Redhawk Caldera you're gonna have to tell me

Maia had not been expecting a visit from her other daughter for a while. Motherhood was demanding and her pregnancies even had been a mixed bag, so with Chickadee’s sickness, Maia assumed she would be taking the initiative on the next encounter. Of course, this brought her interactions with Kukutux directly to mind, and she’d fretted frequently over how it might be received if she showed up on the border of Moonglow. She wouldn’t prevent a mother from visiting, right?

She would need to try, either way. At least, that’s what she’d resolved until an unexpected call came from the edge of their claim.

Maia rushed to meet them as quickly as she could, arriving slightly breathless. Hey!! Is everything alright?! She went immediately to Chickadee, then looked to Kivaluk as well, unable to comprehend why they might have come here. Did they expect to make it back to the mountain before Chickadee’s pups were born? Surely they could have waited!

The word home, and its apparent meaning, hadn’t registered yet in the flurry to meet them. But as the initial panic and surprise dissipated, Maia realized that Chickadee’s call had been mostly joyous. Confusion turned to quiet trepidation. Imagine, if she assumed wrong!