Wheeling Gull Isle Ohana means family.

Following the story-telling—which evoked memories of the era following the Redhawks’ disbandment—Towhee made up her mind. When @Sable and @Towhee Jr were a little older and @Sialuk had delivered, she planned to leave Moonspear to assume a drifter’s lifestyle.

No sooner had she made her decision than her son appeared on Moonspear’s doorstep, begging for help. Towhee didn’t think twice before informing the village she would be heading to the island, namely Phox and the kids. If anybody wanted to accompany her, she welcomed them. It sounded like Caracal could use all the support he could get. Their party disembarked that very same afternoon.

They arrived at the shore two days later and crossed the land bridge as soon as they could. While Caracal ran ahead to see his wife and children—and inform the islanders that help had come—Towhee gazed around at the familiar island scenery for a moment.

But then she got to work. She asked Sialuk in particular to come with her to look for mushrooms, loping toward the island’s interior.

Additional tags for visibility: @Everett @Heda @Manea @Whip @Vesper

I’m not entirely sure who else is with her, so I’ve left it open/vague for other Moonboys to get in on this. :)

gonna cameo this! <3

heda dozed as the pups nursed. it had been very difficult to have caracal away at all, for any length of time, though they desperately needed help with the eight granted to the island by god. she found it increasingly hard to keep her eyes open at all, forcing herself out of the den on the very rare occasion that all or most of them were asleep. then, manea or vesper watched over the children while she sought water or relief or only a moment from the constant demands.
each day she thanked god for their continued life, that the affected two seemed for now to live. she wanted them all to thrive, and for that she worked each hour.
caracal was back; her gaze brightened to see him, and then relief when he announced of the party from moonspear.
only brief greetings could suffice before heda, seizing an opportunity for sleep, took it as the newcomers arrived to assume duties here and there around the island.

He didn't apologize.

Silent, he thought it a thousand times over. The things he could say, but every poorly constructed explanation felt cheap, unreasonable, so he said nothing. The crux of it was simple: he hadn't been there. For years, Whip had every ability to come back -- to come home -- but in his mind, the Redhawk family history had ceased to be. A story on indefinite pause.

It was strange to come back, to see that their family continued so easily without him. His siblings, younger siblings, whom Whip hardly even knew had lives and families all of their own. They'd done well. In the days of travel that followed, Whip never knew quite what to say to Towhee. There were questions at the tip of his tongue, but the right moment never arrived. Instead, he stayed close, offering help when able. 

The coast stirred him, dredging up memories better forgotten.

He pushed them away and followed his sister's path.

*gasps for air and a moment to write*

To help Caracal was an easy choice to make. And with Towhee leading the way, the small party made their way to the place known as Sweetharbor. Whip had come with them, and Sialuk found herself at his side now. Only when Towhee asked for her help in finding food did she break away, falling in line with the large dark woman.

Sialuk could feel the slight change in her body, but it did not slow her down. She was eager to help, despite the additional belly bump that accompanied her everywhere she went. She often talked to the children that grew there, cooing them and letting them know all of the adventures they would see when they arrived.

What is ptero for ‘mushrooms’? Sialuk asked as they went about searching.

Mushrooms tended to grow in damp, dark places, so Towhee walked east around the foot of The Greenhills, toward the orchard there. It was drier than the tropical swamplands further south, with enough underbrush to foster quite the selection of fungi.

-Mushrooms,- Towhee signed when Sialuk requested, smiling at her and abruptly noticing Whip hovering in the background over the Ostrega’s pale shoulder.

Sable and Towhee Jr had gone after Caracal and she’d just assumed her older brother had followed behind. But here he was, their little caboose instead. She tipped her head, then barked loudly to grab his attention and wave him over.

-“We need to gather as many mushrooms as we can carry. We’ll also need to catch some fish, if you’re any good at that?”- Towhee asked him, raising her eyebrows.

Though he had turned away, the sea still called. He heard the voice of the Mothers with every low woosh of waves breaking along the gentle shoreline. A memory, first formless, was wrought into being; crystallized. Whip thought he heard the priestess, her voice like wind. Then came the thrashing. The screaming.

The infinite and unfathomable cold.

Towhee's eye caught him and Whip found himself anchored in the present. Still, he cast his gaze away with shame unspoken. He lingered near Sialuk, thankful that she could exist here as a buffer of sorts. It took much of the pressure off.

She called him forward and Whip approached. Requests were made, and Whip knew in an instant how he could be of use. It had been some time since he'd fished -- but he was certain the art hadn't changed.

"I'm alright." A lie. "I can handle the fish."