Heron Lake Plateau j'ai toujours vécu ici pourtan

Phoebe's question lingered in Raven's mind and set to vibrating little chords that had always troubled her: while explanations had been given, she still didn't quite understand why Eljay had left, or really even why the Firebirds had split off to begin with. The self-doubting part of her wondered if it had something to do with her and Qui's leadership. Were they not strong enough? Did their packmates have so little confidence in them as alphas? Or had the rifts that had been formed in the various relationships in their pack truly been so deep that they could not have been overcome?

Raven had long ago learned to find some degree of acceptance in people's decisions to leave a pack. For a very long time, she'd viewed those choices as the next best thing to unforgivable mistakes. Betrayals. Insults. A turning of the back on family. Perhaps it went all the way back to her childhood, when traumatic losses had robbed her of people she'd loved in the most tender months of her growth. Whatever the cause, she'd felt bitterness and loathing toward those who claimed to love a pack and called it home, only to leave for one reason or another later on. But age and circumstances had tempered her views somewhat and she'd found more tolerance for such things. It was still never easy, though, especially when dealing with people who'd been born and raised a Redhawk. Like Eljay.

"I don't know, baby," she replied after a brief pause, her thoughtfulness evident on her face. "It isn't right to leave a pack you're loyal to, but everyone has their own reasons for the things they do. Eljay is happy where he's at now, though, and I think that's what's most important in the end." She frowned on the Blackthorn's desertion -- for that's what it still felt like to Raven, for all who had left their pack -- but she didn't want to poison Phoebe's perspective with her own bitterness so she kept her voice light and avoided getting into her own feelings about it.