Redhawk Caldera hear me now

The overgrown puppy bypassed her, closing in on Towhee like some great land shark before gently batting at her nose. Raven smiled hugely when she heard the little girl's squealing giggle. It was one of very few noises she'd heard her make so far. But it gave the Gamma faith that Towhee could perhaps be taught to speak if she (Raven) really worked with her.

Lagan praised Towhee but she bounded away, oblivious. Raven opened her mouth to remind Lagan that she was hearing impaired, only for him to throw her a puzzled look and accompanying question. Perhaps he didn't yet realize; Raven had only made the discovery herself very recently. And even she still had trouble really coming to terms with what it all meant.

"She's deaf, Lagan. That's why I've been taking her aside," the Gamma explained in a soft voice, as if she was bearing bad news. Raven didn't like that approach, though, so she made sure to add more positively, "But she can 'listen' in her own way. Just make sure she's facing you when you speak and enunciate your words clearly. She's already pretty good at lipreading and understanding gestures like nodding. Plus: body language."

Raven felt something touch her foreleg and looked down to see that Towhee had run back to them and was taking turns batting herself and Lagan, her dancing eyes clearly begging them to, Play!