Redhawk Caldera Leave your bag of bones underneath your bed

A chuff of laughter for both her father's and her aunt-mother's suggestions.
She has to worry about me pushing her around, Alyx joked back in the strained voice that suggested she was fending off the keening crack of sadness across the back of her throat. I need someone to carry all those souvenirs, you know.
The heavy silence that fell was broken next by terse words from her mother that set Alyx's teeth on edge, followed by a softer declaration that made her breath catch in her throat. It whooshed out with an audible shudder moments before her face crumpled.
Several quick steps carried her to her mother, the woman whose very presence was what drove her daughter to seek space elsewhere. But for all her complicated feelings about Niamh and her mothering style, Alyx loved her mother, and recognized the harsher undertones in her voice as the same stinging sadness that clung to her tongue. She shoved her muzzle and cheek into the space between her mom's jaw and throat with an emotional tremble and whispered, I'll miss you too.
She would have hugs for Towhee and Phox, too, of course. But she needed, for just this moment, to be held by her mother. To know Niamh did not hate her for this, no matter how they got along.