Redhawk Caldera Boom and bust

Whatever guilt she felt about leaving so soon after her promotion was greatly tempered by the fact that Wildfire would get to exercise her new role during her travels. Tucking the mission into her figurative back pocket, the newly minted Bandrona stopped by Gyda's den to find Thuringwethil, sneak in a kiss and bid the babies goodbye. She then collected the trusty @Gavriel and the two of them departed Sleeping Dragon, adopting a quick, steady pace as they trekked southwest across the flowering wilderness.

The journey took several days and the heat and humidity were hard on their bodies but frequent water breaks helped somewhat. And no locusts came to waylay them this time. The two of them made decent time and they arrived within visual distance of their destination late on the morning of the fourth day following their departure, the thick air already heating as the day raced toward solar noon. It was the first time Wildfire had laid eyes on her birthplace in nearly four months.

They had hugged the southern boundaries of the flat lands and bypassed a lake earlier that morning. Wildfire's coat was still a little damp from the dip she had taken. But her mouth went a little dry as she slowed and stopped near the pack's borders. She smelled her parents, her godparents and, presumably, her little brothers. Her heart felt like a balloon in her chest and she exchanged a quick look with Gavriel—excusing him to hang back and take a break while she caught up with her family—before pursing her lips and calling for her loved ones.

The howl didn't go unnoticed to Eljay. Ears perked up and he let out an audible gasp. Wifi! He was quick to get into motion, scrambling to his feet from the position he'd been in near a river, paddling a paw lazily through the water. He dropped everything he was doing and started to make his way towards the borders with a spring in his step, even if he hadn't been summoned specifically.

With joy in his voice he cried out, "Wifi!" as he galloped on towards the borders. Eljay didn't stop, either; he just kept going, fully intending to collide into a firm hug by pressing his nose into the nook atop Wifi's neck. He barely even registered the wolf that was with her, so excited and focused was he on Wifi.

Elwood's ears stood tall at the sound of Wildfire's voice. It had been quite some time since he had last seen his goddaughter -- and, in fact, that visit had been a secret to everyone else. She had asked him to refrain from mentioning it to her parents, and he had kept his promise, though he had to admit that he sometimes thought of Wildfire and worried about her. Her physical and emotional states had been fragile when she recklessly trespassed, driven by fear and pain.

So he wasted no time in making his way to the borders, only after ensuring that Finley and their three puppies were comfortable and that she wouldn't mind his brief absence. He loped across the uneven terrain, a smile pulling at the corners of his lips as he approached and found not one, but three wolves there. Wildfire was being greeted -- more like tackled -- by Eljay, and nearby stood an agouti male who Elwood assumed was a friend of hers.

"How are you?" he asked warmly as he coasted to a stop, tail waving.

Number of characters in this thread so far: 7. Number of said characters played by Kat: 4.

The kids were playing hide-and-seek, Peregrine lazily supervising from the fringes of the rendezvous site, when the call went up in the air. He immediately pushed himself upright and swiveled, half-shouting, "Wildfire!" to nobody in particular. His feet itched to run toward the borders, yet he stilled himself long enough to look around for any or all of the pups. None were in view (they were good at this game), though he hoped they were in earshot when he yelled more loudly, "Hey! Your sister's here! Come with me or you'll miss out!" He took off without another word or a backward glance.

When he neared the borders, he arrived with company: Ferret and Gannet had trailed after him. He grinned over his shoulder at them, asking, "Where's Whip? And the lost boy?" (He'd taken to calling his new charge that over the past day or so.) But he scarcely waited for an answer before facing forward and trotting to close the distance between himself and Wildfire, as well as the wolves already gathered around her. A dubious, inquisitive squint was directed at the stranger lurking off in the background, though after a wary assessment, he focused on his wayward daughter.

"Wifi! I'm so glad to see you," Peregrine said, gently bustling Eljay to one side (but careful not to actually push him aside) so that he could press his muzzle against her cheek, then his chest against her shoulder in a wolfish embrace. "We heard you left Moonspear and weren't sure where you went," he breathed against her closer ear before remembering to pull back and say, "Wifi, these are two of your brothers, Ferret and Gannet. Whip's around here somewhere with Jack: a stray we just took in, actually." He paused for a beat, glancing almost painstakingly at Eljay before gently breaking the last bit of news. "'Fraid we lost Peter during the famine."

