Redhawk Caldera Don’t let this touch you

@eljay @teya but all welcome!

Once he departed from the canyon, Bronco made his way south, and found himself wandering toward the Caldera that reached above the horizon line in the distance. It looked almost pinkish in the faint morning light as he drew closer, pulled toward his former home by curiosity more than anything. Maybe he could find his old den, and curl up there for some time, and stay there while he worried about his son. 

Regret and shame followed him like a shadow. If he hadn’t been so foolish and quick to react, he might have been able to find himself a home with his son…But then again, he would not pledge himself to a pack of wolves who were militaristic. It was wrong. 

Once he reached the beginning of the slope, he stopped. The area was rich with wolf-scent, and among those scents he could discern both @Maia and Elijay. He looked up the slope, squinting. Had Brechelient moved here? Perhaps he’d been told at some point that the pack had moved to the Caldera but if he had, he’d forgotten. 

The Caldera wasn’t too far from the canyon. He would be able to keep visiting Killdeer without having to get too close. Perhaps, then, this might make an ideal home- if Wraen might let him in, though for some reason, it didn’t smell as though she’d been along the borders in some time. 

Hoping he might catch an old friend, and better his chances, he called out for his two previous packmates, his voice subservient and polite. He didn’t want to rush an audience, as he had no emergency, but he did hope that someone friendly might show up to see him this time.

Maia had left the children, for a short while, under Hymnal's watchful eye. She and Sylvie were both more than capable of keeping the babies occupied while she stretched her legs for a while.

She thought about visiting Teya but instead decided to walk the borders, a decision that came in handy when Bronco called and she was close enough to intercept without making him wait. She'd told Eljay a while back that she wanted to help out and resume her place at the pack's helm alongside him and Teya. This was a good start for that.

Unlike last time, she wouldn't let silly doubts get in her way.

She broke into a huge grin when she saw Bronco, despite her surprise at his scars. It had been so long! Bronco!!! Oh my gosh, is that you?! How are you!!! What are you doing here!?!? She took a few quick steps to rush forward and greet him, but stopped herself. No Maia, it's been five-ever. Hold on. She waited to see how he reacted first, tail still waving slightly and happily behind.

In the time while he waited, he tried not to let his doubts brew and strengthen like tea left in hot water for too long, but it was an uphill battle. Whether or not Wraen had ever forgiven him was one thing. What had Eljay and Maia heard about him and Fennec, if she'd passed this way before him, or if Towhee had sent word along? His frown had deepened by the time he saw movement on the slope above him- but brightness of her eyes and smile eased his worry, like a beam of light splitting the darkness. 

She didn't rush toward him, which he appreciated. He didn't like other wolves getting too close, even if they were close friends, and it felt awkward for him having to set new boundaries. Maia looked tempted to rush him with a fond greeting, but then seemed to change her mind and halted herself. Her warmth, nevertheless, persisted. 

Bronco stood slowly, as though his joints ached, and while his posture remained tired and worn, his tail waved from side to side, flicking around his ankles. It was as much enthusiasm as he could possibly summon, but she deserved it. He offered her a fond rumble of a greeting, and meekly bowed his head in a nod. "Guess, uh, I look kinda...More rugged than handsome now," He said. An attempt at humour, despite his weariness. "My son," He said, looking over at his shoulder toward the North, a wistful gleam in his eyes. "He lives with Mereo, in the canyon...I was just hoping I might be able to settle someplace nearby, to keep in touch with him an' I guess I just kind of came back here," he said. "Didn't realize you guys'd come up the Caldera, though," He said, with a soft chuckle. "I know it's sort of Eljay's favourite place, isn't it."

Maia was glad that she waited! He seemed so tired and, while he seemed happy to see her, she could tell that something was definitely wrong. She didn't know what but it made her curb some of her exuberance in favor of a little more friendly and gentle warmth. Mom mode activated. She was finding that age didn't really factor into that whole thing.

You must not have paid attention to many of my stories, if you think those aren't the same thing. She replied with a smile, though she had some concern too. What happened to him to have him so down and, even more, so covered in scars like that? It felt really rude to ask.

Her baby crush on him had long since faded under the torrent that was Eljay, but she was definitely surprised to hear he had a son. Another thing that she definitely probably shouldn't ask about. In another life she'd have gone off on both without a second thought but thankfully Maia had actually managed to mature some.

It really is, Maia answered in a voice clearly full of fondness for her mate. It had been a hard move but she was immensely glad for it. Eljay deserved the world, in her mind, and for him living here was exactly that. If you are looking for a place to stay, then you've definitely found it. The only argument I'll take is if you don't want to, because anything else would be absolutely crazy. Bronco was not only an old friend - he was family. This was just as much his home as it was theirs and she hated the way he was looking right now, as if he might get chased away at any second. She had to clear that up immediately.

