Moonspear SOFI needs a ladder.

Mother and son spent the night in the southernmost corner of the weald, waking to a cold, clear morning. Bushtit seemed fascinated by the frost sparkling in the morning sunlight. Towhee didn’t hurry him, letting the little guy explore while she rationed out the rest of the rabbit they’d supped on the night before.

Hey, you, Towhee called when breakfast was ready. Yeah, you, with the face! she jested when Bushtit’s little head whipped toward her. You hungry?

He gamboled over to her and sniffed at the offerings, then began to eat. Towhee imbibed too, watching the pup curiously. He was two months old now and just hitting that particularly gangly stage. Her question had been rhetorical; he was always hungry and ate whatever she offered him. He was fairly fluent in Ptero now, though she noticed he was a man of few words. He didn’t often bother speaking aloud at all.

Okay, remember, it’s your pick today. Do you wanna hit Moontide, Moonglow or Moonspear first? Towhee asked, pointing in the direction of each territory as she spoke their names. We’ll visit all three eventually, plus others when you get a little older. You just need to pick a starting point.

Bushtit chewed his latest bite and motioned, -Moonspear!-

Moonspear it is. We’ll head that way as soon as you’re done.

It was nearing noon by the time they arrived at the far side of Silverlight Terrace. Towhee glanced toward the glen, wondering if the hunters were still gathered there or if everybody had headed home by now. She sniffed the air but it was too cold and still to tell her much, so she shifted her attention to the looming mount.

Do you remember Killdeer? He lives here. He has a couple of kids. They’re older than you but I bet they’d like to play with you.

In fact, they were spotted by Treepie, who rushed down the mountain to greet them. She seemed absolutely enamored with Bushtit. She kept referring to him as a “cute, sweet baby,” which made Towhee chuckle. Pie ushered the two across the borders, insisting the three of them head up toward the rendezvous site.

Pie was so good with her little—well, whatever he was to her—so Towhee left Bushtit in her care and sidled to the other side of the rendezvous site, hoping to spot @Killdeer, @Sialuk or another grownup. Especially since Bushtit wasn’t particularly conversational, she was dying for a proper conversation.

Sialuk arrived at the rendezvous site to find not only Treepie, but Towhee as well, and—much to her surprise—a child of Towhee's. The high sage did not recall Towhee mentioning anything of a pregnancy during their last visit to the copse, but perhaps it had simply not been something she wished to share. Speaking of Towhee, she looked as though she could use a bit of company, so Sialuk settled down beside her.

How is the copse? she asked, curious to know how things were going there. It was, after all, one of Moonspear's sister villages.

It was good to see Sialuk’s face, though she looked paler than usual. Towhee studied her for a moment before cutting her eyes away. She watched their children signing back and forth a moment, her lips twitching into a smile at the sight. Then she refocused on the pale she-wolf to catch the words she spoke.

Well… Towhee replied, trying to bite back a sigh but not quite succeeding. Meerkat and Njord left with Skipjack. Then Seal and Otter took off more recently. I don’t know if you know Reyson and Meadow well if at all, but it’s essentially theirs now.

Now her lips pulled into a moue. She felt guilty for bringing them to the copse, only for its ranks to implode. Towhee hoped they would still enjoy the peace and quiet of the homestead on the far side the mountain, though it had always been a little too calm for her tastes. She grimaced at herself, recognizing the absurdity of that thought.

Anyway, Bushtit seemed to thrive at the big gathering, so I thought I’d take him on a field trip this way again. I think Treepie might want to steal him from me, she observed with a dry laugh. How are things with you guys?

cameo unless mentioned directly!

He heard Treepie's cooing over the boy before he spotted the visitors, and was thus pleasantly surprised to poke his head out from an outcropping to see Towhee, his daughter, and Bushtit below. Sialuk had joined them, as well, and he chuffed on approach as he carefully navigated the terrain to make it a quintet.

Killer gave Sialuk a respectful nod and a nuzzle to his grandmother's chin. A grin spread across his face to see the adorable interaction between his newest little uncle-cousin and Treepie.

-Your ptero's looking good, Pie,- he remarked, eyes warm upon the pair. -Told'ya it would come in handy.-

The women were talking packs—well, specifically the Copse. His brows quirked upward at the revelation that Towhee had left it behind. Made sense, though he felt for Reyson (who he knew had endured so much disappointment and tragedy already) and his mate. 

