Heron Lake Plateau You know he's only calling 'cause he's drunk and alone

She hadn't really dwelled too much on how she felt about her rank—not enough to let it drag her down, at least—but she still intended to try to get a real answer. Towhee had been too vague for the adolescent to really understand, so Fiadh went in search of the next best thing: @Finley or @Elwood. If anyone would know what she'd done wrong, it was her parents. They were experts in the things their kids did wrong. Or, well, so Fiadh assumed.

She paced evenly along the edge of the lake until she reached the territory's heart, and then she peeled away into the meadow. Impatience soon got the best of her and she broke into a sprint. It wasn't long before she reached the Blackthorn's den, wherever that was. With a low sound in her throat, she called out for one of her parents.

tags for reference :)

As @Tywyll and @Cinder slept soundly at her side, Fin began to look around her den and give me a chance to actually write out what it looks like. It was little more than a hole in the ground that a badger or wolverine or some other animal had once carved out beneath the roots of a copse of trees that lined the Plateau's meadow. She and @Elwood had done some work to carve it out deep enough that the four could squeeze in comfortably enough, but the more her boys grew, the tighter things got. It was something like a catch 22 - Fin wanted them to get older so that they could move out of this little den, but they got bigger when they got older, and that made the den more cramped.

When one boy began to squirm and kick at her belly, Fin attempted to scootch out of his way - a failed attempt, since the wall behind her was not as willing to move for him as she was. Finally, the beta decided that naptime was over and roused them both. She nudged them out of the den and into the sunlight where she could stretch her legs while they scampered around in the few feet of space she allowed them just outside of the whelping hole. They would be safe enough, and it was good for them to get out a little at this age. Plus, mommy would keep a watchful eye, as ever.

Fin had just sprawled out on the ground and given a luxurious sigh of relief when she heard the call of one of her older kids. She picked her head up from the ground just enough to spy Fiadh's approach, then dropped it right back down with a smile. It would be nice to have some back up in babysitting. Her tail beat softly against the ground as the girl came near.

"Mornin' kid," she said, shutting her eyes and thus missing the look on Fiadh's face that would otherwise have told her it was time for another serious conversation. She sure was having a shit ton of those lately...

She was greeted first by the sounds of her young brothers playing. She padded over to give them each a kiss and a nuzzle before closing in on Finley's position. She couldn't blame the Blackthorn matriarch for sprawling out in the sunshine; the day was warm and the air felt more than a little tropical. The plateau was far more humid than their previous home, but Fiadh certainly didn't mind it.

"Hey, mom," she answered as she came to sit nearby. For a little while she watched the antics of Ty and Cinder, but eventually her gaze came to rest on Finley's closed eyes and she said, "I wanted to ask you why I'm ranked so low. Especially because Tegan isn't even though he totally had a giant baby tantrum. I asked Towhee but she didn't really give me an answer, just some stuff about factors. Did I do something wrong or does she dislike me or something...?"

Fiadh settled in beside her, speaking a short greeting, but then falling silent. Fin was happy to take advantage of that silence and began to doze a bit, confident that Tywyll and Cinder were safe enough under Fiadh's watchful eyes. She'd barely begin to drift off though when her daughter was speaking - rushing straight into it with little to no preamble. Fin opened her eyes to peer up at her in mild surprise, then rolled onto her stomach as the girl continued.

She shook herself lightly without standing as she considered the question. She hadn't heard about this conversation yet (or had she... raising boys sure was tiring), but wasn't exactly surprised to be approached about the outcome. "It's nothing like that," Fin answered, pausing to yawn and lick her lips before continuing, "Ranks are determined by dominance, respect and skill. Tegan might throw giant baby tantrums--" she probably shouldn't have agreed with that... bad mom, "--but he works hard at scouting, he's bold, he's been gaining the respect of all of his packmates, and sometimes, he's even got a good head on his shoulders. If you put your mind to it, I know you can earn yourself a higher rank too. You just need to put in the work."

Just like she had. Kind of... Actually, she'd never entirely understood why Peregrine and Fox had named her beta. She too had been bold, well liked, and talented. She didn't have a great head on her shoulders though.

