Ari hadn't expected she'd find herself in this position. She was immediately suspicious of this skunk who seemed quite interested in her past and her relationship with her father. Both him and Taylor were nosy like that, sticking their agendas into her personal business where it had no right to belong. The skunk... Steven... she recalled his name being, (she hadn't altogether paid attention when he introduced himself the first time) was very tenacious in his line of questioning. There didn't seem to be any motive or reasoning behind it, but his other brother, a raccoon, assured Ari that it was his journalistic tendencies of years past bubbling to the surface again. There was an interesting story in her family history and Steven was persistent in finding out about it.
Much to her irritation, Steven showed up yet again sporting his atrocious news network hat and all, right when she just wanted some peace and quiet. She chose this spot specifically because hardly anyone came here, but Steven sniffed her out regardless. Ari was half tempted to impale the annoying skunk and liquefy him from the inside out, but she wasn't really looking forward to the putrid stench that might crop up afterwards. She had little dealings with skunks before and she wasn't exactly sure what would set off their glands that would secrete the toxic cloud that could very well make her pass out and stink for days. To alleviate this worry, she indulged his curiosity.
At this point, she cared little for what her father thought of her nor what people thought of her relationship to him. She had moved on. So, she talked on and on about her history and the horrible upbringing she had under her father's care - an upbringing that made her think sacrificing an entire city for a greater objective or goal was a justified means to an end. Steven was listening so intently and quietly that she hardly noticed he was there until she felt his head on her lap, him softly snoring away. He had fallen asleep to her voice!
What should she do now? She could crush him like a bug for falling asleep on her, but she dismissed the thought quickly. Those sorts of ideas came so easily to her, but she knew Taylor and many others would not be happy if she hurt Steven. Sighing at her current situation, she just stared at the small skunk as he blissfully napped in her lap. Why was he so comfortable around her when everyone else shied away? This was completely unnatural and Ari didn't quite know what to do with herself. She guessed let him sleep for now. Sitting there silently, Ari didn't realize she was falling asleep herself, otherwise she might have noticed a certain wolf and giraffe giggling excitedly in the bushes, high-fiving each other.
