Redhawk Caldera The safety dance.

There’s nobody living at the caldera, Towhee said to nobody in particular over the morning meal. I’d like to take Bushtit there to look around. Who wants to go with us?

She hoped Treepie would come along, though evidently the youngster never left Moonspear. Towhee didn’t know the reasoning behind it, though she quietly approved, recalling her own staunch loyalty at that age—to the very place she intended to visit, as a matter of fact.

She couldn’t help but think of @Eljay as she and her son trundled down the mount after breakfast. Towhee thought about his recent visit to the copse, frowning when she thought of him being forced to leave the caldera behind. Even after all this time, she could imagine what a painful choice that must’ve been for him. She wondered where he and the others had gone.

They neared the foot of Moonspear and Towhee paused, orange eyes scoping the borderline. She kind of hoped @Killdeer would come along. She’d heard @Bridget was around and Towhee wouldn’t mind her company, either. Would either one of them want to bother with the caldera, though?

I don’t even know why I’m interested, Towhee admitted, looking down at Bushtit, but if it’s empty… why not? It’ll be educational. And, she abruptly realized, eyes lighting up, I can show you the Hobbit Hole.

It was past noon by the time they halted below the familiar old smokestack. She could still smell the former residents, who had only departed a few days ago. Towhee puffed out a breath, then laughed when Bushtit slapped her with his tail and began running toward the nearby slope.

It had been some time since Arslan saw such an area. Tail waving gently he walked along the edge of the Caldera. But he had no time to be a tourist.

The scent of another carried by the wind, he lifted his chin to let out a long howl. He would need to speak to as many wolves as possible if he wished to pass this by quickly.

Once he found Soto's desired guest he would have the chance to rest, to wander as he pleased. Travel could be fun of course, but he found it to be much more troublesome when there was a goal in mind.

She pursued him, slowly at first and then picking up speed to match her son’s surprisingly fleet feet. His legs were growing longer and stronger every day, she knew, and she just hoped Bushtit wouldn’t trip over himself. What if history repeated: what if he broke his leg here, like his grandmother, forcing her to stay here and reclaim the caldera? Towhee snorted loudly as she loped after him.

He didn’t fall, though Bushtit halted so suddenly that Towhee nearly barreled right into him. She applied the proverbial brakes too, looking closely at the pup’s face. His pale ears were pricked; he was clearly picking up on some sound. She blinked several times, realizing just how handy it was to have a pair of ears. What a good little familiar, she thought errantly.

What— she began to ask even as his eyes met hers and he motioned, -Someone howled.-

Towhee stepped closer to him, her chest pressing against her young son’s shoulder, and swept the caldera’s foot with her orange eyes. She didn’t see anyone, at first, but then a figure appeared around the curve of the slope. The red fur immediately made her think of the Sveijarn-Cortens—not without a little pang in her chest—but as she squinted, there was no familiarity.

-Stranger danger,- she signed silently. -Stay close to me,- Towhee added.

It was entirely unnecessary. Out of all her children, Bushtit was probably the most easygoing and obedient she’d ever had. He pressed his smaller body against hers, his shoulder pressing into her upper leg and his hip brushing her stifle. Mama’s boy, she thought with utmost fondness as she shot him an approving glance.

The warmth leeched out of her eyes as she then turned them up on the encroaching wolf, Towhee’s expression turning from soft to stony in the space of a heartbeat.

There was no response, but as he made his way further in he was quickly able to put the scent to a face - or in this case, faces. A woman and a young puppy. Suddenly he felt rather tense. Pausing, he looked over the pair.

'She is tall. A warrior. Dark with red. Scars. Gold eyes.' He remembers the description he was provided, and as he stares he wonders if he may have gotten lucky this time. But he had heard no mention of young one's - maybe Soto simply did not know.

A moment passes and he begins his approach, head and tail lowered. He intends to be deferential. The lion knows to be cautious, he has seen his fair share of encounters with protective mother's. His own would rip strangers apart, no better than a bear.

"My friend has sent me to search for a woman in this area." He called out to her, intending to get straight to the point. "Soto. He says he met her in the spring, and you match the description rather well."

As soon as the stranger clapped eyes on them, he halted. Towhee’s own eyes didn’t waver, though she unconsciously maneuvered herself to block Bushtit from his view. She could feel the youngster’s head brushing her chest as he peeked around her, which she decided to allow.

