Redhawk Caldera it's so simple

Paging @Elwood, @Lagan, @Finley, etc! Please allow for Liffey to post first.

 

The journey from the Vale to the Caldera has been relatively uneventful for Rannoch and @Liffey. They had stopped periodically for a plethora of reasons, the most important for the Alpha being the Salmon that he had fished in offering to Elwood and Finley, but soon enough they had found themselves at a comfortable distance from the borders. 

"So that's what a Caldera looks like," he remarked fondly once he had sat and placed the fish at his paws. Turning towards his Delta, he reached forward to nudge her cheek, his eyes shining. Though they still were not aware of whether or not her siblings had been born, Rannoch was still excited for her. He would never experience the bliss of younger siblings, as his parents were long dead, but despite this, Rannoch found himself excited regardless. 

His attention turned to the looming landmark, looking up to it for a brief moment as he examined it. Despite Liffey's best efforts to describe just what it looked like, Rannoch had not imagined what stood before them. He had some many more questions to ask, but, these would be saved for a later time. For now, their only task was to see Liffey's family. 

"You ready?" he prompted, eager to get going.

Liffey had done her best to hide her anxiety from Rannoch on the way there. Nervousness was one thing, but to let onto the utter panic she felt was not something the Delta had any intention of doing. She hadn't been here in months, and she was entirely uncertain of what sort of welcome she would receive here now considering the manner in which she had left. Would Finley even come? Would she even want to see her? Would Lagan? Would anyone?

The thought made her sick, and for the millionth time, she pushed it forcefully from her head for fear of it causing her to turn away and abandon this adventure altogether. It was something she probably would have done long ago were it not for Rannoch, so generously at her side, encouraging her with his gentle smiles and excited comments. Liffey thought her heart would explode as she watched him fish for a gift for her father, and even now as he set it down at his feet, she was pretty certain she was at great risk of dissolving into a puddle of adorable-overload. He was her steadying force whenever she came near to breaking, and he didn't even have to try. He probably didn't even realize just how monumentally important his presence at her side really was to her.

Liffey gazed ahead at the Caldera's gently rising slopes ahead of them, eyes slipping across the familiar trails leading up and over the ledges. Her heart clenched suddenly upon being asked if she was ready, but she did not show it but for the brief flare of emotion in her fiery eyes. She said nothing, worried she might vomit if she parted her lips. She merely nodded, slowly, almost mechanically, as tears of anxiety crept into the edges of her eyelids.

The young guardian sometimes felt torn: should she spend more time guarding the den or patrolling the borders? Towhee did her best to divide her time evenly between the two, though she strongly preferred hanging around the den right now just so she could get the occasional peek at her four younger siblings. She still hadn't met them formally and that was all right; she knew she would get to meet them in good time. Meanwhile, she was happy to report for guarding duty.

She tore herself away today to scour the outskirts and found herself blinking down at a wolf she mistook for Lagan for a solid minute. Were he and Gannet finally back? But that definitely wasn't Gannet beside Lagan and, after a minute, Towhee decided that it wasn't Lagan at all. Liffey? she thought, ears splaying in surprise as she shot the yearling a disapproving look from afar.

She knew the Alphas would be thrilled to see her, so when the Xi made her approach, she tried to dial back the nastiness a bit. "Liffey, is that you?" she questioned in her garbled drawl, then peered critically at the male beside her. "Who's this?"

Before either of them could reach out to call for an audience, there was already somebody en route to greet them. As Towhee broke from her patrol to approach them, Rannoch observed her as he attempted to figure out which relative had found them. Thankfully for Rannoch, Liffey had filled him in on every detail that he needed to know about the Caldera. So when Towhee spoke, in a voice which was much more garbled that he could have ever anticipated, Rannoch was not as thrown off as he would have been if he hadn't been filled in. Instead, he found himself aware of who this wolf was: Towhee. 

