Redsand Canyon there's another hill ahead.

"A badger, two birds and a pelt," Figment mused aloud as he stood alongside his father, his gaze reaching out at the canyon that stretched out ahead of them. It hadn't totally seemed like an impossible task when Towhee had asked it of him, but now that he was actually here, he couldn't help but wonder if maybe this was a fool's errand. 

Fig glanced alongside at @Phox to gauge his thoughts through the expression on his face. He looked for only a moment before turning and heading forward. They were here now, might as well give it their best shot.

this is probably set for... a little while ago... idk timelines

Rue would have also been here a little while ago? shrug

Two dark figures moved against the backdrop of white and red, attracting Rue's attention.  She gingerly pushed herself to her feet, and she winced as the familiar sting of pain lanced up her spine.

Was this the witch, then? Rue had been searching the canyon high and low for the so-called witch, but so far she had found only sand. Rue hadn't expected the witch to be accompanied by another, but she was hardly in a position to be picky. She set off toward the dark-pelted duo, footfalls careful and intentional.

Ohh! Ruenna!

Phox did not often leave home, but when he realized it give him a chance to spend some time one-on-one with Figment, he couldn't pass it up. Phox loved all his kids equally (or so he would tell them and anybody who asked), and spending quality time with them was ever-so-important to him. Besides, they'd be doing Fennec a favor! It was a win-win-win situation, as they say.

Figment recited what they were meant to bring back, and Phox cast him a glance back with a smile. He was about to ask where they should start when he spotted another figure who was... vaguely familiar.

Hey there, Phox said, then paused, squinting as if that would help him recognize her.

Have we met? he asked.

FIg's attention was turned in a different direction, but he sifted his gaze accordingly when he heard his father talking to someone else. His canted his head curiously as he took in the sight of the stranger. Like Phox, he thought there was something a little familiar about her. His recognition was far fainter, though. He'd been very young when they'd been packmates.

He looked over at Phox and back again when he posed the question. So, his inclination had been correct. It had to be if they both a teensy bit recognized her, right?

Recognition was last to dawn on Ruenna, who was expecting to meet strangers, and a witch at that. The familiar voice stopped her in her tracks. 

Kavik? Her mind jumped to the man she had followed years ago, when they both lived in these very mountains.

No. Phox. 

The name came to Ruenna slowly, as if she were trying to recall a dream that had nearly slipped away. Perhaps it took her longer to recognize him because they were so very far away from where they had lived as packmates in Asterism Grove. 

Rue smiled. "Ruenna Redfern. We were friends once. Packmates, in Asterism Grove." Did he really not recognize his old beta?

Rue swallowed. If this was Phox, then could the young man beside him really be...

"Figment?" Rue asked, turning to the boy in wonder. He had been barely more than a scrap of fur the last time she had seen him.

Well, shit! Phox barked, his tail wagging emphatically. How the hell have you been?! And yeah, this is Figgy, all grown up now, as you can see. He didn't remember much about why Ruenna had not stayed with them, but Phox was long past holding any kind of grudge if she'd left on bad (or no) terms. That felt like eons ago, and the Redhawk was just happy to see that Ruenna was alive and apparently doing alright for herself.

He had all kinds of questions, of course, but he tried not to launch into all of them all at once. There was also so much to tell! Meerkat, his three kids, the move to Sun Mote Copse, then to Redhawk Caldera.

The memories came back to him as she introduced herself. Ruenna. Yes, he did know her. He had never spent much time one-on-one with the female, so his memories were more just of her being around than anything else. But, they were there, and so he smiled.

He gave a small nod to confirm that he was indeed Figment. For a moment, he felt proud as he considered just how much he had changed and thought of what seeing him now must be like for her. But then his father called him Figgy and that crushed his ego just a bit. He glanced off to the side, a little embarrassed, but still gave a genial wag of his tail as he looked back, interested in where the conversation was headed.

Sneaking this in here because I think Figgy might go inactive before it's my turn again, and I don't plan to reactivate him once that happens :) Feel free to PP that he's excused himself to continue looking for Fenn's companions and carry on without me <3

Ruenna's tail wagged as well, mirroring the body language of her former alpha. 

"A little worse for wear," she answered honestly, "..since the mountain fell on me. On all of us." Rue shook her head. She knew that she should consider herself lucky to have made it through the earthquakes with just some back pain and a limp. 

"I couldn't find anyone from the Grove after the landslide. I thought the worst..." Truthfully, Rue recalled very little in the wake of the disaster. She had almost no memory of how she came to exit her homeland. Once she came to herself and recovered enough to travel, she had made her way slowly back to the Teekons. She had yet to visit the Strath though, frightened of what she would-- or wouldn't-- find there. 

Ruenna's expression clouded. The last thing she remembered about the event was seeing Towhee buried beneath a massive wave of earth. Could she have survived too?  

"Towhee. Is she..?"

Rue's gaze flicked anxiously between Towhee's brother and her son. Rue hated that she had to bring up Towhee's fate in front of her boy, but he seemed like a strong young man. He would have had to be, to make it through those earthquakes and the aftermath. He looked so much like his father. The metamorphosis was almost unbelievable-- it was as if as if Figgy, the little puptato, had transformed before her eyes.