Then the other wolf began moving closer. Towhee stiffened, pushing her son further behind her. She wasn’t entirely surprised that he was approaching, though she silently disapproved. Surely he knew it was a dangerous, uncomfortable situation for all involved. What was so important?

His deferential posture soothed some of the raw tension. Towhee raised her head and tail in return, signaling her low tolerance for chicanery. Her eyes remained fixed on the man’s face, waiting for the inevitable movements of his lips and hoping she would understand whatever words came.

She did. Towhee took a moment to mull his words. She shifted her weight. She didn’t know anyone by that name, of course, and she wondered if Towhee Jr might. There were a number of Redhawks who resembled her, it could also be any one of them.

I don’t know any Soto, she replied, curiosity getting the better of her and prompting her to wonder, Why is he looking for her?

He frowned. How was he to know Soto's intentions?

He asked me to bring her back to him, or at the very least tell her of his whereabouts. Arslan clicked his tongue, a sense of irritation settling in. He didn't give me a name, so I suppose that he might not know.

Momentarily his eyes flicked to the puppy hidden behind its mother, but he did not stare. As he looked back to the woman, he could only hope that he would not have to travel much further.

Black and roaned, bronzed at his midsection. He offered a brief description of Soto.

He frowned, as if he didn’t like her answer. Towhee’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t move otherwise, her gaze eating into his face as he fielded her query in a not particularly satisfactory way. But it was only when he tried to glance at her son that she made her agitation known via a low growl.

He wants you to bring her to him, she parroted, and you have no idea why? She paused, then scoffed, Do you realize how that sounds? In case he didn’t, Towhee elaborated, You’re saying you want this woman to drop everything to heed some rando’s summons? For no reason?

If not for Bushtit’s presence, she might’ve found the situation entertaining in its mystery. But Towhee was not in the mood. She thought about growling again, though the sensation of her child slinking underneath her to park between the cage of her forelegs stifled her. Towhee lowered her head, partly just to touch his own, but also to continue blocking him from view.

Her eyes, meanwhile, never left the stranger. She caught the brief description and pulled a face. It was meaningless to her. He didn’t even bother with an eye color. Anyway, she was pretty sure this guy had the wrong guy, so to speak. He was probably looking for Jr. On that note, Towhee had no plans to make it any easier for this wannabe PI.

Don’t know him, she repeated dismissively.

He knew exactly how it sounded. Did she think that he wanted to be here? Arslan saw himself as far above this sort of busywork.

There's a language barrier, and our translator seemed grouchy. Trust me when I say that wandering aimlessly was not what I planned to do. He grunted, his tail flicking upwards as he reflected on this.

He then straightened up to his full size, turning so as to signal that he was taking his leave. You're a mother, correct? Your priorities have been set, I can respect that. For a moment his gaze wandered, slowly losing interest in his own words. Whether you are who he wants or not, I've done my job as far as I'm concerned.

If you have the time, come to the lowlands. He insisted. Verapaz. We're settled in the Starglow basin, Southeast from this place.

This time, he did not wait for a response as he slipped away.

Thanks for the entertaining thread! :D

Then, Towhee rudely interrupted, why are you doing it?

His politely deferential demeanor was gone in an instant, his impatient and querulous energy suddenly matching her own. Towhee’s eyes continued boring into him, full of judgment and mistrust as the facade disappeared in a puff of smoke. Her forelegs pressed together, fully shielding her child as the stranger loudly broadcast his true feelings on the matter.

Towhee said nothing. She scoffed, but silently. She waited for him to leave, a brow arching when he spat out directions. Despite herself, she committed them to memory. She was morbidly curious, though she hid this fact behind a stony expression as the man departed.

Wonder what made him think I was a mother? Towhee said sarcastically as she stepped over and away from her son, rolling her eyes for comedic effect. You okay? she asked more softly, nuzzling Bushtit’s face.

-Yeah, I’m okay,- he replied simply. -Who was he?-

Never did catch his name, did we? And he didn’t even ask mine, she realized aloud, followed by a scoffing laugh. He was a shit detective, is what he was. He should probably quit his day job, Towhee mused, thinking of his sudden and sour shift in demeanor.

She was tempted to usher Bushtit back to the safety of Moonspear, though Towhee hated to miss out on this chance to explore the caldera. If they were going to travel together, just the two of them, she needed to rely on her own ability to protect her son. It was nice having allies everywhere she went, yet she shouldn’t default to falling back on them.

C’mon, she decided, nudging Bushtit, we have a Hobbit Hole to explore.