Heron Lake Plateau another five more short graybles

"N—" Towhee began to say. The hawk didn't belong to her. But the word was lost as Screech told her he'd met X previously. She watched his lips as he explained how the raptor had even helped him hunt. Her brows lifted dubiously, until she realized it was totally plausible that all of this had happened on X's scouting mission.

She felt a little creep of heat beneath her jaw at the reminder of X's major error. But it was crowded out by Screech's open delight at Towhee's relationship with X. