In a matter of minutes, with a few pauses for Vesta to catch her breath, the fish appeared to be seared to perfection. This was further confirmed after the Foxparks invited Juniper to step up and try some. Which elicited a little hum of excitement before she carefully broke a piece free. After blowing a few times, she ate the whole piece in one big bite. Temperature be damned.
"This is delicious, Vesta. Thank you!" Juniper followed the words with a few licks of her fingers. Just to ensure she got all the juices. It was good to have something a bit heartier and she could already feel her spirits being lifted by the warm food. A few seconds later, they all turned their attention to the shack as a cloud of dust preceded the reappearance of Livia and Ophelia. Who both perked up at the sight and smell of the cooked fish.
"Lunch time?" Livia asked as she stepped through the door and out into fresh air, her sister right on her heels.
"Lunchtime," Juniper confirmed with a nod and a wave of her hand in their direction. Wasting no time, she grabbed the stick with her prepared fillet and then moved out of the way so the Pals could get theirs. She thought about going back to the table but there wouldn't be enough chairs for everyone. So, Juniper simply plopped down right by the fire pit. Of course, Livia came over and sat beside her once she grabbed her portion. Then, Ophelia joined on the other side of her sister.
Before Vesta did the same, she turned to Aurora and pointed at one of the remaining portions. "Have you ever had this before?"
"Mm, nope!” The Lamball replied, shaking her head for emphasis.
"Here, you'll like it. I promise" Vesta reached down and grabbed both the remaining sticks before Aurora followed her with a nod of her head. Both of them sat on Juniper's other side, with Vesta closest.
Curious, Juniper looked over to continue observing the little interaction. She was rewarded with the sight of Vesta handing over the food once they were seated. When Aurora looked at it quizzically, instead of taking a bite, Vesta leaned in and did just that. Biting a sizable chunk out of the side of her fish.
"See? Just like that." She said, pausing her chewing only long enough to speak.
"Okay!" Aurora brought hers up and leaned forward to take a much more tentative bite. However, as she chewed, her expression grew more and more pleased. "This is so good! Much better than grass or berries." The Lamball hastily took another, bigger bite and subsequently fell silent while she ate.
"So, Juniper..."
She turned at hearing her name and quickly found the two guests looking in her direction. It appeared Ophelia was chewing after her own bite and Livia’s fish already had a portion missing.
“Yes?”
“I don’t recall seeing you around here before. You must be new, right?”
“That’s right. Let’s see, it’s been…” Juniper followed her response by bringing up her free hand and dramatically extending two fingers. As if she really needed to count. “Not even two whole days.” She could tell by the look of surprise on both the Foxparks' faces that this was odd. Why that was, she had no idea. But she chose to take a bite instead of asking.
“Not even two days…” Livia repeated the words and shook her head in disbelief. “That’s surprising.”
“Why is that?”
“Binding two Pals already. Jumping into the water for Vesta, even when you didn’t know how dangerous she’d be. And–” Livia turned then and indicated the shack with the stick in her hands. “You’re working on this place.” When she turned back around, the Foxparks shrugged and took a bite before shaking her head. “Not bad. Lots of humans end up dead by day two instead of thriving.”
Livia’s answer gave Juniper a lot to ponder. She wasn’t so sure she’d describe herself as “thriving” but she wasn’t dead so that had to count for something. “I see. Well, I aim to avoid that particular outcome and I’ve never been one to really sit around and wait.”
“I’ll say…” Vesta quipped and Juniper turned to find her two Pals apparently interested in the conversation as well. However, the joke earned Vesta a little push from the Lamball.
“You’re lucky she isn’t! Or else you’d be much worse off.”
Vesta winced at this and then blew out a long breath before her ears flattened to her head. Which, only made her look that much more adorable.
