Redhawk Caldera Squid Game drill.

The odd snowflake flickered past as the Sovereigns took a seat beneath the bare apple tree at the foot of the caldera. They faced one another and Towhee squared her streaked shoulders, quite clearly about to impart something as heavy as it was important. But she took a moment to gather her thoughts and her wits first, staring dolefully at the nearby slope.

"I think," Towhee began, though there was a long pause and an even longer sigh before she could bring herself to say the words, "it might be best if we tried joining one of our allies for the winter. Brecheliant is the obvious choice, if they'll have us." At first, she spoke to the branches overhead, then she dropped her gaze to @Ruenna as she drew in a breath. She felt like she'd swallowed a great, cold stone. "If they won't for whatever reason, there are other options. I just don't think staying here is a sustainable one any more."

She didn't understand how they'd gotten here, which made processing her emotions about it difficult. Anyway, Towhee could worry about her feelings later. Right now, the Sovereigns needed to look out for the handful of wolves remaining in the pack. They needed to do what was best for them, even if it was difficult. Bronco needed somewhere he could feel safe with Fennec and Killdeer. All the kids deserved a place where there was plenty of food, shelter and good company. Every one of them deserved the stability and support of a successful pack and the Redhawks could hardly call themselves that these days.

Ruenna let her breath out in a long sigh. 

"I'm afraid you're right. Our last successful hunt was a joint effort with Brecheliant. Truthfully, it's the only reason there's still meat in the caches." The hard truth of the matter was that the Redhawk Caldera were not a pack of keen hunters. All of the adults in their ranks struggled with some disabling condition, be it physical pain as with Ruenna, mental pain as with Bronco, or sensory disabilities as with Fennec and Towhee. If you put them all together, perhaps they might amount to one capable hunter, but one hunter was not enough to fell the large beasts that sustained the Caldera in the winter months. 

"But.. is Brecheliant really our best option..? Towhee, you didn't see Reyes at the wedding--" Or so Rue thought. "--it was bad. He's a pile of dry tinder, ready to ignite, and I'm afraid you would be the spark." Ruenna switched her tail, trying to brainstorm other possible options. Moonglow was the most obvious alternative, but Towhee had a thing against Kukutux. There was also that pack that Meerkat joined, Duskfire Glacier, but Ruenna thought it likely that Meerkat had joined up in an effort to put some distance between herself and her family. The young Redhawk probably wouldn't appreciate them all bombarding her right when she was trying to establish some independence. 

Also-- no offense to Meerkat-- but who in their right mind wanted to spend winter on a stars-forsaken glacier?

They were on the exact same page concerning the caldera. Towhee almost wished her co-leader had argued with her and fought for keeping the pack here together, though nobody could deny they were in the red. Rue mentioned a joint hunt with Brecheliant, which earned a blink from Towhee. Oh, she'd heard about that; it'd gone down during her hiatus.

Despite this partnership, Rue raised concerns. She named Reyes specifically and Towhee wondered if she should mention she had actually bumped into her ex that night. She had no reason to keep it secret, especially from Rue, but there was something else she needed to say first.

She knew she'd used the words "we" and "us," so she needed to clarify, "I'm not going to Brecheliant." She paused, letting that sink in for a moment before elaborating. "I think you, Bronco, Fen and the kids would do well there. But you're exactly right about Reyes and me."

Towhee swallowed thickly, her gaze drifting over Rue's shoulder even as she spoke again. "I'll figure something out. Worst case scenario, I follow Phox to Frosthawks. But don't worry about me. I want to get everyone else situated, preferably sooner than later."

"I'm not going to Brecheliant." 

Ruenna let the words hang for a long moment, comprehending he weight of them. 

"Neither am I," she admitted, feeling a rawness in her throat, the hotness of tears welling. 

Here she and Towhee were, independently moving forward with their own personal plans, the whole time thinking that the other was happy to stay behind in some predetermined place and watch over the impressively large collection of pups they had amassed in Redhawk Caldera. Ruenna had imagined that even if she moved on to another pack to start her own family, she would always know where to go to find Towhee, Caracal, Sphyra and Tierra. Apparently Towhee had been envisioning the same, but in her version, she was the one who left and Ruenna was the one who stayed behind. 

It had dawned on Ruenna that if she and Towhee both left to seek their next chapters elsewhere, then this would truly be goodbye. There would be no certainty that they would ever see one another again. Thus, the tears. 

