Heron Lake Plateau I'm staring down myself, counting up the years

Not long after Artaax finally turned and left, breaking his mother's heart and filling her with dread in one swift blow, Wildfire sought to find @Kiwi. She needed to talk to Bat and Sequoia as well, though she wanted to start with the daughter who'd actually witnessed the altercation. She couldn't have gone far.

When she caught up to Kiwi, Wildfire's planned speech escaped her. She found herself saying, "I'm so sorry I dragged you into this. I should've known this would happen. I didn't really believe..." But what did it matter what she believed? Artaax had more or less disowned her, then implied he would return, likely with reinforcements. Wildfire knew they could count on the Redhawks to keep them safe, yet now it occurred to her that she might have brought not just irate yearlings but real, actual war to their doorstep.

"There's a very real possibility your brother will return with other Drakru, intent to harm us," she began slowly, looking into Kiwi's eyes, "which could mean war." She paused to take a shuddering breath. She needed to talk to Quixote and Raven about this but, in this moment, she valued Kiwi's opinion first and foremost, and said as much. "You're very nearly an adult, so I value what you think. Should we stay here, knowing we may have to fight for our lives against our own family, or do you think we should go somewhere else, somewhere safe, and avoid involving the Redhawks?"

There was a third option, of course: Wildfire could leave her daughters here and flee in the hopes that Artaax's—and Drageda's—anger would bypass them in its pursuit of her. But that was a risk and the last thing Wildfire wanted to do. Maybe it would occur to Kiwi and she'd put it out there. Holding her breath now, the huntress waited to see what her daughter would say.