“Aww, I’d always come running for you, Vesta. Don’t worry about it.” As she spoke, Juniper brought her free hand over to squeeze the Foxparks’ shoulder, eliciting a happy wag of the bushy tail. “For any of you...” She followed the words by looking around at each of them in turn. Vesta, Aurora, and even Livia and Ophelia. She’d gladly do the same for all of them. And, selflessness aside, look what such a sentiment brought her? Four sets of helping hands! Two she hadn’t even bound.
“Oh?” Hearing this, Livia leaned in closer. So much so that her arm was now touching Junipers. “Does this mean you intend to bind us to you, Miss Juniper? I think I’d quite like that…” The look Livina gave her was positively menacing and Juniper felt her pulse quicken at the mere suggestion.
"Hey! Get your own human, Livia!" Again, it was Vesta behind her but Juniper only turned for a moment to give the Foxparks a quick wink.
When she returned her attention to Livia, Juniper leaned and arched one eyebrow. "Mm, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" She continued getting closer and closer until her lips were right by one of Livia's large, foxlike ears. "Would you be a good girl for me, Livia?" The words, as much as the warm breath across her skin, must have been too much for the Foxparks because Juniper saw her body shiver under the attention.
"I'd be the best girl..." The words were barely above a whisper and Juniper was eating up how Livia was melting from the attention. And she was so haughty only a moment ago.
"Well then, I know who I'll be coming for when I need two more fiery ladies." Honestly, it was hard to deny the request outright. Everything other than Juniper's brain was screaming for her to take Livia and Ophelia into the shack and bind them right now or at least have a go for fun. But she had to be practical in this situation. How would she feed two more mouths when three was already a stretch?
"Please do, Miss Juniper!" This time it was Ophelia who spoke up, causing all eyes to shift to her. With so many eyes cast her way, the smaller Foxparks dropped hers to the ground and she soon developed a deep, crimson blush on her cheeks.
Juniper only chuckled where she sat and leaned out from beside Livia before nodding her head. "Well, how can I refuse a request like that? You have my word, Ophelia. When I’m ready, you’ll be mine." As if they weren’t practically already. With everyone placated, Juniper and the Pals returned to finishing their lunch with a light conversation to entertain them.
Afterward, everyone made their way to the entrance of the small shack under Juniper’s instruction so they could finally get this door hung up using the screws and hinges she’d collected. It wasn’t a perfect match but it would at least let them close the damn thing. With that last task completed they all stood out front, admiring their latest bit of handy work. Until Aurora piped up from the side.
"Looks like a storm might be coming tonight."
Juniper turned and found the Lamball pointing at the distant sky where a few dark storm clouds were forming.
"Oh, joy. another storm." The sarcasm was palpable in her voice and a touch of dread built in Juniper's chest.
Livia nodded and sucked in her teeth before bringing her attention back to the group. "Well, as lovely as this is, we better go and prepare then." Ophelia nodded along with the assertion and stepped closer to her sister. Who quickly fixed her eyes on Juniper. "I expect we'll be seeing you soon, Miss Juniper. Promises are promises, after all."
"That they are, Livia. That they are." In addition to the words, Juniper brought up a hand to wave at the two Foxparks as they turned to go. However, Ophelia lagged behind for a moment longer.
"G-good bye, Miss Juniper!" The smaller Foxparks closed her eyes as she stuttered over her excited words and quickly turned to run after her sister once she got them out. Prompting silent laughter from the trio left by the shack.
"So cute..." Juniper remarked before turning back on Vesta and Aurora. “Well, if it’s going to rain, we have some work to do, don’t we? Come on.” With the two in tow, she wasted no time setting about the remaining tasks that needed to be done. The sleeping bag they left hanging outside between two chairs for now but the third and the table they brought back inside.
Juniper lamented the fact it was going to rain and they couldn’t even cover the windows or, more problematic, the hole in the roof. Well, at least it was off to one side and the trio could huddle up for the night on the opposite wall. Still, the water could run and pool. To help prevent any errant streams from finding them in the night, Juniper ended up laying all the cabinet boards down in a rough rectangle. Well, all but one distinctly fishy one. Hopefully, the sleeping bag on top would make it a little more bearable but Juniper swore she could already feel her back hurt in anticipation of the night to come.
