Redhawk Caldera the oak when it blooms; a fox in the brush

saying this is after they return so I can snag it <3 but keeping the hunt vague

After the hunt, Maia had immediately spoken with @Eljay about her conversation with Kukutux. She'd let her anger get the better of her, but she hadn't apologized for it, and she knew that he would understand. He'd loved Wraen as much as she did, and despite his worry, he never prevented their children from moving on. He'd shared the news that Frolic was gone and she'd accepted it with a deepening ache in her chest.

Their daughter said she would be back, but Maia was having a harder and harder time believing those promises. How could she ask it of them, when happiness seemed to be found everywhere except at home?

She hid this deepening insecurity from her husband. He was a wonderful father and she... she had done her best. Maia knew he would not accept her criticisms of herself, but she also knew that she deserved them. Kukutux did not deserve her respect, but a part of her recognized some truth in the woman's spite. She'd never fought for her children to stay. So she had no right to be upset when they didn't.

At least she was finished with it. Wraen's death hung over her first birth and, with every year since, she dreaded everything about pregnancy. It had been worth it up until now, but with her age and Eljay's what they were, it was time to allow others to carry the future.

Maia brightened somewhat when she heard Killdeer's call and went to find him. A short time later she met him with a smile. I knew you were here, but with the hunt, I wasn't sure how long you were staying. I'm really glad you came back. Her sincerity would be obvious; it was hard to tell how Teya felt about everything, but he was family, and she remembered what losing her parents had been like. Having an older brother to talk to could only help.