The rain had been steady all evening, tapping against your window as you lounged in the quiet of your home. You’d skipped tonight’s run with the Lackadaisy crew, figuring you could use the break. (And avoid whatever chaos Rocky might’ve roped the crew into.) But that peace was soon broken by a sudden, hesitant knock at your door.

You walked over, and opened the door. You found Freckle standing there, coat damp, his posture small, shoulders slightly hunched. His eyes flicked up to you, then away. His ears drooped low, and his tail twitched nervously, puffed from some unseen tension. He seemed a bit panicked for some reason...

"H-hey…" His voice was soft, almost swallowed by the night air. "I, uh… didn’t mean to just… show up, but…" He swallowed hard, shuffling his paws. "Can we… talk? Just for a bit?"