Sun Mote Copse it's just we're having a bad time too.

Fig had no idea as he did his border patrol that day that his world would shortly be turned upside down. He had noticed how upset @Fennec had been lately, of course. And though he found it difficult to comprehend, he knew that it was likely caused by Penn's absence. He didn't understand why she'd grown so attached to the guy--he was nothing more than an unreliable, self-centered, reckless jerk as far as Fig could tell--but he knew it wasn't his place to try and dissuade her from their friendship. Up until recently, Penn had never done her any harm. Now that he had, Fig considered that he might have a little more to say to her on the subject. Little did he realize it was likely a little too late.

Heaving a sigh, the yearling paused to sniff at a large branch that had clearly fallen from a nearby tree. He looked up at the other branches thoughtfully, spying another that looked as though it had taken some damage when the first fell. A good wind storm and that one would be down too. He'd have to keep an eye on that, he decided as he squatted to leave a mark. He continued along then, not stopping again until he came across the unexpected, rather fresh scents of Avery and Penn. He blinked in surprise and looked out into the Wilds, a thoughtful frown drawn across his face.

UM HI

Towhee had taken the news surprisingly well, and that bolstered Fennec a little.  The part of her that had worried 'can I actually do this' shut up when Towhee didn't even question it.  Of course she could.  She was a bad ass.

But that didn't mean it wasn't upsetting to leave.  And that definitely didn't mean she was excited to duck out on Fig.  She was looking for him currently, though she hadn't decided how she was going to say it.  Should she tell him it was Penn's idea? Probably not.  Would she? Yeah probably.  Shit this was going to go poorly.

Suddenly, she was impatient with both him and herself. It was going to go how it was going to go, and stressing about it was stupid.  Hey, Fiiiigggg!!!  She hollered, still following the trace of where he was she'd caught earlier, but unsure on how much farther she needed to go.  FIG!!  Come here, she needed to talk.

Coincidentally enough, that was the moment Fennec arrived. Fig turned as he heard her calling his name and searched through the trees for her. She was coming right for him, whether she realized it or not. He considered her for a moment, his spidey-senses tingling uncomfortably. Penn's return, and now her calling for him in a tone that lacked the melancholy that had been there for days. Something was about to happen.

He left his path and went to her, knowing there was no other option for him. Whatever she had to say, he would hear it. He could tell he wouldn't like it, whatever it was. All he could do was hope that she wasn't going to tell him that she and Penn had made things "official". Poor boy had no idea. "Over here, Fenny," he called as he closed the distance between them, uncertain, but resigned.

Wow, try and contain your enthusiasm, Fennec joked as she heard his tone, though it only solidified a little of the dread.  You think it's bad now?  But maybe he'd be excited.  He'd taken trips, plenty of them, both with dad before and now.  He really couldn't blame her for wanting to take some too, yeah?

Only... was this even just a trip?

Casual was best.  I wanted to tell you like I told mom and dad, Penn's leaving and wants me to come with.  I told him I would.  Straight and upfront.  Her sightless eyes looked slightly past him, but her ears shifted sideways a bit.  It was the only uncertainty she showed.... at least her voice sounded fine.

Fig didn't comment as she called him out on his lack of enthusiasm. He had nothing to say. If anything, her words merely cemented for him that he was in for something unpleasant. Unfortunately, he'd had no idea just how unpleasant it was going to be until she was dropping the bomb on him, leaving him stunned.

Leaving?

"What do you mean 'leaving'?" he asked after a few seconds fo silence, his voice even and tempered, "Like, a few days? A week? For a trip or for... something else? Like you're not part of the pack anymore? Like you're gonna go live somewhere else?" He shut himself up before he got too out of control. There was definitely some emotion sneaking into his tone near the end and he didn't want to behave that way. She was certainly making it hard for him, though.

She felt her fur lift a little as he began to demand explanation.  She'd come here knowing it would happen... this wasn't a surprise.  But for some reason hearing him ask for it in that way, it made it feel like he was being overbearing.  Like he was questioning her right to do it.

Complete bullshit, but siblings, am I right?

Like 'leaving and I don't really know when I'll be back'.  It isn't like we've made a schedule.  Not everything has to have a plan, she shot back, a little impatient despite herself.  In reality she was feeling a lot of overwhelming ways right now, and she'd psyched herself up so much on how she thought he'd react that... well... this was going to be difficult.

Leaving and she didn't know when she'd be back. Fig stared at his sister, speechless. He couldn't help but think of when they'd been reunited, how she'd gotten lost and couldn't find her way home. She'd said it had been awful, that she'd been scared. And here she was, happily proclaiming she was heading out again for some undetermined amount of time with no real direction. How in the hell was she not scared about that??

