Stone Circle take a stab

No doubt about it, Figment's scent was here. It was decidedly different, but it was here. Phox could have sworn he caught a whiff of Germanicus, too... but that didn't make any sense. Then again, what did make sense after all these years? Hadn't Germanicus run off with somebody else after dumping Fennec? Or possibly before dumping Fennec. The Redhawk couldn't remember the details, only that Fennec had been more disappointed than angry. Which honestly might have been progress on her part. Hopefully she was out there living her best life. With Penn or whoever else she decided to shack up with.

But he wasn't here for Fennec. He was here for @Figment and to see his grandkids! Phox let loose a summoning howl for his eldest son. And hey, if @Towhee was nearby, maybe that weird little sky rat would tell her that her brother was here.

Was that... Phox?
Reverie startled a little at the call, looking for a moment as if she'd seen a ghost. Then she broke into delighted, disbelieving laughter, and set off to greet her friend. Phox! She called when she spotted him, still giggling a little. What are you doing here? I mean - I just didn't expect to see you so far from where we ran into each other last!
She glanced over her shoulder as she approached, wondering who would answer the call. Visiting family? Reverie wondered next, sunlit gaze returning to her friend. He'd called for someone specific, hadn't he? She'd been so shocked to hear it that it hadn't quite registered.

She approaches, feeling that wary jump in her throat. He is a dark, sleek figure, with harvest-colored eyes and who had somehow known to call for Fig here. Her greeting for Reverie is a sweep of nose to the line of her jaw before she takes a stand beside her, tail cautiously aloft.

“Welcome to Kvarsheim,” there was speculation in her eyes, bright curiosity. Did he look familiar?

“Who’s your friend, Rev?”

It wasn't Figment or Towhee who showed up, but a different familiar face who waltzed up to him. I could ask you the same thing! he said, cocking his head to one side. Say, you aren't following me—are you? he jested. Then again, maybe she was. Maybe he had some kind of ~essence~ that was dragging her along wherever he went. "Don't flatter yourself, buddy," he reminded himself.

Somebody else showed up, and Phox straightened his stance... at least as much as he could on three legs. She was a pretty thing, and if he'd been on a different sort of mission, he might have had half a mind to flirt with her. He always felt a little off balance wherever he went. I'm here to see my son, Figment. Either of you know him? he asked, unaware of the can of worms he was about to open up.

I'm gonna assume Rev knows who Fig is by now!

Reverie giggled softly. Well, I lived here before! So maybe you're following me! She pointed out lightheartedly, glancing over her shoulder as Tauris arrived. A smile was offered for her sister as she spoke, but before Reverie could respond, Phox said something that caught her by surprise.
His son. Figment. Reverie's ears flew forward and she looked back to him. Oh! Figment! He's - She closed her mouth abruptly and looked between Tauris and Phox. Awkward. When Reverie spoke again, her voice was much smaller, addressing Tauris now: Um, this is Phox. Her friend. And apparently her sister's father-in-law. Suddenly Reverie felt very self-conscious; after all, she still had a crush on Phox, who was old enough to be her father!

What the fuck, Fig?

How did Phox know to come here? Had Fig sent for him? Was it too much to ask for a little heads up? Fever climbed up into her ears and not the good kind. Suddenly she was panicking about being seen by Fig’s father as some impulsive fling that his son was dealing with the consequences of.

And was that not the truth?

She wilts a little in shame, curtailing her gaze upon the man for dread of his judgment. If she had been modestly impressive before she certainly didn’t feel it now. And what would he make of her with his son?

“He is here. I’ll take you to him,” she lifts into a step. There is only one place he would be: in the den they shared, with the children they’d made because they hadn’t found an ounce of restraint- which they now had to admit to his father.