With the day winding down, and her goals more or less met, Juniper led them all to the pool to bathe and wash anything that needed it. The aforementioned cabinet door especially. Though, if they were all going to be cuddled up tonight, a quick rinse certainly wouldn’t hurt. There were no sightings of novel Pals along the way this time. Most likely due to the preparations for the upcoming storm, if she had to guess. The trio didn’t linger at the pool either. Even if it hadn’t started to rain, the increasingly darkened sky and distant rumbling of thunder prevented any prolonged enjoyment.
Which ended up being a good decision as the first few drops began to fall once they were in sight of their little hideaway. After quickly gathering the sleeping bag and the remaining furniture, all three retreated into the safety of the shack. However, Juniper eventually came to stand in the doorway, peering out into the wilderness while the rain grew in intensity and the sun set in the distance. In the last few minutes, she’d grown silent and even began to fidget with her hair. Rolling a few strands between two fingers.
“Juniper, are you ok?” Aurora’s question broke Juniper’s trance and she looked back to find both Pals huddled atop their makeshift bed.
In response, she did her best to smile and nod her head before looking back outside. “Yeah, I’ll be alright. I used to really like storms; you know? Or…I still do. Well, I guess you could say we have a complicated relationship now.” If wrecking the boat you were riding on and turning your life upside down in a single night could be described so plainly.
Aurora and Vesta must’ve sensed what she was getting at because they remained silent for a few moments following her answer. No doubt Aurora filled Vesta in on the human’s unfortunate arrival. Though, that sounded like the standard way people came to these islands. Which was peculiar, to say the least.
“Why don’t you come and join us?” Vesta sweetened the invitation by patting the newly created space between her and Aurora. The noise of which, as much as the offer, finally had Juniper closing the door and walking over to do just that. Before she did, she shimmied out of her shoes and shorts. Leaving only the camisole, panties, and socks on as she lowered herself down. However, instead of sitting like they were, Juniper sprawled out dramatically. Squishing their legs and playfully pushing them over.
“Hey!” Came two synchronous pleas, followed by a chorus of chuckles as they wrestled her enough space to stretch out themselves. By the time it was done, Juniper lay in the middle facing Aurora, her forehead resting just above the Lamball’s bosom. Vesta lay comfortably snuggled up behind her, the bushy tail laying across all three. After they settled, Aurora gently began to stroke her hair and Vesta’s warm breath running over her neck had a contented sigh emanating from Juniper's lips. Talk about a way to distract a weary mind!
Even though it was early in the evening, and the bed was indeed crap, Juniper found that sleep tugged at her eyes and her desire to rest was quickly winning out. Aided by the warm bodies on either side and the gentle sound of rain pattering against the roof. “Thank you both.” She whispered before craning her neck and stealing a soft kiss from Aurora. Naturally, she also turned and did the same to Vesta before closing her eyes.
“You’re welcome, Miss Juniper.” Came the replies before she felt shuffling and heard another peck of lips. Another few minutes and Juniper’s breathing slowed and became rhythmic as she drifted off to sleep.
---
Thankfully, no dreams came that night and Juniper awoke that next morning still cuddled up in a pile. At some point, Aurora had turned and become a proper little spoon but otherwise they were the same. Unfortunately for Juniper, a new guest had arrived. A nasty headache. Probably due to her not getting enough water in combination with not having caffeine for almost 3 days now. Fuck, she missed coffee something awful. When she opened her eyes, she found that light peaked in through the windows and, once she lifted her head, that a good-sized puddle also made itself home in one corner. “Shit…”
The single word caused Aurora to stir in her arms, prompting a wince from Juniper. She hadn’t meant to wake anyone just yet. She also felt movement behind her and, when she turned her head, she found Vesta staring back at her with alert eyes. It seemed she had been the first one to wake this morning but chose to remain still to let the others rest.
“Good morning, Vesta.”
“Good morning, Miss Juniper.”