"I'm Rannoch, Alpha of Northstar Vale," he said as his gaze turning to Liffey. Aside from the inquiries that he would be asked, Rannoch would remain silent as he knew that it wasn't his place to lead the conversation.

Despite the fact that there hadn't even yet been a request for his presence via howl, Elwood was drawn to the borders. The babies were a week old, and while he had taken some time away from his duties (knowing that Towhee, Nightjar, and others would pick up his slack), he now felt more confident leaving the densite for more than a few minutes at a time. Of course, he always returned swiftly; watching the four pudgy grey puppies was quickly becoming one of his favorite pastimes. But it was by some kind of luck or coincidence that he happened to be making his way toward this particular piece of the pack's outskirts, and when his eyes lit on a small group of wolves, he hastened to join them.

Almost immediately, he recognized Liffey by sight and smell. This alone was enough to propel him towards his daughter, and it was only at the last minute that he stopped himself from scooping her into his embrace. She was his Liffey, all right -- but all grown up. Elwood settled for pausing next to Towhee, feeling just as unsure as Liffey did, although he didn't know it. He hadn't even had a chance to tell her goodbye before she left the caldera; was she angry at her parents still?

"You're back," he said tentatively; he knew that it was likely a visit, especially because of the strapping young male at Liffey's side. But he was happy to see her all the same. He looked to the unfamiliar wolf, wondering if this was the boy Liffey had run off with in the first place. "I'm Elwood, Redhawk Caldera's Alpha and Liffey's father," he said, having missed his daughter's companion's introduction only moments before he arrived.

I have a weird thing about dads and daughters and so this post is brought to you by my overabundance of emotions and also I'm crying my face off. Sorry for typos - I can't see anything

Rannoch didn't even need to call. Someone appeared around the bend only a few seconds after Liffey nodded for him to proceed, and immediately she felt a painful jolt in her heart. Her eyes widened in surprise to see Towhee approach - all legs and height and, most surprisingly of all, power... Not at all what she recalled of the girl. The firebird had been just another obnoxious little brat when she'd left (not that she'd actually been obnoxious, but she'd been lumped into that category by virtue of her age), but this wolf that approached them now was far, far different. It was instantly unsettling, and Liffey was quickly losing grip of any nerve she'd been able to gain while away from her natal pack.

Liffey didn't respond, but fortunately Rannoch was simply excited where she was beginning to feel panicked. She was in the process of attempting to smile and formulate a response of her own when she glimpsed a flicker of grey out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and suddenly she saw the world as though in slow motion. If she'd felt off-balance before, it was nothing compared to now as the sight of her father caused the entire earth to shift upon its axis. She stood, frozen in place as Elwood approached and greeted them. It had been so long since she'd seen him, and still her heart inexplicably stung when his gaze moved from her face to Rannoch's. Liffey couldn't take her eyes off of him. Her eyes swelled with tears as she forgot completely about anything and everything around her and she pressed suddenly and eagerly forward.

"Daddy..." she wept softly as she moved to tuck herself against his chest and furrow her crown against his fur as she so often had as a pup. Her tail beat back and forth behind her to show her joy - quite the contradiction to the sobs that shook her entire petite frame. Liffey had known before that she missed her family, but it had been such a distant thing. It only made it all the more emotional for her to realize so suddenly how terribly she had longed for them.

Although the information itself meant little to her, Towhee appreciated the succinct introduction. She met it with a bob of her snout but didn't speak, eyes shifting back to Liffey. Her lips parted as if getting ready to say something but the young guardian lost her train of thought and her mouth clapped shut again. She didn't remember much about her cousin—not a sister, not like Lagan was a brother—and Towhee didn't know what to make of her presence here at the borders.

Elwood's arrival prompted the Xi to take a step back, letting father and daughter reunite. She swallowed thickly as she watched the openly affectionate display, blinking hard several times when she noticed that Liffey was crying. Towhee's lips pursed and she glanced at Rannoch, then back to her relatives. She ran off, the youngster thought, so what's she doing here now? Had the news of the Alphas' new litter somehow gotten out? Was she here to visit them? The mere thought put Towhee's teeth on edge.