In this state, it was almost impossible to feel flattered, even though he knew that Maia was trying to cheer him up. The faint smile on his lips was for her sake only, not a true representation of his feelings. She was the kindest of souls, willing to overlook the very visible flaws he carried around with him. 

It did not escape his notice that it seemed Maia was a mother again. He felt happy for her and Eljay both, for having found a home. He recalled vaguely that they had had children the year before, but he hadn't met any of then. He wasn't even sure he knew their names. 

She seemed adamant that he'd be welcome, though he felt a tightness in his chest grow. "Well," he said. Perhaps she didn't know, or perhaps Wraen had kept their argument to herself. "I...I had a disagreement with Wraen years ago, I think. I don't know...I haven't asked for her forgiveness yet. I wouldn't feel right, joining the pack, unless it was with her blessing too."

Oh, oh no. If he looked deflated now, this answer was going to absolutely crush him. Maia had to take a moment and prepare to even answer it herself. She was never going to get used to saying it, but at least now she could manage the words.

Wraen... she died. It happened a year ago. Maia looked down. She didn't think she was ready to see his expression, finding out like this. She was sick. But I know she would want you here, and I knew her better than anyone else. It didn't matter an inch how their last meeting went. Bronco was a friend, family, and Maia couldn't imagine her sister ever holding a grudge that lasted longer than a week at best. Not for something as silly as a disagreement.

He hadn’t expected Maia to look so crestfallen when he mentioned Wraen’s name. Confusion might’ve made sense, but not sadness. His heart clenched when he felt the weight of the truth gather, to fall on his shoulders just as expected. He assumed the worst, in a heartbeat- and wasn’t wrong. 

He recalled Wraen being ill. He experienced a mild feeling of déjà-vu, as though perhaps someone had told him already. But then again, he’d been told so many times already that someone he loved had passed away, that it was getting harder and harder not to get them confused. 

He regretted not stopping by sooner to apologize. He’d never get to, now. And while Maia felt that she would have wanted him to settle with his family, he couldn’t help but feel guilty about it. His head lowered and he sighed. He remembered, then, how close Maia and Wraen had been, and looked up. ”I’m really sorry to hear that, Maia. Wraen was one of a kind. When I wasn’t being a complete asshat, I really looked up to her. And even when I was being a complete asshat, she still tolerated me.” He said. At least, until he’d gotten to the point of being insolent and rude. As much as it grieved him to find out about Wraen, he could only imagine how hard it had been on Maia.

Everyone is always sorry. She gave herself a quick moment to linger on the sad before she shoved herself back into the usual, looking back at Bronco with a smile that was, to her credit, getting easier to regain. Time seemed to be the only real cure for these sorts of things.

She was. But we still have plenty of family here, and I don't think she'd want you to miss out on yours. You should stay. At least until you figure out things, yknow. With your son.

Maia wasn't sure why Bronco had to join a different pack, but she assumed his reluctance telling meant it had something to do with the mother. Did she not want him to see him? She felt like she should know who it was, but when all of that had happened, she'd been so tied up in her own family she'd barely paid attention to what was going on with the Redhawks. Funny how that seemed to go both ways.

Either way, it didn't matter. Bronco should be with his son if he wanted to be, and maybe eventually they'd see him join here. Kids got their own choice in it after a while, after all! She couldn't keep him there forever.

Despite some reluctance, it felt impossible to turn down her offer. When he nodded, he was surprised to find some of his guilt slipped away, as though  joining the pack might help him pay tribute to Wraen’s memory. He took it as a sign that perhaps she would have forgiven him, and accepted him into the fold. The corner of his mouth twitched. 

”Well. I guess. I…Think you’re right, and…you would be the one to know. An’ if Wraen thinks otherwise…I’m sure her ghost’ll haunt me out of the place before I can fall asleep,” As he recalled, Wraen had been quite a witchy wolf, who liked tales of the supernatural. She would’ve been tickled at the idea of being a ghost, he thought. He remembered the sound of her laughter, and it brought a hint of a smile to his lips. 
 
He didn’t like lingering on the borders of the Caldera. Some part of him still sought the comfort of the basin, high above ground level, where he’d once holed himself away. He recalled the cougar that had prowled the borders one day, and the bear that had trespassed not long after. He gestured up the slope with a hopeful tilt of his jaw. 

”I guess it’s Uhm…Been a while,” He said. ”Who’s…I mean, Eljay, yeah? And your kids?” He felt a twinge of guilt. Maia and Eljay had been together for two years or more, hadn’t they? It felt awkward trying to piece the timeline together, but he couldn’t remember seeing either of them much after they’d left the Caldera, and so much had happened since then.

Maia smiled at Bronco's joke but had dismissed the idea that Wraen might be a ghost nearly immediately. Some might find the thought comforting but she just found it sadder still. Wherever Wraen was, she wasn't stuck here. She was with their parents and siblings and everyone else, with too many amazing things to do and see to ever be worried about anything here.

