Redhawk Caldera Most people think I burn hot, it's actually quite the opposite.

"Just -- be careful. Call for me or Aunt Fin if you're not sure. You can always ask an 'outsider' to state their name and business, so you know right off the bat why they're here."

From a post I wrote before yours but in a thread dated after:

"State your name and business," she barked in her peculiar cadence.

This pleases me.

He seemed to understand where she was coming from and Towhee felt something loosen inside her with relief. She hadn't even realized there was a knot in her stomach until it came undone. She had thought Elwood was upset with her, that he was going to force her hand, but they appeared to have met in the middle for the most part. Towhee couldn't suddenly greet everyone with a smile, yet she could scale back a little on the blatant aggression at the borders.

"State your name and business," she repeated out loud, eyes flicking to her uncle's face to confirm that she had nailed the pronunciation. -I'm careful,- she added in ptero (Kat's new shorthand for the sign language) before conceding herself, -but I'll be even more careful.- She smiled tentatively. The air was clear now, wasn't it?

There was a pause for a beat before Towhee canted her head slightly and posed perhaps an unexpected question. -Can you tell me about them? Gannet? And Ashton?- She wanted her godfather to understand she would really make an effort, even though there was a slight look of distaste on her face even as she signed the letters for their names (the lack of a proper name sign for either a stark reminder of their outsider status).