Redhawk Caldera a blemish on your fragile little psyche

she hated to admit it, but the darkling was coming around to calling this place home. it reminded her of the island, in a way— only one way in or out, the rest of the packland surrounded by a protective barrier. it was reminiscent of the security and safety she remembered at wheeling gull. and it was nice to have others here, rather than the six of them, family by blood or not. they didn't come with the same baggage. little by little, she was coming out of her self-isolation.

but she would never admit to her parents— adoptive or blood— that they had been right. vesper would have appreciated some consideration, for both herself and her siblings. maybe their core family would not have splintered so rapidly.

her preoccupation with putting herself in situations where she could be injured had subsided, but she found that physical activity of any kind took the edge off her emotions. and so she passed many of her days patrolling the borders and exploring the hidden places within the caldera.

when she heard maegi's voice ring out over the land, she considered ignoring it— they really hadn't spoken since their arrival here, and certainly not since her mother had returned. vesper didn't know what to say; that was the problem. she had defended maegi, once, from peregrine's vitriol... but now she had some of her own. it was confusing.

but she sighed and made her way to the grove, now hearing blueberry's song intermingled. of them all, vesper would still do anything for her little sister.

as she arrived, the bat-eared wolf moved to nose blueberry's cheek and offered a kiss in greeting. she kept her eyes carefully away from mother, not trusting what would spill over if they met each other's gaze or if she forced herself to speak. she instead waited in silence for maegi to make the reason for her summons known, first.