Ouroboros Spine brightest star tonight

Meerkat gazed upward at the night sky, pondering... well, everything. So much was still up in the air and she felt a bit adrift, like a leaf on the breeze, not sure which way the wind might blow her. Her commitment to stick by @Bronco made her feel a little more tethered, though even he didn't know exactly where the two of them might end up yet. There were too many moving parts to make a final call, though as the days passed, she knew something would have to give. It was hard, living in limbo like this.

She sighed and folded to the ground, tucking one leg beneath her pale chest as she continued to stare at the sky. There was a slight breeze, which tousled the ticked fur along her spine, and Meerkat drew in a deep breath. Spring was slowly creeping into the wilderness, chasing away the last vestiges of winter. And despite her current state of suspension, Meerkat was finally starting to feel hopeful again.

It was dark by the time he reached the slope that led up into the small ring of mountains that was his new home. Whether it was temporary or not, he was reasonably comfortable taking some time to simply settle somewhere, allowing his friends and packmates some time to collect their thoughts and feelings in the wake of the landslide. He didn't want to pressure Antares into making any decisions, and it would seem that they were not pushing their welcome in Moonglow, so long as they minded the permanent residents and helped stock the caches. 

He'd not been particularly useful, as he'd abandoned his rabbit hunt earlier to visit with Towhee, but he figured he could always catch some sleep and then try again in the morning. He wound his way through the hilly slope until he returned to where he'd settled with Meerkat, but was surprised to see that she was still awake. Stargazing, searching. For some reason, he wondered if she was thinking about Atlas...They'd seen no sign of him since he had disappeared. He chuffed softly, and circled around her once before he flopped tiredly to the ground alongside her.

Her eyes drifted earthward when she heard footfalls approaching through the dark. Soon, a familiar silhouette materialized, quickly taking on more detail as Bronco closed the distance to join her. She craned her neck upward to get a better look at him even as he flopped down beside her. He really was her anchor, his mere presence boosting her mood a little further.

"What have you been up to?" she wondered conversationally, leaning a little to bump shoulders with him before angling her face toward him.

He shifted slightly, leaning away from her enough so he could speak to her as he might have done if he'd been talking to Towhee. Probably because it was partially habit to do so, and because exercising his ptero had reminded him that it was easier to communicate when facing someone. "I was tracking a couple of rabbits," He said, "But then I ran into your Mom. She was on her way here," He said. 

And she'd been in a state. He didn't want to worry Meerkat, who frequently travelled to visit their family anyway, but he did feel that he should perhaps prompt her to do so again. "I think. Well, no. Your Mom's goin' through a lot of stuff right now, an' I don't know a tonne about pregnancy and how long it takes before pups are born, but she really does look like she's ready to pop soon," He said. And he hoped that remarking on Towhee's size, like that, wasn't interpreted as an insult. Pregnant wolves were supposed to be fat- if anything, he figured the fatter they were, the better it was for the pups because it meant they were developing well. "D'you remember that guy...Reyes?" He asked, then. Maybe Meerkat would be the one he could ask, to learn a bit about Towhee's evicted mate.

Her warm golden eyes widened a little when he mentioned running into her mom. It was unusual for Towhee to make such a trip, particularly while pregnant. Meerkat immediately knew something was wrong and sat up a little straighter, riveted as Bronco finished explaining.

"You mean her m—the guy who attacked Neema? Dad had to chase him out." Her lips pursed. Towhee had talked long into the night during her last visit, telling her all about the situation. Meerkat hadn't known how to comfort her, other than to hold her and listen. "I never really met him. I know he's the father of her puppies. And..."

She trailed off as her brow furrowed. Towhee had tried not to burden her, she could tell, but Meerkat had gotten the distinct impression that she was upset with Niamh and maybe even Phox. It was all pretty complicated and Meerkat hadn't really bothered trying to form an opinion or take sides. Beyond supporting her mother, it was none of her business.

"Why do you ask? Is she okay, Bronco?" she asked next, pushing into a sit and then climbing to her feet. "Did Reyes do something?" Something else?

So she knew. Of course she did- hadn't she just come back from visiting? At least little of what he might have to say would be a surprise, which eased some of the burden a bit. He suspected, then, that perhaps Meerkat had been pondering her mother's situation, earlier. It sounded as though Meerkat, too, was confused and surprised by the whole situation. The fact that Phox had been the one to chase Reyes out was news to him- but that only served to thicken the plot a bit. It made sense. This was why, potentially, Towhee had wanted to get away- because both Niamh and Phox had had a part in getting rid of her mate. 

"Yeah," He said, once they were both caught up in terms of who knew what. "He broke Niamh's leg, which...I mean, I dunno. I don't want to get into it too much because that's her drama-" And he wanted to stay out of as much Niamh drama as he could. "-But I mean...She's pregnant, and like...Breaking someone's leg...Anyway," He said, with a light shudder. He didn't have enough on Reyes to know if he should hate the guy, or if something was simply misunderstood about the whole situation. Meerkat, at least, didn't seem too attached, which was a bit of a relief. 

