Redsand Canyon 'Fore you get too close

also no rush!

Fennec needed to tell her dad too.

He'd been on her mind a lot since her final, illuminating conversation with Bronco (and then Towhee). Doubtless he'd noticed how unhappy she'd been the past few months, but he never failed to try and make her smile when they spent time together. She wondered if, deep down, he was as unhappy as she was. It wasn't the type of thing she usually got into with others.

How would he react to the news? She was both more and less worried than she had been with Towhee. @Phox's disapproval would be quieter, but it would also cut deeper.

Only one way to find out. Fennec sought him out, checking the usual haunts to see where he might be today.

gettin' wild and writing this in-browser. [scream emoji]

Phox was, as usual, near the sparring ring. His body had changed over the past few months. Muscle lay where it hadn't before, and he was warmer than he remembered being this time a year. Sure, he had always kept active, but this was the first time he had actively trained for something. There was an added bulk that had never been there before. And truth be told: he liked it. It was nice to feel strong, muscled, and ready to take on whoever showed up that day. He didn't always win, but he always put in his best effort.

When Fennec strolled up, Phox stepped away from the ring, greeting her with a woof and a wag of his tail (not that she could see it).

Everything good? he asked. He knew—classic dad style—that it hadn't been, but it wasn't like he was going to just lead with anything else.

*screams too* - Just happy to write them together again!!!

Fennec gave a small smile when her dad asked if things were good. The question never felt as loaded when it came from him, for some reason. Maybe because she knew he'd accept any answer she wanted to give and wouldn't argue about it, or try and dig for more.

Yeah. It actually is. Fennec stopped before she reached the actual sparring spots and sat down, figuring her dad would catch the hint that she wanted to talk first. Maybe, if it went over okay, they could catch a spar after.

Do you think you're going with mom? She could just come out and say it, but it was... strange. Phox liked Germanicus, but would he be upset that they'd jumped into it like this? Or disappointed that she'd kind of settled, rather than actually getting over things on her own? Because honestly... that part still had her a little disappointed in herself. Go figure.

Slightly roundabout it was, then. She was actually curious if he was planning on leaving for Epoch, though. It was perfect timing in a really fucked up sense, that her family would all choose to bounce the instant she found some form of happiness here. Curse never fails! At least it kept things entertaining.

Queue Phox's surprised Pikachu face when she said everything was good. But it softened quickly, happy that things were going well for her. The question that came next wasn't a surprising one, and he paused for a moment, still not entirely sure what his answer was. He had planned on it, but he'd also second-, third-, and fourth-guessed himself.

I've considered it, he said, but I haven't wholly made up my mind. I've got a good routine going here, and you're here—not to mention Killer and Tierra—so that would be reason enough to stay. But I've always followed Towhee to the ends of the earth. Was he wanting to go out of habit, or could there be something in Epoch that wasn't here (besides Towhee)?

She'd wondered. There was a high chance he wouldn't have been happy here without Towhee, even if she was staying. Which was the opening Fennec had created for herself to explain why. Yeah. I'm definitely sticking around here. I wouldn't have wanted to leave Killdeer anyway, but there's another thing.

Here goes! Germanicus and I are kind of mates now. Not in a 'we fell in love' kind of way, more of a 'we both want the same things and there's no reason why not' kind of way. But it's helped. She waited, slightly apprehensively, for his response. He'd never really approved of Penn, and she'd never spoken much with him about Bronco. How would he feel about this new development?

Phox's mouth made a little O shape when she dropped the news. It was hard for him to be reactionary to much of anything these days, so he didn't keel over, start screaming, or question her judgement. Those days were long behind him. And, to be perfectly honest, he'd never been to keen on questioning the judgement of his kids. He and Towhee had done a good job raising them to be smart individuals.

Huh, nice. I'm happy for you, Fenn. He resisted the urge to add more to that. Ask if she planned to have a family with him in the spring, caution her against rushing into things too quickly, ask if it would be #weird if he stuck around. Germanicus hadn't mentioned it at their last meeting, but that made sense; Fennec would have wanted to give her dad the news herself. That also made two family members of his who had partnered with somebody not for romantic reasons, but for practical ones. Maybe there was merit in that sort of relationship, though Phox had never experienced it. Relationships of that sort had been so far from his mind for so long.

What I might do, he said, is go to Epoch for a little while to check out the vibe there. If it seems more fitting than here, I'll move there permanently. And if not, I'll come back here.

Her dad didn't sound upset, and sounded sincere (if surprised). Fennec smiled faintly, toying with the dirt beneath her paws idly.

It isn't what I expected, but it's... nice. Just seeing where it goes. The smile quirked up a bit at the joke.

Selfishly she hoped he decided to stay. There weren't many wolves here that Fennec knew, and while she would meet them soon enough, Towhee's move hadn't made her happy either. She couldn't stop him, and wouldn't resent either of them if they liked Epoch better, but... she understood how Killdeer felt in some ways. Except for her, it was the feeling of constantly chasing only to be left behind again and again.

That seems like a good way to decide. Mom really seems to like it. Doubtless he would too.