With the arrival of Adelayde's children, the new members that had joined recently, and the return of her daughter, Jessie felt a bit better about the status of Wild Rye Fields. With the growth in numbers, it was easier to feel more secure about the future of the pack. That being said, there was still one problem that readily made itself apparent with every patrol and attempt to cross the border - the coyotes. Not only were they competing with one another for prey and this only annoyed Jessie more. Spring and summer was a time that she preferred her pack to be more comfortable, especially in terms of their caches.

The aging monochrome woman was patrolling the borders, the stench of coyotes overwhelming her nose - so much thaat she did not notice her daughter scent being blown in her direction. Emerald eyes shifted to look in front of her and a small smile formed on the mother's lips. Her youngest daughter looked so much like Drestig. Jessie's tail wagged behind her as she increased her pace to catch up with the other woman, a bark leaving her maw to get Sphinx's attention.

The dark girl was quick to come to a stop after that and Jessie's approach was quick to follow. The two's embrace was long overdue, just as any of her interactions were with her children. There was something reassuring about her second daughter coming home having left. Maybe it was because of how she felt about her mothering skills towards Percy and having failed her as a parent. Perhaps, for her second litter she had not done as bad. Of course, she would have to do better now that Drestig was gone. Parenting would be all on her now.

At Sphinx's statement, the Rye Queen turned to gaze out passed their borders, lips pulled back in digust, wrinkling her muzzle. "It's awful," she offered. The monochrome woman felt like she was being suffocated within her own home, feeling like she could not leave the comfort of her own borders without being jumped by the vermin - who seemed to be moving around in their own little groups. Grey ears flicked forward, emerald eyes intent on the open fields in front of them. When she spoke, her voice was firmer, "Something has to be done."

Walking shoulder by shoulder with her daughter brought a peace to Jessie's mind. It was so comforting to know that while some parts of her life might have been shattering, other parts remained in tact. She remembered a time in her life where there were all these unknowns and still she felt like this. Like she was never in control, when it was all she really wanted in life. That was how she felt now, like her life was spiraling out of control. There were these coyotes that never seemed to go away. Jessie just wanted her family to be able to live in peace. The mother's ears flicked at the sound of her daughter's voice. It was a valid question given that she had brought it up but the Rye Queen found herself lost to an answer. What could they do?

It felt like the vermin had made their claim to the lore. Jessie certainly did not want to lose any more of her members and certainly not to the 'yotes. When she spoke again, her voice was uncharacteristically softer, "The only thing we can do. Fight and stick together. We can't risk anything, not with Adelayde's children. At this point in time, we're more fragile than ever." This caused a frown to form on her maw. It was a concerning thought but a familiar feeling to Jessie, none the less.

They stayed at the borders in silence for quite a while. The last thing the mother wanted to do was cause stress to her child. A liar, she was not. The mother remained quiet, looking over the still lowlands, not a life in sight. Not only were the coyotes making it hard for the Rye wolves to travel but they were also taking their prey. It was stressful but more than anything else, Jessie was worried for those that remained in her pack. What if something happened to them and the coyotes decided - for whatever reason - that they wanted to settle down? While it was certainly not in their nature, it was also not common to see them stay in one place for so long. Hopefully, they wouldn't be sticking around for much longer.

The Tainn leaned into her daughter, the two supporting one another. The physical touch was nice, something she hadn't really indulged in since Drestig's death. While she had the pack, a family, she did not feel close with them as she should, how she's always wanted to. For a moment, the monochrome woman just shut her eyes, enjoying this moment with her daughter. When Sphinx spoke, however, emerald eyes shot open, eyes readjusting to the Fields. The mother's frown deepened, eyebrows creasing together as she quietly agreed with her daughter. She swallowed hard, pressing her head against her daughter's. When she spoke, her voice was soft, "Well, we have one thing that they don't...allies." It was true and an advantage that Wild Rye Fields was lucky to have. If the Rye was not backed by the Edge and Surge wolves, Jessie was not sure where they would be.

For what Jessie lacked in passion for leading her pack, she made up for in tact. Being a willing diplomate was one of the most important functions of pack life and she had sworn that she would do her best to maintain relationships as long as she breathed. Luckily, the Fields pack got along quite well with their neighbors. It was all Jessie could ask for and it was certainly reassuring for when they were facing their enemies. A small smile graced the mother's lips when Sphinx spoke. She was glad they had a similar mind-set when it came to their lesser cousins. When the pack had similar opinions, the whole junction just ran more smoothly.

Mother and daughter sat together in silence, enjoying one another's company until the yearling spoke. A sly smirk formed on the monochrome Queen's lips, emerald eyes turning to stare at her daughter. She nodded in agreement, "Sure, whoever loses owes the other a hare." With that, Jessie started towards the pack den.