Redhawk Caldera burn it to the ground.

Assumptions have been made! slap me if I'm being dumb

It had taken quite some convincing before Finley had finally given in to allowing Elwood to leave in search of Lucy while she stayed behind. Even now when her mate had been gone for days, the former beta still seethed with frustration and irritation at being left behind. She was not accustomed to sitting on the sidelines while others did the dirty work, and it riled her immensely to be in this position when it was her own daughter at stake. Worry, despair and fear were some of Fin's greatest enemies, and she did her usual when faced with such emotions; she turned them to rage. Rage at whomever had abducted her little Spot, rage at Elwood for making her stay behind, rage at the entire world for being such a complete piece of shit.

Needless to say, it did not make for a very pleasant mama Blackthorn.

Fin had been constantly on edge since Lucy's abduction, and so she noticed immediately when Lagan picked himself up and left her side. She plucked Liffey up off the ground and shifted the both of them so as to keep her gaze tightly upon her son, which didn't bother the little girl in the least. The boy didn't go far, and so the mother settled to a comfortable position to watch him.

Even in the heart of the Caldera, Fin felt her nerves tingling anxiously. There were new wolves amongst their little family now and it did not sit very well with her. She felt quite ready to shove the lot of them out the door until only Redhawks and Blackthorns remained, and not the bullshit ones that Peregrine's bleeding heart kept adopting. Her and Elwood and their kids, and Peregrine and Fox and theirs. The rest of the world was a bunch of fucking assholes.

Fin dropped her head to her paws and sighed as angry tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

Trick was out wandering again, feeling a bit more comfortable strolling around now that he knew where he was and wasn't allowed to be. He was looking for Grace, though didn't want to alert anyone by howling for her presence. If she had fled the Caldera, he didn't know what to do. He liked it here, despite getting lost some times, and going after a girl he had no feelings for romantically felt like a huge waste of his time. He thought she wanted to learn from him. Yeah, right. And Trick wanted a dick in his ass. Okay, maybe that wasn't lying, but you get the point.

Finally, he spotted something that looked worthy of his attention. It was a den, but unfortunately there was a recent sent on it. Trick didn't like taking what wasn't his from his own packmates, and so left it be at first. He then noticed the sent was too recent for his curiosity, and he turned right around to find the opening of the den. Whe he looked upon the face of a female from a distance though, he froze, eyes growing big with shame. He had invaded her bubble of peace, and quickly stumbled backwards.

Excuse me, m'lady, I didn't mean to... Only then did he notice the sad expression and the pups, raising an eyebrow. Was this Perry's mate and litter? Trick was confused to say the least. I'm sorry, please don't mind me. I'm a bit lost.

Fin tensed when she first sensed the approach of another. She watched the spaces between the trees warily, listening and tasting the scent that approached for Redhawk. She was able to discern that whoever was coming was indeed of the pack, but not anyone she had met before. Her hackles raised in annoyance, mostly because there was a part of her that hoped it was the piece of shit that had taken her daughter so that she could tear it to shreds. This wolf might turn out to be a piece of shit for all she knew, but the justification for instant attack was woefully absent.

A quick woof to Lagan brought the boy back to her side where Liffey finally roused herself to sniff at his eye. Fin looked at them for a moment, then turned to watch as the stranger finally appeared. He paused when he spotted her, obviously surprised to find himself so near. She stared, non-plusses, as he spoke to her, and it wasn't until a few seconds after he finished talking that she breathed in a put-out sigh and decided to respond.

"No harm, no foul," Fin said with a backward glance at Liffey who stood and inched forward, reaching out with her little nose twitching toward the stranger.

Trick was relieved to not receive a growl or a snap at his face. Perhaps the only thing holding the female back from doing so was the fact he was part of the Caldera now. She could take him, he saw, though not without quite a fair fight. Trick was small but trained -somwhat- in battle, though he liked watching way more than actually fighting himself. His ears twitched at the sound of a mother's or sitter's call for a young, his tail wagging. Children had always been a soft spot for the trickster, and if he had known about Lucy yet, she would've wondered why on earth wolves stole young from their mother. It was simply cruel and unfair to take the faith of a pup in your own paws without being their parent.

Big green eyes awaited a long speech on why he shouldn't be here, but none of that came. He just noticed that he was standing, and he quickly-with a swish of his tail- sat down a respectable distance away from the den. The shy pup at the Keep hadn't liked it when he towered over her, and Trick was smart enough to not do it again.

Thank you, m'lady. His attention shifted toward one little pup who didn't seem to be afraid of strangers. He smiled, but didn't come closer, too afraid of the cranky mother. Brave little one, huh? He chuckled in his honey-sweet voice.

The stranger was grateful for her her words, and then he turned his attention to Liffey who was still reaching for him. She seemed to be struggling with the desire to inspect the stranger while simultaneously remaining beside her mother. It amused her, and while she was tempted to nudge the girl towards him to see what what Liffey did, Fin was not ready to trust him quite so easily.

