Redhawk Caldera out of feathers out of bones.

Finley wanted to believe his words. She was probably supposed to be stronger in moments like this. It seemed like these were the moments where the hero boldly shelfs their fears in order to inspire confidence in their partners. She should be calm, steady, and reassuring, and face her fate with acceptance and grace so that those she loved would know to do the same when the time came.

That was how this was supposed to be. But the thought of her own death was absolutely terrifying to Finley. It was an odd turn of events, that she who faced down bears and leaped off cliffs in her youth without flinching would be so utterly terrified of it. But back then, she had never had anything to lose. She had had no mate to leave behind, no son that would mourn her. There had been no future sons and daughters to never get the opportunity to know.

She had so much now that she would lose in death, but what was worse was the knowledge of how terribly they would hurt once she was gone. Her infants would never know their mom. Her son, so fragile already, would be devastated. And Elwood, to raise them all on his own without her insanity to keep him sane. It was terrible. Fin didn't want to die. And wasn't it okay for her mate to see that? So that he'd know that when she left, it wasn't because she'd wanted to?

Not that it mattered, as she wasn't strong enough to hide it anyway.

"If we have a girl, I want you to name her Caoilfhionn, for Tiger," Fin said through her tears, "And I thought we could name a boy for my brother, Tiarnach." She had never even told him about Colt before. She had promised not to keep secrets from him, and yet he had probably never even heard the name of the brother who had been her best friend. What else would she never get to tell him? What else did she need him to know before it was too late?