Redhawk Caldera applesweet

something was off with her mom, something chickadee couldn't quite put her paw on. to all appearances, maia was welcoming, accommodating, kind, soft. but her daughter sensed something beneath all that.
or maybe she was only projecting.
"i think so. we've shared a den for months, mama. only recently did we have any kind of talk about — us, really. and he's always been so gentle with me. even if we weren't together, he'd be that, i think."
chickadee's heart raced to think of him, a tiny smile on her lips.