Epilogue: Return to the Runepaws' (with Nayeli)

"Hiii-eee!" Diya greeted them at the door with a cheer, "Welcome back!"

"Thank you," Sarahi smiled as the trio of guests filed through the door.

"And thank you very much for the invitation," Nayeli agreed, stopping to offer the smaller Feline a bright smile and sincere handshake, "I'm Nayeli. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Oh wow," Diya giggled, accepting the handshake happily, "I know Oro's fostered, but you are clearly not related! Diya, and it's nice to meet you, too."

"Yeah, yeah," Oro rolled his eyes, shaking the three large totes he was carrying, "Can we get through the door? These are heavier than they look."

"Well I guess it's a good thing you're stronger than you look," Diya winked as Nayeli stepped aside for him, "Kylan's already poolside. Make yourselves at home," she encouraged, gesturing toward the great-room, and the pool beyond. She caught the hem of Sarahi's skirt before the Sha'khari could get away, holding her back while Oro lead Nayeli toward the glass door leading out to the pool. "So, did you warn her about...things?" Diya asked quietly when she was reasonably sure Nayeli wouldn't hear.

Sarahi nodded quickly. "Yes, but only about Kylan. I hope you're not disappointed, but we really can't get into the other thing with Nayeli here," she grimaced, not even liking the thought of trying to explain that to the sweet and very straight-laced Lioness.

But Diya also nodded. "Oh, you have no idea," Diya grinned sheepishly, "We were going to say the same, even if she didn't come. Dad's home. He's taking a break to share the start of summer vacation with us, and that includes today's swim."

Sarahi blinked, then covered her mouth as she turned to see Nayeli stepping through the glass door, right behind Oro. "Oh, crap! You should have warned us! How do you think he'll handle Oro?"

"Well, not the same way your Dad does," Diya laughed, nudging her toward the door, "I think he'll be fine. Dad's pretty cool. That's why we didn't warn you." Sarahi looked dubious, but resolved herself to trust her friend and followed her out to the back yard.

"You must be Nayeli," Kylan grinned, hopping down from his chair by the shaded poolside table, where he'd already finished laying out snacks and drinks for everyone to enjoy.

"And you must be Kylan," she smiled back, offering her hand just as she had to Diya. She tilted her head at his modest swim-trunks, decorated in a simple blue-and-white slash pattern, under a game-branded swimming shirt. "Oh, you're in trunks after all? I was told to be prepared for something else," she noted, crouching down to be closer to eye-level with him.

Kylan chuckled, and appreciated the subtle, respectful gesture. "So they did warn you. Yeah, I didn't want to make our first meeting awkward, especially if you weren't expecting it, so I went with this."

Oro snorted, already helping himself to an apple despite the totes in his hands. "Is it even possible for you to have an awkward meeting?" he asked, eyes directed at Nayeli.

"Oh, you'd be surprised," she grinned sheepishly at Sarahi for a second, as she and Diya joined the rest of them, then returned her sincere smile and attention to Kylan, "Thank you for considering me, but it is your home, and of all the vices I can think of, that one's in a firm running for most trivial. I promise not to stare."

He tried not to look too excited, but the energy in his smile was obvious. "Thanks. If you don't mind, then, I'll go change," he beamed, and practically skipped off toward the changing area attached to the bathhouse.

Sarahi seemed about to say something when an unfamiliar voice from the water broke in first: "Now that was beautiful," it praised with a gentle chuckle, "And here I tend to worry about this generation." A patchwork-furred Cat was floating lazily on his back in the pool, eyes protected behind dark sunglasses as it faced the bright sun overhead, and an equally bright smile on his face. Rolling over onto his belly and giving one strong kick to bring him to the ledge, he rested his elbows on it and gave the group a friendly wave. "Daniel Runepaw. Just call me Dan. I'm Diya and Kylan's dad," he chuckled, understanding that was probably obvious even to their newest guest, "Nice to see you again, Sarahi. And you," he pointed at the Rabbit already crushing a second apple between his teeth, "Must be Oro."

Oro stopped mid-chew, giving a suspicious look first to Diya, then to her father. He swallowed (but only because not even he could speak around a mouth that full) before answering, "Yeah, what about it?"

Mr. Runepaw just shook his head. "Nothing at all," he chuckled, turning to rest his back against the wall, "Just glad to see my kids making new friends. They seem sweet on you, so please continue to be good to them."

