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+--- Thread: Redhawk Caldera People always gave me love (/showthread.php?tid=66167)
People always gave me love - Leto - July 17, 2025
Leto's mind had been made up, and with little time at all she was off towards the caldera with Delos in tow.
It was the right thing to do. Her son needed a home with better shelter, and a better chance to learn ptero - Leto wasn't the best teacher. She knew she wouldn't be able to stay; Apollo had disappeared, she needed to return to Verapaz to search and see if he would come back.
She let out a howl though she knew @Towhee would not hear - someone would come. Her son crouched in the shade of her form, a small respite from the summer sun.
RE: People always gave me love - Alivia - July 22, 2025
Alivia made a beeline for the visitors, descending the Caldera's slope at a gentle trot. Most of her packmates were otherwise occupied, considering the ongoing search for their missing alpha, so it was quite possible that Alivia would have to be a one-woman welcome wagon.
She approached with a gentle wave of her tail, trying extra hard to look approachable for the sake of the young one especially. "Hello. I'm Alivia. This is Redhawk Caldera." She glanced over the duo, both light-pelted like herself. They seemed like they were probably mother and son, but maybe Alivia was projecting. She had traveled quite a few miles at her mother's side when she was a pup.
RE: People always gave me love - Leto - July 23, 2025
Leto smiled to the stranger who approached; they seemed friendly enough.
I've come looking for Towhee.She responded, briefly looking to her son.
The last time I visited I spoke to her about my son.. he uh,Leto paused, a frown coating her face.
She suggested I bring him to the Caldera.It was hard not to feel ashamed. Delos was nervous to be without what was familiar, though Leto would visit often. She needed to find out what Apollo's fate was before deciding her own, maybe then she too would move to the Caldera. She trusted that he would be okay, children were adaptable.
RE: People always gave me love - Alivia - July 24, 2025
It was no surprise that she wanted Towhee; the elder Redhawk seemed to be pretty well-known in these parts. However, the statement that followed was unexpected. The way the mother spoke, it sounded as if she intended to leave the boy.
"Oh," Alivia said. For the sake of the child, she did not voice her burning curiosity aloud; a small head-tilt was the only indication of her bemusement. She turned her attention to the boy, silently searching for the unspoken explanation.
"My mom brought me here too, in a way," she told him, "I'm glad she did." Alivia smiled reassuringly, attempting to make eye contact with the boy. After a moment, she turned back to the mother.
"I can take you both to Towhee, if you like."
RE: People always gave me love - Towhee - July 24, 2025
Utterly unaware of the guests at the borders—and most things, honestly—Towhee struggled to choke down some food. Every time she managed to chew and swallow a bite of meat, her stomach pitched a fit. She would wait, breathing heavily and swallowing the saliva pooling in her mouth, for the nausea to pass before trying for another. It was awful.
She took a break from her latest bout of queasiness to grab her meal and carry it closer to the den’s door. Maybe the fresh air would help, rather than crouching in the dark at the den’s rear. Towhee sighed as she slumped to the ground, haphazardly dropping the partially eaten gopher as she squinted wearily into the middle distance.
You can skip me until they come to her, I just wanted to get this on my log. :)
RE: People always gave me love - Leto - July 24, 2025
Delos was avoidant of the eye contact for now, a shyness not so peculiar in most young. Not everything said reached his ears but he understood the situation. Delos trusted his mother's instincts, and if she said this would help the burns he would trust her, but that didn't mean he was any less scared.
Leto nodded to Alivia's offer,
please.Part of her was excited to speak with Towhee once more, but it was clouded by the mix of somber topics that loomed all around her. It didn't seemed to matter where she stepped lately, she was facing an inevitable dip.
RE: People always gave me love - Alivia - July 25, 2025
"This way." Alivia smiled.
She led the visitors up the slope and down into the caldera, pointing out any landmarks that she thought the child might find useful during his stay. He seemed a bit overwhelmed-- it was all probably going in one ear and out the other, but for Alivia, anything was better than walking in silence.
As they drew closer to the Hobbit Hole, Alivia saw Towhee lounging in the den's entrance. She stopped, sat, and held up a paw, indicating that the others should stop too. Her voice dropped in volume (unnecessarily, Towhee was deaf) and she spoke a bit hesitantly.
"So.. Towhee's actually been kinda, uh.. she's not feeling great. I'm sure visitors will perk her right up! ..But I think I should probably check on her first. Can you guys wait just a second?"
Alivia waved, trying to catch Towhee's attention. She held her paws high and made the signs for visitor and friend. After a second, she also signed, are you okay?
RE: People always gave me love - Towhee - July 25, 2025
Three figures were heading this way. Towhee recognized two of them and could hazard a guess at the identity of the third. Her gaze lingered on the young wolf, silently cursing the timing. She didn’t exactly have the capacity to uphold what she’d said to Leto, back before her grandson had vanished and taken a giant chunk of her life force with him.
No,she said baldly in reply to Alivia’s signed question,
but you guys can come here,she added, raising her voice so hopefully the mother and son would hear too.
Is this Dallas?Towhee guessed, breathing hard through an arbitrary roll of her stomach.