Phox guffawed at Reverie's joke, amused by their easy back-and-forth. It was nice to chat with somebody so likable. When he asked about Fig, however, Phox felt like all the light suddenly drained out of the sky. Still, the other wolf had offered to take him to see Figment, so maybe it wasn't all bad. Er, is something wrong? he asked, falling into step beside the stranger. He's okay, isn't he? And the kids? Towhee said I was a grand-dad again this year.

It was just as awkward as Reverie had anticipated. She looked between the two for a moment, indecisive — and finally settled for touching her nose to Tauris's cheek, then turning to Phox with a gentle smile. Everything is fine, Reverie assured him. But maybe I should leave you two to um, get acquainted.
She hoped that Phox would understand her meaning. But whether he did or not, Reverie moved to take her leave. Call me if you need me, alright? She told Tauris, and then to Phox, And I'll find you later! The more often she saw him, the more Reverie wondered about what could have been. What still might be, if Boone abandoned her the way Lestan had.
She still wasn't sure that he wouldn't. And Phox was so... constant, wasn't he?
Reverie was deep in thought as she departed.

I’m gonna remain vague about Towhee since the thread is ongoing heh timelines

“He is well,” she is quick to pacify Phox’s fear about his son and motions for him to follow as her eyes trace over Reverie’s retreat.

Alone with him she can’t think of what to say, and so embarrassingly she makes no conversation, instead retreats into the spiral of worries in her head. She is still adjusting to what her life is now. A few months ago she had been entirely alone and now she has a denfull of bodies that have suddenly become her responsibility. She’s not sure she’s ready to meet Fig’s father, or mother, or sister, or- how many Redhawks are there? How many more are coming?

And she feels utterly betrayed by @Figment who hadn’t bothered to consult her before inviting his clan here. Is this how he thinks it’s going to go? That he can just make decisions about their children without her? He is in for a surprise if he thought Tauris was the type of woman to play second fiddle to him in whatever this co-parenting relationship was.

She allows herself to get worked up so by the time they reach the den her voice absolutely cuts when she calls, “Your father is here to see you, Fig.”

The tone of her voice probably should've alerted Fig to the fact that he was in trouble. As exhausted as he was, however, that fact slid right over his head. He'd been sleeping soundly with @Katla at his side and @Swift flung over his rump, though Tauris's voice awoke him. Delicately, he shifted his dozing children so as not to wake them and stepped out of the den, curiosity and weariness written upon his features.

Fig had to take a moment to stare at his father before his brain started working to clue him into what was going on. At least, as much as it could. "Dad?" he said, surprise at yet another parent's sudden appearance apparent, "I didn't know you were coming." His tone alluded nothing as to how he felt about the intrusion, but he did glance briefly at Tauris with something like an apology in his eyes.

"Everything alright?" Fig asked then, turning back to Phox, his sleepy mind telling him he needed to be social and personable now but giving him no hints as to how to do so.

Both assured him everything was fine, though the tone wasn't entirely convincing. Reverie excused herself, and Phox waved a goodbye as he fell into line beside the silent Tauris. Whatever was going on in that head of hers, he couldn't say. All he knew was it felt like there was some kind of tension in the air. Had Figment told her something horrible about him, he wondered? Was Fig mad that his dad was crashing his new life? Or maybe Tauris had some weird grudge against all the other Redhawks. That wouldn't make much sense, considering this was his first time meeting her. Maybe she was just wary of strangers around her kids, which Phox could relate to. He decided that was the answer, though he couldn't do anything to assuage her fears.

When they arrived, Figment looked downright bedraggled. And... apologetic? Hey, kiddo. I guess I can still call you that, right? Towma told me you got a little settled life out here. I just wanted to come check in and see how you were doing, meet the fam, et cetera. If it's better, I can come back another time? he offered. Phox certainly didn't want to intrude any more than he already was... though he couldn't help but stretch his neck to try and see into the darkness of the den. All he could see was the entrance, though, and no little grandkids were visible from here.