Holding himself respectfully, out of reverence for the wolves that Liffey had spoken so highly of, Rannoch remained silent. He did not speak, nor did he make eye contact. Instead, he stayed at his companion's side in support of her feat. Though he didn't know the circumstances that had surrounded Liffey's departure from the Caldera, he had come to understand that this trip was both needed and stressful for the one that he cared so deeply for. 

It was as silence surrounded the three wolves that another wolf happened upon the scene. At first, he wasn't entirely sure of who this wolf was, and it was only when Liffey surged forward that Rannoch could identify who this wolf was: "Daddy..." Elwood. This was Liffey father. Feeling his heart strings pull at their reunion, Rannoch watched on as the two embraced. This was their moment, and the Alpha would do nothing to disrupt them.

Elwood's uncertainty was quickly erased with Liffey's movements. She closed the gap between them and Elwood enveloped her in his embrace without hesitation. The long months of separation melted away; once more, she was his little girl.

After a few seconds, he withdrew just enough to nuzzle her cheek gently with his snout. "I missed you," he said, then he pulled back further, simultaneously gathering his emotions in the presence of Towhee and the stranger. There were a million questions he wanted to ask, but there was only one at the forefront of his mind as he looked at Liffey's male companion.

"Who is this?" he asked, not unkindly but with a fatherly suspicion he just couldn't stifle.

The sight of her father was like the final surge of pressure to break the damn, but it took only minutes before the flow of emotion began to dry up again. Words had pressed chaotically forward in her mind, but began to settle into sentences as she calmed down again. Eventually, the good sense she had inherited from her father slipped back in as well and it went right to work keeping at bay the onslaught of emotional commentary she had felt so compelled to give only seconds before. She said nothing as she felt him withdraw, only searching his face and gave him a watery smile and a nod as he told her he had missed her. It was her silent way of telling him that she had missed him as well, and it was all that was needed.

Liffey turned to look back at Rannoch as Elwood addressed him, feeling instantly sheepish at her display and anxious over the impending introduction. She sniffled again and gave her coat a quick shake as she re-positioned herself to stand nearer to Rannoch's side. "Dad, this is Rannoch," she told him, turning her head slightly to ensure that Towhee could read her lips as well, "He's the alpha of my pack, and my friend." The Blackthorn felt her cheeks burn as the other things she felt tempted to call him came to mind. Those were things they had never really discussed, even though they felt like rather accurate descriptions even then.

She stood there, silently wondering if the Alpha pair would welcome these visitors near their den and the pups contained within. Surely they wouldn't, not before allowing actual Redhawks to visit. Towhee felt a little ill at the thought even as she watched father and daughter continue to embrace. Never before had she felt like anything less than Elwood and Finley's true child, yet right now she was suddenly very aware that she didn't share their blood. Liffey did, though, so perhaps they wouldn't bar her the same way?

There was no real grounds for these intrusive thoughts, yet Towhee felt her toes clenching into the dirt even as her fur prickled. "I have to go—keep patrolling," she said very perfunctorily, not waiting for acknowledgement of any kind before striding away along the borderline. That was the luxury of being deaf: if anyone called out after her, she wouldn't even know it.

Towhee's exit almost went unnoticed to the Alpha, as he was far more pre-occupied with the thought of being in the presence of Liffey's father. It was only as she turned, and thus caught his attention out of the corner of his eyes, as he spared her a moment to glance towards her to see that she was leaving. 

But as quickly as his attention had turned to the tri-toned Guardian, it was brought back to the Blackthorns as a question was asked. Liffey was quick to answer, and for that, he was grateful for, as he was still rousing together the courage he needed to speak up. "Y-Yes, sir," he began, his voice uncharacteristically shaken as he replied. Even with the average title of "friend" latched onto his introduction, Rannoch knew that this meeting was much more important than just meeting a friend's parent. As far as the Alpha was concerned, this was his first meeting with his future in-law, and he had to make the best impression that he could. 

