Redhawk Caldera when i see you again.

Finley was ready to lose herself in another memory when Liffey bombarded her with questions. She looked down at the pup in surprise, but delight. When had her daughter become so inquisitive? Like a sudden cold splash of water, she realized it had likely been when she'd been away those past weeks. Elwood probably wouldn't have been at all surprised to hear these queries sprouting from their daughter's mouth. This was just her, learning more about the young wolf her child was becoming.

"Well, I grew up far away from here to the South," Fin explained, "You actually have a really big family on my side. Your grandma and grandpa Blackthorn have lots and lots of kid, including me. You probably have more Aunts and Uncles than even I'm aware of at this point." Her parents were quite the kid-factory. "I came here just on a whim. I wasn't really looking for anything and actually didn't find anything when I first came to the Wilds. The second time though... I found a family."

The painful, intense throb in her heart made her breath catch. Her eyes moved so suddenly to Peregrine's grave that she felt her head spin, or perhaps it was just the sudden crash of the emotion against her. She shifted a front paw across the ground as though to steady herself and sucked in a breath, trembling as it all came to her, so randomly, unbidden and unbridled.

"Your Uncle Peregrine." Fin tried to continue, but stopped. Tears stung her eyes and she blinked them furiously away, trying to hold back the tidal wave. It took her a moment, but finally she looked down at her daughter again and smiled.

"Why don't you go find your brother? It's getting late," Fin said, realizing that she'd given no excuse for the sudden dismissal. Her mind raced trying to find a reason, but nothing came. She just looked at her little River, pleading without speaking that she would understand and look away while her mom fell to pieces.