Although Wildfire was nothing like Junior—the two were like night and day, really—the swarthy Alpha made a point to stand somewhat in between Wildfire and her little brothers and took a second to exchange a meaningful glance with Elwood that subtly said, Stay alert. Although she was family, she was also an outsider, not to mention her companion in the background. And though it had been over a year since his eldest's treacherous act, he had never forgotten the brutal lesson he'd learned that day. Considering she had been the victim, Peregrine knew she would understand.

Probably my only post! Skip me for the rest of it. <3

For the first part of their trip, things looked familiar. With the greenery returning, nearly full bloom again, he was able to decipher where he was for the most part. However, once they’d gotten to the portion where the locusts hit, everything looked unfamiliar and new. He’d seen some of the land when it had been barren or covered in giant bugs, and so he kept up with Wildfire as she led the way. The company was nice without the world coming to an end and he was able to enjoy the trip.

When they reached the borders of what he assumed to be their home, she excused herself and he nodded, watching her approach the remaining distance. When she makes the call, he meanders backward a little but he never lets the girl out of his sight, at least for now, but he keeps his attempt as a threat low. If she hadn’t been coming to visit family, he wouldn’t leave her side, but sure that her family begins to welcome her back, he doesn’t mind disappearing for a little while—albeit a short call away.

She mistook Eljay for one of his parents at first, though as he closed the distance between them, Wildfire recognized her cousin. A little oof! escaped her when he collided into her, though she grinned warmly at his enthusiasm. As his nose pressed into her neck, she licked in the general direction of his face, making it clear that she was as happy to see him as he was to see her. Her black tail swayed so hard behind her that her hips shifted back and forth with the force of its movement.

Elwood appeared not long after and Wildfire felt her heart skip a beat as she briefly recollected their encounter the day of Goober's attack. She quickly pushed that from her mind and regarded him with the same warmth as his son. "It's so good to see you guys," she said a little breathlessly, Eljay having partially knocked the wind out of her (not that she was complaining). "I'm doing really well. I have so much to tell you and so much I want to know." By the looks of it, the caldera had weathered the famine, though it was impossible to judge its impact with her limited perspective.

When Peregrine arrived with two growing pups behind him, Wildfire's heart soared. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, attention fixed on them. "Hi guys!" she said, somehow unaware that she had just echoed some very, very infamous words. Of course, there wasn't any malice within her as the yearling regarded her younger siblings, though she understood perfectly when Peregrine stood in such a way as to shield his sons a little. She was a stranger to them, after all, an outsider despite their blood relations.

She wasn't left to wonder long about the whereabouts of the other two. Her smile faltered, her amber eyes trailing sympathetically over Peregrine's face, at the news of Peter's death. "I'm so sorry, dud," she said quietly. She had never known him, so the loss didn't feel personal, although she knew how much it must have impacted the ones around her. "I'm glad everyone else is doing okay?" It was a bit of a question, since there were several relatives missing from this scene. But surely someone would have mentioned any other deaths by now.

"I'm sorry I didn't send word when I left Moonspear. It happened somewhat suddenly," she addressed her father's statement, glancing at both Elwoods and the pups to include everyone in the conversation. "I've been living in a place called Sleeping Dragon since spring. I'm very happy there. And, crazily enough, I actually became a leader there just the other day." Wildfire nibbled at her lip, peering mostly at Peregrine, remembering how they'd discussed leadership in the past. She had never thought she would see the day, though she never known she'd fall in love with a woman either. She could hardly wait to mention that, though she secretly hoped @Fox would show up in the meantime to hear that particular bit of news (and because she just wanted to see her mom!).

Eljay couldn't really believe that this was really happening and that Wifi, 'Wiffle', had returned. He wished mommy wasn't watching the pups so that she could come and see her, too! Eljay hugged her for what felt like forever, everything in the world diminishing into an unimportant speck compared to this moment with Wifi.

Only when Uncle P arrived, Eljay came back to the world and startled at the gentle nudges. He rubbed his head along Wifi's face once more and licked her cheek before he took his distance to allow Uncle P — and Gannet and Ferret who followed along — to greet his daughter. Only then did he notice that daddy was there too, and Eljay's tail wagged at daddy in excitement. Only then did he notice the stranger, who received an awkward "uhm, hi."

Uncle P's words on Peter were lost a little in his short greeting to the stranger that accompanied Wifi, and when Eljay turned to look back at his babysitter she was already on about happier tidings. She spoke of her pack, a pack called Sleeping Dragon (which sounded pretty cool) and how she had become a leader there. Eljay's eyes widened and he excitedly said, "Congrats, Wifi!" He had little of note to mention — it wasn't like he'd achieved anything that great — so he left the stage for daddy or Uncle P.