Of course I'm right, she said with a slight, happy bounce. Eljay was going to be so glad to see him, she was sure!! And Bronco was going to love everyone. Maia gave a quick gesture and then set off, deciding they could walk and talk. She was getting a little restless too, just standing there, and she'd need to get back to the den soon. The puppies would be getting hungry (and loud) without her.

There's Eljay and I and our kids. Sylvie and Hymnal are older, and then there's the four new ones. You can come meet them sometime, if you want. He had a son, but did Bronco like kids? Maia didn't actually know that much about him aside from the fact that he was friendly and, somehow, a Blackthorn.

Then there's Teya and Reyes, who have a daughter. Her name is Sorana. And Bridget just got back recently, so that makes everyone here now. Without Ibis and her family, or Wraen and Arcturus and all of the rest who formed the pack, it certainly felt smaller these days. No less like a family, though, and she hoped that was all Bronco cared about. It would be nice to have some new faces.

He’d forgotten how easy it had been to get along with Maia. She spoke of her family, and he assumed both by her tone and by the growing number of kids she had, that she and Eljay were doing well together. He’d always been such a softie- it was no wonder he’d end up finding someone as kind and friendly as Maia. The invitation warmed him. ”I’d like that.” He didn’t bother to elaborate- the sincerity in his tone was likely enough to reassure her that Bronco was very child-friendly. 

He didn’t react immediately, when she listed a few other names. He simply nodded along, until the recognition clicked. ”Reyes?” Now he remembered. Towhee and Reyes had split- and while he couldn’t recall the exact details of their parenting agreements, he had the vague memory that Reyes had settled with Brechelient to be nearby. He tried not to seem too perturbed, but his surprise merited some explanation. 

”I, uh, met him before. I think he’s my cousin, actually…Or something along those lines. Things were kind of…Complicated I guess between him an’ Niamh. I’m pretty sure she’s the reason he and Towhee broke up but uh. I tried to keep clear of all…That.” So things might be awkward. He swallowed hard. Just when he was trying to find a peaceful place to live, something from his past inevitably popped up to make things harder.

Oh good! The more wolves her children had to interact with, the better she thought they'd be when they got older. (Of course, they were always perfect, but she remembered how much she'd loved having adults to turn to outside of her own parents. It was important.)

She frowned sympathetically at his worries around Reyes, but shook her head. If Reyes doesn't have a problem with Eljay then he'd have no reason to have one with you. We aren't really all that close with the Redhawks anymore but they are still family. I'm sure it will be fine. If Bronco said he hadn't, and wouldn't, try to start anything then Maia trusted him. And she trusted Reyes to know better too. He'd moved on, after all, and now had a daughter with a new mate who was one of the sweetest wolves Maia knew. What was there to even be upset about?

If you end up deciding you don't want to stay, then that's okay. But I promise, this place can be home for you if you want it to be. He looked like he needed to hear it. Maia wasn't sure what had happened to him but whatever it was, he seemed like he was sure someone was going to tear into him for about any little slip up he made. She didn't really know for sure if her reassurances would work but she was determined to make him feel welcome as best she could.

When she mentioned Eljay, he wondered exactly how much Maia knew about what had happened. Eljay hadn't been directly involved in the fight between Reyes and Niamh, or the fallout between Towhee and Reyes. It seemed, though, that the two had remained civil with one another despite the tension that seemed to run in the family. Bronco knew very little of what had transpired between Reyes and Towhee, and whatever he had known, he remembered very poorly. And when it came to the conflict between Reyes and Niamh...Well, he wouldn't hold that against Reyes, not really. Niamh had been an absolute piece of work. It was probably something that both he and Reyes could agree on. 

"I'm...Really only interested in keeping the peace, and letting whatever happened before just kind of..." He shrugged his shoulder. Water off a duck's back, he thought. He was trying to make an effort to not allow his mother's thirst for violence continue, though her penchant for drama still seemed to be dogging him. He didn't see fit to mention the fact that he no longer considered himself to be a Redhawk.

He appreciated that she wanted him to feel welcome. He appreciated that she insisted that he could have a home, though he wasn't entirely sure even Maia could will something like that to happen, not with his track record. He'd lived in so many packs, and had seen so many fall to ruin either from conflict or natural disaster. It wasn't that he thought he brought bad luck with him, but he wasn't entirely convinced that a life-long home could ever exist. nonetheless, a temporary home would suffice. "Thanks, Maia," He said quietly. 

At least this was a peaceful place, and one that would actually welcome him. He wouldn't be too far from Killdeer, and while there was something unsettling about moving back to the Caldera, it was nice to have found an end to his travels.

Maia almost was tempted to spiral into more assurances but she stifled the urge and just nodded. It's really good to see you again. With another smile, she led him towards her and @Eljay's den. She'd check in with her mate and be sure that Bronco had a place here before she let him be, allowing him to explore the Caldera and get acquainted with the place again on his own terms. He didn't need a tour after all.

She could talk with him more later.

last for me!! Tag is for reference <3