Redhawk Caldera the old bridge is on fire and i’m the one to blame

His reaction was worse than whatever scene she had made up in her head— she hadn't expected to be welcomed back with open arms, nor was it what she had been even looking for by returning to the caldera. "I'm sor—" she began to whine quietly, but the angry male cut her off without even hearing... and it was all too clear that she had missed her chance. Wishing for all the world that the frozen earth would open up below her and swallow her whole, Magpie's heart pounded in her chest, and she rolled over to be sick. But before she could slink away, tail between her legs, Fox's voice stilled her.

Magpie had expected that Fox would somehow be the easiest to reach, but she still hadn't expected this. Forgiveness, maybe, and perhaps reluctant forgiveness from Peregrine... but not a place in their ranks. She almost argued the point with Fox, that it wasn't necessary to exile anyone just to make room for her, but thought better of it— clearly, there was nothing she could say to either of them. Her mouth opened, then closed, as she struggled to feel anything but paralyzed. On one hand, Fox was inviting her in, but on the other... Peregrine had made it clear that she wasn't.

She dared a glance at the fuming male's form, then quickly adjusted her gaze to the ground. Fox nudged her, then, urging her towards the caldera in both movement and question. Magpie had so much she had wanted to say— and it seemed the only way she could say it would be by following the fiery woman deeper into her domain. And so she followed, her posture every bit submissive and guilty.

"He was like a dad to me," was all she could finally muster, referring to Peregrine. "Do you think he'll be mad forever...?" Magpie questioned, only then realizing that Fox carried the forgotten haunch of meat. She sighed, then, and began to tell it all from the beginning— "I know that I owe you both for my life. I didn't mean to run off without a word... I just missed my mom, and felt this overwhelming urge to find her." She didn't think she had ever told Fox about her birth pack, for she had been a child of few words when the Creek and then the Caldera had taken her in. "And I did— find her, I mean. I thought I was home, that I would stay there forever. I think it will always be a home for me... but she told me about my dad."

She grit her teeth, then, anger and guilt roiling up inside of her. "He didn't even want me, Fox— he tried to kill my mom when he found out she was pregnant. If he had his way, I wouldn't even exist," Magpie wanted to continue, to point out that Peregrine had wanted her, at least sort of, and she had thrown that out on a whim... but she had grown too upset while relaying this part of the tale, and fell into tense silence, her gait matching the fiery Alpha's as they trekked further into the Caldera.