She laughed once she was done with the spell, feeling exhilarated and brave and bold. If the pirates wouldn't listen to polite reasoning or bartering, then she would make them, coerce them, and set them on fire! He nudged her and called her name and she looked away from the pirates to see him jump from the ship into the water below safely, treading water like it was nobody's business, and he called to her to jump too.

She grabbed the flower near them with her teeth, took a big breath and took a jump to follow him, delicately as you please. One ledge then two, then down to the ice below, and she laughed with her mouth full at the ship as it was set aflame and nodded to Baro. It was past time to get out of here!

Well. She may have said that, but in reality, she took one careful, tentative step at a time on the ice, wary not to slip. She couldn't grab onto his tail this time because of course, her mouth was already full! She might crush the flower if she tried to grab ahold of two things at once, which was just out of the question entirely.

They both made it to the edge of the frozen pool, and Thistle gave a long sigh of relief through her teeth at being able to stand on solid ground without the threat of falling over. But, hey, they did it! They had the flower!

She waved it at Baro, giggling with her teeth set together, her little tail moving like Nova's in happiness. "Ee 'id it!"

Baroque beamed at Thistle as she landed down beside him. "Good job!" He cheered, licking her cheek briefly. There was nothing better than a game of pretend with Thistle, and this one had been the most epic so far! He couldn't wait to tell everyone all about it. His sisters especially.

"Come on, we better get it to safety," he suggested to her, flicking his tail towards the cavern where his family slept. It would be the best place to put it... But also, he wanted to tell everyone what they had done. "Do you think Nova's about? Imagine her face when we tell her about all the pirates we defeated!" He was beaming, standing tall and proud, head held higher than it had ever been held before. Perhaps this would be where his future ambition towards growing flowers would come from, but who was to know? There was his mother's fondness for them, of course.

It was hard to say. In the moment, anyway, he found himself down right prideful over what they had done. It was just a game, but as he set his heavy set paws through the snow, fur speckled with the white powdery crystals, it felt like so much more.

She giggled when he licked her cheek and complimented her, feeling just so happy and wonderful and ecstatic! What a wonderful adventure they had! He suggested they place it in the cavern his family shared together, and she nodded emphatically, since her mouth was full and all.

She followed him into the cave with a light step, humming with the (imaginary) flower in her mouth, and she watched as her lovely Baro told everyone about the time they'd spent together, his voice bright and happy and clear, his blooming confidence meaning all the world to her.

[exit Thistle]

And for once, Baroque was a chatterbox. They returned to the den, and every ear within reach was hit with a barrage of his wild recount, eager to tell them all about the adventure in the snow. His sisters had toddled off like they always did, but his parents were still around-- and a bit later, they found Nova and told her all about it.

It was a wonderful adventure. One that Baroque would not forget for a long while, and a single part in the piece that would lead him to his future endeavors of recreating the perfect, real flowers.