Redhawk Caldera But I can't fight anymore for you

His silence stemmed from the fact that he'd begun to hold his breath, as though clinging to it might keep him attached to whatever shred of composure he was supposed to have. His expression would've been difficult to read even if she had been able to see him. He knew was death was, of course, he'd witnessed it. And his mind cruelly superimposed the face of his mother on the body of another he'd seen, slain, dry tongue hanging out and eyes vacant. 

That was Niamh, now. But likely rotting, somewhere. Not defiant and proud, not vicious and selfish, but also not maternal or quick-witted or any of the good things she had been. She wouldn't hurt him anymore but she left him short yet another family member. What caused him to break was a thought that made him shudder and draw in a shaky breath. 

Was she with Colt, now? 

His breathing was ragged and he felt horribly vulnerable as he tried to steady himself and fight back a sob. That thought wounded him profoundly, knowing that now...Both his parents were dead. His sweet brother Primrose was dead, and Nellie, Alyx and Quetzal were away. Loneliness had an edge more keen than the sharpest sword. 

"Oh," He uttered shakily. His jaw trembled. "Uhhhm. B-but...The kids?" He wasn't sure he could fixate on or talk about his mother's death, considering how unreal and painful it felt. So he attempted to at least delay that process and hopefully hear some good news about the kids, the last thing Niamh left behind.

She listened to him begin to freak out and couldn't help trying to move closer, though if he reacted to move away, she would immediately freeze and stay where she was. Presence was about the only comfort she had right now because there was definitely nothing she could say about that to help.

She could at least answer this question, though. And the answer was a happy one thank fuck.

Dad brought them here. Another family took care of them, but they came too. They're okay.

With all of the news, if Fennec had at one point known one was missing, she'd completely forgotten it now. As far as she knew Niamh had had two kids and both had arrived with Phox and the rest. She wasn't sure on how they were settling in, but she assumed Bronco would find that out for himself soon enough.

Phox had been the one to find her, after all. He could be glad, still, that she hadn't ended up where he'd been- but she'd still met her fate. He wanted to ask how, if there'd been some cause- but he remembered then that Niamh had had a broken leg when she'd left. A broken leg with wounds that had not yet healed, and he assumed then that she had succumbed to infection. 


And while he'd had little qualms with the quiet but intense Reyes before, he found his ire growing. He'd caused the wound, and because Niamh couldn't get him exiled or punished the way she'd wanted, she'd gone off and died. The blame could be passed around and shared among a number of wolves- Towhee and Phox included. There was no changing what had happened, but he found a little bit of resentment started to settle in. 


"I'm...I don't really know how to feel." He admitted. He'd noticed Fennec move closer, but she seemed willing to mind his boundaries. That meant a lot. "I'm glad Phox found the kids," He said, though it was hard to say he felt glad about anything, presently. What bothered him the most, secretly, was the amount of relief he felt, knowing that Niamh had been found- and maybe too, that she had been found dead. 


"C'n we, uhm. I think I need a bit of time to process all that. Can we just...Go somewhere, and just...Be together so I can..Y'know?" Cry, maybe. Yell, maybe. Sleep? Probably. He just wanted to go somewhere quiet, with Fennec, and absorb everything he'd just been told.

Yeah. I think I know a place. For some reason, the place where she'd hidden from the bear came to mind. It was quiet and isolated, a place where Bronco could deal with things however he wanted. Killdeer would be alright with his cousins for a short time longer, and Rue was a fine babysitter, no matter how much she and Fennec disagreed.

It was hard to remember, with the abrupt tone change, that only a few moments before they'd been having an entirely different conversation. Fennec wouldn't really start to think about all of that until later. Right now she'd remain with him as long as he needed, letting him do what he needed to do and just being there.