Sun Mote Copse Climbed a mountain and I turned around
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#1
All Welcome 
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Mom had been upset for days and Fennec had been kinda avoiding her.  Not intensely, but a little.  It wasn't like it was hard to do, or even took much effort.  She was upset on her behalf, but she wasn't really sure how to help, and handling her mom's emotions over, well...

She hadn't been jealous at first, when her parents brought up having kids.  She didn't mind the idea of new siblings! And while maybe she didn't feel like she needed them, it seemed like it might be kind of fun.  But then @Towhee had learned she couldn't, and now suddenly everything was about how she couldn't have kids of her own.  But weren't she and @Figment Towhee's?  At some point, it got too hard not to let it get her, at least a little.

Fennec sighed, letting her moodiness settle as she pricked an ear towards the stream.  She wasn't feeling a swim, it was still too cold, and she hadn't gone wandering in weeks.  Maybe she should go try and find a bird or something?  Her hunting score was pretty low, but every so often she could surprise one.

Better than sitting around here, she figured.
Fenn is blind, and as she's older, will take all of her character insight from tone.  If you are ever uncomfortable with an assumption she makes, please let me know!
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Phox ambled toward the caches, intent on getting at least some work done today. Besides, he wanted to make sure he wasn't completely ignoring Figment and Fennec, too. With new children almost certainly on the way, Phox wanted to cherish the next couple of quiet months with his two first-born children. Fennec's scent was the first one he came across, and it was easy enough to catch up with her, considering her slower movement in comparison to Figment, who always seemed to be running this way and that.

As he approached, it looked like she was just getting up to do something, but that didn't stop him from making his way toward her. Hey Fennec, he said, letting her take the lead on any physical contact. He'd been trying to do that more, especially with her, since he thought he'd noticed her wince the past couple of times he'd gone in for a hug or nibble on her ear. You busy? I was going to go make the rounds on the caches. Thought you might like to come along.
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Fennec wasn't sure she was in the mood for company outside of Fig's, but seeing as he wasn't around, she chewed her lip when she heard Phox ask.  Sure, she finally said, and did affectionately press up to him once she found where he was.

D'you know where Fig is? she asked.  She'd already told him some of how she felt, and wasn't sure how her dad would take it.
Fenn is blind, and as she's older, will take all of her character insight from tone.  If you are ever uncomfortable with an assumption she makes, please let me know!
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Phox grinned as she pressed into him, happy that she was up for a little walk around the copse with her ol' pops. Okay, he wasn't that old, but sometimes he felt that way. She asked where Fig was, and Phox shrugged his shoulders. Not sure, he answered honestly, I don't think he's left the copse for any extended period of time, though. Did you try calling for him? Phox assumed that she wanted to see him, considering she'd asked where he was. Figment didn't tend to stray far from home as far as Phox could tell.
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Fennec blew out a small breath when her dad mentioned calling.  No, it's fine.  She didn't need to talk to him badly enough to want to summon him, and now that she was walking with dad she didn't want to bail.

So how's.... stuff? she asked, unwilling to really dig into her own so going after his instead.  Mom's been a real buzzkill lately probably wasn't the best thing to say to her dad.  Even Fennec wasn't rude enough for that.
Fenn is blind, and as she's older, will take all of her character insight from tone.  If you are ever uncomfortable with an assumption she makes, please let me know!
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Fair enough! Phox wasn't one to press an issue if it didn't seem like it wanted to be pressed, so he ambled along, Fennec trailing behind as he stopped at a cache to check its contents. It wasn't terribly low, but he noted that it probably would be soon enough. Scratching at it to mark the spot, he continued along.

Fennec asked, in the most casual way, how "stuff" was, and it was a good thing she couldn't see his stupid expression right then. There was something decidedly nice, sweet, and simple about hearing that from his daughter, even if he suspected she was really trying to keep her mind off something else. Besides, there was that one thing he needed to tell her. Oh, good I suppose. Say, what do you think of Niamh? Apropos of nothing. Yep, tooootally nothing.
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He didn't pry, which was both good and bad.  Good because she wasn't sure she wanted to talk about things, but bad because (like any child) she kind of wanted to be forced to spill.  It meant she could find comfort in talking to someone she cared about and knowing they listened and cared.

But because Phox wasn't a mind reader, his blind daughter had only herself to blame.  Uh... nothing? She answered truthfully when he asked what she thought of Niamh.  I'm sure she's fine, I just don't know her.  She'd never really met Bronco's mom, though she got along with her son pretty well.  Bronco said she's a nag, Fennec said with a little snrk.  It didn't occur to her that such a revelation might get her friend in trouble - Towhee and Phox hadn't exactly instilled that thinking in the girl.
Fenn is blind, and as she's older, will take all of her character insight from tone.  If you are ever uncomfortable with an assumption she makes, please let me know!
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A bit of a nag, eh? Good thing Phox wasn't prone to gossiping about others (sans Colt and Quixote, for some reason), or he could have gotten Bronco in some minor trouble. Fennec didn't seem to have an opinion one way or another about Niamh, which Phox considered—well, a neutral thing. At least she didn't have anything vehemently against his chosen partner.

She and I... Phox began, trying to figure out the best way to put it into words. We've taken a liking to one another. She hasn't told Bronco or Nellie, and I think she'd prefer to tell them herself, so if you could keep this between us, I'd really appreciate it. Just until she gets to tell them herself. He stopped at another cache, sniffing at it and deciding it hadn't been disturbed since the last time he'd been here. Phox paused then, trying to gauge Fennec's reaction to the news.
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Fennec huffed a little laugh out as he continued.  I'd love to, but I promised them I'd tell them everything you told me already.  Because we are best gossip friends and everything, she said, as though innocently resigned to her fate.  Then she shook her head.  Why would I say anything?  Just... don't get all gross about it and we'll be fine.  She wanted minimal details.  Minimal.

