Heron Lake Plateau Hamrer hippyer.

Towhee walked away from the rendezvous site with a sour look on her face. She'd finally decided to quit avoiding @Raven and her mate (although @Quixote hadn't been there, thank fuck), only to find out there was an entire other branch of drama unfolding elsewhere in the pack. Actually, "drama" probably wasn't the right word. These events weren't inherently negative, though the Beta didn't really know what to think yet and she erred on the side of disliking it on principle.



The impulse to bitch about gossip with someone about it was very strong. She'd meant to head out on a patrol after paying her older sister and the kids a visit, yet instead she began walking toward @Niamh's den. En route, she sent up a call for @Phox to meet them there. If this splinter actually happened, Towhee wanted to make sure her People knew she would flay them alive if they so much as thought of going anywhere.

Niamh wasn’t the kind of wolf who went full-on hermit often. If anything, she was more the sort to get cabin fever and need to stretch her legs- but nothing gave her the motivation, presently. She’d tried to carry on after losing her rank, spirits slightly buoyed by Towhee’s loyalty, but since she’d told Colt off for good and had found out that Bruges had been attacked and killer by a cougar, she retreated to her den and stayed put. 

It was a sad sort of pity party, and she didn’t know what to grieve first or if she was really grieving the loss of both males. It hadn’t taken her long to feel bad about how she’d spoken to Colt and began to condemn herself for her idiotic behavior. Maybe Quixote was right- maybe she was childish and too quick to pull the trigger. All facts pointed to him being right, as much as she hated to acknowledge it. She still couldn’t believe that Bruges was gone- and blamed herself for his death. She’d been the one to send him away, after all.

Filled with grief and doubt, she’d tuned the world out, holed up in the den she used to share with someone she did not deserve.

There were others who might leave, Towhee knew. She thought she might survive that—they would only be a stone's throw away, figuratively speaking—but Phox and Niamh were not allowed to go. She'd worked herself up into quite a lather about it by the time she approached her (female) Person's den.

Forgetting that Niamh was understandably down in the dumps lately, Towhee thrust her head into the dim interior and yelled, "YOU ARE NOT LEAVING." Wow, rude.

Niamh had spaced out, lost deep in thought when Towhee stopped by. She’d heard her friend’s mangled howl for Phox earlier, so she hadn’t expected company. She wasn’t asleep but to say she was aware or present was a stretch too. Usually, Towhee spoke more loudly than she needed to, but this time she was definitely shouting- and scared the bajeezus out of Niamh in the process. She propelled herself straight up in the air and clonked her head and shoulders off the roof of her den before flopping back to the ground, small fragments of dirt and dust falling around her. 

Trying to calm her heartbeat down a touch she repositioned herself so she could see Towhee, sticking her face in the entrance of her den. ”Sorry...What!?” She asked, having missed the message completely.

Towhee winced when Niamh quite literally hit the ceiling. Whoops! "Ah, shit, sorry," she said nearly as loudly, then realized she was still sort of shouting. Although she couldn't be sure of her volume at any given time, she did make an attempt to lower her voice. "I'll use my indoor voice now. Uh, and... I just wanted to stop by to tell you you're not allowed to leave. I know this probably seems like a good out, especially after what happened with Quixote, but I will personally b—" Her voice cut off abruptly.

After pausing for a good ten seconds and blinking several times, Towhee ascertained her Person's current state and guessed, "You don't have any idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

Niamh regarded Towhee blearily as she began to explain something, and Niamh had been so tired that she didn’t even realize Towhee was referencing some sort of event, and assumed Towhee was just reiterating what she’d said days ago when she’d first expressed a desire to leave. She was threatening Niamh again, which had little to no effect- she wasn’t rattled or off-put, but was also too numb to feel touched. She wasn’t going anywhere like this- she didn’t even want to leave her den. When Towhee paused, Niamh tried to refocus but it took her a good seven of those ten seconds before she even tilted her head to the side.

”Uhmmm...You said the other day I couldn’t leave?” She said, but that was all she could really say to that.

Her Person seemed to think she was just reiterating her prior words. It was tempting to run with that incorrect assumption—if Niamh didn't know about the splinter, she couldn't choose it—but that was dumb. She would find out sooner or later. It was better if Towhee informed her, then made it clear she didn't have a choice (lovingly, of course...).

"Scoot over," the mercenary said, shuffling further into the den and plopping down beside Niamh. She spaced herself to allow a good view of her Person's face, while otherwise maximizing their points of contact so hopefully the other she-wolf would feel supported. "You look like shit still," Towhee observed with a fond cluck of her tongue. "Sorry things have been so rough."

Maybe gossiping about something that wasn't Niamh getting demoted, left by her mate or losing a brother would actually keep her Person's mind off those other things. "So, my older sister, Wildfire? She's thinking about starting a sister pack over in Sun Mote Copse. And I just want you to know that I'll have X peck out your eyes and rip off your tail if you try to go with her," Towhee said with a lopsided smile.

