branching deformer

hello

just getting stuck into deformers, and ive wrapped my head round the basics, but one thing im trying some tests on at the moment is a branching deformer.

EG - wings with large feathers at the tip, hair sections with a main body and a secondary piece.

Ive currently got a test working where ive added a new curve in the network view, parented it to a curve in an existing deformer chain and then attached it to a new drawing via a separate cable running through the multiport of the deformer group. It seems to work, but im wondering if there are better, simpler ways to achieve this.

ie: one drawing and one initial deformer for the main piece, and a new curve chain added in to work on the secondary drawing/piece (im riggin some quite detailed hair)

any tips gladly welcomed