"Dad!!" Diya gasped, actually covering her mouth and going red in the cheeks, "It's not like that!" He grinned, and Sarahi had to choke back a snicker...especially when she saw Nayeli's face go red, too. "Anyway," the little Feline rolled her eyes, "You guys should get changed, too!" She gently tugged the shoulder-straps of her own bathing suit, a one-piece with cutouts along the sides and decorated with imitation splashes of paint in a rainbow of colors. "There's two changing rooms, so take your pick. And you, obviously, are welcome to use the pool-house again," she smiled to Sarahi.

Nayeli tilted her head as she took her tote from the chair where Oro had dropped it. "Oh, embarrassed to change with me? You know I wouldn't poke fun at anything about your figure, right?" she asked, trying not to sound disappointed. She didn't necessarily blame Sarahi for wanting privacy, but she liked to think they were good enough friends by this point that the Sha'khari wasn't ashamed of her body around Nayeli, like she didn't seem to be around the Runepaws or even Oro.

Sarahi tilted her head right back, though. "Um...no, but are you sure you won't be embarrassed?" she asked, making a circular gesture over her bestial half, "Or did you forget why I change in a shower stall instead of by the lockers? And keep my back to the wall if I can't manage that?"

The Lioness blinked...then covered her mouth as her cheeks turned bright red. "...I did," she admitted, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean--"

She was interrupted by Sarahi's laugh, as the Sha'khari grabbed her in a hug. "Don't," she insisted, "I like that you forget. It proves you aren't bothered by it in any way. I hope I can be that way, someday." Letting go of her friend and taking up her own tote, she added, "But I can't yet. So I'll see you in a minute," then went trotting off to the pool-house.

Diya giggled at Nayeli's relieved but confused look. "Yeah, she's still got some work to do in that area. But she's been doing a lot better since last year," she added encouragingly, thinking Nayeli and Oro both were largely to thank for that...even if she couldn't tell Nayeli some of the details.

"I'm glad," Nayeli nodded, "But now I feel bad. I know she's sensitive about that."

"If I may interject," Mr. Runepaw chuckled from the water, "It seems to me that some problems have no perfect solution. You just have to do what seems best at the time and forgive what can't be helped. It looks like Sarahi is learning that," he smiled, "Now you'd best do the same, or you're going to waste this entire beautiful day standing there instead of swimming."

With another nod, and a renewed smile, Nayeli likewise made her way to the changing rooms, followed closely by Oro. Kylan passed them on his way back, now wearing an exact match to his sister's swimsuit, and Oro caught his arm in passing. "Put this somewhere safe before it gets wet," the Rabbit muttered, pulling a capped, cardboard tube out of his tote and handing it to the little Feline.

Kylan blinked at it for a moment, not quite understanding what Oro was handing him...then seemed to remember, and immediately glanced over to see if his dad had noticed the trade while his cheeks turned red. When the coast seemed clear, he gave Oro a big, grateful grin and then immediately skittered off inside the house. Oro continued to the changing room like nothing had happened.

The afternoon went...swimmingly. They paddled laps and ran races (Sarahi easily winning all of these). They talked about school and how much they didn't miss it, with bemused commentary from Mr. Runepaw. They had a chicken-fight, with Kylan on his dad's shoulders, Diya on Nayeli's, and...

"Alright, you, get up here," Sarahi patted her back while giving the other two pairs of contenders a challenging grin.

Much to her surprise, Oro scoffed. "How the fuck is that fair?" he asked, then ducked beneath the water. The Sha'khari gasped, and flailed her arms a little in the effort to find her balance, as her entire body was lifted out of the water. Oro's arms trembled just slightly as he hefted her up with her leonine ribs in his hands. "This," he hissed through grit teeth, clearly straining to support her properly, "Makes a fair fight."

"...Whoa," Diya whispered in genuine amazement, clinging carefully to Nayeli's head as all four of the other swimmers watched the Rabbit actually take a step toward them in challenge. Unfortunately, Sarahi's body was just a little too long, and his hands too narrow a fulcrum, and she ended up tipping forward to drag them both face-first into the water.

Mr. Runepaw laughed as the pair came sputtering back to the surface. "And thus pride goes before the fall," he grinned, swinging around to immediately engage Diya and Nayeli while they were still surprised.

"You dirty cheat!" Diya laughed, barely recovering her balance (thanks in no small part to Nayeli's grip) before Kylan could topple her.

