different idea of how tomorrow would go. Which would begin with an early start. So, when she felt Flora and Aoi stir the next morning, Juniper begrudgingly roused herself from sleep and woke everyone up to follow the two out into the cool, dark morning.

  “Misssss Juniperrrr, why?” Aurora rubbed her eyes, trying to chase the tiredness away while she mumbled her question.

  “Oh, it’s not that bad, Aurora.”

  “It definitely is though,” Vesta grumbled in agreement. The Foxparks looked just as tired and was currently doing her best to walk forward with her eyes closed. Which earned her a stumble after a few steps. The soft light emanating from her tail wouldn’t do her any good if she wasn’t looking where she was going!

  Juniper rolled her eyes before she brought up her hands to vigorously rub the heads of the two sleepy Pals. “Today we’re doing something a little different so listen up.” The rustling, as much as the announcement, finally had all eyes turning to her. At which point Juniper repeated the motion only atop the Lamball’s head. “Aurora is going to help Aoi and Flora out this morning with watering.” She paused to let her desire sink in and so she could observe the broad smile that formed on Aurora’s lips. “Once that’s done, you and Flora will go out into the woods with Aoi. I want you three to find us more things to try and grow.”

  “For food or other things too?” Aoi asked, tilting her head ever so slightly. It was a good question and one Juniper hadn’t thought much about. She’d been so focused on food that other uses for pnts hadn’t crossed her mind.

  “Whatever you think would be useful, Aoi. I trust your knowledge and your judgment.”

  “Right,” she nodded and balled her fist. “I can do that!”

  The determination brought a smile to Juniper’s face but her attention quickly shifted once she felt a tug on her shirt. "What about me?" Vesta asked.

  "You," again Juniper rubbed the hair of the Foxparks before she answered. "Are coming with me. I want to go exploring again."

  "Trying to find more fruit?" Flora asked from Aoi’s side.

  "No, not really. I mean, if we find some that would be great. However, I'm more interested in heading deeper into the isnd, at least to the hills. You know, the way to go to get to the vilge."

  "Oh..." The hesitation was clear in Vesta's tone and for the first time, Juniper found herself in a simir position. Not so much over her and Vesta but more so the other two Pals and the newcomer to the group.

  "We'll be fine. I know you're smart and you know, fire." Juniper turned to the other three and her expression grew more serious. "You all better be careful, okay? I mean it. You stick closer to camp and keep an ear and eye out." She paused then and turned to Aurora specifically. "I'm counting on you because I have a feeling these two will get down in the weeds."

  "Leave it to me, Miss Juniper!" Aurora offered a hasty salute before giggling to herself.

  "We'll be careful," Aoi added.

  "Yeah, don't worry!" If anything, Juniper felt she should be worried about Flora the most but didn't say as much.

  "Very well. We'll be back around dinner and probably hungry to boot. I wouldn't mind if you managed to find something tasty for us to eat…" Now that she had issued her warning, Juniper's face rexed and her eyebrows rose with those st few words.

  "Yes, leave it to us!" Aoi answered before she turned towards the forest, no doubt already thinking of things she could forage for.

  "Wonderful." Juniper turned to Vesta then and nodded. "Ready? We can get breakfast on the way."

  "Yeah, let’s go."

  Juniper was surprised she agreed so readily but the compliments thrown her way likely didn’t hurt. Getting to spend the whole day alone with Juniper most likely didn't either. “Let's."

  After final goodbyes, Juniper and Vesta left the camp and were soon on their way in the dim morning light. "First things first, I'd like to follow our little stream down to the ocean. The one that collects into the pool before continuing on. I'm assuming you've done that many times, right?"

  “Oh yeah,” Vesta confirmed. “Plenty. That’s a good spot to fish, too.”

  “I figured as much.”

  “Anything else you’re hoping to find?”

  “Not particurly, today is more to see what I find. If anything.” Juniper didn’t know what she didn’t know, after all. What was out there to be found? Something like the mysterious fruit that gave her Pals new abilities? Useful resources for their camp? Both? Nothing? Only one way to find out!

  The two first stopped at their usual berry bushes and found them well stocked with fruit. However, whichever Glumos did it apparently already moved on. A part of Juniper worried that by binding Flora, this small patch wouldn’t get the attention it needed to be regrown. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. She didn’t want the unbound Pals to go hungry on her account.