His eyes swept towards the gift that he had gotten, and he smiled. "I got this fish for you and Mrs. Blackthron," he said as his eyes sought to settle on the Alpha's pale cheek and his tail hinged between his hindquarters. With a slight chuckle, he added, "I hope you like fish." 

Elwood spared a glance and a nod of his head as Towhee excused herself. She had never been the warm and fuzzy type, so while she was probably glad to see Liffey back (to some degree; she was an "outsider" now, after all), he wasn't surprised that she wanted to get back to work. His attention was then fully drawn back to Liffey and the boy that she introduced as Rannoch. His brows raised slightly when she referred to him simply as "friend," but -- being Elwood -- he wouldn't press for more information.

"It's a pleasure, Rannoch," he said, and he meant it. It helped that his reunion with Liffey was positive, and that the young male at her side was polite. Rannoch gestured to the salmon at his feet, indicating that it was a gift for Elwood and his mate. Hearing Finley called Mrs. Blackthorn brought forth a chuckle. "We do like fish, and we appreciate the offer," he said; Liffey's companion was earning himself more points with each passing second.

Looking back to his daughter, he prompted, "Tell me about your new pack." He felt a hint of sadness, knowing that this was only a visit and it was unlikely Liffey would return to the caldera permanently, but he was at least a bit more at ease knowing who she was keeping company with.

Liffey glanced only briefly at Towhee as the young wolf dismissed herself and walked away. She had never been close to a single one of the last firebirds while she was at the Caldera. Even though she had developed a (begrudging) bond with Titmouse, it didn't make her feel any more inclined to show interest in the others. Her attention was devoted to Elwood and Rannoch, the latter of which was nervously giving the former the gift he had caught for them.

The Blackthorn suppressed a grin at her friend's behavior, suddenly feeling giddy and excited now that things were going so well. But it was only a few seconds before her eyes began to wander back over Elwood's shoulder again, looking for another familiar form headed their way. Her father's question distracted her, though, and she smiled, standing a little taller.

"There are about ten of us," she began, probably getting the number wrong because I have absolutely no idea how many they had when this thread started, "We settled in a territory to the East within the Sunspire mountains - a spacious valley tucked between the mountains called Northstar Vale. Rannoch and his two brothers lead us, and our numbers have been growing since we settled." Again, no idea if that's true. I should pay more attention.

Liffey glanced at Rannoch, offering him an encouraging smile. She hoped he would have more to add to give her some time to continue staring just beyond Elwood's shoulder. Lagan hadn't appeared yet and it was causing the prickling of unease to return. Finley was missing as well, but she was still uncertain if she even wanted her mother to show. The idea made her sick with nerves and heartbroken with longing all at once.

"We have," Rannoch agreed once Liffey had disclosed what she had shared, stealing a glance at her before he continued with what else he had to share. "We've had all of our members for quite some time, too," he added. This fact was the one that was the most remarkable to Rannoch. From his limited collection of memories from Neverwinter, the Alpha could recall many of their members coming in going. Thankfully, the members of the Vale had been more loyal. Unsure of what else to share, Rannoch added, "Thankfully, so far, we seem safe enough from most dangers because of how well the mountains protect us." Though he had never had children of his own, the man assumed that Elwood would be pleased to hear that his daughter was well protected. 

With the first tidbits of news shared, the trio moved their conversation from the border and deeper into the territory that Liffey had once called home. Unsure of what to expect, Rannoch kept his posture low and respectable. It would be quite some time until the leader would grow comfortable in his company and surroundings and, for now, he would do his best to appease Liffey's parents.

When Elwood was brought up to speed of how Northstar Vale was doing, the pair parted ways with the Alpha now as Liffey decided it was just as good of a time as any to show Rannoch around. Following along dutifully, Rannoch took in all the information that he could whilst learning more of the woman that had desired so much.