Heron Lake Plateau loyal like sid & nancy

Pls let my famibly post first.

After several days along the scenic route, Rannoch and @Liffey arrived at the plateau with @Breccan, @Deshyr, and @Remi in tow. Although there had been times where his injury had given him grief, he had fared relatively well overall. The extra milage had additionally allowed for the family to collectively bond; their adventure had made Rannoch a happier man.

Keeping a respectful distance from the border of the Redhaws' claim, he slowed to a stop and regarded his family with a sweeping glance. "This is Heron Lake Plateau, kids. Neat, huh?" he asked. Rannoch then turned to Liffey and booped her cheek. "You ready to call for them?" he asked as he pulled away, giving her the honors.

It wasn’t until they arrived within sight of the Plateau that Liffey breathed her first easy breath. She’d been so on edge during their journey that Charon or one of his daughters would appear (or all of them) around every corner. It was the first time she’d ever brought her kids on a trip like this with just herself and Rannoch to look after them, which was nerve wracking enough without having to skirt right around the Ostrega’s mountain. But they had made it safely (likely due to our lack of aw travel threads lolololol), and now here they were, and Liffey could finally allow herself to feel excited for this.

She looked at her mate and smiled broadly as he encouraged their kids to call. She felt Remi shift at her side and turned to give her a comforting nudge. Her eyes went to Breccan then expectantly, deciding without really thinking that it would be him to start the summons. In any event, Liffey held her own tongue. She wanted her parents to hear the voices of their grandkids and get to hear about their delight over the surprise.

*tags self* lolol

Breccan had enjoyed the journey from beginning to end; it was the experience that he needed after moving from the Sunspire to Lost Creek Hollow. Not that that trip had been bad or anything, but he had been so young, and because Rannoch had been incapacitated almost immediately after their arrival at the hollow, he associated the two events with each other. This adventure was much more pleasant, and he couldn't have been happier to be accompanied by his parents and sisters. (He did miss Wisp, and kept an eye out for her the whole time, but needless to say, she was nowhere to be found.)

He looked up at the flat-topped plateau, wondering why, exactly, this mountain had had its peak lopped off. His frame of reference was, of course, the mountain range of the Sunspire, so this was odd looking to him. "Weird," he said, then glanced at his parents. He found that they were looking at him expectantly, so he puffed up his chest and took a step forward before howling for @Finley and @Elwood, addressing them as Grandma and Grandpa.

*PPs all the Blackthorns*

The voice on the wind was familiar, but Fin didn't immediately place it. Mostly that was due to her disbelief that it could possibly be who she thought it was. After a few seconds, though, she realized that her ears didn't lie. She wasn't capable of forgetting the voices of her only grandchildren (that she was aware of). Her heart spasmed with excited delight as she turned to look at @Tywyll, who she'd been gallivanting with at the time. "Oh my gosh. Follow me like right now," she told him eagerly before she pivoted and took off for the borders, grinning like a psychopath.

She had calmed down a little bit during her trip, but the moment she spotted her daughter, son-in-law, and three of their kids, she got excited all over again. Her hip was not at all pleased with how hard it had been pushed to get her there quickly, but Finley ignored it, bounding towards them with a happy wag of her tail. Tywyll sidled up alongside her, but paused just behind, peering uncertainly at the group that had gathered while his mother showed no hesitation at inserting herself right into the middle of the happy puppies who turned to greet her. "Hey little buddies!!" she crooned, reaching to nudge at @Deshyr and @Remi who both stuck their noses out at her with little kisses and happy whines.

Finley and Tywyll happened to run right past Elwood on their way to the borders; he had heard the call too and was on his way. He was far enough from them that they didn't see him, and he had to grin at the sight of his mate hastening to greet her grandchildren. He picked up the pace and followed, arriving just after Ty and Fin.

While Finley happily interacted with the puppies, Elwood turned first to Liffey and Rannoch. "Good to see you guys," he said earnestly as he nudged Liffey's cheek affectionately and then bumped Rannoch's shoulder. "How was the trip?" he asked even as he turned to his grandchildren. His gaze swept over them and he realized that there was one missing; hadn't there been four before? He didn't come right out and ask about it, though there was a question in his eyes as he looked at Liffey while scooping Deshyr into a hug when she approached him.