Oro flashed an irksome glare at the older Feline with half his face still below the water, huffing his vexation out in a spray of bubbles. Sarahi laughed at how perturbed he looked. "I don't know what you're so upset about," she giggled, "You just broke my perfect winning streak at this game!" Paddling around behind him, she reared up on her hind legs, which easily put her on the same level as the sparring twins. "Next time, maybe just do this," she grinned, laying her front paws over his shoulders in the nearest approximation of a piggy-back ride she would ever get. "Though that's still a heinously unfair advantage," she admitted with a wink as they watched the match-off between the others. "...That was amazing, you know," the Sha'khari tried to console his wounded pride, "No one's been able to flat-out lift me since I was shorter than those two. And while I'm sopping wet, no less!"

"Yeah, yeah," the Rabbit huffed, standing upright but still letting her lean on his shoulders, "Call me sexist if you want, but there's something about a guy riding on a girl that just seems wrong. Or dirty."

She blushed at the suggestion, and immediately dropped down from his shoulders. "Oh, is that how it was when I carried you away from those muggers?" she asked with a smirk and her arms crossed, "What was it you said? 'I'll buy a lesson from you'? Just what kind of girl do you take me for?"

"A dick," he answered reflexively at her insinuation. She slapped him. The clap of it was so loud it stopped the mock-combat in front of them cold, as Nayeli and the Runepaws hesitated to decide whether the comment or the assault carried greater sting...and whether they were about to engage in actual combat. For one tense second they looked angry. Angry enough to fight. Sarahi broke first, snorting through her nose in her attempt to choke back the laugh and keep a stern face. Oro's snicker, cracking his perpetually perturbed facade, finished the job, and both of them burst into outright laughter.

"I'm glad you two just seem to be teasing," Mr. Runepaw cut in gently, carefully lowering Kylan down from his shoulders, "But I'm not sure I can let that slide. You were mugged? When did this happen?"

Sarahi cringed just a little, embarrassed now that she remembered she and Oro had an audience. "Oh...eh, early last winter? We got away without losing anything important," she quasi-lied, leaving out the detail of her skirt, "And neither of us got hurt. I have Oro to thank for that."

"Like fuck you do," the Rabbit immediately growled, returned to his true, grumpy form, "We got away because you gave me a ride, and you're an even faster sprinter than Nayeli. No offense," he shrugged to the Lioness.

His critique of her speed was hardly what concerned his foster-sister, though. "Wait, for real?!" she blinked, "Oro, why didn't you tell us? Did you at least tell Mom?"

"Fuck no," he hissed, "It was the literal fucking day we got back from suspension! Who the Hell would believe I didn't start the fight?"

"Mom would!" Nayeli insisted...though she had to admit, the temptation to think he wasn't telling the entire story was pretty terrible, even if she was pretty sure he'd admit to having started it if he had.

"You fought them?" Diya blinked...and immediately felt guilty as Oro snarled and pulled his own ears in frustration, no doubt feeling like every word was digging a deeper hole to bury him in.

"Alright, everyone calm down," Mr. Runepaw sighed in sympathy to the poor Rabbit, "It's nearly two seasons behind us, right?" he asked more of Sarahi than Oro, and continued when she nodded, "And you two seem none the worse for wear. Water under the bridge. Though it certainly sounds like an exciting story," he admitted, glancing at the watch on his wrist, "How about we take lunch and you two tell us all about it in full? If you're comfortable, that is."

Sarahi looked over at Oro. "Uh...yeah, I'm fine with that, but I don't want to stir up any trouble..."

"Don't sweat it," Oro shrugged, "I'm used to trouble, and this doesn't even count. I just didn't want to give Mrs. Hope another thing to worry about, right after getting suspended."

"I don't intend to poke sleeping bears, either," Mr. Runepaw promised, kicking his way over to the ledge, "I presume you told your parents, right, Sarahi?" Again she nodded. "Good. Safe to say everything that needed to be done got done, then. Now, I can't wait to hear about this adventure," he chuckled, hauling himself out of the water and going to fetch the sandwiches he and the twins had prepared earlier in the morning.

