Sun Mote Copse Let this moment be the first chapter: where you decide to stay

It was almost frantically that her daughter reassured her that she didn't intend to leave again, which made Niamh feel relieved- but she couldn't help but feel that inevitably, some force of fate might shake the small family apart again. As soon as the Frosthawks were mentioned, Niamh froze slightly, and he couldn't help but express her dismay and surprise  as her hackles lifted slightly. 

The Frosthawks had kept that a secret from her? True- both Quixote and Raven knew her to be impulsive, easily-angered and bull-headed...But to not even send word to her that her daughter was, in the very least, alive? That felt wrong, and Niamh was disappointed. She also felt something heavy press down in her chest as she realized that Phox, too, had known that Nellie was alive. He too had chosen to keep that secret from her. And apparently, he cared about her, but chose instead to allow her to believe that there was a chance her daughter was dead? 

She clenched her teeth together for a few moments in stunned silence. A proud, emotional creature, Nellie's return had once been all that had mattered- and the fact that she was staying. But now, knowing wolves she'd known and trusted for most of her life had simply allowed her to go on, living a tormented life, not knowing whether her daughter lived or not...She felt betrayed. "I..." She said, aware that her disappointment was painfully tangible. "I just wish you'd sent a message, Nellie," She said softly. She felt distanced, by her daughter's decision to keep her in the dark. "I thought you were dead, or kidnapped, or..." She said, and shook her head. "When wolves disappear...They're usually dead." She said. As grateful as she was to have her daughter back, she had been traumatized already, earlier in her life, upon having both of her brothers disappear- and turn up dead. "Maybe you'll understand someday...But I wish you'd told me."