Redhawk Caldera i may be crazy, don't mind me.

In her anxiety, Finley didn't even notice the phenomenon that was Fidget standing motionless in his confusion at her behavior. Elwood, in all of his magnificence, interpreted her expressions with impressive accuracy and turned to their boys with anxious determination. In spite of her very best efforts, she flinched when her mate went on to explain that she was in heat. Once upon a time, they had agreed that it would be Elwood's job to explain this to their sons. That at the time had been limited to Eljay, truth be told. But! It totally carried forward to all little boys in the Caldera ever, even if it had never been spoken aloud. But, now here they were, Finley in all of her impregnable glory standing witness to the birds and the bees talk when all she wanted was to.. get birded and beeded. Or whatever.

Her eyes trailed to Lagan to watch him digest this information. She truly had no idea whether or not the comment would mean anything to him, nor did she know if she even wanted him to understand. As much as she wanted her kids to grow into happy, healthy adults, she still was horrified by the thought that they would ever lose the sweet, happy innocence they'd been born with. Lagan's comment eased this fear, but left her completely lost as to how to react. Her eyes went to Elwood for assistance, but she only found her cry for help reflected back at her in his face. She dropped her head slightly to give him an are you kidding me??? before attempting to gather herself to respond.

And then Eljay showed up.

It happened in an instant. Her eldest son reached to nuzzle her chin - a movement he had made with her literally millions of times in the past - and Fin felt her lips peel back in the brief flicker of a silent snarl. She shifted away from the boys, circling around them to stand crowded against Elwood's hip with her head slung low and eyes shifting across them. She took a breath to steady the instincts that told her to be wary, fighting them as the idea that she was in any danger at all from her collective sons was just plain ridiculous somwhere in the more level-headed part of her...... head. Still, her hormones made her more feral, and she sought the strength of her mate to calm her. She stood silent by his side, watching anxiously, unable to find a single word to speak aloud.