"I'm a diplomat, Towhee. Cleaning up Fennec's messes was hard enough--" she laughed in amusement, despite the threatening tears-- "But I had some responsibility in raising her, so I did it for her. But I won't be drawn into a futile effort to fix Reyes's never-ending cascade of mistakes. I'm not living in a pack that houses Reyes either." 

She sighed again. "But the children should be safe enough there, at least until they're old enough to make their own decisions." Ramesses had been personally insulted by Reyes, that was easy to see. But Akashingo had just come off of a war with the Saints, and Ruenna thought it was a safe bet that they weren't raring to start another one with Brecheliant. Besides, Ruenna had some insider knowledge that Akashingo meant to stack their military strength in the Sunspires. Pursuing an offensive maneuver in the Wilderness would be too divisive.

Ruenna mirrored her sentiment unexpectedly. Towhee actually felt validated by Rue's words as she explained herself, in more ways than she could ever articulate. She wouldn't dream of arguing with her cohort and could only gaze at her, a new appreciation in the depths of her orange eyes.

The Sovereign nodded solemnly. "I agree, I think the kids would be okay there, especially if Bronco and Fen went as well. I'd definitely like to steer them in that direction. But everyone's old enough to get a say in what they want to do and where they want to go."

Did Towhee hope they all stuck together? Yes. Did she anticipate otherwise? Also yes. They were disbanding, after all. That word implied a certain level of scatter. She felt emotions starting to well in her throat but she pushed them down, hard. There was no room for that right now, she needed to be purely pragmatic.

Towhee closed her eyes for a long moment, breathed in and out, then opened them to ask, "Where will you go?"

Rue simply nodded. Their next step would be to call together their wolves and break the news. 

In response to Towhee's question, Ruenna's gaze drifted westward. "Moonglow, I think? That will be the first stop at least. Kukutux will need to hear the news." And then where would she go, after that? Akashingo, probably, to see if Germanicus had had a chance to think over her proposal. Ruenna stopped short of relaying that part of the plan to Towhee.

She would certainly consider following Ruenna, wherever she was headed. Towhee wondered what she'd think about that, though before she could speculate any further, the other Sovereign mentioned Moonglow. Oh.

Swallowing the disappointment along with the rest of her emotions, Towhee nodded. "That makes sense," she said. "Maybe some of the others will go with you?" And on that note, she drew in a noisy breath and said, "We need to tell them."

The two of them were on the same page about the caldera's fate. Nobody could deny they were in dire straits, especially with winter already nipping at their heels. Towhee's eyes followed a few more snowflakes even as she raised her muzzle. They might be a united pack now, yet each member was an individual with their own path to forge or follow after today.

Shutting her eyes, the Sovereign summoned @Bronco, @Fennec, @Peregrine, @Vesper, @Blueberry, @Sphyra and Killdeer. There was one name conspicuously missing from the call. Towhee lowered her head and scanned the horizon, as if hoping she might see Caracal running home with impeccable timing.

"I'll advise everyone to make a decision and head out as soon as possible," Towhee murmured to Rue, eyes still glued to the skyline even as the snow began to fall in earnest, "and then wait here for Caracal. Maybe by the time he comes back, I'll have figured out what I'm gonna do."

Fennec wasn't far from where the call came and when she heard it, she had to wonder. Her mom didn't call the entire pack together often. She showed up with @Killdeer and gave him an affectionate nudge, almost without thinking, as she heard him gearing up to go greet his grandma enthusiastically. Go get er, killer she thought dryly, though she secretly enjoyed it.

Bronco and her recent conversation was definitely on the forefront of her mind and her bet was on this being related. There was really nothing else it could be, right? Winter was coming and none of them were stupid.

Her expression betrayed nothing but expectant neutrality as she sat down where she was and waited, ears focused expectantly. No point in asking what was going on - she'd already guessed and they'd launch into it soon enough. The bigger question was how their own smaller, quieter conversation would align.

As expected, a call came to rally the Redhawks and Bronco- like his mate- approached with the calm assuredness that the pack's state would be discussed. With their numbers so few it was almost a relief for a discussion to finally come up. 

