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Description

The morning was still and silent, no beeping alarm, no nudges from Mute to remind Noki that she had to wake up. The sunlight was gentle, filtering through the slats in the window. A gentle breeze stirred the curtains, sifting over Noki’s slumbering face. Her hair free of plaits shifted gently, tickling her pale nose. Her nostrils flared, wrinkling and the females long legs shifted beneath the sheets. Delicate lids remained closed, lashes curled as her arms rose above her head, her paws curling into fists as she stretched. This movement disturbed the sleeping runeboo, whom lifted her head with a little yawn. It too stretched it's six legs, tipping it's nose upwards.
   “Good morning, Mute.” Noki breathed, brushing her sleep ruffled hair from her striking blue eyes as they finally fluttered open. Mute sniffled, rubbing her little nose with a paw. “So, that's what a lie in feels like,” Noki chuckled, staring up at the bare ceiling. As usual, the nook was not quite, her ears pricked to the sound of footsteps and bright voices. Early birds. It felt strange for Noki to not be amongst them, having been up early each morning for bug camp. Unhindered, her mind drifted to the wynglings, she wondered whether they were lying in too. The female found her features drifting into a frown. What would she do with her day, she wondered. She could do anything. Practice magic, read, or - or. The bug camp patches were still on her bedside table, she'd have to find a time to give them to the little ones.
   The idea came to her in one fell swoop, washing over her consciousness and causing her jaw to drop. Their concert had not been a suitable goodbye, her mind would decide. Fall hadn't come yet. As swiftly as the idea had come, Noki was tossing her blanket off of the bed, bounding over to her mirror. Mute watched, somewhat disgruntled by the abruptness of the sudden movement. A brush was raked through her tangles, easing them into silky cascades. Barely able to pause for long enough to twist her fringe into plaits, Noki was spinning for the door;
   “See you later, Mute! Make sure you behave.” And the door closed with a snap as the female disappeared. Now alone, the runeboo blinked, and blinked once more, before curling up and returning contentedly to its slumber.
   “Alma!” Noki would call out, seeing the hatchery mother just down the corridor, humming to herself as she swept. The pleasant wyngro turned, smiling;
   “Ah, Noki, dear. You seem rather flustered, is there anything I can help you with?” The matriarch asked, her initial surprise at the call waning into relaxation as she looked upon the girl before her. Noki smiled, sweeping back a stray plait from her eyes, allowing her to properly observe the motherly one.
   “Oh, yes! I was just wondering if you'd seen Magnai and Kanna around,” she explained swiftly and Alma nodded to show she had heard, whilst she herself remained silent. Tapping her chin with a single digit, the silence stretched on, and Noki began to lose her enthusiasm, perhaps they were still sleeping, she couldn't wake them. But then, Alma grinned;
   “Aha, yes. Kanna was just in the garden and Magnai, I believe was on his way to the dining area.”
   “Thank you!” Noki cried, and she was already on her way. Her footsteps echoed down the corridor as she hurried out to the garden first, soon spotting Kanna, for she was the loudest. Pronouncing her claim over the playground demain from the top of the climbing frame. Noki smiled, glad that it was so easy, the bark base was springy against Noki's blue pads as she approached the climbing frame. It had once seemed so huge but now it came comfortably to her chest. “Hey, Kanna,” she greeted and the wyngling squeaked with excitement to see the biped, rushing over.
   As Noki whispered the plan as if it was a terribly important secret, Kannas features grew brighter and brighter, “oh yes! I'll go and find Magnai right away, we’ll be there.” She declared, her tail wagging as she raced off to the slide, the swiftest route down to ground level. Noki watched her leave for just a moment before turning, the next step would be a little more difficult. But not impossible, with Xanthe enjoying giving every detail about her life on their first day of meeting. It was fortunate she did not live far. And past market to boot!
   A basket full of fruit and a cream wyngling later, the nook would once again stand before Noki's gaze, a waving Kanna and a sulking Magnai to accompany it.
   “A picnic, a picnic, we're going to have a picnic,” Xanthe sang, skipping ahead along the cobble.
   Magnai was glad for this distance as he turned to Noki and asked, “can I see the patches?”
   “Of course, as soon as we sit down I'll get them for you all,” Noki promised, knowing it would only cause disruption to try to dig them out of her basket. Magnai was hard pressed, just this once, to hide the faintest of smiles. “You all did really well, you should be proud of yourselves!” Noki continued, and Magnai snorted. There was something about that he found amusing, whilst his gaze trailed to the wyngling leading the brigade.
   “Thank you, Noki! I'm going to put my patches over my bed, so I can always remember,” Kanna informed the elder, hopping in place for a stride, all over enthused by this prospect.
   “That's brilliant, Kanna,” the adult replied, enjoying the transition from stone into grass. “Where should we sit, everyone?” She then asked, looking over the group.
  “By the flowers!” Xanthe all but demanded, kicking off into a sprint. The others followed, Magnai and Noki strolling whilst Kanna too broke into a run.
   Soon enough, a blanket was laid out against the grass, surrounded by flowers as Xanthe had so dearly wished. Upon it, the fruits were laid out, Kanna swiftly plucking one up to her lips. Most excitingly, the next moment would bare the patchess for all to see onto the plush surface. Magnai grinned, pushing his chest up in pride at what he had earned. Noki smiled, leaning back and picking up her own portion of fruit. She wondered whether these were some of those they had rescued from the zings. Goodness, she hoped she wouldn't see those again. Xanthes eyes were wide, unmoving from the splay of stitched insignia. She’d never earned anything before, she reached out with her claws, gathering them to her. For a moment, all was still as she held them, and then, in a flurry of movement, her arms cast up, tossing the patches into the air.
   “LET'S DO IT AGAIN!”
--

