Redtail Rise wildcard

Like a glacier come to its summer rest, the ice chips in Redd’s expression softened. When Riley noted this, his own posture relented — but he did not yet forgive the Rise for the way they treated Masque.

As his mate edged out a third apology, Riley pondered over what Redd had spoken. She didn’t know. Didn’t know what? He cycled through the various interpretations this could mean; it had never occurred to him that she might believe they’d come here to reclaim the Rise — and perhaps a bit stupidly, it still didn’t.

He wondered how dysfunctional a family needed to be that one born in it did not belong. He and Masque had that in common, both the proverbial black sheep of their bloodline. Both had cast the caul of that blemishmark aside for new beginnings.

His gaze turned back to the Peak, following Masque’s in silence. With the frosty tension between them dissolved a little, Riley hoped Masque might get some closure here — even if it wasn’t the path she’d originally visioned for herself in life.