He wasn't sure what his leaders might want to do, but given the talk he'd had with Fennec, he felt that at least their small portion of the family had options. So it was with a complacent air that he joined the others, sitting by Fennec's side and looking with quiet interest toward Towhee and Ruenna.

she was slowly coming around to the caldera and its wolves— evidently, her real family. vesper really didn't think of them like that, but she had to admit the stability was nice. it had been boring, at first, and she hated it. wanted to continue hating it and rebelling against the choice that hadn't been hers... but that her life here, with @Blueberry, had become boring was good after her tumultuous childhood.

it was growing colder, and so when her aunt summoned them all, vesper imagined it must be to strategize their survival for the winter. a season she had yet to experience, but knew to be unforgiving by the stories told by her elders. little did she know that life would come crashing down on her once again— another illusion of choice given to her, when the big choice had already been decided.

Mom and Dad, both gone. Prevost and Peregrine, far away. The only semblance of family she had left was Vesper, and she clung to her sister's side like pale Velcro, casting only the briefest, eminently suspicious glances at the other Redhawks. Her gaze softened when she saw Bronco, and she made brief eyes at the golden man before falling into place beside her older sibling.

Wonder what's up, she remarked, quietly, from the corner of her mouth. Everyone looked kind of serious. She had come to expect the worst from life, and so Blueberry braced herself for yet another cataclysmic shock.

What now?

Sphyra showed up not thinking much of the meeting. There were meetings frequently enough that it didn't make her think anything unusual could be up this time. Their pack was small, but it'd always been small in Sphyrapicus' experience. She looked attentively towards Towhee and Ruenna as she arrived and sat down, shoulders tall and proud, focused as usual.

Ruenna would greet all the attendees with a smile that did not quite reach her eyes. There was a profound sadness in her heart, and she would feel it all the more poignantly when she cast her gaze down on Blueberry and Vesper. They had know so much tragedy and chaos in their short lives, and her announcement would only add to it. 

"Towhee and I have come to very difficult conclusion that the Redhawk Caldera pack cannot sustain itself here any longer. We will dissolve, and our members will join with others to pass the winter." Ruenna looked to Towhee, face heavy with pain. She wondered if there was any way she could have delivered this blow more gently. 

"We want to encourage our members who are unsure of where to go, to join with our allies in Brecheliant." Ruenna swallowed. "I will set a bearing for Moonglow myself, and anyone who would like to come with me is most welcome." Her gaze found little Blueberry. Ruenna felt a certain kinship with the child, who limped through life as the Redfern did. She wanted the children to know that none of them were being abandoned (again), and they were all most welcome to make their home alongside her, if that was their desire.

As each member of their small pack arrived, Towhee couldn't help but speculate about his or her reaction to what was about to happen. When it came time to break the news, Ruenna took the burden upon herself, making the announcement with far more eloquence than her fellow Sovereign might have managed.

Before elaborating on the other leader's words, Towhee let her attention drift around the group. There was a lot of trauma among this threadbare gathering, plenty of visible and invisible scars. There were also significant limitations they could not afford to ignore. Among them were blind, deaf and disabled wolves. The rest were simply too young and inexperienced. Their borders were unmanned and their caches were sparse. They had to be pragmatic: staying here wasn't a viable option.

"I'm sorry, guys," Towhee began. "Staying here would mean struggling at best and, at worst..." She didn't think she needed to spell it out for anyone. "We all deserve safety and stability. And we have plenty of options. There's Brecheliant and Moonglow, like Rue mentioned." Towhee's eyes rested on Sphyra, wondering if her daughter would want to stay with her dad. "There's also Frosthawks. They're all within a few days' travel, so we can still visit one another when all's said and done."

She still didn't know where she'd wind up herself, though Towhee wanted to make sure everyone else was situated first. She said, "You don't have to make a choice right this instant. This is... a lot. Take some time. Talk to each other. Make plans." She drew in a breath, let it out. "I haven't decided where I'll be going either, though I'll be stationed at the Hobbit Hole the next few days to wait for Caracal's return. Anyone is welcome to come find me there to make arrangements," the Sovereign finished, "or just to talk."

Despite knowing that the pack was struggling, Fennec was still surprised by the reveal. She hadn't ever considered that the Caldera might not be there one day despite making plans to depart already. This both eased and complicated things immensely.

Disbanding before she and Bronco left meant they were entirely free to do their own thing with zero guilt involved. There was no way Fennec was interested in following Eljay to Brecheliant and, while she liked Kukutux well enough, Moonglow was weird as hell. She couldn't actually serve under a wolf who unironically spouted some of the crazy bullshit she'd heard Kukutux say.