Credits of the story to

This is an extended entry to the bug camp, just to commemorate the end of it! I decided to mix it into the weekly prompt since they were picking fruits from before as well, so why not?
I really had fun with the camp so far, as goes for the rest of my team! It has been a fun experience! Thank you to data-bull , TernOnADime and most of all my beloved, sidefury !

+15/358
(+3x3 Noki/Magnai/Xanthe, +1 Kanna, +1 BG, +1 Story, + 3 Weekly)

Description

The morning was still and silent, no beeping alarm, no nudges from Mute to remind Noki that she had to wake up. The sunlight was gentle, filtering through the slats in the window. A gentle breeze stirred the curtains, sifting over Noki’s slumbering face. Her hair free of plaits shifted gently, tickling her pale nose. Her nostrils flared, wrinkling and the females long legs shifted beneath the sheets. Delicate lids remained closed, lashes curled as her arms rose above her head, her paws curling into fists as she stretched. This movement disturbed the sleeping runeboo, whom lifted her head with a little yawn. It too stretched it's six legs, tipping it's nose upwards.
   “Good morning, Mute.” Noki breathed, brushing her sleep ruffled hair from her striking blue eyes as they finally fluttered open. Mute sniffled, rubbing her little nose with a paw. “So, that's what a lie in feels like,” Noki chuckled, staring up at the bare ceiling. As usual, the nook was not quite, her ears pricked to the sound of footsteps and bright voices. Early birds. It felt strange for Noki to not be amongst them, having been up early each morning for bug camp. Unhindered, her mind drifted to the wynglings, she wondered whether they were lying in too. The female found her features drifting into a frown. What would she do with her day, she wondered. She could do anything. Practice magic, read, or - or. The bug camp patches were still on her bedside table, she'd have to find a time to give them to the little ones.
   The idea came to her in one fell swoop, washing over her consciousness and causing her jaw to drop. Their concert had not been a suitable goodbye, her mind would decide. Fall hadn't come yet. As swiftly as the idea had come, Noki was tossing her blanket off of the bed, bounding over to her mirror. Mute watched, somewhat disgruntled by the abruptness of the sudden movement. A brush was raked through her tangles, easing them into silky cascades. Barely able to pause for long enough to twist her fringe into plaits, Noki was spinning for the door;
   “See you later, Mute! Make sure you behave.” And the door closed with a snap as the female disappeared. Now alone, the runeboo blinked, and blinked once more, before curling up and returning contentedly to its slumber.
   “Alma!” Noki would call out, seeing the hatchery mother just down the corridor, humming to herself as she swept. The pleasant wyngro turned, smiling;
   “Ah, Noki, dear. You seem rather flustered, is there anything I can help you with?” The matriarch asked, her initial surprise at the call waning into relaxation as she looked upon the girl before her. Noki smiled, sweeping back a stray plait from her eyes, allowing her to properly observe the motherly one.
   “Oh, yes! I was just wondering if you'd seen Magnai and Kanna around,” she explained swiftly and Alma nodded to show she had heard, whilst she herself remained silent. Tapping her chin with a single digit, the silence stretched on, and Noki began to lose her enthusiasm, perhaps they were still sleeping, she couldn't wake them. But then, Alma grinned;
   “Aha, yes. Kanna was just in the garden and Magnai, I believe was on his way to the dining area.”