  Speaking of other Pals, once they made it to the natural pool and then turned to follow the stream, Juniper started to spot a few here and there. Another Glumos in the distance, no doubt looking for more food to grow. A...Chikipi? Yup, a Chikipi as confirmed by her partner for the day. After making it to the next level down, the pair even came across a small group of Lamball which they passed with a friendly wave.

  She couldn’t help but wonder if Aurora’s family was amongst the group and felt a momentary pang of guilt at taking her away. Juniper told herself the Lamball had simply been welcomed into another herd. And she was going to do her best to ensure they all remained safe. Pal and human alike. Mercifully, she didn’t spot anything that would give her pause or make her want to turn around and go check on the trio she’d left behind. The Pals in this area did seem rather docile, as long as you didn’t tease them into chasing you through the forest!

  Down and down they went, eating berries and chatting about nothing in particur. Juniper had a smile on her face the whole time and found herself greatly enjoying the one-on-one time with Vesta. Perhaps she should do this more often with each of her Pals? She had already taken one trip with Aurora so next up would be Flora. Surely, they all wanted, and deserved, individual attention from her. Especially since they were working so hard to accomplish her wishes. Yes, this would have to become a habit.

  She didn’t know how long it took them but eventually, the two made it down to the sandy beach where the water trickled into the ocean. “This is a nice view,” Juniper noted with a hand raised to shield her eyes from the sun. Looking out over the water brought out a feeling of comfort deep inside her. It was a sight she’d become very accustomed to, after all. Part of her wanted to move their camp down closer to the water but it would be crazy to give up the spot the group currently resided in. She would just have to find comfort in the company of her companions and the satisfaction of the day’s work. For now.

  “I don’t know, Miss Juniper…” There was clear apprehension in Vesta’s voice and Juniper looked over with a look of confusion until it clicked in her mind.

  “Oh, right. Water.”

  “Lots of water,” Vesta added. “But I will admit, the way the sun rises over it is very pleasant.”

  “Yeah,” Juniper returned her gaze to the rising sun and momentarily cursed the fact they’d missed the actual sunrise. Another time, for sure. “Well, let’s keep going.” Juniper stepped closer to the Foxparks and pced an arm across her shoulder, pulling her close. “Can you take me to the ruins at the other end of the valley? Aurora told me about them when I first arrived.”

  The question caused Vesta to look up at her with a raised eyebrow. “Are you sure? Others sometimes stop in there, you know. Other humans.”

  “She did mention that but we don’t need to go in them, or beyond them. It’s more about what’s on the way.” However, would she be able to hold herself back once they got there? Vesta didn’t exactly seem convinced by her answer but relented and led Juniper off the beach to do just that.

  The floor of the valley was a mostly ft, open area of long grass and clusters of bushes. Which was exactly what Juniper figured after seeing it from above. More Pals could be found out and about, including a pair of Foxparks that Juniper assumed were Vesta’s sisters. However, that turned out not to be the case, much to her disappointment. Only hers, though. Vesta seemed quite relieved! Finally, after what felt like hours of walking, Juniper spotted what looked like ruins nestled at the base of some foothills. This must’ve been the ones Aurora mentioned. “Vesta, look!” Juniper pointed in their direction and her heart began to race with anticipation.

  “Yep, that’s it. A popur stopping point before moving innd.” Vesta's eyes shifted behind the ruin and her own hand came up to point at a cutout in the hills. “That’s the path to get to the other side, too. ” She looked over with that same look of concern Juniper had seen so many times. “We aren’t going in, right?”

  “Hmm.” Juniper though hard about the dilemma and brought the two to a stop so they could decide on a course of action. “You really don’t want to, do you?” The building couldn’t have been bigger than a house and its original purpose had most likely been lost to time. Maybe Juniper could figure it out if she got inside and poked around?

  “No,” Vesta said firmly. “I know I can be hesitant sometimes but I really think it’s a bad idea.” The look on her face said as much too. As she had already pointed out, Vesta tended to be the more cautious of Juniper’s Pals. Aurora was very happy-go-lucky and Flora seemed to be as ready to jump into a potentially dangerous situation as Juniper was. But could Juniper afford to do that now? What if something happened to her and Vesta? She probably didn’t have to worry as much about Aurora or Flora if she never came back but Aoi was a different story.

  “Alright, Vesta. We’ll avoid it.”

