Scarlett had never been so relieved to see Mama, the moment Raisa's familiar voice reached her ears, the little girl all but melted with relief. Her tiny body, which had been wound tight with worry for both her sister and the poor misunderstood beetles, finally relaxed just enough for her to breathe. Mama! she hurried toward her mother with clumsy bouncing steps, only to stop short when she realized Anastasia had already thrown herself at Raisa. Scarlett wasn't about to push in front of her sister.

Instead, she hovered anxiously nearby. Ana scared... So was Scarlett — very much so. Her blue-brown eyes darted toward Seraphim just in time to see dirt and beetles sliding from his fluffy coat as a tiny gasp escaped her. Phim!

Oh no.

Now her brother had bugs too.

Scarlett's worried little face scrunched together as she looked between all three members of her family. Ana was crying. Phim was covered in beetles but trying to pretend he wasn't frightened. Mama was helping everyone, there had to be something Scarlett could do. So very carefully, she crept toward Seraphim.

One adventurous beetle was making its way down the side of his shoulder. Scarlett stared at it for a long moment before lowering her nose. Scuse... she gave the tiniest puff of breath she could manage, and the beetle paused. Then, obligingly, continued its journey... only in a different direction.

Scarlett's face brightened. It go! Encouraged, she repeated the process with another, gently blowing until it wandered away from her brother instead of deeper into his fur. She never touched them, only encouraged them along with tiny puffs of air and nervous little nudges from the very tip of her nose.

No squish bug, she murmured seriously, mostly to herself. Bug no mean...just... crawly. she shivered dramatically, very crawly. When she was satisfied that Seraphim was no longer quite so beetle shaped, Scarlett backed away again before any of the insects could decide to investigate her.

Then she tucked herself against Raisa's side, pressing into her mother's leg with a long, relieved sigh. Scarlett looked down at the beetles still scattering across the dirt floor before lifting hopeful eyes toward her mother. ...Can bugs go home now?