Wheeling Gull Isle tiritchik ⌮

Her heart plummeted when Aiolos told her Niamh had still been carrying the pups when she'd left the safety of yet another pack. A question screamed through her head, over and over: Why? Meerkat hadn't been present for any of the drama and only knew the details via Towhee, complete with her mother's bias. But when Aiolos went on to say that her Neema had just wanted a fresh start, Meerkat's eyes cut sharply to the leader's face, widening, all decorum momentarily forgotten.

"What...?" she blurted, aghast. That made no sense at all and she babbled as much, "That makes no sense! She..." She'd always been a happy, integral part of the family and pack: a beloved leader, mate and mother. Meerkat thought Towhee's assessment had been colored by anger and resentment but perhaps she was right. "There's no way she was in her right mind..." the yearling muttered, rocked by the implications of Aiolos's words and wounded by them too.

But that wasn't really his problem, nor anyone's at Yuèlóng. Niamh had dragged the drama to their doorstep but she'd moved on since, much to her loved ones' sorrow, particularly Phox's. Meerkat didn't know Aiolos but she had no reason not to take everything he said at face value. Besides, Mou didn't counter any of it and he was family, a fact which Meerkat acknowledged by a lingering, pained glance in his direction.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude," the yearling said after several steadying breaths. "I really appreciate the information, it means a lot." It was good to get somewhere after all this time, even if Meerkat had trouble making sense of Niamh's motives. "If you do find out anything more, could you please let us know at the caldera?" she requested of either man.

Presently, Meerkat turned to Kukutux to add, "Are you okay here? Is it alright if I go ahead to Sapphique?"