Unsurprisingly, Finley went right for her grandchildren. What he was surprised about was Tywyll's presence—he had yet to meet either of Finley and Elwood's youngest children. "Hey there," he greeted his brother-in-law was a wag of his tail; Elwood arrived shortly after Rannoch had spoken.

"It's good to see you, too," he replied, returning his father-in-law's affection nudge. Rannoch's attention turned towards his children as they were asked how their trip had gone. "Well, I think it went well," he replied, keeping his eyes on his children. "What'd you think, kids? Did we have a good trip?" Although he could have easily answered, Rannoch wanted to encourage them to speak.

Liffey smiled as Breccan tilted back his head to call for her parents. She felt Remi and Deshyr press themselves closer to her and leaned to nuzzle them both encouragingly. They weren't quite as bold as their brother, but she was perfectly okay with that. They were princesses, but Breccan was a prince and the Frostfur heir. She would allow them to be soft and delicate, so long as her son was bold and brave and strong.

Not that she played favorites.

It didn't take long for her parents to arrive with a boy in tow that she did not recognize. She smiled as her mother rushed in to greet the kids and her father moved to greet them. She went to Elwood first, reaching to push her head up under his throat with a happy growl. "Hi daddy," she crooned happily, letting herself be a child again if only for a few seconds. She looked back as Deshyr and Remi rushed from her mother to her father to show him with hellos as well. She let her attention then go to the other boy, who she presumed was her brother. She offered him a smile before looking back at the rest of her family.

Breccan moved alongside Remi and Deshyr to touch noses first with his grandmother, and then with his grandfather. Always interested in what the adults were saying, he was quick to follow Rannoch's lead and tell his grandparents how their trip was. "Yeah, it was good," he said, as Remi bobbed her head in agreement next to him.

He found his gaze straying to the young wolf that had accompanied Finley. "I'm Breccan, who're you?" he asked, bold yet not unfriendly.

It was a good thing Elwood was there to include everyone in this little reunion because Fin ignored her daughter and son-in-law almost entirely in favor of her grandkids. The most she gave to the pair was a smile and a wave of her tail, which wasn't entirely her fault because Deshyr like, looked at her, and what was she supposed to do? Not ignore everyone and focus in on her granddaughter? Rude.

"Okay, tell me everything about your life so far - Go!" she encouraged with a grin, prompting a giggle from the girl, which was followed by a stream of consciousness as Deshyr acquiesced to her grandmother's request.

Since Stevie and I make up 4/5 of the characters in this thread (lolol) would you guys wanna wrap soon with the fambly going to get settled together? :D

Elwood's question was answered first by Rannoch, then by Breccan. As was typical of a young child, he didn't provide all that much information, but Elwood trusted that the journey was just as "good" as he said. He watched as the boy introduced himself to Tywyll, who responded in kind with a wave of his tail.

He hugged Liffey as Finley began talking animatedly with Deshyr, then stepped back to address both his daughter and son-in-law. "Come on in, we'll get you settled. How long are you planning to stay?" he asked as Remi sidled up alongside Breccan, who was still interacting with Tywyll.

Note: Totally! Mind wrapping up in your next post, Stevie?

 
As Elwood and Finley interacted with their grandkids, Rannoch observed with a smile—this trip and visit was a blessing in disguise, he felt. It was good for all of them, grandparents included. He attention only shifted as Elwood addressed him and Liffey, and Rannoch glanced at his wife before answering. 

"At least five or six sun-cycles," he answered, pausing to allow for Liffey to interject if she disagreed.

Tywyll and Breccan broke off to chat while Finley distracted the girls. Liffey smiled as a happy contentment flooded her. It was wonderful to be with her parents and to give her kids the opportunity to love them just as much as she did. She was also intrigued by these younger siblings she had never met before and definitely wanted to hunt them each down to introduce herself and get to know them as well. But they had time for that still. For now, she turned to Rannoch and Elwood as they began to converse, and a fond smile cracked across her muzzle.

"He means days..." Liffey said with a small laugh, bumping her shoulder against Rannoch and giving him a teasing glance. She looked at her dad then and fell into conversation, and would eventually follow him along with the rest into the territory to get settled.