You trekked towards the beach, where Ralph Spellmeyer had scheduled a meeting. You had been held up by a hopelessly snarled thornbush that you had been entangled in, and also a fascinating plant specimen previously unknown to you. Now you, looking down, noticed warm golden sand under your bare feet.
You looked up to see the company of boys, most looking fairly irritated. When Jack Merridew saw you, he scowled disagreeably and waited until you tentatively walked forward, then shouted, "Why were you late, biatch?! You're annoying enough at meetings, but holding the meeting up is even worse!" He glowered at you and looked like he would shout some more, but Ralph cut in. "Jack, lighten up. (Y/N), why were you late?" he inquired.
You mumbled something about a thornbush, and Ralph asked, "Could you please repeat that?" You said in a louder voice, "I was caught in a thornbush." Ralph nodded understandingly, and Jack attempted to stare spearheads at you. Ralph gave him a look, and he reluctantly stopped.
You grinned at Ralph in gratitude and relief, and he smiled in return. He then proceeded to talk about the importance of maintaining the rescue fire. All the while, Jack kept attempting to plunge the meeting into chaos with crude humor and language. Much to everyone's annoyance, the littluns kept whispering animatedly to each other, giggling, and falling off the log, until Ralph managed, after much effort, to quiet them.
After the meeting, you took a few steps towards the forest, but Ralph called you back. You pivoted around to see him looking at you with a perfectly neutral expression.
"Y/N?"
"Yes?"
"Do you want to be friends?"
"You seem like a nice person. You saved my butt back there, so yes." You grinned at him. He grinned back, and you gave him a light hug. You walked into the forest together, still beaming.
