Simonides darts back, startled and embarrassed, and Bee drops the knife and catches him in her hands, not even sure what just happened. As Sunshine and Modomnoc dole out their hasty explanations, she realizes, though the little anteater doesn't respond, hiding himself in, what she recognizes, all too easily, as shame. Oh, the poor darling - so much like her when she was younger, or when she's having trouble maintaining her outward behaviorisms. He can't stand having almost done something wrong, something that would have made them all uncomfortable.

"Sweetheart," she whispers, "it's okay." She presses him close, nuzzling at his fur. "It's okay, they forgive you. See? They just wanted to protect us."

She gives him a little kiss on the head. "It's okay," she says again. "I promise."

She crouches down to recover the knife, easy to spot, fortunately. "He'll be okay," she reassures her friends. "He's very shy." She rubs a finger down the scruff of Simonides' neck, trying to coax him to look back up. Eventually, sheepishly, he does, peeking out at Sunshine and Modomnoc.

"Sorry," he mumbles.