Peregrine was quick to arrive with Ferret and Gannet, and, like Eljay, Elwood sidestepped to allow the father to greet his daughter. The Alpha wasted no time in introducing Wildfire to her little brothers, then offered a quick explanation as to the whereabouts of the other firebirds. Elwood felt a twinge at the mention of Peter and glanced furtively at Eljay, though when he turned his gaze back to Peregrine it was just in time to catch his friend's pointed expression.

He had been there on the day that Junior died, and while he could never in a million years imagine Wildfire acting the same way, he would be a bit more watchful than normal. He gave Peregrine a subtle nod of his head, then tuned in as Wildfire updated them on her life. She had become a leader in a pack called Sleeping Dragon -- Elwood smiled, feeling proud of his niece. The once colicky infant had really grown into herself.

"You have some new cousins, too," he added when the moment seemed right. There was a lot of information to share from all parties involved. "Finley had a litter of three -- two girls and a boy. Eljay's a big brother!" he said, reaching out to nudge his eldest's shoulder.

Wildfire seemed thrilled to meet the boys, yet she did not throw herself at them, which Peregrine appreciated. Perhaps he would permit that later, when he could be more sure she would not harm them (accidentally or otherwise). For now, she respected the boundaries he'd silently set and that, coupled with the words that tumbled from her lips, caused the Alpha to regard her with deepest affection and pride.

"Yes, congratulations," Peregrine rumbled, echoing his nephew's sentiment even as he wondered what had changed to make his shy, humble little girl rise to such a post. He was so darn proud of her, regardless. When Elwood mentioned the latest batch of Blackthorns, he grinned and then made eye contact with Wildfire as he added, "Things were quite strained for a bit there but we had no other losses. How about you and yours?" he wondered.

She smiled shyly at the praise and congratulations, eyebrows raising in happy wonder at the news of more Blackthorns in the world. "Oh, awesome! I'm so happy for you guys!" she said, peering between Elwood Sr and Elwood Jr. She wished Finley was here too but understood that she must be sitting and nursing the pups. "Tell Aunt Flea I said hello, of course, and kiss the little ones for me. What are their names?" she couldn't help but wonder.

As soon as that was answered, she licked her lips and focused back on her father. "We saw some come and go during the famine, though there weren't any deaths due to it directly, I don't think..." She thought of all the other things that had happened since their last rendezvous—especially the dealings with the maple wood wolves—but decided it wasn't worth mentioning here and now. "One of the Alphas just had babies too. They're sooo cute! Kinda like you guys," she added somewhat teasingly, only for Ferret to stick his tongue out at her and turn to go gnaw on Eljay.

Wildfire laughed, taking no offense, then peered at Peregrine once more. "Any idea if mom will make it? I wanted to tell you guys something. I kinda met someone," she said with a smile that was somehow bashful and cheeky at the same time. She glanced shyly between her loved ones, cheeks warm and aching, her amber gaze dropping. She was pretty sure they'd be surprised about her relationship with another woman, though she couldn't imagine any of them disapproving. All the same, she was suddenly fidgeting.

When Wifi asked for the names, Eljay just looked at daddy, waiting for him to give them. He stayed in the background a bit more now; they were daddy's pups after all, even if he was very happy with them, too. Eljay waited for daddy to answer and give the pups' names and then waited to listen to the conversation between Uncle P and Wifi.

Ferret came over to him after sticking out his tongue at Wifi, and Eljay frowned apologetically in Wifi's direction — even though she didn't seem to mind much — before he tried to wiggle Ferret off his leg, quietly telling him "No Ferret, no biting," though making sure that he wasn't interupting any conversations going on.

Only when Wifi said she had 'met someone' Eljay stopped and looked up at Wifi, feeling curious after this someone she'd met and wondering if it was the kind of 'someone' that mommy and daddy were for one another.

"Liffey, Lagan, and Lucy," Elwood replied, electing to identify the twins by their nicknames rather than their given names. He knew that Wildfire wouldn't have made fun of their monikers as her father had -- although it was all in good fun, of course! -- but they were growing into their own little personalities day by day, and would more than likely be known as Liffey and Lagan rather than Caoilfhionn and Tiarnach.

He quieted in order to hear Wildfire answer Peregrine's questions, though his gaze was on Ferret as the boy chewed (affectionately?) on Eljay. The older youth softly discouraged his cousin's aggression, and -- funnily enough -- at Wildfire's mention of a "special someone" Elwood looked up as well, his expression likely almost identical to his son's.

