Redhawk Caldera we all sell our souls (sooner than later).

Much as his question rubbed her the wrong way, Meerkat didn't bother replying. She knew it was rhetorical and anyone could see she was just trying to keep a close eye on her sister. Tierra might not understand that her father was a threat but the yearling certainly did. She didn't make any attempt to physically bar them from each other, she simply wanted to stick close to monitor the situation.

Her jaw tightened when Reyes declared he was Towhee's mate. Surely that wasn't true anymore, though she wasn't actually sure. But she sincerely doubted he was welcome in Towhee's life or anywhere near the caldera, for that matter. All the same, Meerkat remained mum, refusing to speak for her mother. Towhee would be much better at handling all this anyway.

The unfamiliar male apologized to Reyes, earning an inscrutable look from the yearling even as she kept her eyes fixed on father and daughter. He said he would go fetch Towhee and she glanced up at him, lips parted to say something, when he directed a loaded question at Reyes.

Now seemed like a good time to break her silence and take some action. "Reyes. His name is Reyes," she answered for him. "And I'm Meerkat, Towhee's daughter. And, actually, if it's okay with you, I'd like to go get her. Could you keep an eye on things here?" Reluctantly, she peeled away from Reyes and Tierra to move closer to the white wolf, adding in a hissper (mostly for her little sister's sake), "I'm pretty sure she threw him out. He attacked Caracal. Please don't take your eyes off him."

She paused there, wondering if he knew about any of this. Meerkat didn't know the guy and was a little hesitant to leave a stranger in charge of looking out for Tierra. But if anyone could truly offer her protection, it was this pale giant.