Sun Mote Copse keep the heid

No posting order.

Though Kigipigak and his family were out of sight, they were not out of Njord’s mind. Despite this, the Laird did his best to turn his attention to the Copse’s newest neighbors: the wolves of the Strath. For a day he brooded by himself… until he realized the strife it caused. It was better, he knew, as a leader to lean on the pack rather than harbor the problem himself.

He sought out the Lady of the Copse and any member of the pack who wanted to weigh in: @Meerkat, Towhee, @Fennec, @Towhee Jr, @Stingray, and @Nyssa. The children, Skipjack and @Otter, would not be excluded from this circle. Let the Sveijarn-Corten children learn from a young age how a healthy village communicates, he thought.

-“We’ve all noticed tha path of many wolves along tha Southern border, though tha Bog towards tha Falls,”- Njord began with both ptero and voice. -“A pack settles somewhere in tha mountains, near tha Strath. Cedar Sweep is a gateway through the mountains,” -he pointed out, “-and tha Strath wolves trespassed through Kigipigak and Asivaq’s claim.”- It was a two-pronged problem. Because of its location, Cedar Sweep was a difficult territory to hold and it had, perhaps, been unwise to claim it as village Napatuqvik. However, the heedless trespassing indicated the Strath wolves’ morals were questionable.

-“The wolves of Cedar Sweep have gone,”- he informed. -“Kigipigak, Asivaq, and their children have left. Ah dinnae wish tae make trouble with our new neighbors, but Ah worry....” -His gaze passed over their clan. As he approached six, Njord’s prime had begun to sunset and he felt insecure in his ability to protect the precious village he had helped build. What if these people were violent?

-"Ah've been considerin' asking two of ye tae approach them as diplomats an' learn their character, but it might be best tae stay away completely or put our energy towards reconnectin' with our allies, instead." -

His good ear turned to the clan and with a lift of his chin he asked what say you?

Fennec had not noticed anything, though she kept this to herself as Njord continued. She wasn’t sure she had any type of insight to give but had shown up anyway, part of her “fuck it, you’re participating” resolve that she was regretting as soon as she’d decided to employ it.

Any of those options seemed equally fine, and his and Meerkat’s stakes here were much deeper than her own. She’d just as soon up and relocate; this place was fine, but it was as fine as many others. Somehow, with so many landmarks named for absent children, she didn’t think that suggestion would go over. This place meant more to them than she understood. She’d only ever loved one home… and it was a home she’d never claimed.

Maybe one day. That was a lie, but she held onto it, just like she had every other time.

It can’t hurt to talk. But I might not be our best foot forward. Fennec replied, her only thoughts that actually mattered here being excusing herself from diplomacy. She could handle a border meeting just fine, but it might be better to show them a stronger first impression. Unless they were superstitious, a blind wolf wouldn’t exactly intimidate easily.

Shit, if they are superstitious? I could have some fun here.. She hadn’t flexed those interests in a while. But she had no way of knowing.

She wasn’t nearly so angry now, though any time her mind wandered to Kigipigak and Asivaq, it put a bitter taste in her mouth. Meerkat tried not to think of them, though it was easier said than done. How could Njord’s aokatti jilt them this way? It was probably for the best, though part of her still seethed.

And, of course, when her husband called the pack to gather together to discuss the matter, Meerkat could only try to manage her emotions. One foreleg dangled over Skipjack’s shoulder as he sat in front of her, very quiet and obedient while his da addressed everyone.

Her brow furrowed at her husband’s last words, her gaze drifting to Towhee. Her mother had already been to the sweep, even talked to some of the “neighbors,” who weren’t truly neighbors at all based on the intel Towhee had brought back with her. They lived somewhere on the far side of the strath.

Fennec seemed to think diplomacy wasn’t a bad idea. Meerkat didn’t necessarily disagree with her mate and sister, though she didn’t think these wolves should be of any particular concern to them. Now that the sweep was wide open, they could cross through its center and stop straddling their borders. Everyone could go back to minding their own business.

She tried to catch her mom’s eye, waiting to see what she would say before lending her own voice to the conversation.

Towhee didn’t miss it when Meerkat looked her way after Njord and Fennec spoke. She returned her daughter’s gaze, sensing that she wanted to hear from her before speaking up herself. Towhee could do that.