"What's up with the 'm'lady's?" the former beta asked instead, frowning slightly, "If I tell you my name is Fin, will you knock it off?" She was not used to being spoken to so formally and it bugged her. Particularly now that she had sunk from her beta position, a fact which she would not admit bothered her.

While not moving even an inch closer as to not alert the mother, he did smile at the young soul. The young girl reminded him of Tam, if ever so slightly, but perhaps that was because they were both so little. All things little he could get along with, having a small frame just like them even in his prime. If he was trustworthy with anything, it was with kids, for he admired the innocence of a child. He wished he still had that innocence, but, alas, life was cruel to all.

Raised in a formal family and studied language, if ever so shortly, precious flower. He bowed once more. He was surprised to hear yet again that formal titles were not needed here. That would require some time getting used to, he supposed, but perhaps worth it. Very well, Fin. He said, his smile never absent from his handsome face. They call me Trick. 

Liffey nearly fell over from leaning so far, but she caught herself and gave her coat a hefty shake. Turning, she peeked at her mom imploringly. Fin gave her a glance and stifled a smile at the little face. Shifting her gaze back to their packmate, Finley listened as he explained why he spoke like a 60-year-old butler. Her head tilted slightly with curiosity over the whole "studied language" thing, but she decided it was easier to just let it go since he seemed to be taking to calling her by her name now.

"Well then," Fin responded, settling somewhat, "This is my daughter, Liffey. Seems she'd like to meet you, but I will feed your own ass to you if you try anything funny." She quirked a brow at the stranger as Liffey turned back to look at Trick with the widest of smiles, completely unaware that a threat had been given at all.

Trick watched the small girl with a worried look, wanting to stretch out his muzzle to catch her if she were to fall but knowing that that could very well upset the mother. You were not supposed to come close to puppies, only when they came to you or when the mother is okay with it, he found. And so far, Fin hadn't really given him permission to even look at the fluffball. 

His ears perked up excitedly as Fin introduced the fluffball that had been present ever since Trick accidentally stumbled upon the den. Even though it was probably all fine by now, he still felt bad for crashing the party like this. He let out a small giggle as the vulgar language- for a child- left her mouth also, but he didn't dare say anything about it. It  was her job to raise the kid, not his, and so it wouldn't be his fault if the girl became a cursing bitch. He lay down, his belly touching the floor. Wouldn't dream of it- just look at how cute she is. He let the last part escape from his lips- of course Fin knew how cute her own daughter was.

Liffey was pleased when she got the go ahead from her mom to greet this new wolf that had come to their doorstep. In spite of what had happened to Lucy, the black-striped babe did not fear strangers. She feared monsters, and she had yet to see one to know how to recognize it. And this particular wolf didn't look like what she imagined a monster would. And so, she scampered up to him with a grin.

She giggled as he lowered himself to the ground and paused just before him. With one white-socked paw, she batted gently at his nose. When her toe made contact, she hopped backward and crouched low as a little growl gurgled from her throat.

Fin watched as Liffey approached the stranger. Trick, she reminded herself silently. She couldn't help but smirk at the little wolf's antics as she attempted to play with the far large one. His words rang in her ears, and her smirk simply broadened.

"Don't let her looks fool you," Finley warned, "She can kick like a deer and those teeth are like porcupine needles." She cringed briefly over her the reference, simultaneously shifting the mauled side of her face further away from Trick's view. It had been some time since her accident and her scars had faded somewhat, but it was still far too noticeable for her liking.

He watched the child, eyes following her every move. One eyebrow raised when she giggled, not knowing what was so funny. It was cute- he'd give her that. When her little paw hovered in the air, slowly coming toward him, he closed his eyes for impact. Luckily she didn't slap that hard, and his green eyes popped open when she stumbled back, which made him giggle. He lifted his head quarters, his fluffy black tail waving from side to side in a playful manor. 

He laughed at Fin's words. It was not often that parents talked down their child- though he found it a plus for the girl. That way, no one would hurt her. Everyone had to fight to survive, so these things were probably a good thing. How old is she now?

This fellow didn't seem to much a challenge to the little warrior, or so Liffey felt as she experienced no reprecussions from her initial attack. She giggled as he did and crept forward again with her hindquarters wriggling along behind her. After a few seconds, she darted forward again. This time, she landed on his paw and stayed there, opening her jaws to latch her teeth into his toes with a "ferocious" growl.

Liffey seemed to be perfectly content with attacking her new packmate. Fin flinched inwardly as she watched the little girl's razor-sharp teeth sink into Trick's toes, but she made no move to try and stop it from happening. She assumed the man could take care of himself, and in spite of her teasing, Liffey truly did not pose much of a threat. One day she might, but really it was Lucy that would be the warrior amongst them...

Lucy...

Fin found herself sinking into her thoughts when Trick's question brought her back. She looked up at him for a moment, trying to remember exactly how long it had been before she answered. "They're about two months," Fin replied, her thoughts again drifting to Lucy. Her little spot.

As she charged forward, her lowered his head as a shield. He had not expected her to go for his tiny paws- latching on one with what was supposed to be a growl. A laugh erupted from deep in his throat, his honey voice as smooth as untouched butter. Careful there, I'd like to use them later. He said with a playful wag of his tail. 

