Redtail Rise We are close to war.

“I don’t share,” Riley insisted, and the plot thickened.

No, Masquerade replied to his question. Augur and New Snow are a mated pair. So are Ancelin and Lilia. I expect they’ll both want litters in the spring too.

Where did that leave their mother? Masquerade couldn’t help but think about it again. Masque was glad she was back, though Avicus simply was not the same wolf as before her disappearance.

Their thoughts spun out from there. Relic and Redd were gone. This year’s quartet would require another year to mature. If the situation didn’t change, there was nobody on the rise who could possibly continue the true Redtail bloodline in the rise next year aside from Avicus.

But Avicus reprising her leadership and motherhood roles felt as uncertain, even unlikely, as their own litter mates returning. Yes, a lot could change by the time spring rolled around, but Masque suddenly found themself confronted by the fact of the matter: they couldn’t depend on anyone else to magically show up.

They took comfort in the thought that all four of their younger siblings showed such incredible promise. Even though @Mulherin hadn’t spoken to them much since their last conversation, Masquerade still dreamed of their brother as a future Alpha. Any of the others had that potential too, though he was undeniably their favorite.

If not this coming year, then the next year, the Redtails would be restored to their former glory…

Sorry, they apologized suddenly, I got lost in my thoughts. Masque huffed. Again.