-“I know you’re unhappy about your friends leaving,”- Towhee said, speaking directly to Meerkat before sweeping her eyes over the entire group, -“but I never liked them being there in the first place. Now those neighbors can just pass through the sweep and not come so close to the borders. I think it’s for the best, honestly. I can’t speak to diplomacy very well but I don’t think they’re close enough to cause problems. I think it’s a nonissue.”-

She shrugged her whitened shoulders, recapturing Meerkat’s gaze. Was that what her daughter wanted to hear? She couldn’t be sure, yet Towhee had spoken frankly, just as she always did.

jr is a little late to the meeting, as it took ghost several attempts — and one painful pinch of his beak to her right ear — to pull her attention away from the borders which she patrolled more vigilantly. her ear still smarts as she makes her way to the meeting place, gaze falling first upon njord, meerkat, the children and then to fennec as ghost roosts upon his favored spot at the junction between her shoulders.

she watches njord's paws form the words, weaving a tale of the wolves she assumes they had scented straddling the borders, that they trespassed which had led to chasing off a pack.

she takes it in, thinking of what her and meerkat had discussed a few days prior.

-i vote we send diplomats. i don't think it'd be a bad idea to determine if they'll continue to be a threat or not. they disregarded borders and a pack's claim until that pack left, regardless of why. in my mind, that's wolves or a pack or whatever that warrants an investigation.- and that does not sit well with jr at all.

Otter was initially excited when Njord and Meerkat approached the children about gathering the pack. This was the first time they'd been allowed to do adult things, and the prospect of being with everybody was thrilling.

But she realized how wrong she'd been when they began the meeting. They were discussing a situation about wolves she didn't know—and, frankly, who she didn't care about—and how they'd go about handling it.

She sat next to Skipjack and pawed idly at a patch of grass. Being an adult was boring. She would've much rather been doing anything else—she'd even take naptime over this! And she hated naptime!

Next round, no posting order! There will be at least one more round after this.

Their entourage gathered, each with a distinct opinion. Njord was thankful for their wisdom and put all of his trust in their counsel. Never would he spurn a packmate’s opinion.

He could tell Fennec’s mind was one of strategy. She seemed concerned with the Copse’s image to outsiders, which Njord appreciated. Their pack was not of martial strength, so it weighed on the Laird to keep his people safe. They would have to be smart and cunning regarding threats, and a strong first impression was a must.

Towhee, a woman trained in the warrior arts, was blunt in her appraisal of the situation. It made sense that with the Cedar Sweep wolves out of the way, the forming pack had no reason to skirt the Copse’s borders anymore. It was possible that there would never be an issue if they ignored one another.

The youngest tradesman, Towhee Junior, sought a more proactive approach: better to scope out their neighbors than be caught unawares. Njord agreed that the blatant trespassing was concerning and it alluded that these newcomers felt entitled.

As each wolf voiced their opinion, Njord offered a nod and a hum of acknowledgment as he digested their words. Then, a small grin as he watched their smallest councilmembers, Otter and Skipjack, do their best to keep quiet.

He desired more clarity before rounding up a conclusion. -“Fennec, explain why ye think it wouldnae be our best foot forward?”- he asked.

Then, he would turn to his lady. -“Meerkat, what are your thoughts?”-

Towhee insisted there was no cause for concern. Meerkat chewed at the inside of her cheek, eyes shifting when Towhee Jr spoke next. She raised a good point about the character of these strangers, who’d chosen their residence despite the sweep’s placement. Her expression darkened a little, thinking of how there must be a little karma involved there, seeing as Asivaq and Kigipigak hadn’t consulted with them before taking up residence next door, either.

Pushing that thought aside, she cleared her throat and said, -“Not that I agree, but I think Fennec only meant herself. Correct me if I’m wrong,”- in her older sister’s direction. -“Jr agrees with a diplomatic mission, seeing as they’ve been historically inconsiderate,”- she added, eyes cutting to her as she translated her silent speech for both Fen’s and Skip’s benefits.

Njord and the others were waiting on her say, so Meerkat took a deep breath, gathered her thoughts and said, -“I don’t see what harm it can do to send some ambassadors their way. I could go. I’d like to take Jr with me.”- Her gaze drifted knowingly between her husband and the aspiring leader. -“Perhaps one other might be wise. Any volunteers?”-

#5,000 for the fam! :)

Towhee’s head tilted slightly at her junior’s astute observation. Although she did not fully agree that it couldn’t do any harm—what if the wolves didn’t take kindly to the visit? What if a dispute broke out?—the group’s opinion swayed heavily in favor of a diplomatic mission.

Meerkat called for volunteers and Towhee immediately thought, Not it! If they’d been headed anywhere else, she may not have minded escorting them. But she refused to traverse past those doomed arches. She didn’t even like the thought of her family going there, regardless of these strangers, though she would not speak out against it.