Sarahi did most of the telling, with Oro just adding snarky commentary from time to time. She glossed over the part about losing her skirt so she could run faster. She made sure to give Oro his full due when it came to the brief fight, especially how he'd stood his ground to provide her a chance to escape. And she summed up their get-away as 'ran right home'. Even if Oro would be okay with her sharing the talk they'd had afterward (which she doubted), she wasn't entirely comfortable with it. "So...yeah, that's the part I was teasing him about. I told him he rides like a girl, and he came back with a line about buying lessons off me, which was what came to mind a little while ago. I kind of strayed out of teasing territory with the slap, though. I'm sorry."

Oro scoffed again, for at least the dozenth time, and waved off the apology. "Like I didn't have it coming. I knew it when I opened my big mouth, so shut yours."

Kylan quirked a brow, glancing back and forth between them. "You guys have kind of a weird dynamic," the little Feline noted.

Sarahi put her hand over Oro's mouth before he could respond to that, recognizing a remark that just begged him to be biting in his comeback. "Yeah," she flashed an embarrassed smile, "But I like to think it's a good one. Right?" she asked the Rabbit.

With her hand still over his mouth, Oro just raised a fist and bumped his knuckles lightly against her shoulder. "The fucking best," he answered quietly the moment she took her hand away. Sarahi blushed. So did Nayeli, though she tried to pretend not to have noticed the sincerity of that remark by taking a long sip from her tea.

The twins weren't making things any better, giving sly looks to the Sha'khari, who quickly cooled her cheeks with the soda in her hands, and Mr. Runepaw smiled in quiet amusement. "Well, I'm glad everything turned out alright in the end," he chuckled, checking his watch again briefly, "I'm on vacation, but I do have an important call I need to make. You kids keep having fun, and I'll be back in a few minutes. No slapping while I'm gone," he winked at Sarahi good-naturedly, then got up and strolled into the house.

"Speaking of which," Kylan remarked in a conspiratorial tone as soon as his dad was through the door, "I didn't want to ask in front of Dad, since he wouldn't have noticed anyway...but that's a new set, right?" He made a circular gesture over one side of his face, looking at Oro. "What happened this time?"

He regretted asking almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Oro shot him a narrow look, and both Sarahi and Nayeli became visibly uncomfortable. Especially Sarahi. "I'm a fucking bastard, and she's a fucking idiot to put up with it," the Rabbit growled, "The only surprise here is that I don't have a new set every time we meet. You want one?"

"Oro!" Sarahi hissed softly, giving a light back-hand to his arm. To Kylan she offered a more sincere but not much more detailed answer, "When we got home...last time," she gestured around them, indicating the pool and those gathered beside it, "He said something that actually hurt. And I lost my temper. And I don't really want to rehash it. We talked it out, we're still good friends (as I hope today will prove), and I'd like to just leave it alone."

The twins' eyes went wide, and they covered their mouths with their hands and shot each other a guilty look. "It wasn't...something to do with us, was it?" Diya asked hesitantly, sneaking a glance at Nayeli and realizing she was walking dangerously close to ratting them all out...but genuinely worried that they might have crossed a line after all, and made a rift between two friends who were actually good for one another.

"No," both the Sha'khari and the Rabbit answered quickly and emphatically, much to the smaller Felines' relief. "We had a great time," Sarahi promised in follow-up, "Just like we are today. It was something that came up after we left. And now, I'd like to get back to having a great time," she finished with a smile, getting her paws under her.

Before she could take a step toward the water, though, Kylan hopped down from his chair and caught her around the waist in a hug. If that wasn't surprising enough for her, he then immediately turned to Oro and did the same to the grumpy Rabbit, who gave him a dubious look. "If you two can still be friends after something like that," he explained with a smile when the let the Rabbit go, "You were made for each other. I'm not sure I could be that forgiving."

"'M nothing of the sort," Oro muttered, sneering at the remark, "I just know what I deserve."

"Well I hope we can all keep being friends," Kylan insisted, taking his arm and pulling him toward the pool, "I want friends I can fight with and still like, too." He then went skipping to the edge of the water before diving in...so didn't see the anxious look Sarahi shot at Nayeli.

"Me, too," Nayeli smiled encouragingly, waving for her to go on and dive in, "I'll be there as soon as I finish this tea," she promised, "The shade feels nice." Sarahi nodded, grabbing Oro's arm and dragging him toward the water before he could question the look he had doubtless noticed.

Diya watched them all jump in, kicking her feet idly under her chair, then turned back to Nayeli. "You...seem uncomfortable," she smile apologetically, "Sorry if we touched on anything personal. We had a couple of heart-to-hearts last time they came over, and I was worried maybe it started something."