Does this mean siblings and all?  She guessed considering previous conversations but didn't hurt to ask.
Fenn is blind, and as she's older, will take all of her character insight from tone.  If you are ever uncomfortable with an assumption she makes, please let me know!
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If he suspected she was telling the truth about her entourage of friends, Phox didn’t put off any indication that he was worried she would. She seemed to be capable of keeping it on the down low until Niamh was able to talk to her kids about it. Good. That would work out well, and hopefully Fig could and would do the same.

It’s too soon to tell, but likely, yes. Phox and Niamh had certainly put in the work. He was looking forward to being a dad many times over, and he had already gone over and over in his head the fact that he wouldn’t leave Fig and Fenn feeling left out. How he was going to do that, he wasn’t quite sure. But he’d make it happen.

Phox stopped at another cache, sniffing at it and deciding this one was good enough for now, too. He pulled back, posing another question. If and when we know for sure, I think I want to get the pack together for a hunt. Do you want to go with us? he asked. He wasn’t sure how she might make herself useful, but she tended to know that better than he did.
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Fennec mulled over that for a moment.  It would be fine, yeah, but also weird.  She was so used to it just being them.  She really wouldn't know for sure how it would be until it happened, so little use worrying.

Fennec listened as he paused, then started again, talking as he went.  She'd gotten used to hearing movement and catching words as she practiced, more and more, conversing while traveling.  She might miss an idea here or there, but she followed.  Yes! I have to hunt, she said, thrilled at the idea of it.  When they were younger she'd convinced Fig to walk her through hunts.  She'd never caught a rabbit but she'd gotten pretty close a couple times by following his directions.  Well... he said she'd gotten close.

When?  Will you be there? Will mom?  She was rarely excited, but her tone couldn't deny it.  The thought of being in an actual, full on hunt was too good to pass up.
Fenn is blind, and as she's older, will take all of her character insight from tone.  If you are ever uncomfortable with an assumption she makes, please let me know!
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He probably shouldn't have been surprised by her enthusiasm, but he was. Phox bobbed his head along out of habit, adding in a, Yep, we'll both be there. I'm not sure we'll be able to stick really close to you, but we'll find some way for you to help out. Large game could be dangerous even for wolves who could see perfectly fine, and Phox didn't want to get into a situation where Fennec was in harm's way. One way or another, he'd make sure that she was safe: even if that meant sitting on the sidelines and only listening to what was going on from afar. Maybe somebody could sit with her and give her a play-by-play of what was happening.

Do you have any ideas on how you could help? he asked. Even though he was her father, he was well-aware that Fennec tended to have good ways of using what abilities she had to the fullest. Maybe she would have a better clue as to how she could contribute.
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Her dad didn't term them to be hurtful, but Fennec was a little annoyed all the same with the way he phrased it.  Of course she could help?  It wasn't even a question to her... if there was a way for her to try, she was going to try it, obviously.

Yeah?  Her tone had a little of an exasperated edge, but it smoothed out as she described.  I can hear fine, and if you tell me what to do, I can do it.  So during the hunt, just tell me what to do.  Isn't that how hunts work anyway?  She wouldn't be able to see and react as well as other hunters, but in her mind, she could at least help them catch it somehow.  She'd never seen a hunt in practice, obviously, but she'd heard some about them.  Didn't they have to slow the deer down, corner it?  She'd be a body if nothing else.  But she bet, if she worked at it, she could get a snap or two in.
Fenn is blind, and as she's older, will take all of her character insight from tone.  If you are ever uncomfortable with an assumption she makes, please let me know!
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Phox felt the edge in her voice, and he winced a little at it. It was always so hard to talk about her blindness in any way that didn't upset her, but that was to be expected. He just knew that, for him, the hunt relied on sight. Phox didn't want to put her in a position where she was in danger or in the way of what everybody else was trying to get done. And he, being a sighted wolf, didn't really know how that was going to work, while Fennec always seemed to have ideas.

To some degree, he replied, Although it's usually pretty chaotic when it comes down to it. Orders get thrown around, but the prey sure doesn't cooperate with our plans. Once the hunt was on, all bets were off, even if everybody was in place and did their part. You'll just have to be extra cautious of any hooves flying around.
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wrap this? It's a bit dated <3 as I've been sloooow

I can listen, and I can pay attention, she responded, but her voice relaxed back to its usual neutral.    It was hard for her to see (lol) what they problem was here.  She figured hunting couldn't be that much harder than fighting, and she'd been practicing.  So what could really go wrong?

I'm always careful, she finished.  That was a straight up lie, but of course she wasn't going to try and get kicked or stepped on or whatever!  She just wanted the chance to try, and if her dad was going to try to stop her, she'd just have to find another way to do it.
Fenn is blind, and as she's older, will take all of her character insight from tone.  If you are ever uncomfortable with an assumption she makes, please let me know!
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Sure! I'm sad they won't get any new ones for awhile, but I'm excited to see where Fennec's story goes.

Fennec seemed confident that she could handle it, and who was Phox to say she couldn't? Well, he was her father, and he would always be concerned about her. He liked to think that her lack of sight would never hold her back, but he knew that wasn't the reality. If something wasn't making enough sound, or if she was too slow to hear it, the consequences could be very real and very serious.

He couldn't always be there for her, as much as he wanted to, but he would sure as heck do his best. Alright then, he finally agreed, even though in the back of his mind, he wanted nothing more than to protect her from anything possibly going wrong. Let's finish up checking these caches. I can give you the basics of what will go down at the hunt. The rest of the afternoon would be spent explaining in exhausting detail all the different things Phox had encountered during group hunts and answering any questions Fennec had.
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