Ava and Arlo bump through the door. Thump, thump. Papa Alligator bellows, "Come! The pot's ready!"
Felix's tail whips. CLATTER! Soup splats on Bella's ear. Everyone stomps and laughs. Ava squeaks her feet.
Six animals eat together. Crunch, crunch. Sluuuurp. Ava drops her spoon. Too hot!
The mud-den bedroom is lumpy. A gap yawns in the middle. Then BOP — a tiny pink dot lands there.
It's Bella, ears flopping. Soft mrrp. Mama shuffles the lamp off. The room goes soft and dark.
Ava pokes the mud wall. Soft, cool. Pokes again. Stops. Outside, a cricket starts. Then ten.
Ava lets the word out, small and round: "home." She stays still. And the crickets keep going.
Nobody moves. Just the sound of breathing and chirping. Ava closes her eyes. Sleep comes softly.
