Golden Glade free heart

Njord kept Meerkat’s words close to his heart as he left to explore the hinterlands. Compared to the other regions he had explored, the lowlands were quiet and peaceful. It seemed not many dared traverse the great chain of mountains to the east.

This was both good and bad. On the one hand, it meant less competition. On the other, Njord knew it would be difficult to find recruits to help grow their village.

Next, he would bring a present to their allies in the Moon villages. Perhaps they would know of a pair looking to disperse from their natal pack. For now, he hunted beneath a cloudy sky.

She stopped by Moonspear to say “hello” to her granddaughters, only to discover Orca hadn’t been seen in weeks. Seal had already told Meerkat about it, though Towhee still found herself venturing further west to see her daughter and check on the copse’s progress.

After getting the latest news from Meerkat, Towhee decided to go find some food. Apparently Njord had headed toward the glade a little earlier, so she decided to join his endeavor. She plodded through the frozen bog and aimed for the stretch of trees over yonder, sniffing the air to track her son-in-law’s scent.

It wasn’t long before the two crossed paths.

“Towhee!” Njord called when he spied her silhouette between a break of trees in one of the glade’s many boggy glens.

The Redhawk matriarch was a frequent visitor at the Copse. Njord always appreciated her company and the latest news she delivered. Ever since Caracal’s passing, she seemed to orbit Meerkat and the Moon Villages more frequently. Would she stay at the Copse through the winter? he wondered.

“It is good to see ye. How have yer travels been?” he asked as he loped towards her, curious to know if she had any leads on potential recruits for their new pack.

By now, most of the colors had faded and today’s overcast sky washed out the rest. Towhee could see Njord’s red tail from what felt like a mile away. Smiling wanly, she moved closer, lips curving a little more when he spotted her and turned to greet her.

It’s kept me occupied, she said in reply to his question. Meerkat said I’d find you here. I can help you hunt. She said something about wanting to try rending a pigskin, for whatever that’s worth. She thinks it might make a particularly hardy rug for your— Towhee gestured, forgetting the word they used for their own spin on the Hobbit Hole.

“I suggested we call it The Taigh,” he appended with a light chuckle. “An’ I wasnae out here huntin’ for food, but for recruits.” His eyes scanned the empty glade. “But… I suppose there’s more prey than wolves in these parts. We’ve rarely run into any others since relocating tae tha Hinterlands.” His mouth pursed thoughtfully.

“We like the solitude. Tha peace.” A slow, stoic nod telegraphed his thoughtfulness. “But Meerkat an’ I were hoping tae find another pair tae set the foundation for our village. ”

Ohhh, Towhee said when Njord clarified today’s mission. She didn’t make that distinction, although I guess a wolf could make just as good a rug as a pig… better yet, if they’re still alive, she couldn’t help but quip.

She fell into sober silence when she could see there was something on Njord’s mind. He mentioned having trouble finding wolves in the hinterlands. They enjoyed the peace and quiet, though it meant their village still lay empty. Towhee chewed the inside of her cheek.

I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head, aside from maybe my brother and… well, I think he’s talking to a lady in Moontide, Towhee posited. I assume you’d prefer a younger pair, anyway? Maybe someone who’s not related, even? I can keep my eyes peeled while I’m out gallivanting.

She thought about some of her recent conversations with her daughter. Hadn’t Meerkat said something about living here with just her mate and children? Had it been a joke? Towhee couldn’t quite remember. But she supposed it was relevant enough to bring up now.

I was under the impression you guys might do the homegrown thing… you know, build the village out of your own children. Not that my opinion matters much here but I actually think that would be both uniquely challenging and extremely rewarding.

It had ended in disaster for Caracal, Towhee couldn’t help but acknowledge with a slight twist to her mouth. But Sweetharbor had been built on a pair of young newlyweds and their first litter. Meerkat and Njord were far, far more established. If anyone could pull it off, she thought, they could.

