Hushed Willows A crackpipe full of dreams

So he really was gone. Reek shook his head with disappointment in Stark's disappearance, but when it came to Tambourine, Reek had been even worse of father than Stark had. He had never been there for the boy, partially because he knew that he would have been run from the territory by Tambourine's angry guardians if he came anywhere close. He had tried in the past, when Tambourine had just been born, to send a message through Stark to Tavi to try and see the child -- but after never hearing back, Reek assumed that the message was never delivered. With both Stark and Tavi out of the picture, however, Reek thought that he might be able to pull his son into his family.

The boy howled for those who remained. Only one called back. Reek bit his lip, knowing that should the boy choose to stay here among the willows, he would have a hard road ahead of him. "Look," said Reek. "I've got a group; my family and a friend of ours. We're looking for a new home down south. You should -- You should tag along. Your friend too, if he wants." Their chance for survivial rose proportionally with their numbers. "We can survive together."