Hey guys, new chapter! I'm thinking… three or four-ish more. Dunno. They've finally all met, and this is their aftermath of… everything. I'm thinking about doing one of these little scenes for each pair, but you tell me.

Enjoy!

When Raz and Aarjay arrived on the ship, they weren't greeted by a happy 'crew', as Raz had thought, and hoped, they would. She'd had more than enough fighting for one day.

Gupta and Squint were glaring at each other, both looking seriously peeved with one another. Her other friends were gathered around in a circle, ready to grab them and drag them apart if necessary. She noticed with curiosity the other new animals amongst them; had she not been the only one to make a new friend? Obviously. Maybe they wouldn't be mad after all.

"She's not my girlfriend!"

"Says who! And why were you holding her hand?!" Gupta smirked.

"Says me! And what about you huh?" the rabbit demanded. "You had yer arm around 'er! Ya sure yer not the one with a girlfriend?"

"I do not!" he defended. "Jezzabelle's justa friend!"

"Suuuure. That's what you say now."

Raz had had enough. "HEY!" Aarjay jumped at the unexpected outburst. All eyes turned to the two joeys. "Whas goin on?" she immediately wished she hadn't asked, as the two in question started yelling at each other again. Raz rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Would those two ever stop?

"HEY!" this time, it wasn't her. The little girl rose an eyebrow at Aarjay. "Woul' ye knock i' off? Yer makin th' poor Sheila 'pset!"

Raz smiled. "Thanks Aarjay. Bu'-" she stepped up and batted the two apart. "Theh figh' like this lots. Iss'… norm'l."

"Realla?"

"Yup."

"Well… whaddaya know?" he looked around at the assorted group. "So who's who in this lot?"

"Well, these two're Squin' an Gupta" She went on to explain who was who. The two forgot their little quarrel, and soon, everyone was playing and getting along. The new kids relaxed after a while around Shira; she was actually very nice. At first glance, you'd think her white, but really, that was untrue. Her underbelly and lower sides were white, and as it grew higher, she became silver and gray, with black stripes fanning down her back, and winding up her legs.

When they stopped for a late snack/early lunch at about 11:30, they gathered at the watering hole, sharing fruit.

Raz looked over and Aarjay from where they sat on a leaf blanket, a bowl of fruit between them that her brother had put together for them, sipping juice out of an orange through a reed straw. "So Aarjay."

"Aye Sheila?"

He offered her a handful of grapes, and she gladly took them, their fingers meeting for a moment. They both blushed, pulling back. "Ye neva did tell meh wha yer stor'eh is 'xactly."

"Well…" he took another spoon of melon. "Weh moved cuz mah sista… go' inta s'me trub'l."

"Like wha?"

"Rum'r 'ad i'… well, sheh did some'n sheh wasn' s'pposed ta with s'me guy sheh knew. Ah dunno wha, theh wouldn' tell me. Aneh'way, 'parrently, some'm bout a joey comin round 'er some'n."

"A new brotha 'er sista."

He shook his head. "No' exactly. Sheh… she'd beh th' mum."

Raz tilted her head. "Huh?"

"Ah dunno. Aneh'way, weh 'cided ta move cuz sheh was bein p'cked on a lot. Weh foun' this place an… well, weh liked i'." he gave her an admiring sideways glance. "Iss'… realla pretty ta look a'."

Her cheeks grew warm as she saw him looking, although she wasn't sure why. She was strangely glad his attention was on her. "So… wha bout you? Why'dja come 'ere?"

"I' was gettin too dry where weh lived. Th' wat'rn hole dried up… mum and dad" her voice cracked a little at the mention of her beloved parents, whom she'd very much upset. "d'cided weh 'ad ta move."

"Oh…" he reached over and laid his hand over her. The she-joey was sure she could see her red cheeks through her fur as he reached up and put a pink flower beside her ear. "Sorr'eh ta 'ear tha. Ah know 'ow 'ard movin 'is."

"Y-Yeah…" she felt so flustered it was a struggle to just get out words. "Bu'… bu' iss' alrigh now. Ah like mah new 'ome. An- An mah fr-friens."

"Righ." He agreed. "Thas always import'nt." He shifted nervously. "Speakin a which, Raz?"

"Aye?"

"Were… were frien's, righ?"

"Well a-a course!" she answered a little too quickly. Darn this stuttering! Why was she so nervous? "Why wouldn' weh be?" didn't he want to be friends? Why was he asking? Was he going to leave? "Ah mean…"

"Good." He didn't seem to notice her nervousness, for he too was anxious. "C-Cuz, um…"

"Yeh?"

"Ah gotcha some'n." she sat up a little straighter, suddenly more alert, excited.

"Ye do? Wha?"

"Close yer eyes." He instructed. "Iss' a s'prise." She did as he said. He got up and hopped behind her, grabbing the little wooden box thing. He opened it and pulled out the contents. He sure hoped she like it…

Raz felt something snake around her neck, grinning in excitement, but managed to keep her eyes shut, practically bouncing in excitement. "Ca'I op'n em."

"No' yet…" after a few more seconds, he seemed done. "Ok."

She did and promptly gasped in wonder. There, tied securely around her neck, was a strand of seaweed, the smoothness of it giving it away. It was strung with a collection of tiny little shells, all pink, purple, or white. And there, right in the middle, was a perfectly carved wooden heart, with little pink flowers glued around the edges. In the middle, one word was carved. Us. When she flipped it over, there, were three little signs. A + R.

"Oh Aarjay…" she couldn't even find words. "'Ow did… when did…"

"'Ad mah big sista make i' fer meh earli'ah." He figured, if anyone, his (slightly boy-crazy) teenaged sister would know what to get his new friend, who he really liked being with for some reason. It was as if they already had a connection… he wanted to make her his friend forever. Always be with her… it was almost like magnets, drawn to each other somehow. "Though ye'd like i'." he swallowed nervously. "D-Do ya?"

"Like it?" she suddenly sprung up and hugged him. "Ah love i'."

He breathed a sigh of relief and hugged her back. "Oh good. Ah- Ah dunno wha Ah'd do if ye didn'."

She smiled, and, before she could stop herself, stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

Well… what did you think? Is this… to fast? Anyone? Please review!