“No,” her voice comes out abruptly stilted and she glances to Fig. He is the man who has reformed his entire life to be here, who has accepted those she cares about as his own. And couldn’t she do the same? She is still learning how to trust, but as she shifts her eyes to look into the face of the man who raised Fig, she sees so much of him there: the same patience, and openness, the handsome lines of his cheeks, even his scent held an air of familiarity, and affection with it.

“Please, stay-” her small smile is for them both and she disappears into the den.

When she reappears, it is with a pair of pups held gently by their ashy scruffs.

She places @Swift and @Katla down at the feet of their grandfather.

Fig screwed up his face thoughtfully when Phox called him kiddo, then asked if that was alright. Truthfully, he didn't like it much, but he wasn't going to tell his father that. So he made a joke of it, though he didn't say a word. He looked to Tauris to answer the final question posed—he didn't feel inclined to send his father away, but didn't know how she felt about surprise visitors (Yet another thing they ought to discussed how to handle together). She was quick to give an answer, stepping away to bring forth their children, one by one.

Fig smiled, his heart swelling with pride as it so often did at the sight of them. Even more so since the occasion was to show them off to his family. He stepped over to them and nudged them one by one on the head as he introduced them. "Dad, this is Swift and Katla," he said, "Kids, this is my Dad. Your grandfather."

Tauris insisted that it was fine for Phox to stay, and although he wanted to object—to come back later—she disappeared into the den and brought out two potatoes covered in fluff. He didn't even notice Figment's mild discomfort at his monicker for him, and Phox nearly melted on the spot when he saw his two grandchildren, so small and young. He choked up, his throat tightened, and his chest felt like it was going to burst with happiness. They were so dang adorable. He wanted to squish them to pieces, but he refrained from doing anything more than admiring from where they had been placed, not wanting to worry the new parents.

Well I'll be. Aren't they stinkin' adorable. Swift in particular seemed to have taken on some of his grandfather's coloration... or at least Phox saw it that way. Once he managed to pull his attention away, he looked to the new parents. How are you two holding up? he asked, You have a decent support system here? He'd always had Towhee (and Towhee had always had him) in addition to the mother of his children. Fennec wasn't here, but hopefully other members of the pack were stepping up to help out the first-time parents.

Adorable- yes. Perfect, even. Flawless, she thinks.

Her eyes dart between Fig and Phox, amassing more similarities. A weight lifts when his father doesn’t seem to mind the grandchildren are mothered by a stranger.

“Quite well, I think…” she looks to Fig for confirmation. Their situation was normal, right? The soreness and sleep deprivation, and the punishing anxiety? That’s what was left in a person after a first foray into parenthood?

“We do, but-” she continues, “I’d love for you to stay. If you’d like.” She cannot know Fig’s wishes, but selfishly she wants to spend time with Phox. He must be important if he came all the way out here to check on his son.

“It would be nice to get to know you.”

Fig smiled softly, pleased with the compliment. He knew he was biased, but he did consider his kids to be the greatest ones to have ever existed. He wouldn’t say so, though. He was modest.

”Yeah, dad. Stay,” Fig said, giving Tauris a grateful smile. Now that he was waking up more, it felt less like an intrusion and more like a welcome surprise. He agreed with Tauris, that they were doing alright, all things considered. Some company and a helping hand was nothing to turn away, though.

last one from me! <3

They both insisted he stay, and who was Phox to deny himself time with his son and grandkids? Besides, getting to know his daughter-in-law seemed like a good idea, and he could give both of them time to go off and do their own thing for a little while. Based on the timeline, he didn't expect they'd had a lot of time to get to know each other before the kids. It wasn't so different from how things had been with Phox and Camilla, although they hadn't had much time after the kids to get to know each other, either. The whole situation had been nine levels of tragic.

Phox relaxed, settling down to watch the kids and catch up on all things Figment and Tauris. He wouldn't overstay his welcome, as he had no intentions of settling down here, but it would be nice to take a break from traveling and have some down time with his brand new grand kiddos.