Whitefish River the light is always on

Her ears fell flat the moment she finished speaking, sort of wishing she could stuff some of those words back into her mouth. She hadn't meant to become so confrontational! But they were out there now and Meerkat supposed she really did want some answers. So she puffed out a breath and listened.

Several times, she wanted to interrupt. Why had they accepted Niamh's story without asking questions? Those were extreme and life-changing assumptions to make. Hadn't it ever occurred to them that a heavily pregnant she-wolf showing up on their doorstep might not be in her right mind?

She quelled the urge to cut in with these questions. She did know a little bit about the history with the Blackfeathers from Towhee, though if her mother had ever gone into any detail, she really couldn't remember. Really, the only thing she could recollect conclusively was that her mother didn't trust anyone associated with the Blackfeather name or Blackfeather Woods to this day. Meerkat thought briefly of Eldritch.

It was of course tempting to simply take her mother's side, though she wasn't a master ambassador for no reason. She let Maegi finish, then forced herself to really consider it all. Maegi and Mou had rescued her too, no questions asked. The situations were sort of apples and oranges, though it did make the yearling think.

"I loved my Neema but there's no way she was thinking clearly. She," Meerkat said, pausing to find her words, "did so much damage." And, really, she was the one responsible for all of this, though it pained the yearling to place that blame on her, especially since she was gone.

There was a long pause where Meerkat tried to gather some more of her thoughts before saying, "I guess none of it really matters now. What's done is done and we can't change the past. But those pups belong with their dad, our dad," Meerkat said quietly, pale ale eyes seeking and holding Maegi's gaze even though it was hard for her.

Perhaps Maegi and Mou could stay in the children's lives after this, though honestly the yearling couldn't see how. Considering the families' histories and the hideous deceit, could Phox possibly consider that an option? Meerkat didn't think so but it was entirely up to him. She certainly didn't envy him for having to make that eventual judgment call.