Figment excused himself to go look for the birds, the badger, and whatever the third thing was. Phox's memory really was shit these days, wasn't it? Maybe it was hereditary. Hadn't his mother had a bad memory as well? Anyway.

Phox grimaced at the mention of the mountain falling on her. Nothing about that time had been pleasant, and he was damn well glad that they were past that. Never again would he live some place where he could be trapped. Those couple of weeks had been hell, and the months following had been even harder to deal with.

Yeah, it wasn't the best, that's for sure. I was out of it for a little while. My sister down south helped to nurse me back to health.

Towhee's fine! he assured her. In fact, we're both living at Redhawk Caldera now. Leading, in fact. He considered mentioning Niamh, but... well. He thought of Dhalia for a moment, but he quickly shut that down.

Figment and I are just out here looking for a few things that my daughter, Fennec, lost when she was out this way.

Rue's ears perked at the mention of a sister who, presumably, knew a thing or two about healing. If she had fixed Phox, could she also fix Ruenna..?

That train of thought was quickly abandoned as soon as Phox emitted the words, "Towhee's fine."  

"That's so good to hear." Ruenna's breath rushed out, and her entire frame sagged with relief. Towhee and Phox were leading the Caldera together. Figment and Fennec were by their sides, growing up... it was far more than Rue had even dared to hope for. 

Fennec! She would be just as big as Figment, wouldn't she? A year ago, Rue would have been aghast at the thought of Fennec ever wandering someplace like the Canyon on her own. How to address Fennec's disability was actually an issue she and Phox had butted heads over, if Rue recalled correctly. 

"I was just out here looking for the w- the witch," Rue replied, stuttering a bit as she realized how ridiculous she sounded. "It was kind of a long shot," she added in a small voice. 

"Just the thought.. that there could be someone out there.. who could fix me..." Rue trailed off with a shake of her head. Phox probably wouldn't understand. It was similar to what they had quarreled over with Fennec-- Ruenna wanted to search the Teekons high and low for a healer who could help with her vision, and Phox wanted to just accept things as they were. He wanted to let Fennec grow and develop as she would normally and naturally. It was certainly the more peaceful of the two ways, and Fennec seemed no worse off for it. 

Even so, that sort of peace terrified Rue. Was she really supposed to just accept that her days as a scout were over?  What even was she, if she wasn't a scout? 

"Maybe your sister..?" Ruenna piped weakly, circling back to the mention of unnamed healer. Seeking help from Phox's sister seemed infinitely more practical and plausible than the whole witch idea.

Ruenna explained that she'd been out here looking for the witch, and Phox had to stifle a chuckle. He knew Fennec had called herself that (or at least I'm assuming he did) to attract customers, so to speak. She was a clever girl; he'd give her that.

The witch would be Fennec, he said with a smile, She's got a knack for healing, and I'm sure she could take a look if you wanted to swing by.

... And maybe join them? He didn't voice that, not wanting to put words into Ruenna's mouth. She had been a part of their pack once before, and he would welcome her back. He couldn't imagine Towhee feeling much differently. Rue had been a part of their leadership team once upon a time, and while he knew she'd have to earn that if she wanted to be in that position again, he could see that going well if she really wanted it.

Raven lives with the Frosthawks. They're a day trip from where we live now, so you could also visit her if Fennec can't help you out.

"Is she?" Rue responded in surprise. Her voice was starting to sound a little feeble-- digesting all of this news was taking a significant amount of energy. 

Even seeing the change in Figment right before her eyes, Rue couldn't reconcile the discrepancy between the little blonde, blind puptato and a fully grown, fully-fledged healer.. particularly one who was deserving of the title of witch. It just didn't compute. 

What Rue was able to discern was that she wasn't going to find her miracle-cure here. This sister, Raven, seemed like a more promising lead. A daytrip for Phox would be more like a weektrip for Rue, but it was at least something to consider. 

"I'd love to stop in," Rue answered. No way was she going to miss out on the chance to reunite with Towhee and the others. "I won't slow you down any longer," she added after a beat, wry smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. The Redhawk duo probably would have allowed Rue to join them if she asked, but she knew her pace would feel excruciatingly slow for them. "Just point me in the direction of the Caldera, and I'll be on my way." 

Last one from me! We should have another now that she's a bit more settled in RHC. <3

He nodded to confirm when she asked. And it sounded like she was about to be on her way, and he knew that he and Figment needed to finish their mission as well before they headed back home.

He pointed in the direction of the caldera. You can't miss it. Looks like the top was chopped right off. Phox was reminded, once again, of how happy he was to be back in his birthplace.

I'd better catch up with Fig, but it was great seeing you again! Phox said, wagging his tail.

"You too, Phox." Running into the Redhawks had been the best thing that had happened to Rue in a long time. Things were looking up. 

Rue started toward the Caldera. She did her best to hide her limp until Phox and Figment were out of sight-- partly out of instinct, and partly out of pride. Even though Rue was headed straight for the Caldera, it was likely that the Redhawk pair would arrive home way before she managed to hobble up to the border.