“A lady, eh?” A smirk curled Njord’s lips, equally happy and curious. “Aye, you’d be right. A newlywedded pair t’was what we were thinkin’,” he affirmed. “Ah’d appreciate it,” he added when Towee offered to keep her eyes peeled for any promising candidates.

Then, when the Redhawk matriarch fact-checked, Njord gave her a shrug with a whimsical sigh as if to say, our life story is always changing!

“Aye, that’s what we were thinking, for a while… Just me, Meerkat, an our wee ones in tha spring. Homesteadin’ a place just for us after years of givin’ ourselves tae others. But…” Njord’s face glowed with admiration. “That’d be wastin’ Meerkat’s talents, wouldnae it?” he chuckled an easy laugh.

“What Ah mean is…,” he clarified, “we want tae put the best part of our lives, the best part of ourselves, into the tartan weave of the Copse. We enjoyed camraderie, an’ Meerkat an’ I both enjoy coaching. An’ kin, well… that’s evrything, isn’t it? In a way… Ah think we want tae make the pack we wished we had at the beginning of it all.”

A small lull. “But, at this rate… it will just be Meerkat, I, and our wee bairns,” he chuckled. “Ahh… I cannae wait tae be a father again,” he added whimsically.

Towhee listened, with her eyes, of course. It could be hard to pick up every word of Njord’s brogue sometimes, though she caught enough to fill in the blanks. There was a fond look on her face when he spoke so highly of her daughter, elaborating on their plans for homesteading. So few people she knew were lucky in love, like these two.

It sounds, Towhee began, pausing to huff a laugh at her own wording, like the two of you are prepared, one way or the other, and that’s great. I’m so happy you two have one another. And you’re great parents. She paused thoughtfully. And do you realize just how rare that is? Your bond? With each other? And your kids? You guys are diamonds in the rough.

Anyone who came to live here with them should consider themselves extremely lucky, she thought, turning to peer around the vaguely familiar woodland. She snorted softly through her nose when she recalled this was where Raven et al had lived briefly, many years ago.

Did you know my older sister had a pack here, way back in the day? I wonder how Raven’s doing these days, Towhee mused aloud. I saw her not too long ago. I’m talking, like, a couple of years now. She was still with that dry piece of toast too. Good for them, I guess, she finished, lips curling into a warm smile as she caught Njord’s eye.

“Ah thank ye for saying these things, Towhee,” Njord said with a gentleman’s nod. “It wasnae always easy, but Ah feel like our bond is stronger for it.” Their first year of marriage had been especially difficult. The redtail was thankful for the peace they had worked hard to earn.

“The Redhawk’s were prolific in tha Hinterlands, hmm?” he mused, always eager to learn a piece of history. “Tha land is so bountiful an’ serene. Makes me wonder why others havnae settled these lands."

Towhee laughed at Njord’s astute observation, though she made a small addendum: The Redhawks are prolific, period.

He said something about the scenery and Towhee turned from him to regard it once more. The hinterlands really were beautiful, with all the trappings for a solid foundation. Why didn’t more wolves settle here? She supposed the seclusion had its pros and cons.

Maybe, she mused, turning back to her son-in-law, if you build it, they will come? That’s all you can do, really: build your home and hope others come home to roost. Towhee paused for a beat, then: We could start by hunting down that pigskin. Imagine Meerkat’s face…

Last from me!

Towhee shared of nugget of sage wisdom with Njord and he hummed a low sound of agreement. After all, wasn’t that how Moonspear was built? It had just been Sialuk, Meetkat, Ray, and himself at the start. Over time, others had joined the cast.

“Ah ken you’re onto something, Towhee,” he agreed.

Then, when the Redhawk matriarch reminded him of Meerkat’s request, Njord swished his red tail like a buccaneer. “Let us hunt, then! Pork tenderloin sounds mighty tasty, as well,” he laughed and began to scent the air for a boar’s trail.