The colony's whelps had, quite insistently, told Roam and Fawn that they needed to organize a festival. And had also aske for it to be as soon as possible. The latter the two had understood- whelps not being known for their patience. The two had been confused, however, with the request for a festival in the first place. They were not quite sure how to deal with it; but had eventually asked one of the more insistent whelps what was going on. "It's Chukoo's wedding!" Choose had said, as if it had been obvious all along.

 

Choose and his friend, Retreat, nodded excitedly. The colony had recently acquired two Bokbok's, a male kindly gifted by another colony, and a female which they had traded for. The whelps had been quite interested, and Roam and Fawn had supposed that there was no need to hide them from the whelps. It was a great opportunity to teach them to be gentle with animals, after all.

 

Choose and Retreat had gotten especially attached, naming the male Bokbok Chukoo despite Roam and Fawn having told them they couldn't name either one of the animals, with them being livestock and all. Still, the two whelps were excitedly telling the two about Chuckoo and Chukoo's "soon-to-be wife" the two sighed. They supposed a celebration wouldn't be unwelcome?

 

---

 

"So," Seymore started, "let me get this straight-" he sighed. Quite deeply. "We're holding a wedding ceremony for- a Bokbok? An actual bokbok? Like, one of the animals we might have to eat one day?" Roam and Fawn looked at him and Blue sheepishly. They had tried expaining how attached the whelps had gotten, but the two still looked at them like they were crazy. In all honesty, neither of them could blame their leaders.

 

"Yea, Choose and Retreat have decided that the Bokbok are getting married." Roam said, for the second time that day- honestly feeling quite silly as he did. "We were thinking," Fawn picked up for him "we could invite some of the other colony's whelps." Roam nodded, "Like a big playdate, I suppose."

 

Bloo frowned. "That'd be a lot of whelps to watch, though." Fawn nodded "Finn had already agreed to help watch them." Roam nodded along, him and Fawn already having talked about it a few times. "And, we thought we could keep them mainly in the clearing anyways. Some of the other adults could also jump in, I know Koi wouldn't be upset if we asked her, and neither would Gideon." Seymore frowned, unusually quiet, "I mean- if you think you can handle it, I don't see an issue, I suppose."

 

---

 

As they shut the door after leaving Bloo's office they heard an exasperated sigh, followed by Seymore's voice "I have no clue what just happened, Bloo."

 

---

 

Gideon had looked quite surprise when the two asked her to help with the "wedding". "I'll just have to watch the whelps?" she asked, seemingly a bit hesitant. She had been sitting with Koi, drinking tea together. The two had grown quite close after Gideon joined the colony, with Gideon quickly becoming a mentor-figure to Koi. "I mean, I don't mind. I'm just a little surprised, honestly. I thought the whelps would think I'm boring honestly." Roam had mentioned to the two that they were quite possibly the whelp's favourite colony members. Koi was popular because she often went out foraging, and would sneak the whelps the sweetest berries she had found every time they managed to be in the clearing when she'd come back. 

 

Gideon, however, did not need to bribe most whelps. Something about the older Tsab radiated motherly energy, which the whelps seemed to sniff out from a mile away.

 

Roam smiled reassuringly, "The whelps love you. They've been asking for you for a while now, actually."

 

Gideon seemed a bit taken aback, but quickly was reassured too by Koi "Yea! They ask about you whenever I come back from foraging." Gideon seemed surprised. "O-oh. Okay, I suppose I can help out then." she said, smiling.

 

---

 

When the big, important things were arranged, Roam and Fawn decided to involve the whelps. "We need decorations for the wedding!" Fawn had excitedly told a smaller group of whelps. Most whelps were out of camp today, being taught various skills by older Xunari in the colony, but Choose, Retreat, and Depart had stayed behind, so Roam and Fawn decided it was time for some Bokbok wedding planning.

 

"What kind of decorations do Bokbok like?" questioned Depart to the other whelps, who all sat crowded around a small table that Roam and Fawn had set up. "Maybe we can ask Koi for some lettuce" Retreat suggested, followed by an excited Choose "We can string the lettuce up and hang them like garlands!" The whelps started chatting with each other excitedly, deciding that the garlands should exist out of bits of lettuce, berries, and other bits of the two bokbok's favourite foods.

 

Roam and Fawn were sure that it'd be a mess, but happily nodded at the whelps anyways, agreeing to ask Koi later when the other Tsab was having a break from tending to her crops. Roam had made a comment about food waste, but Fawn had been quick to shoot it down. The livestock would still be happy to eat the decoration after the marriage, anyways.