Blacktail Deer Plateau rude awakening [m]

He protested, as she had thought he would. If anything, Peregrine was gallant. Perhaps too much for his own good. He did make good points, but she couldn't see any other way around it. Fox was determined to get those two back safely to the creek, ignoring any concern about her own health and safety. But when he mentioned that they may attack the creek in her absence, her heart sank. She couldn't stand the thought of it, and she had the urge to bolt right back home in that instant.

“We have… many,” she replied, never remembering exactly how many they held in their ranks. “We outmatched them two to one for quite some time, but I believe things are not as uneven now.” Fox furrowed her brow as they continued to walk to her temporary camp. “But I know their wolves haven’t been there as long. They don’t know each other like the creek wolves do.” Fox had always been proud of the longevity of those who were among her ranks. Tuwawi, Njal, and Bazi had easily been there the longest, and there were several others who had been there for at least two moons.

“What if…” she trailed off, trying to think of some way to get Magpie and Leaf back without giving herself up in return. That was always a last resort, of course, and she would do it, but maybe there was something else she could try first. “What if I tell The Sunspire that I will move away from them?” she asked. While Fox was fervently attached to her home base, she was more attached to the wolves who lived there. It was possible not all would follow her, but Bazi was a capable leader and could take over the reigns of the creek. Perhaps with Scimitar at her side. Fox would take those who wished to follow her to some new land, far away from The Sunspire and the madness which she had caused. A fresh start. Tuwawi and Njal would likely stay, due to the age of their children, but Fox had realized quite some time ago that neither of them had been fond of her politics.