Sun Mote Copse Friendly neighborhood vulpix

Set 3 hours ahead to accommodate another thread.

Phox had only been to the Firebirds one other time: Wildfire's death. He winced at the thought, wishing that it was his sister, not Colt, who would be there to greet him. Nevertheless, he thought it best to keep whatever connections they had strong (or at least friendly), considering how close they were to one another. He even considered just calling for Finley and Elwood, but they were probably busy with kids. They'd had a litter every year that he could recall, and he doubted this year would be any different.

Taking in a deep breath, Phox tipped back his head and howled for @Colt and @Niamh. He thought it might be a hoot to inform them of the Redhawks' move before they got a chance to and spill their leadership as well. At least Finley would be happy? Maybe? Did she even know Liffey was back? Part of Phox wanted to pit them against each other somehow, even though they were innocent in this whole thing.

Gonna steal 'cause this girl is a bit house-bound haha

The few moments that Colt and Niamh had together with their kids, on warm afternoons, fresh mornings or golden sunsets, were treasures. The kids were still small enough that they couldn't go far- but she was already beginning to sense that their ambitions were growing faster than their bodies were- and that soon, the two would match up, and they would be hell on wheels. Until that point came- when she would be chasing them around left and right- she'd enjoy the fact that with short, staggering little legs, they couldn't go far and were therefore safe and less trouble. 

So when she heard Phox's call, she was just outside the den's mouth with the kids and with her husband, and she gave him a nod, letting him know that she would handle this one. It was Phox, and she'd wanted to see him. In fact, she'd be happy to see anyone- as she'd become quite a hermit since giving birth, allowing no others near the den just yet, save for Towhee. She knew that the kids would be fine with Colt, and was grateful for the chance to stretch her legs. 

She was starting to trim up just a bit- her belly didn't sag as much as it had when Towhee had come to visit, though it was still very obvious that she was nursing young. Even still, as vain as she was, she didn't mind Phox seeing her this way, terribly. All females looked like this when they had kids, and she would get back to her normal, slim self once they were done nursing. She was a bit unkempt, and her fur hadn't regained its golden lustre, but she'd traded that for the ability to feed her kids and provide them as much nutrients as she could afford to spare herself. 

She rumbled a low, affectionate growl as she approached him, scanning his features for signs of stress and sadness that might have indicated he'd come bearing bad news. He looked tired, and serious- but she didn't notice anything that might indicate that he, Towhee and their two kids had fallen into hardship. She tipped her head to him and approached, still offering him a low rumbling growl as a greeting and reached out to touch her nose to his cheek. "Everything going alright, Phox?" She asked. Of course, the first thing on her mind was to make sure that the small family was doing alright.

I miss writing with you. ;__;

The moment he caught sight of Niamh, he was both relieved and baffled. Relieved that it was just her, but also baffled that it was just her. Relieved that she seemed to have survived childbirth, but also baffled that she'd actually wanted children with the milk toast that was Colt. He had not supported Raven's claim (or at least that was how Phox was remembering it), and that made him super duper lame. The Redhawk attempted to swallow those thoughts and focus on the task at hand.

The two hadn't talked since Niamh had left the plateau, and she hadn't even given Phox a formal goodbye. But this wasn't about that. This, he reminded himself, was strictly politics. Just as it had been with the... Raven's pack. Yes, that was its name as far as he was concerned.

Hey Niamh, he said, taking an awkward step forward. No bad news. Phox realized he didn't know how much she did or didn't know about his kids. I came to tell you that Towhee and I moved south of here. It's a little forest with a river running through it. We're calling it Asterism Grove. My two kids—Camilla's kids—are there, too. Did Niamh know Camilla had died? He couldn't even remember if she had been around at the same time. Raven and Quixote moved to a place just southeast of the plateau. They have two additional—and I guess equal—leaders there: Rannoch and Liffey.

The Redhawk paused there, allowing Niamh to digest what he had told her as well as ask any questions she had.