The Lioness shook her head. "I just didn't realize all of you were so close. I feel a little like I'm intruding on the club now."

"It's not intruding if you were invited," Diya smiled, reaching over to pat her arm gently, "I really only see Sarahi when her parents call me to baby-sit, but even I know you're her best friend. Even better than Oro, if you ask me," the little Feline winked, "At least you encourage good habits in her. She talks about you so much it even annoys him sometimes."

Nayeli blinked at that, and blushed. "Ah...that might not be as difficult as you think," she grinned in embarrassment. Taking one more long pull from the straw to finish her tea, the Lioness set the glass aside and took the other girl's hand. "Shall we join them?"

"Absolutely!" Diya grinned, but pulled back against Nayeli's hand as the taller girl started toward the water. "Hey, come back with them next time, too. I want to be friends with any friend of hers. Or his," Diya promised.

Nayeli smiled, warm and sincere. "I will," she agreed, then they splashed into the pool together. The rest of the afternoon was full of sunshine and smiles, even when Mr. Runepaw rejoined them. As evening approached, Mr. Runepaw invited their guests to stay for dinner, telling them he had already called their parents to get permission for them and all had agreed. With no reason to refuse, Sarahi and Nayeli and Oro were happy to stay, and thanked their host generously (well, two of them did, anyway) before they all climbed out to head for the showers and changing rooms. Sarahi waited patiently outside the dividing wall for Nayeli and Diya to get changed, so that she could wash the chlorine out of her fur without embarrassing anyone.

On the other side of the divider, Mr. Runepaw stopped Oro with a hand on his shoulder before the Rabbit could get into the shower. "Sorry, but I need you to take a serious note for the future," the taller Feline told him in a suddenly serious tone, soft enough not to carry to the girls' side. Shooting a quick look to Kylan, beside them, he added, "Son, this will be good for you to remember, too, but not a word to Sarahi. I don't want to worry her."

The Rabbit frowned, and Kylan looked understandably confused. "What about her?" Oro growled, crossing his arms over his chest, "I thought you weren't going to poke any bears."

"And I haven't," the older Cat nodded with a reassuring smile, "I just confirmed that things got handled," he sighed, crossing his arms right back at the Rabbit. "And I need you both to remember, especially in emergencies, that Sarahi's not a typical teenager, and I'm not talking about her legs. She's the mayor's niece. Her father manages nearly a third of the attractions in town. Mayor Swordbright doesn't have a family of his own, and she's her own parents' only child."

Kylan's mouth dropped open at the implication, but Oro's frown just deepened. "You saying someone was after her? The setup was shit, if that's the case," the Rabbit growled, though he seemed to be taking the hint to heart.

Mr. Runepaw only shrugged. "I don't know. It doesn't seem like it. I only want to be sure you're aware that she can be used as leverage if someone gets their hands on her. So," here he leaned down to look Oro close and square in the eyes, "If someone comes after her, even just to snatch her purse, it needs to be reported. Promptly. Understand?"

"...Yes," Oro answered clearly through gnashed teeth. It was hard for Kylan to tell if he was angry because he thought he was being accused of something, or angry that he let someone deliberately trying to hurt Sarahi get off so lightly. Knowing the volatile Rabbit, it could go either way...and maybe both.

"Thank you," Mr. Runepaw chuckled, standing back up and patting the young man's shoulder, "Take it easy. You did good, if even half of that story was true. I hope my kids have someone like you around if they ever find themselves in trouble."

"Me, too," Kylan admitted aloud...apparently without quite intending to, as he immediately covered his mouth.

Oro snorted, ignoring the smaller Feline's embarrassment. "Sarahi, the twins, Nayeli...I'll bust the kneecaps on anyone who picks on my friends. That's just what I do. I've done a good job when I don't let any of them get away," he shrugged off the hand and slung aside the curtain to step into the shower area, effectively putting an end to the talk.

Mr. Runepaw quirked a brow, and leaned down low to whisper to Kylan, "...You weren't kidding."

Kylan just nodded. "Yeah. I think you scared him, too. He'll keep it to himself, though."

His dad nodded back, then they likewise stripped and rinsed off the chlorine, and everyone shared a friendly and light-hearted dinner, talking about the latest movies being released and which ones they planned to see before summer ended.