Niamh moved back when Towhee came in, obviously with something to explain. She took the playful insult without reacting to it, as it was old news by now that she looked horrible. She felt horrible too, and simply frowned and nodded at Towhee’s apology. Her sense of humour had all but dried up like a creek in summer.

She mentioned Wildfire’splan to start a pack, and it didn’t interest Niamh terribly so she was tempted to shrug. Wildfire seemed cool and all, but Niamh wasn’t close with her. She shook her head, but then a thought struck her. 

”Who else is going with her?” Wildfire would need packmates, so Niamh assumed she’d be taking not just those she come with, with her. And if she did take some Redhawks with her, that would change the pack’s dynamic- as well as their strength.

If she expected outrage, that's not what she got. Niamh didn't seem all that interested in the news. Towhee's mouth opened to encourage some good old-fashioned indignation when her Person questioned, "Who else is going with her?" Towhee had no idea but she liked to think this was said in a very angry tone, despite Niamh's blasé face.

"No one, if I have anything to do with it," the mercenary muttered, then took a moment to realistically analyze the question. "I imagine her girls would go with her, except maybe not Bat, 'cause Bat and Tegan are like—one another's People." She shrugged loosely. "Then that dude that came with them. I can't imagine anyone else will go. I mean, I get it. It's a pretty idea, having two close-knit packs dominating the area. But are we really that crowded here? Do we really have anyone to spare? And why would anybody want to leave anyway?"

Towhee gave Niamh a pointed look, then a thought struck her and she smiled slowly, quite like the Cheshire cat. "Maybe Quixote will bounce." But then Raven and the kids would go too. That wasn't ideal, although it was unlikely anyway. An Alpha didn't just up and leave his pack. And, honestly, Towhee couldn't come up with any other names of wolves she thought remotely likely to migrate.

"I guess there's some merit, outside of the concept of sister packs. Evidently Wildfire's family from Drageda wants to come here and murder her and her kids. How fucked up is that shit? I mean, I get it: it sucks when someone leaves." Cue another look. "But to want to come after them? And kill them...? Anyway, she wants to avoid bringing a war to us and I guess I can't really disagree with that, after what we've been through."

Towhee didn’t seem to think tbat any of their own pre-existing members would go with them, which put Niamh’s mind at ease. It would give them another strong alliance without having too many wolves in the area, and she was OK with that. But then again, she didn’t tink that Wildfire needed to leave anyway; the idea of it seemed strange, given the fact that she’d only just come to join them. 

Towhee’s comment about Quixote briefly lit up Niamh’s features- until she caught the look on Towhee’s face. No, she supposed, he wouldn’t go. He had no reason to; unless he could basically bring his entire family with him, and that was only if Wildfire wanted him around. That seemed like a stretch. Her mildly enthused expression faded fast.

Towhee then gave her some background story which eventually made things make a bit of sense- but still it surprised her. War? From Drageda? ”They were our allies,” She commented quietly. Her thoughts ran to Artaax, and she felt a warm twinge in her belly. She’d forgotten the fact he’d been hunting someone down. All she remembered was what she wanted to remember, and now, she wondered what might become of their arranged date on new year’s eve. ”Won’t it bring war to them, though? They’ll be vulnerable if there aren’t many of them. And won’t we have to step in?” She asked. And what would happen then? If she had to face Artaax on that day? Of course, they could always just sneak off together...But she suspected that from a pack with that kind of crazy loyalty, he’d choose the war over her.

"Right?" Towhee bit out, thinking of the wolves from Drageda she knew vaguely. Towhee remembered Wildfire's daughter, though her name escaped her. She remembered being extremely annoyed with her, though the details were lost to her now. "We all fought the Blackfeathers together, in part because they'd kidnapped Wildfire. She stayed here afterward and that was fine. But now they want to turn around and kill her? After all that?" She shook her head, a noise rumbling in her throat. Towhee could easily understand their anger at Wildfire's departure, though she patently didn't agree with their need to hunt her down and punish her with death. "Makes no fucking sense."

Niamh raised some other concerns and Towhee nodded grimly. "Rave says the idea is that Wildfire will be far enough away that they won't be able to track her down as easily but close enough that we could help—that's supposed to work both ways, I guess—but she also said that, from what Quixote said about Artaax—that's Wildfire's son who made the threat—we probably have nothing to worry about. I guess he just came across like some cranky, butthurt bitch? I don't know."

She fell into a broody silence for a few beats before catching Niamh's eye. "In any case, it sounds like Wildfire's going to do this. And I thought you might be tempted to go, because of Qui... and Colt. But I really hope you'll stay here, if and when this pans out."

Niamh found it odd that the wolves of Drageda would threaten one of their own, for having returned to the family they’d apparently kidnapped her from. She didn’t understand all the details- and naturally just picked out the few that stuck out to her- but it sounded like something was either very wrong, misinterpreted, or blown up with hot air. She chose to assume that the threat wasn’t really real- especially when Towhee dropped a particular name.