Did that mean his Gramma had come to stay? That very question lingered in his gaze, though he did not speak. . .yet.

ty for being eternally patient with me!

The news that Meerkat and Njord had left was surprising, and even more surprising still was the news of Seal and Otter. The other two names Sialuk did not recognize, and she shook her head gently when Towhee mentioned them. To know that Treepie and Towhee's newest, Bushtit, did so well together was a delight, and it warmed the mother's heart.

Killdeer gave them a silent greeting, and Sialuk offered him a friendly wave in return. There was still much unspoken between the two of them, and her gaze lingered on him a little while longer before returning to Towhee to answer her question. It is quiet, but the village still stands strong, she replied. There was more to it than that, but it was as much as she wanted to dump on an old friend right now. First Argent's departure, then Elentari... it was difficult to process so much loss in what felt like such a short amount of time.

Towhee would never be anything but delighted to see her eldest grandchild. She nipped at his flues before he took a step back and settled, attention quickly drawn to the two youngsters. She followed his gaze and her smile deepened. Treepie’s Ptero really was impressive.

Her warm eyes shifted back to the High Sage. It was quiet here too, Sialuk reported, but the village stood strong. Towhee’s grin dimmed a little as she thought of those last days in the copse, left behind by one Sveijarn-Corten after another. She didn’t blame them, though she told herself she shouldn’t feel too guilty for leaving either, at least not for them. She did feel culpable for Reyson and Meadow.

I was thinking Bushtit and I could hang out here—or nearby, whichever is least imposing for you guys—for a few weeks. I’ll pay our way by hunting and patrolling. We hope to hit all the Moon villages eventually, but we’re not in any rush. I think it’d be good for him to hang around long enough to get to know the culture and people in each place, at least to some extent.

skipping killdeer b/c of note!

Sialuk's eyes lit up when Towhee mentioned staying with the village, or even nearby. She always delighted in friendly visitors, and the Redhawk matriarch was no exception. Sialuk's tail gave away her answer far before she spoke, twirling behind her in a happy helicopter motion. You and your kin are always welcome here, Sialuk said, truth shining through her eyes. So many of the Redhawk name had stayed here since the spear had first come to fruition, and Sialuk had always felt that the family had a special connection to the moon villages—or at least this one in particular.

Your brother, Phox, he still lives with village Moontide? Sialuk asked. She had not visited the coast in some time, the ghost of her sister too difficult to think of. The same went for the spine, where her other sister had lived so long before she met her demise.

She figured she was welcome, though it was still nice to get verbal confirmation. Sialuk didn’t mention any particulars about lodgings and neither did Towhee. They could sort out exactly where to stay later. Her eyes flicked to Killdeer, wondering if he might not insist they hang out at his ulaq, supposing he had one.

He and his lady are off globetrotting, she answered the Head Sage’s question, but we still want to visit. I’m a big fan of Rodyn and I wouldn’t mind catching up with some of the others there. Towhee’s lips pressed together and she hummed before adding, I want to hate the coast because it’s historically been bad news for my family—several of my kids avoid it entirely—but I do love the views there. Besides, I learned long ago not to hold grudges against landmarks.

She thought of Redhawk Caldera and even glanced off in that direction, idly wondering if Eljay had made his way back safely. How was Brecheliant doing? Perhaps Towhee ought to include them in her rounds, though for now, she tabled that idea and refocused on the conversation at hand.

I guess you know a little about that, she said, glancing along the mountain at the obvious scars on its flank before her eyes came to rest on Sialuk’s pale features again. Anyway, would it be alright if I caught a little nap here? Towhee motioned at the surrounding rendezvous site, then tipped her heard toward the kids. I’d ask you and Killer to keep an eye on my little turd but it looks like Pie’s got it covered.

Sialuk quirked a brow at "and his lady," though she didn't inquire further. Sialuk could also not deny that the ocean was a thing of vast, unquantifiable beauty. She knew that it was likely why Towhee's son had settled there, and later her brother. A corner of her lip turned upward at Towhee's realization that she too had a wrought history with her own home, which had been a source of great pain as a child. Even after the strange storm, many things had happened here that were not all good. Argent's departure, then Elentari's. The attack on her own child by one of Brecheliant.

Make yourself a home, Sialuk said, slightly misspeaking the common saying. She would leave Towhee to her rest, and the sage could take some time to get to know Bushtit, the newest of the Redhawk clan.