But disbanding also meant that, by not inviting her mom to join them, Fennec was actually leaving her entirely out. Maybe she wouldn't want to join, but... maybe she would. And if they didn't want to give the option, telling her just became a whole lot more complicated. Shit, she exhaled quietly, under her breath, in a voice that only Bronco would hear.

Should we tell them? Another quiet question. It felt horrible, but Fennec was leaning towards no. At least... not yet. She adored her mom but, if Towhee decided to come along, Fennec knew she'd have a hard time creating something of her own without automatically deferring. They needed to do this on their own.

While it wasn't a surprise to him to know the pack couldn't thrive the way it was, it was still hard to hear that Towhee and Ruenna had made the decision to disband the pack and usher its remaining members to new homes, safely. He and Fennec hadn't admitted their plans yet- knowing that if they did, they would weaken the pack beyond repair with their absence, unless a slew of new joiners came...Still- he had some fears about confessing, even now that it wasn't their fault the pack would disband. 

He didn't share the same thoughts as Fennec though, and had she not cursed softly, he wouldn't have thought twice about simply taking the chance to use the pack's disbanding as an excuse to go travelling. But he sensed her apprehension and reconsidered. 

Brechelient and Moonglow were the obvious options, with the Frosthawks getting a mention as well. Of course, they could visit those packs when they travelled- maybe he'd even get to see Sugar Glider again, and Nellie, if she'd ended up with the Frosthawks- but he wouldn't be swayed to go directly to one of their sister packs. 

It shouldn't have been a surprise that Towhee wanted to stay until she could get a hold of Caracal- otherwise, the kid might return to the Caldera only to find everyone gone. Fennec's quiet question tested him for a moment. 

If they spilled the beans it'd be obvious that they'd been talking already, and it might sting the leaders to know two of their members had been plotting to leave together when the pack was already so frail. If they just did what Towhee was telling them to do- take some time and pretend they had some decision-making to do...Maybe it might spare some feelings. 

"Hmm," His voice soft, the tone fell. For Fennec, he intended it to mean 'No, not now.' He had a feeling she'd catch his drift. -"I guess...There's a lot to think about but...Yeah. Winter's here; it's gonna be too hard."- He signed. He didn't have to explain it. -"We'll stay here a bit. Take some time to figure out our plan,"- He said, his gaze trailing from Towhee and then back to Fennec, hoping his answer had been enough.

Sphyrapicus found herself a little miffed that she hadn't been told about this before the grand pack meeting, but when she looked around she realised how little of their pack was left. Sphyra was young and she didn't really know what to do or where to go. She enjoyed habits. She'd miss her daily jog through the Caldera every single morning. It was a lot to take in. Then again, perhaps she could explore the world a little, like Tierra went on to do.

Sphyra frowned thoughtfully as she weighed her options. Going to Brecheliant and staying close to home was an option, but it wasn't really an invitation to growth. Rather than seeing this as a downfall, Sphyrapicus preferred to see it as an opportunity. In the end she decided, I'll visit the Frosthawks, and then I'll decide what to do from there. Sphyra wasn't particularly close to her father, and most of her relatives had left her at some point. Now it was her time to do the same. Her response was not very emotional; as always, Sphyra kept her insecurities and doubts close to her chest and didn't share them with anyone.

last from me... @Blueberry i am going to do a thing but i hope the sisters reunite at some point. i need to get this kid out of her funk.

vesper felt herself shut down. the walls around her heart that had begun to crumble down, allowing her to build trust again, built themselves back up in an instant. she didn't think that they would come down again so easily— if at all. was this what life was? as soon as you found footing, the world cracked again beneath you?

she turned to look at blueberry, expression numb. once more, their fates were decided by their elders. without consideration. she didn't know what to say, or feel, and so except for the turn of her head she remained motionless as the others announced their plans. accepting the news so easily.

finally, wordless, she stood and chose a direction of her own will. her little sister could do the same; vesper wouldn't force her to remain close. they had childishly shared a dream of retaking the isle, but the darkling wasn't sure if she wanted that anymore, either... once more, her future was undecided, but at least this time it was because she was choosing it for herself.

Blueberry sat, took a heartbeat or two to absorb the news, and then quietly exploded.

Are you kidding me?! she exclaimed, not so much in a shriek as a furious snarl, aimed at Ruenna and Towhee and all the rest of the adults who didn't do anything but pull the rug up from under them each and every time.