The greetings had Aurora groaning and slowly rolling over to face the two. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before her eyes fluttered open. Waking up to the sight of Juniper and Vesta looking at her must’ve been a real treat because she was smiling only a second later.
“Good morning!”
“Good morning, Aurora,” came the response before all three sat up.
Now that she was sitting, Juniper took the opportunity to rub her temples to try and ease the pain. With no luck, sadly.
“Not feeling great?” Aurora asked with a hint of concern plain on her face.
“I’ve just got a headache, that’s all. Nothing a cup of coffee wouldn’t solve but sadly I’m out of luck there.” Coffee was truly the answer to so many of life’s troubles.
“Is that like a drink?” Aurora’s anxiety had turned to confusion following the question. A look mirrored by Vesta.
“Oh, that’s right. You’ve never had something like that, right?” It was strange to think that, not only was Juniper missing out on comforts she’d taken for granted, but most of those comforts would be wholly unfamiliar to her companions. “Yes, it’s a drink that gives you energy. On top of tasting pretty damn good. It’s made by roasting and grinding beans from a certain plant.”
“That sounds nice! Have you heard of that, Vesta?”
“Nope, can’t say I have. I’m guessing that sort of thing doesn’t wash up on the beach either?”
“Probably not,” Aurora agreed with a shrug.
“Wait, the beach?” The pounding and the remaining vestiges of sleepiness meant Juniper’s mind struggled to connect the dots.
“Yea, the beach. Random junk usually washes up after a storm and sometimes other humans go rummaging around for it. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen one do that in a few weeks now.” Aurora fell silent for a moment following her answer but then her eyes suddenly went wide. “Ohhh, junk and beautiful women, of course!”
The swift correction earned her a snort of amusement from Vesta, even as she nodded in agreement. “Good catch. But yes, beautiful women and junk.”
Of course! Juniper had washed up on the beach, after all. No doubt other useful items would be down there as well! Damnit, she should’ve thought of it sooner. They needed to get down there to-day. Like, now. Especially if other people went to gather what might have come ashore. Not only that, there could be others like her! Dazed and confused and about to get a very odd introduction to these islands.
"Ok!" Juniper spoke with a clap and hastily rose from the bed. Aurora and Vesta seemed a little surprised at the sudden vigor but she kept going regardless. "We need to get to the beach so come on. Up, up." As she spoke, Juniper walked to where her shorts were discarded to put them back on. Followed by her shoes.
"We do?" Vesta asked.
"We do. What you might call junk could end up being really useful. You never know what kind of crap is floating out there. Waiting to be washed ashore." That she’d seen firsthand after almost a decade of working on the world's oceans. A sad but unavoidable fact. Despite any skepticism they may have harbored, when Juniper rose, so did her Pals.
Now that she was ready, she moved to the cabinet and retrieved their current stash of berries and her water. "Here we are, breakfast on the go. We’ll stop off and get more plus some water for my canteen."
"Yes ma'am!" Came the reply from the dutiful duo. Which finally brought a smile to Juniper's lips. Before they left, the trio took their sleeping bag off the floor and brought it outside to sit in the sun. Once again stretched over two chairs. They really needed to find a better solution but that was a problem for a different day. Their mission set, they left the shack behind, heading first to their same berry patch and then onto the stream for a refill and a quick drink.
It looked like the storm hadn’t damaged the surrounding area much. A few tree limbs were broken off but otherwise, everything was just wet. The air was still moist too but the sun should burn that away after a few hours. Fed and hydrated, there was only one last decision to make. Where to go? As far as Juniper knew, there were two beaches they scour. Probably others if she asked Aurora and Vesta. However, she ultimately decided they should return to the one she'd woken up on. Not only did that portion of the island stick further out into the ocean, but that's where she met Lily. It wouldn't hurt to run into the eccentric woman again. Unfortunately, that meant stairs. Lots of stairs.
---
"Ugh, Miss Juniper, how much longer?"
Aurora's question brought out a chuckle before Juniper finished chewing her latest handful of berries. "Not long. We just have to pass through this building and then we'll go down the stairs for a change.”