RE: People always gave me love - Leto - July 26, 2025
Leto followed through the territory, Delos remaining tucked close to her body. She was happy enough to listen to Alivia, occasionally relaying information to Delos close to his ears.
When they found Towhee, she didn't look too good. Alivia confirmed such suspicions.
Yes, Delos.She responded, trotting closer with her son in tow so the elder would not strain her voice. Gesturing to her son, he made a sign for 'hello' after a moment of hesitation. He had heard about Towhee, but she was a stranger nonetheless. An old lady stranger.
Is the Caldera still able to take him?Leto asked after a moment.
One of our members believes he has albinism, his burns won't stop any time soon. It isn't fair for me to keep him in the desert.
RE: People always gave me love - Alivia - July 29, 2025
Skippable! Sorry, don't let me hold you up!
Alivia's ears flattened at Towhee's frank response. She knew that Killdeer's absence was taking an emotional toll, but something in Towhee's voice and carriage hinted at physical deterioration as well. Alivia was all too familiar with the deportment of a dying wolf, and she didn't like what she was seeing here.
Under normal circumstances, she probably would have taken her leave. However, it seemed likely that Towhee would need additional help providing hospitality to the newcomers, so Alivia lingered, awaiting any other responsibilities that might be assigned.
RE: People always gave me love - Towhee - July 29, 2025
You are fine, no worries!
What had she called him when they’d spoken last? Crispy? Towhee couldn’t quite remember, though she looked at Delos for a long moment. His sign would’ve earned a smile if not for the circumstances. All she could really manage was a dip of her head before her orange eyes cut back to his mother.
The way Leto phrased her question earned a quizzical squint. It sounded a bit like she she wanted the caldera to assume collective responsibility for him. But what about Leto? And her other kids? She tried to remember if there were other kids and blanked on that too.
The offer stands, but… what about you?
You can’t just leave him here, Towhee thought, though she didn’t voice it yet, in case she’d misunderstood Leto’s phrasing. She wasn’t exactly in the best shape at the moment; proper concentration was beyond her. She glanced at Alivia, wondering if she was alone in her misconstruation, but quickly returned her attention to Leto’s lips lest she miss something else.
RE: People always gave me love - Leto - July 29, 2025
Towhee asked the fair question. What was she going to do.
I.. I'm not sure. I feel like I need to go back.She frowned, voice wary.
My other son is missing, I need to look for him.Nothing else would have been able to prevent her from staying with her Delos.
I don't know what to do, if I'm being honest.It didn't feel like there was a right answer.
RE: People always gave me love - Towhee - July 29, 2025
Hearing about Leto’s missing son made Towhee hiss in a breath, her entire body sagging like someone had punched her in the stomach. She said nothing for a beat, letting the mutual agony wash through her, draining the last dregs of what little energy she’d had to spare.
I get it.Understatement.
But you can’t just dump your son here and leave,Towhee said, too exhausted to mince words.
You can both stay. Livi,she added, sounding absolutely weary as she turned to her comrade,
would you mind helping them settle in. I need to…
Towhee waved toward the back of the Hobbit Hole, forgetting all about her abandoned meal and bid for fresh air. Her appetite was as sparse as her vitality. She slumped back in the den, sparing Leto and her son a silent apology for her brevity. Hopefully Alivia could explain the context and the Redhawk would make it up to them some other day…
RE: People always gave me love - Leto - July 29, 2025
Leto didn't have a response, just sort of sunk into herself. She hadn't felt this antsy to get running into the sunset in a long while.
She would have to tell herself for now that Verapaz would search for Apollo in her absence. There was nothing else to do unless she wanted to abandon her son in the caldera, and she had taken the hint that they probably wouldn't like that.
RE: People always gave me love - Alivia - August 05, 2025
Towhee took her leave quickly, and Alivia once more found herself playing host to the newcomers.
"Uh.. so.. sorry about the lackluster welcome. Our alpha- Towhee's grandson-- has been missing for half a moon now. It's been tough on us." Alivia's gaze trailed to the opening of the Hobbit Hole, lingering for a moment before snapping back to the new recruits.
"..I'm glad you here though!" She gave a wag of her tail for emphasis. "Once you're all settled, if you need to leave the territory for your search, I'd be happy to hang out with Delos for a few days." She smiled at the boy. "I could always use another friend," she assured him.
"C'mon, let me show you our rendezvous point. There are caches and good spots for denning around there." If they allowed her to lead them away, Alivia would do so.
RE: People always gave me love - Leto - August 05, 2025
At least Alivia was enthusiastic. Leto gave her a nod, unable to shake the frown from her own face this time.
Thank you. I'll have to think things over first.A den devoid of sun, at route to plan, a son to keep dipped in mud. There was too much on her plate, and that was only the half of it. She felt a painful twinge of guilt as she looked at Delos.
Pushing out a breath, she prepared to follow Alivia.
Did you want to fade out?
RE: People always gave me love - Alivia - August 11, 2025
Alivia smiled empathetically. She wasn't a mother herself, but she could only imagine how torn the other woman must feel, with one sickly son in need of so much care, and the other son missing in action. Alivia hoped she knew she didn't have to do it all alone.
She led the pair away to the rendezvous point, continuing her chatty tour of the Caldera's lands.