Oh, I didn't think they'd be that young. This one is surprisingly fit for her age. He giggled softly- yet not like a girl or anything. Little did he know he'd soon go on a mission to find the little Lucy that had been taken from her mother. He shook his leg a bit to try and get Liffey off of it.

Liffey didn't particularly understand the ords that Trick said over her head. She didn't particularly listen either, and yet she giggled as his words and his laugh rumbled in her ears. She released one of his toes, only to launch herself at another. One paw rested atop his own as she straddled his, reaching with her little jaws to engulf the toe furthest from herself.

Fin was quiet for a moment, pondering his comment. Liffey and her siblings were indeed surprisingly fit, but not for their age - for the circumstances of their birth. She'd been so weak at the time they'd been born. She'd been so convinced that she was going to lose them as well as die herself. But no, they were all there. All fit and healthy and.. safe. But for one.

Fin lowered her gaze to her paws, chewing her lip lightly before she said very softly, "Her sister, Lucy, is missing."  The Blackthorn had no idea what had prompted her to say it, particularly when this wolf likely knew already. But perhaps he didn't. Maybe if he did know, he might do something. "If you think Liff has spirit, you should have met Luce," she added after a beat, shaking her head to rid the darkness that was creeping up on her. She failed, but still.

Trick smiled at how the little one was amusing herself with his petite paws. They were already getting numb because of the constant nibbling and rough playing with his sensitive toes that he always used in one way or another. Still he let her do her thing- shaking it every now and then to give her the feeling he was trying to get her off.

I know- truly a tragic story... He replied sadly to Fin's seemingly random comment. When the caches are full enough- I'll go out to find her... He informed with a sad sigh. He liked doing things for his pack- selfishly so, for if he did enough he'd get a promotion, hopefully. 

Liffey carried on, heedless of the somber conversation happening over her head. She growled louder as he shook his paw, biting down harder in order to prevent his escape. She did note that he became distracted, for his attempts at escape seemed to lessen.

Unlatching her jaws, she twisted her head up to peer at him. She might not have noticed tone, but there was an expression upon his face that stroked her empathy. With soft growl, Liffey smashed herself against his foreleg in a comforting snuggle. She rolled against him until she was on her back with her belly exposed, reaching up towards his face with her forepaws bent over her chest. She crooned a low note at him, her eyes growing big and sad.

It made little sense, but Finley didn't need for it to in order to let the flames of the anger tickle at the base of her heart. Trick admitted to knowing already of what had happened to her Lucy. He blamed his lack of action on the fact that he wanted to make sure their caches were full before going. It was a flimsy excuse in her ears. She could fill the caches. She, who had been forced to stay behind while her mate was off searching for their daughter. She could fill the caches. She wasn't able to do anything better.

It was the bitterness talking, and she knew it. "Thank you," Fin murmured, shoving down the unwarranted comments that rose in her mind. Her eyes fell on Liffey, who was prostrating herself at Trick's paws. Her brow furrowed in confusion, wondering why her kid was acting like that. With a low chuff, she called her daughter back to her. Liffey rolled quickly to all four paws and she bounded to her mother's side, planting a kiss upon her face before snuggling between her forelegs and against her chest with a happy purr.

Fin looked at Trick. "Let me know when you go," she said after nudging her greyscale daughter even closer against her with heartfelt tenderness, "I just.. I like knowing that others are out there looking for her."

He looked puzzled at the little girl playing with his even tinier paw, confused as to what was making her act like only that paw was threatening enough to be attacked. Still, he payed it little thought as the conversation with her mother continued. Thank you. The first thankful words spoke truly only to him. He had to say, there words were awfully close to filling him with delight. It was not often he was thanked for something, but it felt good. Before he could comment, his attention shifted to the girl. Like a cat she was roughly snuggling with his leg, and he smiled warmly at her. Belly exposed to him, he did nothing, even though a tickle attack would've been a funny thing to do. He figured Fin would not be happy with that, and so he refrained, watching her retreat when her mother called for her. Yeah, he liked that kid.

I'll try. He said with a nod. It was not a promise, nor a refusal. He cleared his throat awkwardly, realizing he had been spending way more time with the broken little family than he had intended. His ears pressed in his neck he set a few steps back. Well, I better get going then. The sooner I'm done the sooner I can look for her.

I'm skipping Liffey this time. You can either post again or just archive :) Thanks for the thread!

Trick agreed, but in a non-commital way. She bit her lip, glancing down at Liffey who was rubbing her temple against Fin's arm to satisfy an itch. She leaned down to nudge the pup away so that she could reach the troublesome spot on her head. She attacked it gently with her tongue, and Liffey made a sound like a purr as she settled down and closed her eyes.

Fin glanced up again as the black wolf announced his departure. She offered him a feeble smile and nodded farewell. She hoped he would be able to leave soon. Every second that passed was another second the stranger spent taking her daughter further and further away from her, and it was another second Finley's heart suffered.