Kildeer Rest suammaktuk ≜

Towhee blinked down at the paw touching hers, then looked back up to Kukutux's face. The words of welcome were unmistakable, though the remarks after that didn't make sense. She paused for a moment, trying to parse them, but there was nothing for it.

"What do you m—wait, you think I might abscond with some young stud?" Towhee questioned as it hit her mid-sentence. She stared for a beat, then busted out in the most unattractive laughter.

"I'm pretty sure you don't have to worry about that," she clarified a moment later with another snort of amusement. "I'm not the marriage type. And I'm pretty done with having kids." Towhee shrugged one streaky shoulder. "I think that's part of why it didn't break me down when my pack disbanded. It was time to close that whole chapter of my life. Let my kids and grandkids write the sequels or whatever. Yadda, yadda..."

She hadn't actually given that any deliberate thought, though it felt right as she said it. Towhee wondered if it made any sense at all to Kukutux, especially since she wasn't actually that old.

On that note, she added, "Just 'cause I'm done cranking out crotch fruits doesn't mean I'm ready to retire. I'm a master mercenary with heaps of leadership experience. I don't necessarily aspire to that—leadership, I mean—but I'd make a damn good advisor and guardian, at least I'd hope."

Towhee hummed thoughtfully and voiced one last thing. "You have a pretty specific culture here, don't you? I'm fine with learning and trying new things but would it be an issue if I did my own thing, with respect to yours?"