Fig did his best to hold his emotions in check and to not be all big brother about it. But... "Sure, not everything has to have a plan, but, y'know, you might make one for the bigger things in life," he replied anxiously, "Such as... this." He shook his head, trying to collect himself. "Have you even thought this through? It's dangerous out there, and I'm sorry, but.. Penn? Of all the travelling companions you could have at your side, does it have to be that guy?"

We are going to set this after Bronco bc what the heck.  But here was yet another person shitting on Penn.  For the first time, she started to get a little mad on his behalf.  What did they even know about Penn?!  It wasn't like any of them got along.  They didn't know shit.

I didn't hear anyone else asking, she said, trying to keep her voice somewhat calm while she felt her frustration building.  She still felt a little frayed after Bronco.. maybe this should have waited.  You and Bronco can be as mad as you like, but unlike you, maybe I don't need to have everything figured out.  She couldn't figure everything out. She had no idea what to expect, how to know where they would go or what she would run into. She lived her life in the dark, literally. 

Mom is totally fine with it, she added, a little churlishly.  One last ditch effort to bring him around, though she bet it wouldn't work.  It wasn't like she was trying to be overly reassuring.

Bronco? She'd talked to Bronco already? Fig stared at her, incredulous, and finally getting a bit peeved himself. She apparently had gone to everyone else on the planet about this before she came to him? What was that about? He definitely had no problem with her friendship with Bronco--in fact, he would've been way more on board with this whole thing if she'd chosen the brown Blackthorn to run off with instead of the gray one. He still wouldn't have been on board, probably. But more on board than what he was.

In spite of what she thought of her chances, her last comment did actually have an effect on Fig. Towhee was totally fine with this? He parted his lips to ask if she knew that Fenn was leaving with Penn Blackthorn, but he managed to hold his tongue. This was definitely a game changer. It didn't make him any happier with the situation, but it did take the wind out of his sails.

"So... So what, I never see you again?" he said, his voice quieter now, "How am I supposed to... Not see you every day? And our baby sisters and brothers. Are they just... never gonna know you?" Fig shook his head.

Oh, great, now guilt.  Fennec couldn't help it... she never could when it came to Figment.  Yeah, Fig, you're never going to see me again.  This is it, I'm never coming back, guess Meerkat will have to make herself a sister out of a dead squirrel or something.  Are you kidding me right now?  She was incredulous by the end.  Please tell me you are joking.  

He should know her better than that.  Just because she didn't know when she was going to be back didn't mean she wouldn't be, and he was stupid for even considering that.  This was her family, and whether or not she found a new home, whatever.  She'd be back to see them sooner than later, probably, and could shove his dumb sad face in the dirt then for even suggesting otherwise.

Fenn's response was insulting, condescending and infuriating, so it of course pulled Fig right back out of his melancholy. He frowned at her, fuming, though he couldn't bring himself to be too angry when her words had also brought him a bit of relief. He supposed he had let himself get a tad bit melodramatic. But what was he supposed to do? This was all so sudden and so... universe-rending. 

"You know me," he said with a shrug and a half-hearted smile, "I tell the best jokes." He took a breath and looked at her for a moment, thinking back for some reason on the day they'd been told to stay at the den and had ended up running off together. Fenn had gone for it fearlessly, but he had been reluctant. In the end, he'd followed her, because what else was he going to do? He was her brother.

Things were different now.

"You're worth at least five dead squirrels, Fenny," Fig said with a small, resigned smile. If they were going to part ways, it was going to be on good terms, regardless of how he felt about this.

Of course it was the joke that would make her emotional.  Five dead squirrels.  She laughed, and it was real, but it didn't completely ring like it should.  Was she really doing this?

She wanted to ask him to come with.  But the whole point of this was that she shouldn't need to.  She could do this, and he could stay here and take care of Meerkat and be the stupid, responsible brother that she knew and loved.  Then make sure she gets five of them, okay? She said, coming up to wrap her brother in a big wolf hug.  Damn, yeah, she was going to miss him.

Her laugh made his chest tighten with emotions. When would he get to hear it again? She'd never said, but she had at least told him that this separation wasn't forever. He could deal with not forever, if it was his only option.

Fig nodded and dipped his head as Fenn came in for the hug. He thought about telling her to be careful, to stay safe, to come home soon. He didn't, though. What was the point? Fennec Redhawk was going to do exactly what she wanted to do. It was something he admired (and feared) about her. So, all he said was, "I will," and tucked his muzzle against her shoulder, trying hard not to think to himself that, in spite of what she said, this might be the last time.