Finley's answer was, at least, more detailed than Towhee's had been where the factors for ranks were concerned. Her mother wasn't any more helpful when it came to indicating just why Tegan was ranked higher after the stunt he'd pulled at the Caldera. She didn't care so much about Clover and Lucca; like her, they had never really disobeyed or did something stupid enough for Towhee to get angry with them.

"I work hard, too, don't I?" she asked, a little exasperated by the second insinuation that Tegan worked harder. He did work hard, she'd never disputed that; he was a titled scout. Maybe that was why he had gotten away with his big mistake? "I have a good head too and people respect me too! And he fucked up real bad and is still ranked decently and I'm dead last of everyone! That really sucks." Biting her lip, the girl flopped down beside Finley and sulked, "I just don't think I deserve to be ranked with those outsiders. I'm a lot better than them. Aren't I?" Maybe Finley secretly didn't think so. Maybe everyone thought Fiadh was more of a burden than an asset and she deserved to be down low like Niamh and Screech or something.

Why was she so self-conscious? She'd have time to dwell on it later. Latching on to the notion that Tegan was considered more hard working because he had a trade and she didn't, she said, "tell me what trade to do. I'll do it."

Fiadh's future is in your hands mama Stevie, pick a good one for her lmao.

DONE

Finley couldn't help but smirk as her daughter whined about her own qualities. It would've been one thing if she had stated her reasoning calmly and confidently. But instead, she stated it like a petulant little whiney butt. It was endearing as hell to the mother, though the beta knew she was supposed to be less than impressed.

"Of course you're better than them. If you weren't, you'd be ranked below them and not above," Fin told her, reaching over to prod her girl affectionately in the temple. The question posed was one that took her a little by surprise. Most wolves chose what trades they wanted, not requested to be assigned one. Briefly, she wondered if anyone had ever explained to her kids what trades even were. She didn't think that she ever had... but it was highly probable that she had, being a mentor and all (I refuse to call her a Coach). In any event, Fin knew that this was likely a very important moment in her daughter's growth. She should not take this lightly...

"Bard!" Fin suggested brightly, "You can sing us uplifting songs and spread your cheer across the Plateau." Again, such a good mom to tease and make light of her child's turmoil. The good news is, she changed her tune (GET IT??) quickly enough. "I don't know, kid, what is it that you want to do for the pack? What do you like doing? When you shut your eyes and see yourself serving the pack and earning your higher rank, what are you doing?"

In that exact moment, if Fiadh had known her mother was supposed to be both an advisor and a coach, she would have told her baldly how shitty she was at her job. The girl was feeling vulnerable and unappreciated—most of that was teenage melodrama, sure, but some of it was deserved when she sat at the lowest rungs of the pack despite doing her very best while all of her siblings towered over her in rank. As far as she was aware and concerned, she did as much as them and was just looking for a proper answer as to why they were higher and she wasn't, one that wasn't "they work hard and you don't".

Finley made light of the situation and Fiadh turned her face away as it crumpled. "Nevermind," she muttered as she got to her feet. "I was being serious, but I'll just go ask dad." In that moment she didn't realize how much she might have resembled Liffey, another child who hadn't quite appreciated Finley's approach to things. Fiadh adored her mother though, most of the time, when she was being her usual bouncy self. Right now she felt a little like Finley was making fun of her. Both for being concerned about her low placement and for wanting her to give her a trade to work toward—she wouldn't have asked if she knew what she wanted to do.

She left then, but not without turning to give her brothers affectionate licks across the tops of their heads.

Fin frowned at Fiadh's negative reaction to her answer. Sure she'd started out jesting, but she had tried to change her tune after. Apparently she truly had zero interest in trying to choose a trade for herself, and she also had zero interest in her mother's jokes. Shame that Liffey wasn't around anymore - they'd have gotten along splendidly.

"Fiadh, come on," she said, attempting to reel the girl back in. But it appeared the effort was made in vain, for the girl wandered off with barely a backward glance. Her eyes went to Tywyll and Cinder as she disappeared. "How would you like to be betas, boys?" she asked, partly joking, and once again inadvertently mocking her daughter. Hopefully these latest of Blackthorns would get her sense of humor in a way that Liffey - and maybe now Fiadh too - never had. Otherwise they too were doomed to find her to be a very disappointing mother.