It was a good thing she'd decided against staying in the cavernous ruins. Puddles were left everywhere and it didn’t seem like there was a single dry slot left after the rain. Juniper did pause for a moment where she'd first talked with Lily and Mist but didn't see any sign of the pair. Were they off greeting some other unfortunate soul? Was Mist giving her speech again? She pondered those questions as she made her to the next set of stairs and began her descent.
Juniper could look over the beach after about midway and, after an initial scan, she didn't see any weary survivors stumbling about. Or competition for the beach. She didn't see much debris either but saved her final judgement for when she was actually down there. Even if concern started to grow in the back of her mind. Each step towards their goal helped banish those thoughts though and, by the time her shoes hit the sand, Juniper was laser-focused.
"Alright, if you see anything that looks like it was made by humans, let me know. And I mean anything, even if it looks like garbage." Aurora and Vesta nodded and started looking around the immediate area with an intensity that made Juniper feel even more relieved. They didn't find anything by the stairs but that wasn't wholly surprising. It wasn't until they made it about halfway between the stairs and the water that her eyes found the first item. "Ho-oh, shit! Look at that!"
Juniper practically started running across the beach and stopped with dramatic flair, kicking up sand in the process. She quickly bent down to pick up her prize and held it high over her head in celebration.
"A...bucket..." Vesta's skepticism was evident from her tone but Juniper's excitement continued to build.
"Not just any bucket, our bucket." It was dark blue and probably held about 5 gallons if it was anything like the ones she'd seen at hardware stores previously.
"And what are we going to do with our bucket?" Vesta continued, placing her hands on her hips.
"Oh, I don't know..." Juniper paused for a second as different ideas bubbled to the surface. "We can use it to store things, haul things, collect rainwater. It can even be a seat!" If only there had been more than one!
"And look!" Juniper lowered her find and gave it over to Vesta to hold with a "thank you." Subsequently, she gestured for them both to follow and quickly closed the distance to a tangled mess of ripped netting. "More treasure." Sure, it was a mess right now, but she would gladly take it and the rope that lined its edge. After picking it up, she deposited it in the bucket before nodding her head in satisfaction. "A few more finds like this and we'll be golden." Now, if only a fully functional satellite phone or intact toolbox would make it ashore. As if she would be so lucky...
Besides the items she intended to collect, Juniper was also intensely interested in the scraps of fresh seaweed that washed ashore. It must've ripped out in the storm and was still good for now. So, she grabbed a piece of driftwood and turned to the Lamball. "Here, can you hold this? You have an important job too, Aurora."
"I do?" Her head tilted at the revelation and she looked up with eager eyes to learn of her assignment.
"Absolutely." Juniper nodded. "You're going to carry the food." By way of demonstration, she bent down and picked a nearby piece of seaweed before draping it over the wood. Wrapping it a few times so it didn’t drag along the sand. They could wash it properly in the pool so this solution would work for now.
"I see! You can count on me!" Of course she could. That much was evident by now and she was so very thankful for it.
The trio walked up and down the beach like this for hours. Gathering errant debris that Juniper thought might be useful. Mostly more scraps of netting or bits of rope. However, she did find one longer section that now sat wrapped around her torso a few times like a sash from shoulder to hip. It looked like the thick rope used by ships to tie themselves to a pier and she figured she could break it down to get even more pieces of smaller line. Other big finds included a buoy and a glass bottle that still had its cap. Funnily enough, they also managed to find an empty coffee tin. Long devoid of any label or lid. What she wouldn't have given for there to be something inside.
By the time they finished, the group had also collected at least enough seaweed for a meal. Possibly two depending on how much Aurora and Vesta ate. The looks of disgust cast in the direction of the slimy plant told Juniper probably not much. More for her! It certainly wouldn't be the tastiest, but it would get the job done as far as keeping her full. Now they just had to haul all this crap back with a stop at the creek, and the pool, to clean it all. Always so many chores.