  The Foxparks visibly rexed and even breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Miss– ”

  “But!” Juniper interrupted with a finger extended toward the sky. “I want to go around it and up into the hills.” She had to see what was on the other side, both to satiate her curiosity and so she could pn any future excursions. As kind as Lily had been to make a run for her to the vilge, Juniper didn’t expect the woman to be her personal delivery service. Nor did she want to become reliant on her either.

  In the silence, Vesta looked to the hills once more and bit her lip while in thought. Thankfully, whatever calcution the Foxparks did in her mind broke in Juniper’s favor. “Alright, fine,” Vesta agreed with a shrug. “At least we can stay out of sight.”

  “Perfect!” Juniper cpped and then reached down to grab her hand. “We’ll be safe, I promise.” With a tug, she started them off in a slightly different direction. One that would lead them off to the left side of the ruins and the path cutting through the hills. The next 30 minutes or so the ground rose at a steady incline as if previewing what would come. She didn’t doubt her muscles would burn by the end of the day. She would definitely need a good soak ter on! If only she could figure out how to make a hot tub…

  At least the actual climb didn’t prove any more difficult than her and Aurora’s the other day. Of course, Vesta’s fox-like grace extended beyond her looks and she easily outpaced the tired human on the way up. However, the reward became apparent as soon as they reached the top. With heavy breathing, Juniper stood at the crest and put her hands on her hips, looking over the nd below. Or the hills below, more accurately.

  It was heavily forested and, besides a small ft area on the other side of the path, the hills continued off in all directions. As she scanned, something very odd immediately caught her attention. A tall, bck tower in the distance that sat in stark contrast to the nearly pristine nature all around her. It didn’t look run down either, like it was currently occupied. She couldn’t see the base of it but a thick column of smoke rose off to one side.

  “What the hell is that…” Juniper crouched and then id down on her stomach to observe the mysterious building while trying to remain hidden.

  “I’m not sure,” Vesta admitted before doing the same. “I’ve never seen that before.”

  “Because it’s new or you’ve never been that far?”

  “I’ve only explored right on the other side of these hills and have always used the path.” Vesta turned then and a smirk kicked up on her lips. “Because why would I ever climb these hills?”

  Juniper couldn’t help but chuckle and lightly shove the Foxpark’s shoulder in response to the quip. “Very funny.” The ughter eventually faded while the two quietly looked for signs of life in the distance. However, the tranquility of the morning was abruptly shattered due to a distant BANG that had both of them putting their heads down and frantically searching for the source of the noise. Another two followed in rapid succession and Juniper could’ve sworn she saw movement in the forest below. Whatever was down there clearly didn’t like the noise either but at least it sounded far away.

  “Fuck, what was that?” Juniper asked. “Is it–“

  “Gunfire.”

  The sudden appearance of a new voice almost caused Juniper to jump out of her skin and she whipped her head around in response. There, she found Lily and Mist crouching behind the two, amusement pin on their faces. Probably from scaring the ever-loving shit out of her and Vesta.

  “Damnit, Lily! You almost gave me a heart attack!” Juniper picked up a rock and pyfully threw it in the direction of her friend. Who deftly caught it before shrugging and tossing it to the side.

  “Could’ve but it would serve you right for coming out this far. What the hell were you thinking?”

  “I just wanted to explore a bit, that’s all. We weren’t going to go any further. How did you even find us?” Juniper followed the question by bringing a hand up to her chest to try and calm the thumping of her heart.

  “Uh-huh, is that right? I told you it’s dangerous out here, especially when you stand on top of a hill for everyone to see.” Lily shook her head and the smile faded until it was repced with a look of concern. “Those gunshots,” she started before bringing up a finger and pointing in the direction of the tower. “Are most likely from a particurly nasty group of thugs.”

  Juniper turned her head in the direction indicated and nodded in response. “What are they shooting at?”

  “Beats me,” she shrugged. “Another gang. Pals. Fuck, even their own people from what I hear.”

  “Their own people…”

  “Yeah, it’s messed up. They didn’t always used to be like this either but something changed in the st few weeks.” Lily sighed and sucked in her teeth before returning her attention to Juniper. “We can talk about that when we get back, though.” She tapped her back a few times as she spoke and the smile gradually returned. “I have a few surprises that I think you’ll like.”

  “Funny you should mention that because I have a surprise for you as well.” Juniper hummed her response and the anxiety on Lily’s face only deepened.

  “Oh Juniper, what else have you done!?”