Sun Mote Copse i've seen her kick in a door before.

Fin's heartbreak over losing Colt had eventually lessened enough that she had mostly returned to herself and her family. It hadn't gone away entirely--the Blackthorn had experienced enough loss in her life by now that she knew not to expect that it would. It had simply become tolerable. It was like an ocean tide now, and she was the shore. It would periodically overwhelm her and she would withdraw, drowning beneath its depths. But then, it was slip away, and she could breathe for a little while in spite of knowing that it would eventually come back around again. Such was life, especially for one as old as she, potentially so lose to her own end.

But that was some fairly morose shit for one of the days where the tide was out. Finley had other things to draw her attention now. She nudged Crow and Pox on their temples in turn and tried to give them an encouraging smile as they trotted off into the woods together. She had tried to hunt with them, but there'd been nothing to find. They had been disappointed, but she had consoled them that that was just the way it worked out sometimes. Most times, in fact. She'd known that wouldn't settle Pox's frustration--he was far too stubborn and determined to settle for anything less than absolute victory--but he could take out his frustrations by beating on Crow for a while. He beat back, but that was just good for them both.

Turning, Finley trotted away herself, weaving through the trees until she eventually found a trickle of water running along at her paws. Fin leaned down to lap up a few mouthfuls, thinking about how not so long ago, this stream had been ten times this size. Things were not going well. She was worried. And that was definitely not the type of distraction from her loss that she had been hoping for.

Although they'd spent quite a while together just yesterday, Sugar found herself searching for @Fennec again today. She wanted to keep helping her cousin map the copse. But though she searched high and low, the youngster couldn't find the blind girl. The irony of that was not lost on her and she was huffing a laugh under her breath and shaking her head when she found herself crossing paths with someone else altogether.

"Fin!" Sugar chirped, happy to see her mother, as always. "Hi," she added, stepping closer to her dam, tail wagging slowly. Finley had been rather melancholy lately, though she didn't look quite so woebegone today. That said, there was a definite look of worry creasing her hoary face. "What's wrong?"

Fin was straightening and licking her lips when she heard her name called. In spite of how down she felt at that moment, hearing her daughter call her by her first name always made her smile. It was such an odd habit--a quirky little thing she did that Finley couldn't explain. It was those quirky little things she most appreciated about her children, so she didn't mind, nor did she ever try to correct the pup.

"Hey, Squirrel," Fin said, dropping her muzzle to touch her nose fondly against one of Sugar's cheeks, "Nothing's wrong exactly. I was just thinking about how the forest is changing." The sadder aspects of its changes, of course, but she didn't need to clarify that. "What're you up to?" she asked, happy for the distraction.

Her mother insisted nothing was amiss, she was simply musing about the seasonal changes. At least, that's how Sugar interpreted her words. The youngster glanced around the two of them, taking in the autumnal splendor and wondering why such beauty made her mother sad. But Finley clearly didn't want to dwell on it. By the time her daughter's eyes tracked back to her face, she was questioning Sugar about her doings.

"I'm talking to you," she replied cheekily, then added, "I was looking for Fen. I helped her map out the copse some yesterday and I wanted to continue." Sugar paused before inviting, "Want to help me find her?"

Fin smirked at her daughter's reply. Another mother might've been annoyed at the snark, but she was more proud to see her child being so clever than anything else. She leaned over to snuffle obnoxiously at Sugar's ear before her mind pieced together an answer to the girl's words.

"Sure," she replied with a little shrug before falling into step beside Sugar, letting her lead the way, "You enjoying getting to have some hang sesh's with your niece?" Towhee was not actually Finley's daughter, nor was Fenn actually Towhee's. Still, Fin raised her children to consider them such because that was exactly how she regarded them. Blood had long lost its significance to her, so she never really imparted that level of regard for it upon her children either.

