Sun Mote Copse Should have bought myself a home when I was a fetus.

Towhee stood at the top of Nord’s Cragh, chewing her lip as her eyes panned over the fall foliage. She’d only just returned (escorted again by @Towhee Jr) and now @Seal was gone, @Otter not far behind her. Unable to wait for their parents and brother to return, they had left to find them. Towhee couldn’t fault them for this. She only hoped they would find Meerkat, Njord and Skipjack out there. The world was a big place.

We could go after them too, she thought aloud, eyes dropping to Bushtit playing with the tail she’d torn off a squirrel earlier today. I don’t think you’re quite ready for that big of an adventure just yet, though.

Being left behind had been hard, much harder than she’d anticipated. Towhee hated to do the same thing to the few remaining in the copse. But if @Reyson and @Meadow wanted to claim this little corner for their family, then that was more than fair. None of the Sveijarn-Cortens could lay claim to it, not now that all of them had left, and Towhee sensed deep down that they wouldn’t be back anyhow.

Which means we’re free to go, she posited. We’ll travel to one of the Moon villages for a visit, then figure things out from there, I think.

Seconds later, Towhee bent down to snatch the tail from her son, then galloped downhill toward The Taigh. Bushtit came tumbling after her, rolling ass over tea kettle and prompting a bellowing laugh from his mother. She went to check on him, though he was unfazed. Towhee nuzzled the top of his head, then lifted her eyes skyward, absently looking for any sign of Ghost.

the life-bringer headed inland after finding nothing of note upon the coast, save a plateau territory that seemed to be recently abandoned by its wolves. these borders, however, are much fresher, if somewhat lacking in numbers based on scent. still, undoubtedly a current claim.

tziporah paces the length of what the copse denizens know as the northeast border, unsure of whether or not to call out. is this not, after all, why she has traveled so far? she cannot help but hesitate, though, after the poor interaction she'd endured at the tide pools.

the sound of thundering pawsteps and laughter make the decision for her. in the near distance, she spots a well-muscled woman dressed in black and white with splashes of red-orange, and what appears to be a young pup near her side. she barks loudly, seeking the wolf's attention, but does not move quite yet.

friend or foe? she'll find that out soon enough.

She spotted the hawk off toward the south, winging in slow circles. He must be right over Jr, Towhee deduced, dropping her eyes to look ponderously at her youngest child. He was at an age where she could leave him on his own for a little while, so she ushered him into the cottage with the promise of snacks.

After settling him into The Taigh, Towhee stepped out of doors and once again looked southward. But she saw no sign of Ghost. She frowned, then began scanning in other directions. Her head reared back a little when she saw him flapping steadily toward the copse’s northeastern corner.

She immediately began loping that way. There was no way her daughter had kept up with the hawk, though surely she was en route. The elder Towhee was much closer and clearly there was something—or, more likely, someone—there to capture Ghost’s attention.

When Towhee first clapped eyes on the stranger, she immediately mistook her for a small deer. Then the canine features began to register. This wasn’t the first dog she’d ever met, though this one—a female, by scent—couldn’t have looked more different than the one Towhee had come to think of as “the beefalo.”

I have to ask: what’s it like, Towhee said as she approached with a mostly curious, slightly wary expression, wandering around a place teeming with wolves, looking so edible?