Sun Mote Copse Only blue or black days

After she returned with Towhee, Fennec kept to her decision to remain within the Firebird claim.  She didn't avoid @Figment; sooner or later she should probably apologize or something.  Or just pretend it never happened, whatever was easier.

But she didn't really look for him either.  She wasn't super down about the whole thing, but she did kind of feel like being alone.  

In the summer, the small clearing she was in had been full of flowers.  She remembered the scent of them.  Right now it was an empty swath of snow and dead grass, and Fennec nosed her way across to find a relatively clear patch before curling up.  The sun was out and that made this the perfect place to nap, a place where she could feel the sun still filter through the opening in the trees.  Not so many birds to distract her either.

She rested her nose on her hip, but didn't go to sleep immediately. Instead she just listened as the dead grasses crackled in the breeze and a flock of crows sailed by high overhead.  Their caws turned her ears round, and she wondered if they'd found something dead.  Hopefully so, she liked crows.

As she was settling in, Fennec made the abrupt decision that forced starr to edit this thread - this was stupid.  Everything about this was dumb.  So she tipped back her head and called for @Figment directly.  She wanted to talk and he could see, so of course he was going to come to her.  And Stevie is getting another tag.

The borders had been quiet that morning, which was just the way Fig preferred them, regardless of what that Blackthorn kid said. He'd run into Penn a couple of mornings ago as he'd been trying to creep back home, mysteriously covered in the scent of eagle with bloody scratches down the side of his muzzle. He'd thrown off any questions about it, so Fig was at a loss as to what had happened to him. But by the end of the conversation, he'd determined that it had probably been deserved. Any moron that thought a patrol was a waste of time if it didn't end in a battle to the death between himself and seven ..what had he called them? Bitch ass ninja hooligans? Ugh. In any event, the moron had probably deserved whatever it was that had happened to him.

But anyway, Fig didn't care what Penn thought of him. Unfortunately, he didn't care in that way where you legit didn't care, but more in the way that where you self-righteously insist you don't care as you replay the conversation over and over again. Which is to say, it was probably one of the better times for Fenn to have called for him. Fig didn't entirely feel ready to face his sister to clear the air, but he definitely needed to be saved from battling his self-esteem issues. He paused when he heard her voice, hesitating for only a moment before he went. Yes, things were still awkward and wrong between them, but that would never stop Figment from going when Fenn needed him.

He was silent when he came upon her, guiltily taking a moment to try and gauge her mood before he made his presence known. It was wrong to take advantage of her that way, but Fig was a careful wolf, and he liked to avoid conflict. Knowing what he was walking into helped him do so. "Hey," he said after a moment, allowing his paws to start making noise as he finished closing the distance between the two of them, "What's up?"

She could tell it was him, and she faced him neutrally as he approached.  She hadn't really thought out how this talk was going to go, but she was tired of this weird awkward whatever the hell was happening.

This is stupid.  We need to talk.  She started in right off the bat, blunt and straightforward.  She knew from experience he wouldn't want to upset her and therefore wouldn't start the hard conversations.  That had always been her job.

I've been trying to explore by myself and I suck at it.  I want you to help me not to suck at it.  She said, tilting her head a bit so she could tune into any reaction he might have.  I don't care if you aren't planning on leaving, neither am I, but I want to be better at it.

She stopped there, and listened.  Would he be upset by it, or need a reason?  She didn't feel like she needed one, and she didn't really even have one anymore.  Just in case, maybe? Or just to be able to say she could?  Either way... he was going to help her, because he was Fig, and that's what he did.

Fenn went straight to the point, leaving Fig to blink in awkward surprise at her. He was startled by her candidness, but he supposed he shouldn't be. Walking on eggshells was something he did, which was likely why she'd begun to do it too. She'd always been bold while he'd always been careful. He'd always followed her lead, and it surprised him now to realize that she'd been following his.

So, Fig went back to his proper role. "I'm not exactly great at exploring either. I mean, I've been going out more lately but... I don't know." He shook his head, dismissing the rest of his self-doubt. He was the follower. He didn't need to understand how he was going to help her with this. That was Fenn's job. "What did you have in mind?" he asked simply.

With just a few short statements, things were right again.  Maybe not perfect, but the way things should be.  She couldn't let fear keep her from trusting her family to see her through these things.  She didn't have the luxury since she couldn't see the path herself.

Fennec smiled.  I have no idea.  Towhee had a cool idea of maybe getting some kinda owl or something, but how does that even work?  She thought about it a second.  I just can't find my way home sometimes.  What do you mean, though, you aren't great?  Did you just sit around and get fat the entire time you were gone?  She was teasing, but genuinely curious too.

Fenn admitted to not knowing how to go about this either, but she at least had some suggestions. Fig frowned at the idea of an owl. He didn't know how to go about getting one of those. How had Towhee ever ended up with X? Had she hunted him down? Maybe one day he'd ask her about it.

"I got taller, not wider," Fig informed her with a sardonic smile that was quick to slip away as he continued to think. "I don't mean that I don't know how to explore. I just..." he hesitated briefly before sighing, "I wouldn't know how to do it in your situation. Except I guess... just pay a lot of attention to where you're going."

