Heron Lake Plateau I fought death and lost.

When the caregiver approached and questioned her about the culprit, it was tempting to throw Titmouse under the bus. But that would go against her offer of acceptance, wouldn't it? Towhee took a moment to think as she nudged Raven's cheek in thanks for the prompt response, then took a seat to make it a little easier to sign.

-Yes, but,- she began, -we... resolved our differences, I think. I don't really know. He attacked me but quickly backed off. We talked,- she did her best to explain. -I gave him one last chance to join us. He said he'll always be a Redhawk but I don't know what he meant because he left right after that.- Towhee's face scrunched, hoping she'd summarized that correctly. She felt rested now but she was still incredibly emotionally and mentally drained.

-Anyway, would you mind helping me clean these? I don't think they need anything else.- And she knew her older sister didn't exactly have many supplies at her disposal, having been uprooted and transported far away from her beloved badger den. Aloud, she said, "I can't believe all of this. We came out here to find peace and then this—shit-show." That single word just about summed it up.

She stared off into the distance a minute or two, then faced Raven again. She wasn't a counselor but she was the closest thing to it. "Do you think we can trust him? Do you think I made the right call even giving him another chance...?"