Although he didn't know Wildfire's pack mates, it was good to know they'd come out the other side of the famine without any major casualties, if only because Peregrine wouldn't want her to suffer through something like that. Evidently one of her Alphas had had children and although her wording made him curious, he didn't make any inquiries. Besides, she distracted him with the few words that came out of her mouth. His lips parted in surprise, eyes beginning to gleam the way only a father's could when it came to his daughter's love life.

"Oh, yeah? Your mom's having some, er, gastrointestinal distress today. She may actually be resting, or avoiding coming by in case it's contagious. But I'll talk to her, let her know you're here and that you want to see her, diarrhea and all." He shifted his weight, then asked the question on all of their minds. "So? Who is he?" Is he better than the last one? he added mentally, though Peregrine knew better than to say that part out loud. He did, however, exchange a meaningful glance with the elder Elwood, a sort of conspiratorial look of agreement that they'd give Wildfire's new lover the third degree if they could.

One day, on a future visit, Wildfire dearly hoped to meet the three Ls. (She wondered if they'd chosen those names based on the "El" theme.) In the meantime, all of the adults' attention rested on her after her little declaration. It was too bad Fox was off somewhere with the Hersey squirts—Wildfire grimaced sympathetically—but just because her mom wasn't here didn't mean she would hold back the good news. It was all so secretive in Sleeping Dragon, so she was practically bursting with the urge to tell someone all about it.

But that thought made her freeze suddenly. She didn't dare check behind her to see if Gavriel was still there. Had heard anything so far? Could he still hear now? Wildfire swallowed, feeling her cheeks flaming. It was probably safe to tell her family all about Thuringwethil, since they literally had no dealings with Drageda, but if Gavriel found out, then what did that mean for her relationship with the commander? What would he think? What would he say? Would he out them? He didn't seem the type to meddle in others' personal business but there was a reason the Heda didn't want anybody to know; she thought there might be disapproval, which could lead to unrest in the ranks, especially after that meeting about the culture...

She could feel Peregrine's eyes in particular boring into her impatiently and Wildfire chewed on the inside of her lip, then said in a somewhat low voice, "Oh, uh, it's actually a—a woman." Despite herself, Wildfire peeked in her guard's direction, only to see that he had slipped out of view and thus out of earshot. A ragged breath escaped her. "Um, it's actually so new, we haven't gone public, so I'll just call her T if that's okay. She's, uh... she's actually the leader of the pack. And, um, she's kind of amazing." She left it that, nibbling on her lip and fidgeting again as she waited for the inevitable reactions to the same-sex pairing.

Eljay listened to Wildfire and let out a surprised ”Oh!” when she admitted to being with another girl. He didn’t know that was a thing that others did, and felt it a little strange. But if Wifi did it, then it was surely pretty normal and at the very least, good. He looked at daddy, hoping to decipher more information on whether he should be accepting or disapproving of this from daddy’s face, and then at Uncle P.

Elwood suppressed a snicker as Peregrine explained Fox's absence. He was sympathetic, of course, and hoped that it wasn't serious and that the Alpha female would be feeling better soon -- but she and Peregrine were known for their bathroom issues. There had been more than one pack meeting enhanced by their flatulence.

Peregrine then pressed for more information on Wildfire's new beau and, all ears, Elwood looked to her expectantly. She admitted that her lover was a female, which drew Elwood's brows upward in surprise, but his expression soon smoothed over into a smile. He felt no judgement; he had no problem with others' life choices, even if they were different from his own. More interesting to him was the fact that "T" was a leader, and that it seemed like she and Wildfire were keeping their relationship under wraps for the time being.

Rather than reply verbally, he gave her an encouraging nod; he would allow Peregrine the fatherly duty of asking for details.

Peregrine was pretty sure his brain temporarily flat lined when Wildfire made her big reveal. It wasn't that he didn't approve—especially considering his own mate's proclivities—it just happened to shatter a schema he hadn't known existed until this very moment. His mouth fell open and he blinked hard a couple of times, dimly registering the others' tentatively positive reactions in his peripheral vision. Peregrine licked his lips slowly, glancing at Wildfire's face, taking in her happy but anxious expression.

"Dude," was the first word that left the father's mouth, "right on." Maybe that wasn't the most orthodox response but it was somehow relieving that Peregrine wouldn't have to worry about Wildfire getting dicked around by another man. Perhaps that was a sexist way to think—women were capable of being pieces of shit too—but Peregrine didn't care. "I mean, good for you. You're right, your mom should totally hear about this." Fox would probably have some pro-tips for their daughter, though Peregrine shut down that train of thought quickly. He was all about his mate's romps but he would draw the line at thinking of his daughter in that light.

