Heron Lake Plateau You know I had heaven and hell in the palm of my hand.

She had to grin when she felt the bird pushing the feather into the fur at the nape of her neck, knowing it wouldn't stay there long but it was the gesture that counted, okay? This was a bird- one of her favourite things- giving her a feather. Who else could say a badass falcon or eagle or hawk or whatever he was (so she liked birds but had no idea which species was which) had presented them with a feather and tucked it into their fur as though to say 'we are one' in a silent but ominous voice?

It took Niamh a second or two to pick up on Towhee's voice too, but once X took off on the way to the Roost- whatever that was- and Towhee invited her along, Niamh lunged forward with a smile, long legs helping her catch up with Towhee and follow the shadow of the hawk flying above them, to wherever he took her.