THEN WE NEED MOAR THREADS. <3

There was a sort of stiffness with which she was greeted, and she should have expected as much. She'd expected it more from Towhee, but had been greatly relieved when the two of them had pretty much fallen back into their same friendship pattern. Phox, though, might take more convincing, and she felt a wave of guilt rise up past her ankles and knees, lapping at her chest where her heart was encased. She wanted both Phox and Towhee to treat her as though everything was fine and normal- but she supposed she didn't quite deserve that. 

Still, he put her pang of worry to rest when he confirmed that they were doing fine, and that they'd chosen to settle not far away. So when her children were old enough, she would take them to meet the kids she hoped would be their best friends, and some day, perhaps, they could actually live together. She smiled fondly at the thought of Towhee and Phox having their own pack- she knew they deserved one, and thought that rightfully, the plateau should have been theirs...But oddly enough, Raven and Quixote had apparently abandoned it. 

"Hold the pho...So the Redhawks don't live on the plateau anymore?" She asked. She didn't look terribly pleased. She huffed quietly. "We haven't heard anything from Raven or Quixote...Not as far as I know, anyway. Could be baby-brain, but...Huh," She said. Just like that- as soon as Phox and Towhee left, they decided to up and move. The names Rannoch and Liffey meant nothing to her, so she simply shrugged at their mention. "Well, thank you, for telling me," She said, her tone insinuating easily that she was miffed about the fact that Raven and Quixote hadn't sent a messenger themselves. Of course, she was oblivious to the fact that Liffey had indeed visited, and that the word had likely been passed on. Such was the life of a shut-in. Plus, it was just sort of tasty, being miffed with Raven and Quixote. She felt like that was still common ground that she and Phox shared. 

She was quiet for a moment. "I'm...Really sorry, Phox. Towhee told me, about Camilla." She said softly.

You always get me writing SO MUCH.

Phox shook his head when she asked about the plateau. It seemed to him that he and Towhee had set things in motion, but he could have been wrong about that. Maybe Rannoch and Liffey had refused to stay there. Maybe they'd wanted something fresh so they could all be "equals." Meanwhile, Towhee and Phox were chopped liver. Remember, Phox, you're not mad about it. It doesn't even involve you.

He could have defended them, even a little, insisting that they were busy with the move, busy with Raven being pregnant, or busy with something else, but he didn't make an attempt. It was more satisfying to turn others against them. Specifically Quixote.

When she spoke again, her voice was soft, and one that he had heard from many concerned wolves after they learned of what happened. He sighed, closing his eyes briefly, wishing that things had turned out differently. But there was no changing things, no saving Camilla, no making Fennec see the light of day. So instead, he said and signed, -Thank you.-

This spring, which was supposed to be the season of life, had traded that life for death. Phox had gained two lovely, wonderful children, but he had lost a sister and a mate just as swiftly. How is Eljay holding up? he asked, realizing that he had gone through much the same thing. Two children, a widower, and probably in the throws of grieving.

Because I want ALL of your words <3

Towhee's response had been much different than Phox's. Of course, she shouldn't have expected them to react the same way; from what she remembered, Towhee had thought that Camilla was a complete oddball and hadn't been terribly fond of the way she'd hung about Phox. Neither had Niamh, but she'd allowed her to join the pack as she figured she couldn't turn away someone who was in need of protection. Apparently the bond had grown between Phox and Camilla, to the point where they'd decided to have children together. And despite that, Towhee still seemed to have come to terms with Camilla's death better...But then again, she'd also not flinched too much when Wildfire's name came up. She imagined that by now, Towhee processed death differently than Phox did. And that was fine- it was sort of reassuring to see that Phox was more sensitive about the topic, and mirrored the way that Niamh felt.

When he brought up Eljay, Niamh wilted and shook her head. "Honestly...I haven't been able to catch up with him much. Colt stepped up into leadership, so I'm home almost all the time with the kids- but that's no excuse, I know. Colt's been checking up on him, and Finley and Elwood have been there for him...But I think he's...I think he's pretty hurt right now." She said. And understandably so- when it came to sentimental, sensitive wolves, Eljay was at the top of the list, and not even just for males. She reflected back on the day when she and Eljay had gotten into an altercation with a coyote- and how he'd been practically useless. He wasn't nearly as capable of harming another wolf- or even canine- as Niamh was. And there was nothing wrong with that- and though Niamh had always found it hard to take Eljay seriously, or give him much credit because of his softness, she wouldn't criticize him for being a wreck right now. "I wish there was more I could do." She said softly.

