Redhawk Caldera Azurite

Pippin's name made Towhee's expression curdle like sour milk. "What? No, I wasn't," Towhee countered, giving Wraen an odd look. Which one of them was misremembering? She liked to think she could trust her own memory, though she had to admit it had been so long, the details were fuzzy. "I never considered anyone her father, except Phox. I was kind of"—well, a bitch—"adamant about it." She paused. "But over time, I acknowledged that this guy, Kaertok, was likely the one." It might've been wishful thinking more than anything, though no one could prove or disprove it, especially now.

"In fact, that's why we fell out," Towhee recalled aloud. "Pippin and me. I didn't want him claiming her as his own. I welcomed him to be part of her life, but because I wouldn't let him get his way, he ghosted us. I haven't seen him since Meerkat was still pretty young. If he was her dad, he was a deadbeat. But he wasn't. Kaertok was. She even met him, shortly before he died."

The Sovereign went quiet then, remembering Meerkat visiting and telling her about this. Fortunately, neither one of them had been close to him, so the grief was minimal. Towhee still felt for her daughter, though it wasn't like she had ever lacked for a father figure. Just like this next batch, her children might not be brought up the traditional way, yet they would have more love—and, in truth, more parents—than most.

That thought set Towhee's teeth on edge. She didn't want to think about trying to parent these next litters with Niamh right now. For the kids' sake, and Phox's, Towhee figured she would just have to choke down her rage. Maybe by the time they arrived, it wouldn't even be so hard. Her lips twisted as she pondered this, feeling another blaze of anger at the Regent for her part in ruining most of Towhee's hopes for raising her family.

She stared at her feet for a few beats, then her orange eyes drifted up to Wraen. Towhee offered her friend an apologetic, careworn smile. She should've asked about Pippin but, quite frankly, she didn't give a damn about him anymore. He was just one of the many, many wolves who'd walked out of her life without so much as a goodbye, to either her or his purported daughter.