Niece? Sugar repeatedly idly in her mind before thinking to answer aloud. "Aye. It's really cool how she can get around without seeing. I like her," Sugar declared succinctly, which made her suddenly think of another, unrelated question. Before voicing it, she motioned for Finley to join her and began walking, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of Fennec.

"Fin," she began a moment into their walk, "how come boys are so..." Sugar paused, trying to come up with the right word. She didn't want to be crass or call anyone names, yet she needed to convey what she meant. "They can be really awful," she said lamely after a beat, unable to come with any other way to describe it. "Except Bron," she added thoughtfully, before realizing there was a second exception. "And Fen's brother," whose name escaped her just now, even if Sugar would never forget the way he'd looked after her during her own temporary blindness.

Fin hadn't spent much time with their blind visitor--a fact that she slowly realized was kind of dumb of her while Sugar was talking. To be fair, she hadn't spent too much time with anyone but her own mate and kids in the wake of losing Colt. She needed to be better about that, and so she decided she would be. For now though, she turned her attention back to her daughter as she carefully changed the topic to something that Finley found to be a bit amusing.

Finley smiled at the question, even though it suggested Sugar had been mistreated in some way. "Because boys are wolves just like we all are," she answered, "Everyone has the ability to be awful, just like everyone has the ability to be good. Girls can be just as awful, even though the ones you've known are all delights." Fin paused considering, then went ahead and asked, "Why, what did your brothers do this time?" She didn't know for sure they were the inspiration for the question, but sometimes a mother just knew. And not just because I play said awful brother.

Finley explained that it had little to do with their sex. Although Sugar typically accepted her parents' knowledge at face value, she wasn't entirely convinced. But when her mother prompted her to explain why she asked, she pursed her lips. It wasn't just Crow and Penn, though they were some of the primary suspects. That aside, Sugar didn't really feel like badmouthing them; her inquiry had been borne from genuine bafflement more so than any desire to get any of the pack's young male residents in trouble.

"Nothing," she answered lightly before saying, "All us girls are delightful, aren't we?" and bestowing a cheeky smile upon Finley. "Sugar and spice and everything nice..." she hummed, not sure where she'd heard the nursery rhyme but loving it for the obvious reasons.

She noticed a paw print in a patch of cold, wet mud and paused to examine it, which included dropping her pink nose and sniffing. "I think this is hers," Sugar said, straightening out and resuming her leisurely footsteps, now following in Fen's.

Fin didn't entirely believe the pup when she said it wasn't her brothers who had inspired the query. Penn and Crow both seemed to have inherited the same spirit that had infected all four from her third litter. They would've done her wildlings proud, if only any of them had stuck around to meet them. Sugar and Avery seemed more like her second litter--sweet, caring, and wonderfully peaceable. 

She nodded in agreement to Sugar's ascertion, though she couldn't help but mention her other children now that her mind was on them. "You should've met your two older sisters--Fiadh and Clover," Fin commented with a grin, "They were little hellions like your brothers. Clo would've made Pox seem like a saint." It didn't seem fair that so many of them would never know each other. It made her feel quite blessed that she had known them all.

Finley paused when Sugar did, glancing down at the pawprint the pup had unearthed. "And how d'you know that?" she asked as she followed. She didn't think her daughter was wrong, but she did wonder if she actually knew it was Fenn's or if she had simply come to that conclusion because it was what she was after.

"I'm pretty sure that's her scent," Sugar replied breezily, "and the size is about right." She smiled at Finley and began to follow the trail. Save for a footprint here or there, it was mostly invisible, though Sugar followed her pink button of a nose.

Finley's mention of her older siblings hadn't gotten unnoticed, so now that their tracking was underway, she returned her attention to the conversation. "Where are they?" Sugar wondered. Her parents had mentioned their other litters now and then, though she couldn't remember what had become of these particular two. And if they would've made Pox look like a saint, Sugar couldn't bring herself to regret never meeting them, though she was still very curious to hear more.

