Heron Lake Plateau who's saying nothing about as loud as she can.

Fin nodded sympathetically to Towhee's sentiment. She did feel guilty for that, but she reminded herself of all the times she had experienced the same in her life. Most packmates she'd known had come and gone throughout her life. The only truly steady ones she'd ever known had been Peregrine and Fox. And Elwood, but come on, like he was going anywhere. She had once upon a time expected her kids to stay by her side for their entire lives, but they had taught her time and time again that they had their own lives to live. She had long since stopped trying to hold them so tightly to her. Now here she was, being the one to walk away.

Except she had to remind herself that she might have walked away from some, but she had walked to others. That was the problem with having so many kids - how did you choose which ones needed you the most? You couldn't. Eventually, when you were old and grey and slowly falling to pieces, you had to start choosing yourself again.

It wasn't really a consoling thought, and it definitely wouldn't have done Towhee any good to hear it put quite in those words. So, she nodded in agreement to beginning the @Tegan hunt, but before they began to walk, she said, "I've known that feeling many times in my life. You'll get used to the change, and I personally hope you'll learn not to hold it against anyone when their lives taken them down a different road than the one you're on. There really is nothing to take personally, Tow. Sometimes life just surprises you."