Sun Mote Copse Gunfinger (salute).

Otter obliged, her minimal grumbling lost on Towhee. She wouldn’t be much of a grandmother if she didn’t notice the girl’s discomfort. She motioned Otter closer, planning to drape a foreleg around her shoulders and maybe rub a little warmth into her while they chatted.

I know exactly how you feel, she acknowledged. I like getting out, but it’s nice knowing I can always come home. Towhee paused, considering her next words. You should know that your mom, dad and Skip might be gone a while. So if you go with them, you may miss the copse, though you’ll come back someday. And if you don’t go with them, you’ll miss your family, though they’ll come back someday.

That was quite a decision for someone so young to make. Towhee figured Otter would opt to stay with her immediate family in the end, though she wanted to make sure her granddaughter understood her options.

If you did decide to stay here rather than go with them, I’ll be here. Hopefully a few others as well. So you’ll have family with you, one way or the other. So it basically comes down to whether you want to get out and see the world, or if you prefer to stick close to home.