Sugar's answer was a good one. Satisfied, Fin simply nodded and let her eyes focus on the forest that spread out around her. She did all she could to make sure her pups knew how to make their way in the world with the gifts they had been given. She hadn't doubted Sugar's ability, but it was always good to check.

"I don't know," Fin answered with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "They're out in the world some where, making their own way, as I'm sure you and your siblings will be one day." She didn't try to fool herself anymore in thinking that any of her children would stay with her like Eljay had chosen to. She didn't make a point of encouraging them to anymore either. She had learned that much about being a mother, at least (and at last).

It wasn't often that Sugar came to her parents with a question they couldn't answer, so Finley's soft, "I don't know," gave the youth pause. She glanced at her mother, noticing the way her eyes and mouth didn't quite match, and began to slow her step. She came to a full stop at the next few words from her dam's mouth.

The idea of leaving her parents, siblings and the copse had never really held any appeal for Sugar. She'd been aware that some came and went ever since developing proper cognizance, though her own tight-knit family was nothing if not steadfast. Sometimes, she wished Crow and Penn would take a hike—and she'd get her wish, to her sorrow, some weeks from now—but she couldn't imagine being apart from Elwood, Finley and, particularly, Avery.

But Sugar didn't refute her mother's observation, instead asking, "Are they together out there? Fiadh and Clover, I mean? And the others?" Somehow, the idea of striking out into the world was a lot less objectionable to Sugar, as long as she could take Avery with her. Not that she was planning anything of the sort.

Fin slowed to a stop when Sugar did. The comment about her siblings had clearly affected her. Or maybe it was more the part about how Sugar herself might leave one day. It wasn't entirely clear when the pup asked her next question which it had been--either one could've prompted her next concern.

"I like to think they are," Fin answered truthfully, "But I don't know that either. They might've found each other and decided to travel together, or they might have found other wolves to live with. Maybe they have mates now. Maybe they have pups of their own. I don't have any way of knowing now that they're gone. All I can do is hope that they do have those things, and trust that I raised them well enough that they're able to find them if they haven't yet." She didn't know if that would be any consolation to her daughter, but it was all she even had to give to herself. Hopefully it would be enough. It wasn't always for Fin.

As Finley described her hopeful visions for Sugar's elder sisters—mates, children, their own packs—Sugar could only chew over the information like a particularly juicy bite of venison. Once more, she thought of her own future. Would she leave one day? Would she want a mate? The idea of pairing up with a man made her frown inwardly. But if she wanted children, then it was a must; she knew about the birds and the bees. Was that something she might want someday, even if the thought stirred little interest now...?

There was no telling what the future held, just like Finley couldn't say for certain what her older children's present looked like now. Sugar shook her head slowly, deciding against further questions, particularly when she caught a glimpse of pale golden fur through the trees ahead.

"I think that's her," the youngster said brightly, though she didn't call Fennec's name just yet. Instead, she came to a stop and asked, "Are you coming with me? Or is it ta-ta for now?"

Sugar didn't ask any further questions, leaving Finley on her own to guess what was going through her little head. She thought of what it would be like when one day her latest litter decided to head out. Crow was gone already. She was positive Penn would be the next--that boy was too unruly and ambitious to live in the shadows of his family here. Avery and Sugar were harder to picture ever leaving, though Fin knew by now not to expect any of her children to stick around. She had Eljay. With any luck, he would manage to produce a few more grandchildren for her and Elwood to dote on the next couple of years until they too departed, though theirs would be a more permanent one.

"Ta-ta for now," Fin answered with a smile and a wag of her tail, "You go have fun. I think I'll go on a dad-hunt." She suspected Elwood was somewhere around the borders, though she wasn't entirely convinced she actually would go seek him out. Perhaps she would do more wandering around and fretting. Maybe she would go take a nap. In any event, she didn't want to intrude upon Sugar's time with her friend.