It never fails to amaze me, Angie thought with a wry, secret smile, how hard a male will try to prove his toughness and bravado.

“It’s only a quick meeting with the leader of the herd, Dusty, really no trouble. Thomas and I will be back in a jiff, promise!” Stuart was saying, a harassed expression on the leafeon's face.

"But-" Dusty started to protest, for the third time that morning.

"No," Stuart cut him off. "And that's the last of it. You and Angie hold the fort, and we'll fill you in on the mission details -if this even is a mission- when we get back. Promise."

Dusty hung his head, a decidedly hang-dog look adorning his normally cheerful equine features. "Alright, I won't argue it no more, but honestly, I'm fine and dandy! Could run all the way to Frostbite mountain and back!"

"Of course you could," Angie said soothingly, "but that's easy stuff! We need one of our top Moonlighters to handle a tough job, and that's staying here to keep an eye on things." She winked, twitching her long ears. "That, and getting some bed rest. Think you'll be able to handle that?"

"You're all heart, Angie," Dusty replied, huffing a dejected sigh as he settled back onto his hay bed. He had that familiar cabin-fever look in his eye, the one that said, ‘I need to burn off this energy or I’ll explode!’ She felt a small pang of guilt for dampening his spirits, but necessity trumped diplomacy.

Stuart nodded in approval, striding towards the exit of their modest headquarters. As he passed Angie, he murmured into her ear, " Thanks, and keep an eye on him for me, would you? Make sure he doesn't try to leave."

"You got it, fearless leader!"

He grinned. "Oh, shush. Take care now." With that, he was out the door, leaving her with the unspoken duty of ensuring their tenacious friend wasn't going to overestimate his abilities. Again.

Strolling over to where Dusty lay, Angie awarded him a friendly nuzzle. "Tell you what. While they’re gone, I'll let you help with some poffin baking, alright? It'll be our secret." Even with her fire-type body temperature, she could feel the feverish heat radiating from her friend. It made a small shiver roll down her spine, which had nothing to do with the autumn morning cool within the interior of their hut. "Rawst, I think, and Pecha." At the very least, that might help a bit with his condition.

Dusty immediately perked up at the suggestion. "Really? Ooh, can I lick the bowl clean when we're done? Please?"

Angie chuckled. "Certainly. But!" She shot him a stern look as he started to clamber to his feet. "Only if you stay put."

The zebstrika's rump hit the ground with a thump, his head bobbing in such rapid agreement, she half expected his mane to fly off. She considered herself rather good at stern looks. Between Dusty and Thomas, she'd had a fair bit of practice.

"Good. Then let's get started!" That should keep him out of trouble. For now.