-“I’ll stay here to guard the copse,”- was her only other contribution, -“and entertain the kiddos.”-

Towhee sought Otter’s gaze and winked. She couldn’t catch Skipjack’s eye, of course, but when her attention shifted to him, she had to laugh. No wonder he was being so quietly obedient: he was fast asleep, head nodding against his mother.

Last round!

When Meerkat pointed out Njord’s Freudian slip, the man realized that his mind was too focused on the Cope’s image to outsiders. Perhaps this was because of an unconscious bias towards their non-hearing, non-speaking, non-seeing members. Maybe he thought the Copse was weak and vulnerable in the back of his mind.

The revelation shocked Njord. What kind of man, husband, and father was he if he didn’t recognize and trust the strength of his people? He ruminated silently on this notion as Meerkat voiced her mind.

It seemed all but Towhee thought it wise to send emissaries to judge the character of the Strath wolves. The Redhawk matriarch had a point: now that the Sweep was open they might never cross paths again. Still, Njord wished to know what kind of wolves settled in the Hinterlands.

-“Verrae well,”- Njord said (and signed) in agreement with Meerkat’s proposal. -“You an’ Towhee Jr will keep one another safe. Ah hope we can gain some intelligence on the nature of these wolves an’ the strength of their clan. Hopfully, as Towhee’s said, we willnae be in one-anothers way again.”-

Njord straightened, pleased that his pack was aligned with their mission. To be proactive gave the man a sense of assurance that they would not be caught off-guard for any reason.

-“There is one more thing I wish tae discuss,”- he added. -“Towhee Jr had shown interest in learning the ways of leadership. She’s innately protective an’ works hard tae defend and provide for the pack.”- Njord’s blue gaze scanned the faces of Sunmote Copse until they settled on his wife. -“Meerkat an’ I have discussed it…”- he turned to face his sister-in-law. -“…An’ we wish tae promote ye tae Honoree. It is our hope you will one day become the greatest pack leader Teekon's ever seen.”-

Fennec considered speaking up to join, but instead held her silence as Njord drew the meeting to a close. For the best, she figured. If her sister wanted diplomacy she wasn’t the wolf to send.

That didn’t stop the jealousy that, unsurprisingly, kicked up when Towhee Jr was announced as Honoree. She’d just opted out of a direct leadership responsibility. Of course she wasn’t about to be fucking promoted. But she’d never claimed to be a rational wolf, and Fennec had quietly (and not so quietly) longed for the rank since back when she’d still felt competition with Fig to prove she deserved it.

Well, she’d had it a few times, hadn’t she? Every time she’d proven the opposite. Penn wasn’t even here, Killer wasn’t here… this wasn’t a long term home unless she wanted it to be. She just felt directionless.

Suddenly a little out of sorts in a way she didn’t want to address, Fennec turned away, disappearing into the copse around her before anyone could catch her to discuss the news.

Just because no one volunteered today did not mean she couldn’t rope in someone else later. Meerkat didn’t worry about it too much, slanting her pale face toward Njord as he concluded the rendezvous with an announcement about Towhee Jr’s promotion.

Her whisky gaze found her younger sister. Meerkat beamed at her, tail waving. She grinned at her husband’s choice of words, though the expression slipped from her face a little when she saw Fennec hustle away. She hoped Jr would’t notice, returning her own attention and clapping her paws together.

It eventually occurred to her that this was silly—neither Towhee could hear her applause, for crying out loud—but not until after she’d already jostled Skipjack into snorting awake. Meerkat smiled sheepishly and put a steadying arm around his shoulders.

When Njord said there was one more thing he wanted to discuss, Towhee tore her gaze from the bairns to focus on him. She jolted slightly at the mention of her own name, though he was talking about Jr. She resisted the urge to look at her doppelganger, lest she miss the announcement regarding her junior’s promotion.

Finally, she looked at Jr with a grin. She threw a playful elbow her daughter’s way, then stood up to rest a paw on her shoulder, gently shaking it. Towhee’s lookalike had a lot to learn, though she couldn’t have found a better place to do it, really. Her mother was proud of her ambition and happy to see it was getting the humble recognition it deserved.

-Well done,- she signed, reigning in the impulse to throw in any banter aside from, -I’ll see you on patrol later, maybe bearing congratulatory gifts of meat.-

The meeting began to break up shortly after that. In fact, Fennec had already gone. And somehow the bairns had already vanished too. Towhee squinted, wondering how the pack’s two blind members appeared to be its most adept ninjas. She shrugged to herself and sidled away to patrol.