But he could hear the concern in her voice and he shook his head, hoping to dismiss her worry. He recalled how Towhee had used a particular tone of voice to stop him from worrying about Fennec and Alyx, but he couldn't use that with Meerkat. Instead, he decided to be as reassuring and calming as possible. "No, she's fine. I walked her back to the Caldera safe and sound. But she was on her way here, I think because she's maybe not happy being at the Caldera right now. She asked me to see if you'd go to visit her, when you can." He said. He didn't think it was necessary for her to jump up and leave right then- but he figured she'd likely want to leave by morning, or soon thereafter, anyway.

She let out a shaky breath of relief when he reported that Towhee was fine, at least physically. The next bit of information was met with a frown. Meerkat knew her mother was struggling and why. She wanted to be there for her too, but she'd made promises to Bronco, as well as Kukutux and Sialuk.

"If my mom was so upset, she tried coming here..." the yearling said a little inarticulately, not bothering to finish that sentence. She shook her head and stilled, staring hard at the ground for a few beats as her mind raced.

When she spoke again, she said his name and it came out a little strangled. "Bronco..."

"Yeah," He sighed. He'd been surprised that something could drive Towhee away from her own home, one that practically belonged to the Redhawk and Blackthorn families. And yet that had happened, and she'd confessed to him that she'd wanted not just to get away so that she didn't murder someone, but so that she could be with her daughter. Given the fact there were so few wolves left in the Redhawk pack, he knew that Towhee's absence would have caused them to weaken even further. So when Meerkat said his name, he nodded. 

"It feels like they need us." He said, in a low voice. He was well aware of that, especially now that Towhee was uncomfortable, and Niamh had a broken leg. "If I could just split myself into like...Four different wolves," He said, shaking his head slightly. Then, maybe, he'd be able to fulfill all the obligations he set for himself.

She remembered when he'd turned up with a wounded Antares in tow. He hadn't been able to meet her eye. Now Meerkat understood the feeling. She was afraid to look at him. He would see the naked truth on her face, know that she was on the verge of breaking her promises.

When he voiced his thoughts, she looked up sharply. "Right?" Meerkat said quietly. She was mostly torn in two directions—between Bronco and Towhee—but she didn't want to let down Moonglow's leaders or Antares and the rest of the fireflies either.

But in light of this new information, Meerkat didn't feel like she had any choice. The shoe had finally dropped. "I have to go," she said, voice still barely a whisper. "I want to stay with you... but I have to go."

If he went with her, it would solve her biggest problem, yet she didn't know if he would, if he could. Meerkat knew she would go regardless, which meant going back on her word. She looked at her brother pleadingly, hoping for forgiveness and understanding.

She seemed relieved that he'd made that conclusion, and he smiled a little half-smile. While she'd told him that she would go wherever he went- on a few occasions- he knew that where she really wanted to go was the Caldera- and that she wanted him to go with her. He liked the idea of being with her, though he'd always been somewhat leery of moving back into a pack where his mother lived. If it wasn't for Niamh, and if it hadn't been for the landslide and the bear attack...Then maybe his decisions would be easier. But he couldn't just go back in time and fix all of those things. 

"I know," He said softly, and reached out to nuzzle the top of her head. "Towhee said you don't have to stay there, if you just wanted to visit, but...I think that's kind of where you want to go and live, yeah?"

She pressed into the nuzzle, letting her eyes squeeze shut as Bronco spoke close to her good ear, words of reassurance. Meerkat should've known he would be understanding, though she still felt immense relief that he wasn't angry with her for choosing Towhee over him, in a way.

She considered his words a long time before drawing back to look him in the eye. "I want to go and stay there until she doesn't need me as much," she admitted, which was as indefinite as everything else in their lives lately. "But," she continued in the very next breath, "then I want to rejoin you, wherever you are, if I'm welcome."

It had been a while, he realized, since they had been able to have a talk like this, and it felt like it had been too long since he'd been able to give his sister a hug. As always, when she leaned against him he tiled his head to embrace her, so she might feel safe, secure and happy. It always felt like he was doing something right when she felt she could lean on him like this. And while he knew he would miss her if they did end up getting separated, he felt as though it was worth knowing that she was doing what would make her happy. 

She still looked as though she had some misgivings about going, and he figured it might be related to the fact that she wanted to follow him where he went. For some reason, she looked to him like she was looking for forgiveness, though he didn't feel as though there was any apology needed. "Of course, Meerk," He replied, with a thin laugh. "We'll end up together, whenever and wherever that is," He said.

When he assured her they would end up together, Meerkat flung her forelegs around him and wrapped him tightly in a hug, burying her face in between his neck and shoulder. She was certainly reassured and relieved, though her sadness grew as the seconds ticked past and she realized they would be separated for a time. She clung even closer, practically smashing herself into him, eyes squeezed shut. Meerkat didn't want to let go of Bronco in any sense of the word.

He laughed faintly as she hugged him, and sighed, leaning in and against her. She'd be gone pretty quickly, he thought. And he would be left to wait and see what Antares' decision would be, but he thought while he allowed his alpha to rest that he might scout around the area, and get to know it a bit better. He'd begun contemplating these things as he lay next to Meerkat, but soon enough his thoughts turned to dreams as he slipped into a slumber.