Sun Mote Copse Three hour drive.

This is set tomorrow (10/30) morning. :)

With everyone returned from their recent forays; the caldera's propriety properly evaluated; and blessings given by Frosthawks and Moonspear alike, all that remained was making the official call. Towhee drew in a deep breath and looked skyward. It was still early, just before daybreak, and the nearly full moon hung low in the sky. Despite the sense of urgency tingling beneath her skin, she didn't make any moves. She simply breathed, watching the vapor stream from her muzzle, and leaned gently sideways into @Phox.

"So," she began, "we should call the pack here, load up our stomachs and head out?" Towhee licked her chops at the thought of feasting on their stores, a total free-for-all. If they played it right, they could eat enough to provide the energy for the trip without feeling like total slugs the whole way there. Her lips twitched into a smile.

Then it fell as she paused thoughtfully before asking, "Are we moving too quickly?" She sat up a little straighter, peering into her brother's eyes again. She wanted him to tell her "no," there were plenty of valid reasons to get underway right away. But before they summoned the pack, the Sovereign needed to know they weren't being too hasty, that they'd dotted their "i"s and crossed their "t"s.

Phox had already been awake, keen on observing the stars before the light made them fade away as they did every morning. When Towhee spoke, he turned his head to face her, having (maybe? finally?) learned that she had an easier time understanding him when she could also read his lips. As for her question, he let it hang in the air along with the humidity for a little while longer. Nobody seemed to think it was a bad idea, and Phox was eager to have the thing over and done with. It would be good to go home.

-We've consulted with everybody that matters,- Phox replied, -So no, I don't think we're moving too quickly. I'll be happy to be back with Mom and Dad, even though we never knew them.- He still thought about them on occasion, and he'd learned more about them from Raven when he'd gone to the Frosthawks. -Did you know Fox—the original one—had quite a spill there, too? That's really why they ended up moving there. Raven said they used to live in Blacktail Deer Plateau.- Maybe Phox had heard that story before, but this was the time it had stuck.

-We know where we're going, we know it's not claimed, and Moonspear and Firefly Glen will be there to back us up. So yeah, let's get everybody together, have ourselves a feast, and get moving once everybody's had a little bit of time to digest.- Not just the food, but the information as well.

He gave her exactly what she needed and more. Phox provided not only affirmation but calm, collected pragmatism on the matter. She hadn't given much thought to their parents' graves, though she'd certainly pondered on their legacy. Towhee imagined they would definitely approve of this. So would Elwood and Finley. She didn't like that they would be leaving their godparents and sister behind in the copse, though, again: it was the legacy that mattered, the memories, not the bones.

Speaking of which, she reached out to shove playfully at his shoulder. "Of course I remember, we told that story together once," back in their youthful days on the caldera. That recollection made her smile and reminisce for a few moments. It was just ground—cursed ground, she'd felt at times—but there was a flutter in her belly now as the moment drew nearer. She was officially excited to go back.

"It feels right," Towhee surmised simply, pressing her lips together and humming contently. "All right, let's do this. You do the honors."

Phox didn't remember that they'd told the story together. He blamed it on his concussion and the amount of time that had passed since then. They were going to hit four years old this winter, and that was quite the milestone, considering both Autumn and Kat love to kill off their toons for fun. Without further ado, Phox called for the others.

@Niamh @Eljay @Reyes @Weejay @Figment @Cinder @Chanel @Perdition @Alyx @Primrose @Quetzal @Rasalas

Once most of them were there and gathered, Phox started with the fun stuff. -We're clearing out the caches and having a feast,- he said to the group. -So I want each and every one of you to pack on the pounds today. Once our stomachs have settled, we're moving to our birthright: Redhawk Caldera. It might seem sudden to some of you, but Towhee and I were born there, as was Eljay, and we've talked with plenty of trusted sources who think it's a good move. With neighbors moving in a little too close for comfort in the south, it was just the extra nudge we needed.-