Omg, finally a chunk of time to reply to things!

Phox nodded when she explained how Eljay was doing (not good). He had known the guy since he was a kid, and he'd always been a bit... soft. He was still family, though, and Eljay had been the Redhawks' puppy sitter for as long as Phox could remember. He understood the want to do more. He had felt much the same when things had started to go south with Camilla's health. He wasn't even sure if there was anything they could have done. Her problems had been invisible from the outside, and he did not know enough about the inner workings to help. He wasn't even sure that Raven would have been able to fix it. Perhaps it had been similar to whatever had happened to Wildfire.

That reminded him of the grand plan to bring all the kids together when they were a bit older, which got him thinking. I made plans with Wildfire to bring all the kids together once they were able to hold their own. I think she would have liked them to still see each other. We are all sister packs, after all. Despite the death they had faced, there was plenty to be thankful for. The children were the future, and he wanted them to be nice to one another, even if their parents couldn't seem to get along half the time.

Niamh had to smile at the thought of all the children being brought together. She wanted very much for her kids to be brought up alongside Towhee and Phox's children, as she felt that they might have similar parenting styles...They were all new to it, unlike Finley who had already cranked out several thousand children, and Eljay who'd had to babysit them all. 

"Imagine that, though," She commented warmly. "Having all the kids together- we have to make that happen, Phox," She said, giving him a meaningful look so that he knew she was being serious... But even she couldn't hold a serious face for too long. "Imagine the trouble," She laughed.

Niamh seemed to like the idea, which was a good. Phox thought they would need everybody's buy-in if they really wanted to make it work. Before they knew it, all their kids would be grown and (he shuddered to think of it) having kids of their own. Phox didn't want to miss their younger lives one little bit, and he didn't intend to.

When she mentioned the trouble it would bring, he grimaced with his eyes still smiling. Yikes. Maybe we should cancel, he teased. Of course, he didn't actually mean it. No matter the chaos that ensued, it was sure to be a good time.

She snorted at Phox's comment and flicked an ear back in mock disdain. "Oh come on. It'll be fun," She drawled, "We could set up a bunch of challenges and pit the Blackthorns against the Redhawks and see who comes out on top," She jested innocently- fully aware of the fact that there were now far more Blackthorns than Redhawks. She liked it when things were stacked in her favour anyway. Still, though, even though Colt was a Blackthorn, and though she was too- she still had a great deal of fidelity invested in Phox and Towhee. So she winked. "I'd place my bet on Redhawks."

Back to business though- she wanted more information about Raven and Quixote, and their decision to abandon the plateau. "So what're they calling the pack, then?" She asked, trying not to allow too much skepticism to tinge her voice.

Wanna wrap this one up with your next post? Trying to close out some of these old threads.

Hah! he laughed, trying to imagine their kids tussling with one another. Phox didn't imagine that Fennec would do very well in that situation, but maybe she would surprise him. Fig certainly had a knack for sparring, and Phox thought he might end up like Towhee in that regard.

Niamh was quick to turn the subject back to Raven and the lot. Frosthawks, he replied. It was mighty strange to no longer have a Redhawks pack around, but he would hold onto that name no matter what. He imagined that Raven would as well, considering she had held onto it even after shacking up with Quixote.

Niamh rolled her eyes at the name that the Plateau wolves had chosen, since having left the plateau. She sighed heavily, and simply muttered "Figures." Some variation of what their name had been, though it seemed that Towhee and Phox had decided to steer clear of doing the same by calling their pack something completely different. Perhaps it was best that they'd decided to go for something completely new- and separate themselves from everything that formerly being in the Redhawks, or some variation thereof. 

"Well...I'm glad you came to visit, Phox. An' I'm glad to hear you're doing OK- just...Remember I'm here if you need anything, OK?" She asked. Her offer came with a soft smile, and as the two parted, Niamh felt herself pulled to go and return to the pack established by her closest friends- but inevitably her feelings were anchored in the copse with her mate and children.