She’d completely forgotten the fact that Artaax had been on his way to the Plateau when she’d met him...But e clearly hadn’t seemed to hate her for her association with the pack, so even if he was the one to make the threat, she felt quite assured that no harm would come to the pack. ”I wouldn’t worry about him.” She said. ”Artaax.” She clarified, making a mental note to be extra kind to Wildfire. Just in case, you know. Apparently Quixote had said something about him, which made Niamh roll her eyes. ”I met him. He won’t harm the pack as long as I tell him not to. Trust me.” She said, almost darkly. Her tone and expression might have given the message that she’d earned control of Artaax through a fight or threats- when it was more or less the opposite. She felt assured, though, that he wouldn’t risk losing whatever it was that they had. She’d speak to him about it in a week or two- and whatever she had to sacrifice to him to keep the pack safe, she’d do. (And she’d probably enjoy it too.) She half assumed Towhee would want to know more, so she shrugged- an open book, for Towhee, though she wouldn’t exactly want to talk to Quixote. This was a situation she felt she could handle on her own- and that she would handle it better than Quixote could. Obviously, the two hadn’t hit if off, the same way she had with Artaax. This gave her an advantage she intended to use quite happily.

Towhee had apparently figured Niamh might resort to peaving wth Wildfire- but she shook her head. ”I don’t think so. I don’t know Wildfire, really; I mean, I’m sure I’d probably like her better than Quixote...But you’re here. And everyone else is too. And I honestly don’t even feel like leaving my own den, let alone the pack.” She said tiredly.

"You know that son of a—" Wait, did she almost just call her sister a bitch? "How?" she asked with a loud blink. Niamh had never been involved with the war, thus the alliance with Drageda. Towhee looked pretty nonplussed about the connection.

But at least her Person had no plans to leave. She let out a breath, glad to hear (well...) that, even if the reasoning made her frown. Towhee wished there was something she could do, something more than simply gracing Niamh with her bitchy presence. But she couldn't bring back Colt (would Niamh even want that? Towhee sure as hell didn't), nor make Quixote stop being a dick, nor of course revive the dead.

Though thinking of Artaax had made her heart flutter, in the wake of Bruges’ death, she’d felt quite numb regarding anything and everything and simply shrugged when Towhee questioned how she knew him. The whole story might have raised some eyebrows- but Niamh didn’t care so much just now, to tell an interesting story. ”Met him out in the neutral territory,” She said simply, and rested her chin on her outstretched forepaws as she sank to the ground, the disinterest in the topic almost physically weighing her down. ”So I doubt very much he’ll do anything at all. He wouldn’t dare,” She said stiffly, exhaling her breath with a huff. She still had yet to decide if she would actually meet him come New Year’s Eve; everything was currently quite doubtful.

She didn’t have much else to say, so she simply stared into the dark of her den, considering life quietly- but mostly just moping. Naturally, had things not gone the way they had, she would likely have switched the topic to the possible litters happening in the upcoming spring- but the thought brought a heavy feeling into her throat. ”Can’t make you a godmother in spring,” She said, tone swinging toward a mix of bitterness and apologetic, as she fought to keep her feelings at bay.

What the hell made Niamh so sure of this dude she'd met once, by the sound of it? Towhee opened her mouth to argue, then closed it again. She trusted her Person. Quixote might have called her judgment into question a lot lately but the remaining Beta wouldn't be joining him. So she nodded, tightly, and left it alone.

Towhee sighed softly at her Person's next words. "I'm sorry, Niamh," she said, mourning her friend's loss even if it didn't feel like much of a loss to her. Towhee couldn't fathom what that kind of love felt like, nor imagine planning on children only to lose that possibility. "You'll get your chance someday, maybe even this year still. Nobody knows what's going to happen."

Lapsing into silence, she folded herself down beside Niamh, tucking her swarthy head over her Person's golden shoulder blades. You've got me, she thought, which probably meant relatively little in comparison to her recent losses, so Towhee didn't bother saying it out loud. Hopefully her presence, no matter how ornery, was at least some comfort to her best friend.

As soon as Towhee sank down beside her and put her head on Niamh's shoulders, Niamh finally let herself lose control and let go of what she'd been holding back. Towhee's words were kind and gentle- even though the tone was as grating and low as always- Niamh knew enough to know that this was Towhee's softer side, and that she meant every word of what she said. Niamh sobbed quietly, with little hiccoughing breaths between moments of holding air in, trying to keep herself as quiet as possible. SHe trembled softly, and shook her head when Towhee mentioned she could still have kids. She had had her heart pinned on becoming a mother in the spring- and now it felt like nothing could be done about that. How would Quixote ever allow her to have pups- lest she create another version of herself? 

All she needed in that moment was a friend, and the freedom to mourn her losses, and she had finally found those two things. She would eventually cry herself to sleep, and have the first natural, deep sleep since the night she had exiled Colt.