Redhawk Caldera Waayo waayo.

mother had returned, but vesper had avoided her— she had always been closer to mou, anyway, and the darkling felt unmoored without him. though she remained close to @Blueberry, the adolescent had begun to self-isolate more and more in the wake of her spar with phox. it had helped release much of her anger, though its wake left a lot of confusing thoughts and waves of other emotions she couldn't name and struggled to keep her head above. why couldn't everything go back to the simpler times, before phox?

she awoke from a nap, hidden away from sun on her dark fur as the afternoon wore on, and stepped out into the cooler early-evening air. this was bittersweet, too, reminding her of the cooler days she remembered from the island. vesper moved through the caldera, silent and sullen as ever, until she had climbed its edge to the rim. it was slightly warmer here, but the view was unmatched especially at this hour— the golden, setting sun warming the high points in the distance, casting cooler blue shadows in the areas beneath.

vesper shrank back when she realized she wasn't alone, but she was curious about towhee— and caracal had insisted she was cool, so the darkling shook off her nerves and took a tentative seat next to her aunt.