And just as she was getting settled!

No! I don't wanna leave! I mean, I do, but everyone always fucking leaves! I—

Perhaps heedless of her outburst, Vesper had turned to leave, and Blueberry let the rest of her tirade fade into the air. She settled for a chilling stare upon the Redhawks that would have done her witchy great-grandmother proud before following her sister, stomping into the underbrush.

She would not return.

I wanted to wrap this one!

It seemed Bronco and Fennec would take their time to sort out next steps. The former acknowledged their precarious position and it made Towhee feel even more certain that disbanding was the right thing to do. Her gaze rested on her eldest daughter's face for a moment, then moved to linger on Killdeer's. Her heart squeezed as she was confronted with the very real possibility she would not end up in the same place as her grandson.

Her attention moved to Sphyra, who handled the situation with the same grace and maturity as always. Towhee smiled and nodded to her younger daughter, though before she could make any further remarks, Vesper and Blueberry made dramatic exits that starkly contrasted Sphyra's cool head.

She supposed she couldn't really hold it against them, considering what they'd been through, though that didn't stop Towhee from wishing they'd listened to a word she'd said. "We're not—" she began to shout after their retreating backs, only to abort mission as they disappeared.

Towhee stifled a sigh. They were leaving the lands and, yes, quite possibly one another... but she and Rue weren't simply going to abandon them. That was the entire point of calling this meeting: so everyone could plan and prepare and the Sovereigns could make sure everyone had someplace to go.

"I'll be at the Hobbit Hole," Towhee reminded everyone, pausing to catch every single wolf's eye before glancing after her nieces. She would try to catch up with them first, though she had a feeling... "Thanks, guys," she added, concluding the Redhawks' final meeting. Thanks for coming. Thanks for playing. Thanks for everything.

She didn't see the signs, but she listened as Bronco explained it and felt a bit of relief in his putting off the inevitable. She wasn't exactly worried about the way Towhee would take the news, but what they'd talked about was an awful lot of pressure. There was worry about her mom wanting to get too involved, but there was also some worry in just... not living up to those expectations. Right now, if they didn't do it, no one would know but them. Once she and Bronco made the announcement, the expectations would come to life, and she couldn't help but feel like that might ruin it.

She'd go spend some time with Towhee later, but for now, she moved a different way as the group dispersed. Bronco would likely follow; they had some things to talk about, and first and foremost, she wanted to see what Killdeer thought.

Sphyra watched with disdain as Blueberry took off dramatically from the gathering. What a display. How disgraceful. Her eyes fell onto Vesper for a moment, whom she'd met out on a jog once. It was hard to read into what they were thinking. Sphyra then looked back as her mother announced she'd be going. I'll join you, she said swiftly, wanting a bit more time to say good-bye to her family before her own departure.

The reactions ranged from resignation to angry outburst, but they were all within the bounds of what Ruenna had expected. She shot Towhee a pained look when Blueberry cried out and stomped off. The "everybody always fucking leaves" part was poignant in particular, given the child's sad history. After the meeting, they would try to find Blueberry and explain that no one was leaving her; that she could leave together with someone of her choosing.

Oddly, the range of reactions all represented emotions that Ruenna felt in her own heart. Part of her was resigned, but there was another part of her that wanted to get upset and shout. Fight. Yet another part saw it as an opportunity, for change and exploration as Sphyra mentioned, and for family planning, as the exchange of looks between Bronco and Fennec seemed to suggest. Her conversation with Germanicus at Akashingo was never far from her mind. 

"Towhee and I will be here. We will stay until we're sure everyone has a place to go, or at least a plan." There seemed little left to say or do. It had been a short meeting, and yet Ruenna felt very weary. Her sad, honey eyes would find the faces of her former packmates as the meeting space filled with the stirs and murmurs of a dismissed and departing group. She would then join Towhee in the Hobbit Hole, to help her pack the place up and so that they could say their own goodbyes to one another.

The decision, obviously, fell hardest on the youth. Especially the ones who had come to the Caldera with Maegi and Mou. He felt for them- those were his youngest siblings though they knew little of him. Blueberry was the most approachable of the three, but still seemed overwhelmed by the change. 

Breathing a heavy sigh, he turned and followed Fennec away. They would have time to talk with Killdeer and Towhee, before deciding whether to commit to their plans.