His brow furrowed somewhat at Wildfire's reticence. Was she ashamed? Or was their relationship a secret? Peregrine glanced in the direction her pack mate had gone, thinking a silent, Ah. But the dude had moved out of earshot and he wasn't about to let Wildfire off the hook that easily. "Really? You're not gonna tell us all about her? Every last detail? How you met? How you decided to become an item? I mean, we'll need to know when the wedding is, so we can attend," he teased paternally.

They all looked a little surprised, none more than her own father, but it soon became clear that they were more or less delighted about the news. She felt a quiet breath rush out of her lungs as Peregrine proceeded to congratulate then tease her. When he mentioned her mother, her eyes glistered longingly. She desperately wanted to see Fox—had badly wanted to talk to her about all of this since before the locusts had gone and screwed up everything—and she knew she wouldn't leave until she got to see her, even if she was slathered in her own excrement.

"Don't tell her," she said quickly to her father, who bobbed his head at her. Wildfire glanced at the other two. "I just want to tell her myself," she added, eyes skipping briefly to the pups who were now sort of playing among themselves not far from Eljay. Her amber eyes wandered back to her dad dud. "And, uh," she began haltingly, wanting to answer his questions but now unsure just how much to reveal, "I met her after I left Moonspear and went north. She took me into her pack and it's sort of gone from there. Um." She paused, shifting her weight as she recollected all the various details. "I didn't even realize how I felt about her for the longest time. I mean, I knew I was attached to her, I just didn't realize I was falling in love with her. And then I didn't think she'd feel the same way. But I smartened up. And I was wrong," she reported with a cheeky smile.

As daddy's expression faded from surprise into smile, so did Eljay's, near identical in every way to his father's. His tail wiggled in excitement for Wifi, glad that she had found a special someone. It sounded like they had known each other for quite some time before they eventually ended up together. Eljay shared, "I'm very happy for you, Wiffle." A soft smile remained on his face, glad that it was confirmed to be a good thing, while he tried to deal with the Ferret that was still trying to climb him and chew on his leg all the time.

Peregrine teased his daughter lovingly, obviously wishing to know more about Wildfire's new lover, and she obliged somewhat shyly. Elwood listened, happy to hear that her life had taken a positive turn, especially after what had happened just a few months prior.

"I'm happy for you too," he added, mimicking his son's words. He then reached out to nudge Eljay's shoulder. "Hey, why don't we let Peregrine and Wifi have some father-daughter time," he suggested, glancing up to grin at his niece and friend. "It's so good to see you, Wifi. You'll have to come back and visit again in a couple of months, when Lagan, Lucy, and Liffey are big enough to play with you." His tail waved and then he moved to depart, his paws already pointing in the direction of his family's den.

The way Wildfire talked about this mysterious woman reminded Peregrine a bit of his early days with Lasher. It sort of hurt to look back on those days, not because he dearly missed the man (though he did) but because of what a selfish, shitty lover he had been in the beginning. It sounded to him like Wildfire and her lady love were off to a much better start, even if it had taken the yearling some time to recognize her own feelings for what they were. There was a tentative shyness about her, yet she did not seem troubled or ashamed, like he had at first.

Before he could remark on the latest details, Elwood declared that they should leave himself and Wildfire alone for some father/daughter bonding. "Mind taking them back to the rendezvous site?" he asked, looking at Ferret and Gannet before his jade eyes bounced to Eljay in particular. He smiled, waiting for the Blackthorns and Firebirds to begin moving away before facing Wildfire again.

"C'mon," he gestured, motioning toward the borders and taking a few strolling steps. "Let's walk and talk. There's so much more to catch up on..."

Her family's support really meant a lot to her. Wildfire's heart felt warm and full, although it twinged a bit when Elwood announced that he would leave her alone with her father, taking Eljay and the pups elsewhere. She smiled sadly at them as they began to retreat, nodding vigorously when her godfather mentioned visiting again in a few months' time. Of course she would aim to come by again in the autumn to see the latest batch of Blackthorns.

In the meantime, she waved her black tail and called, "Bye guys! Take care! Don't forget to tell Aunt Flea hi for me!" and even blew a few kisses to her baby brothers. She intended to hang around the area for another couple of days, though there was no guarantee she'd see them again and wanted to part on a farewell note, just in case.

Peregrine invited her to join him on a meander around the caldera's periphery. "Of course," she breathed happily, falling into step and bumping a red shoulder against him. "Although don't think you'll be rid of me too fast. I'm sticking around until I get to see mom," Wildfire said with a sparkle in her eye, the conversation shifting comfortably as the two of them disappeared into the distance.