He frowned, knowing it wouldn't be helpful to her really. He thought of the game they used to play when they were kids where he would close his eyes and try to find her. He'd always had her to look for, though. It was easier to find a person than it was to find a place when you were wandering with your eyes closed. He sighed, then offered, "I don't think an owl. They're only active at night. What about a sparrow? Those are all over the place. I've never tried to talk to one, but... I could try."

He was so serious about it.  Fennec was too, but she could practically hear the frown in every word he said.  Not only that, but he shot down her owl plan with very valid reasons.  X had been so cool... whoever that Tegan guy was, Fennec owed him a big bite somewhere unpleasant for ruining her hawk.

That's easy. Just find me a blind owl.  Then it won't know the difference.  She said, absolutely zero inflection to indicate she wasn't serious.  The idea of him trying to talk to a sparrow was pretty funny... he'd have to yell at the trees to even have a chance.  But she wanted to see what he thought of this suggestion first.

It took him a minute to realize Fennec was messing with him. In that minute, he deliberated over how to explain to her that a blind owl probably wasn't the best option for solving the problem at hand. It would be the blind leading the blind. Literally. He had a couple of false starts at answering her before finally he pursed his lips, frowned, and then rolled his eyes. 

"So what then?" Fig replied, smiling, "I get you a blind owl and then I have to find an owl for the blind owl? Or do I get the sparrow to help the owl so it can help you? Or do I get a blind sparrow and then I have to get a mouse or something to help it?"

Blind owl, blind owl, blind sparrow, mouse.  Definitely.  She loved how convoluted it had gotten and that he'd taken the joke up.  Never say I didn't deliver in giving plenty to keep you busy!  Her tail waved, then stilled.  For real though, did you know mom almost got me a hawk? But then apparently some guy ate it.  Weird.  And pretty lame.

Fig shook his head fondly, smiling as his sister talked. It was nice to be on speaking terms again and all of that weirdness left behind. At least, he hoped this meant it was gone. It certainly felt gone, but he hadn't been the one harboring any bitterness. He'd just felt guilty, which was easily resolved with an apology and a dose of forgiveness. He assumed this was forgiveness, at least.

"I think I remember that," Fig said slowly as he dug through his memories, "X brought it to us, then... I don't remember his name, or him really. But he was mad and he grabbed it." He shook his head. He'd been pretty terrified, but he certainly wasn't going to bring that part up. "Sucks though," he added, "But if mom could find and train X to work with her, then we can totally find something for you." He paused, then his face brightened with a smile, "How about a nice toad?"

A toad?!  She pulled a face and laughed.  It'd have to be the fastest toad ever to help me hunt.  Those were the loud things that hung out around ponds.  They didn't sound or smell very impressive.  But I guess if that's all you can catch it's the thought that counts.  

Like him, it felt good to be back to this, givin cheeky comments and talking again.  She'd never been mad, but as she felt her worry and insecurity disappear, she found she could forget that he had been gone. Forget that he might have enjoyed being free of the responsibility of her... because that was a stupid thought.  If she asked him for help, he could always say no, but he was her brother and wouldn't.  It was as simple and easy as that.

Fig feigned offense at her reaction to his suggestion, though he did so poorly. He smiled through it, and he wagged his tail--both total tells that he was just pretending to be shocked. Fortunately, Fenn was blind and wouldn't have seen those tells. Unfortunately, she also couldn't see the way he dropped his jaw and frowned a little in a way that suggested he was offended. Thank you for reading this rather pointless paragraph.

"Oh, you want help hunting?" Fig replied, "I thought you just needed a guide toad. If you want help hunting and travelling, then I think I have just the thing for you." He took a couple of steps closer to her until he was near enough to bump his shoulder against hers. "How about a big brother?" he said with a grin.

I don't know if you listen to Alec Benjamin, but there's a part of his song "If We Have Each Other" where he talks about a brother and sister and it reminds me of Figfen <3

And back to this!  Fennec sighed, but she also laughed.  I mean sure, sometimes.  But if your lazy butt doesn't want to go, I gotta still have a backup brother.  So you gotta go find me your sub, yeah?

She bumped him back, then used her nose to find his shoulder and shove her face in the crook of his big dumb neck.  I'm glad your back, Fig.  She said, uncharacteristically feeling.  Then she pulled back and gave a quick nip at his ear.  Who else can I wrestle into the dust?  She asked, bringing the tone back with a wiggle and a clear invitation to spar.

fade?  We are def gonna need another!

Fenn was welcome to sigh all she wanted over his persistence, her brother was never going to stop insisting that he was her number one caretaker and defender. He smiled at her retort and nodded his acceptance of the terms. He didn't know about a backup brother, but a substitute would work. 

"Me too," he answered her, his tail wagging. He hadn't been too sure up until now whether or not he really was glad to be back, but with this behind them, he felt much better. He ducked his head to the side when she nipped at him. He braced himself when she gave her threat, readying himself for when she inevitably attempted to make good on her claim, then proceeded to get wrestled into the dust for a while.

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