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

She couldn't hear her paws beating a tattoo against the earth, though she could feel her heart drumming in her chest as she chased X's fleeting shadow across the plateau. Towhee spared a single glance backward to make sure Niamh was coming, then faced forward and accelerated to her top speed. She felt like she was flying. And when the lake appeared, she didn't slow. Instead, she leaped right at the water's edge and soared over the shallows before crashing into the cold water.

She emerged a moment later, whooping loudly, and then began paddling. By the time she reached the shore of the little islet, X was already roosting on a low-hanging limb in the copse of trees at its center. Towhee barked playfully at him, then spun to see if Niamh was still right behind her. She then gave herself a mighty shake, sending droplets of water spraying across the small forest floor.

"Welcome," she said, "to The Roost." Even as the words rolled off her tongue, she realized that it was a proper name now. Her sopping tail waved.