atticus had awoken, which put to rest the issue over the offer lasher had made unto blue willow. yet he would not forget how fox had treated him, how she had ground his words into such dust beneath her haughty tongue, and how she had sought to put him in his place. the gamma found shame in the fact that peregrine had formally named the three of them as a triad in the pack — he did not wish to be affliated with the ruby any longer.

perhaps one privy to his thoughts would think him a whining sort, but in truth taltos had been hurt by fox's contention that his children would be worth nothing. it struck him in the masculine portion of his pride, and he was incensed at her for it.

the girl-child of kisu and the late pied had disappeared, seemingly in the very wake of osprey junior. perhaps the more assertive of the young women had persuaded her sister to this mysterious clan of ocean-cult women. taltos paced along through the shadows of the forest, ever in search of prey with which to stock their larders, and yet enjoying the solitude posed by the crisp september afternoon.

he sensed a presence, and turned, spotting the dark form of peregrine's last daughter that remained upon the plateau. "hello, ty," the man murmured, slowing his step so that she might catch up with him, if she so chose. he wondered why she had not followed either of her sisters, or if she was planning to do so. ty was an odd sort, perhaps unpredictable — one could not know the thoughts of her mind.

taltos did understand she had been spending a goodly portion of her time with atticus, and so at length, plume waving, he spoke fondly to the girl: "atticus is awake now. i am sure this makes you happy, yes?" the epsilon perhaps mistakenly presumed.

her response was unsure, the dark girl of faded hue, but lasher had no doubt that atticus' accident had left ty reeling as much as it had affected the rest of them. he nodded. "i am happy he is well." perhaps atticus could return to them eventually in his capacity as beta — and blue willow's mate — but for now the man was merely pleased to see his lover's brother responsive.

"i must go and visit him soon. do you think he would like company?" lasher asked carefully of her, wondering if she guarded atticus as well as visited him.

there was an eagerness in her tone that caused lasher to regard her more closely for a moment. tytonidae was not a wolf he knew closely, but somehow he doubted that as she had grown older, she had grown closer to the wolves in her pack. with a scattered family, perhaps she felt alone. but he did not know how to ask her this, fearing a blunt approach might perturb her.

"i would like that," he said quietly, giving her a fond look. "have you thought of a trade you would like to pursue, ty?" he asked after a moment. "perhaps healing?" maybe the girl would take up blue willow's mantle of herbs.

he recalled that peregrine had also intended gamekeeper as a role for himself — perhaps he should pursue it after all this time. "i think you would make a fine gamekeeper, ty," he said lightly. to her inquiry, he shook his head quietly.

"i am not. though i have considered it." it was almost as if the girl had suggested it to him; he mulled it over in his head for a long moment. "i do not think i could ever be as skilled as blue willow."

he nodded, warmed by the smile that had appeared on her face. "of course." motioning that she should accompany him over the borders, lasher spent several hours instructing her in how he moved about prey, the small towpaths used by deer and their benefits, and the newer caches he had dug for the pack.