With that, Phox fell quiet for a moment, assuming there would be questions and general muttering amongst the Firebirds. -If you have questions, you can come see me, Towhee, or Niamh personally. We'll be happy to answer you.-

Eljay arrived with @Weejay in tow. He knew what news would come and he was excited for it. Well, technically it could still be all sorts, of course, but Eljay was feeling optimistic lately and he was pretty sure. He'd talked to Phox on the journey, after all, and he and Niamh had been the ones to scout out the Caldera to see if it was inhabitable. Besides, now was as good a time as any to move; sure, it was just before winter, but also a lot of their caches and things they'd built up here are destroyed by the flood so it didn't feel that bad a timing to the caretaker. However, he was of course very biased.

With a soft smile he arrived at the gathering and Eljay said to Weejay, I can't wait to show you all of my favourite places. He wondered how she would feel leaving behind the remains of her mother here, but he waved it aside when he thought of Weejay encouraging him to travel with her. That was still at the back of his mind, but for now he focused on the move first and finding a new apprentice next.

Fig suspected he might know what to expect when he answered the summons. Towhee had leaked the information to him a few days prior that a potential move was in discussion. He'd been intrigued to learn the why behind it and found himself agreeing entirely with the idea. He was not the sort to get overly attached to a place, perhaps a result of the few times he moved when he was still a child. The only thing that had ever mattered to him was staying close to those he loved, regardless of where they chose to sleep at night.

So, he'd come and settled in beside Weejay--another small step in his effort to be more sociable with those he didn't know well. He didn't speak to her, of course. That was TOO big a step. Just offered a smile then waited for the announcement. When all was said and done, he glanced sidelong at the pair of jays, Wee and El, as they whispered to each other, then looked around at the rest to gauge their reactions. For his own part, he was excited.

Primrose arrived shortly to breakfast club, his usual peppy self stored away as sleep still wrapped around his brain. With a yawn, he made it over to @Elijay and @Weejay, gently bumping his head against their chests per his usual greeting before sitting close and shuffling to get comfy.

To be honest, the boy didn't really know what to think about moving. He had spent his life so far nestled away in the copse and thinking of a new home was a bit frightening. "Do you think the new place will have flowers in the spring?" He questioned upwards to his packmates.

wc:161

Niamh had already begun scoping out the caches near the Rendez-vous site, and had unearthed one or two for easy pickings by the time the call went up. Not wanting to keep the others waiting, she loped to join the group, though she had every intention of bolting for her planned breakfast, dinner, lunch, supper and bedtime snack (all to be eaten at once) as soon as she was given leave to do so. Unfortunately, as a leader, she was roped into sticking around for a Q&A period first. Her son was the first to speak up, and she cast him a smile and a nod.

“There'll be lots of flowers, Prim,” She said. “Especially come spring. Probably even some new ones you've never seen before,” She said, hoping that might pique his interest. The more eager he was to go, the less likely he'd be to cause problems along the way. “Any other questions?” She asked, scanning the group.

When most of their members had arrived, Phox addressed the group. Rather than read him, she looked at each of the faces gathered around to gauge expressions and reactions. No one seemed ready to kick up any kind of fuss, not that she could tell, anyway. Probably most of them had heard the news ahead of time. Now they were just sealing the deal... sweetening it too, with a celebratory feast.

While her Regents fielded questions, primarily from their own young son, Towhee turned and began to make her way toward one of the nearest stockpiles. She glanced over her shoulder to see the others spreading out toward the caches littered throughout the copse. Best case scenario: they emptied everything completely and left nothing behind for the inevitable scavengers.

The Sovereign helped herself to a bit of dried beaver tail, her teeth sinking deliciously into the rubbery flesh. She began to gnaw. She would eat as much as she could handle without turning herself into a blimp. They had a long, long walk ahead of them, after all.

I'll archive this in a few days! :)