   “Thank you!” Noki cried, and she was already on her way. Her footsteps echoed down the corridor as she hurried out to the garden first, soon spotting Kanna, for she was the loudest. Pronouncing her claim over the playground demain from the top of the climbing frame. Noki smiled, glad that it was so easy, the bark base was springy against Noki's blue pads as she approached the climbing frame. It had once seemed so huge but now it came comfortably to her chest. “Hey, Kanna,” she greeted and the wyngling squeaked with excitement to see the biped, rushing over.
   As Noki whispered the plan as if it was a terribly important secret, Kannas features grew brighter and brighter, “oh yes! I'll go and find Magnai right away, we’ll be there.” She declared, her tail wagging as she raced off to the slide, the swiftest route down to ground level. Noki watched her leave for just a moment before turning, the next step would be a little more difficult. But not impossible, with Xanthe enjoying giving every detail about her life on their first day of meeting. It was fortunate she did not live far. And past market to boot!
   A basket full of fruit and a cream wyngling later, the nook would once again stand before Noki's gaze, a waving Kanna and a sulking Magnai to accompany it.
   “A picnic, a picnic, we're going to have a picnic,” Xanthe sang, skipping ahead along the cobble.
   Magnai was glad for this distance as he turned to Noki and asked, “can I see the patches?”
   “Of course, as soon as we sit down I'll get them for you all,” Noki promised, knowing it would only cause disruption to try to dig them out of her basket. Magnai was hard pressed, just this once, to hide the faintest of smiles. “You all did really well, you should be proud of yourselves!” Noki continued, and Magnai snorted. There was something about that he found amusing, whilst his gaze trailed to the wyngling leading the brigade.
   “Thank you, Noki! I'm going to put my patches over my bed, so I can always remember,” Kanna informed the elder, hopping in place for a stride, all over enthused by this prospect.
   “That's brilliant, Kanna,” the adult replied, enjoying the transition from stone into grass. “Where should we sit, everyone?” She then asked, looking over the group.
  “By the flowers!” Xanthe all but demanded, kicking off into a sprint. The others followed, Magnai and Noki strolling whilst Kanna too broke into a run.
   Soon enough, a blanket was laid out against the grass, surrounded by flowers as Xanthe had so dearly wished. Upon it, the fruits were laid out, Kanna swiftly plucking one up to her lips. Most excitingly, the next moment would bare the patchess for all to see onto the plush surface. Magnai grinned, pushing his chest up in pride at what he had earned. Noki smiled, leaning back and picking up her own portion of fruit. She wondered whether these were some of those they had rescued from the zings. Goodness, she hoped she wouldn't see those again. Xanthes eyes were wide, unmoving from the splay of stitched insignia. She’d never earned anything before, she reached out with her claws, gathering them to her. For a moment, all was still as she held them, and then, in a flurry of movement, her arms cast up, tossing the patches into the air.
   “LET'S DO IT AGAIN!”
--

Credits of the story to

This is an extended entry to the bug camp, just to commemorate the end of it! I decided to mix it into the weekly prompt since they were picking fruits from before as well, so why not?
I really had fun with the camp so far, as goes for the rest of my team! It has been a fun experience! Thank you to data-bull , TernOnADime and most of all my beloved, sidefury !

+15/358
(+3x3 Noki/Magnai/Xanthe, +1 Kanna, +1 BG, +1 Story, + 3 Weekly)