Redhawk Caldera Hello, I'm the Doctor. 《IC Join》

In a way, things had settled down. Sure, the plateau had shat all over them—more specifically, Dante had shat all over them—but Fox knew that Redhawk Caldera would remain a small, strong, defiant pack. She had no intention to ever leave the caldera, even if she knew circumstances always had a way of changing that. She had spent almost no time outside her home since getting here, happy to keep things local and bond with her pack-mates. They were the ones who mattered, and they were far enough away from any other packs that she did not need to worry about conflicts. Blacktail Deer Plateau, even with as far away as it was, still hung in the back of her mind, but that was entirely due to the fact that a) Finley was still there and b) Peregrine's children were (presumably) there, and he cared deeply for them. If it hadn't been for Peregrine's connection to so many of the plateau wolves and Finley being held there Fox wouldn't have given the place a second thought.

Having Ashton and Amon back felt, well, right. They had been here since the beginning (or really, really close to it), and Fox was keenly aware of how much longevity was worth. Those who stuck around the longest were often the most loyal, the most helpful, and gave the pack a family-like feel. She wanted—no, needed—that for Redhawk Caldera. Her children would need it, too. Fox didn't like to think it would ever happen, but if she or Peregrine somehow became unable to care for their children, the caldera would become their family, and Fox wanted to ensure that each and every wolf who lived here was up to the task. All of them would be involved with the kids in some way or another.

Fox's feet took her to the borders, scouring the landscape and smells for any indication of intruders, but she found none today. Perhaps it was the impending winter, but the last few days had been quiet and calm. A nice relief from the commotion that had rocked the caldera for a couple of weeks. Looking out toward neutral land, Fox spotted two wolfish figures heading straight for the caldera. On high alert, she planted her four feet where they were and watched the two approaching. They were still too far away for her to catch their scent or even appearance, but if they continued her way, they would soon meet her head-on. She could only hope that it would be a peaceful encounter. The wound on her face was still scabbed over and angry, though she'd managed to keep the infection away with the help of Perry's daily gentle cleanings.