Redhawk Caldera I wanna take you into the sunlight.

Rue returned Towhee's greeting with a cheerful bark, the wave of her tail visible over the rim of the caldera. 

They both paused for a beat, and it was clear that neither of them fancied the thought of being the one to close the distance. Meet in the middle?  Rue winced inwardly, but nodded dutifully. Downhill wreaked absolute hell on her lower back, but if such a heavily-pregnant Towhee could drag herself up, Rue could certainly hobble down. 

She took the decent slowly, weaving a zigzag pattern down the face of the caldera. When she had Towhee finally caught up to one another, they were both panting from exertion. Some pair of guardians they made, huh? Good thing the caldera defended itself, for the most part.

Towhee wanted to ask her something. 

"Should I be scared?" Rue asked, taking advantage of the pause between Towhee's breaths. She couldn't help but think back to their last conversation-- you know, the one where Towhee suggested that Rue go start a new pack and, while she was at it, marry her son. 

A new title? Rue tilted her head curiously. Did she mean to make Rue a Regent? Rue knew that feelings were running high between leadership, but stars, she hadn't expected...

"Baby Daddy?"

Rue blinked. It seemed to be her go-to reaction these days in her conversations with Towhee. A beat later, her brow furrowed. How in the star-studded sky did Towhee expect Rue to father her--? 

Oh wait. Towhee was already pregnant. That would simplify the mechanics of it, at least. 

"You.. you want me to help you parent your litter?" Rue clarified, incredulous. She was used to the Redhawks and their unorthodox parenting arrangements, but the idea of being involved in something like that herself had never crossed her mind. She'd always just kind of thought of it as a Redhawk thing.