Sun Mote Copse What a fool believes

She explained more surrounding Nellie's disappearance. He bristled a little at the not-so-veiled threat against his sister. More information he lacked up until now. How was he supposed to know all this? He'd been busy with the grove, looking after his own family (distraught about Fennec!), and she expected him to know everything. He hadn't even known how old Nellie was when she'd left them. It wasn't as if she had told him all of this. Phox had made polite conversation with her while with the Frosthawks, but nothing deep. It was clear that Niamh wouldn't—maybe didn't want to—forgive him, no matter how much he explained. For everything he said, she had a reason to turn it around on him. Even after he apologized, admitted he was wrong, she rebuked it.

Then I guess that's that, he said bitterly. It was a shame. He didn't even want to begin to think about how Towhee would react. Phox loathed putting her in a spot where she had to choose, but something told him Niamh would be sure that she was on her side, not Phox's. Already, he was bracing himself for that.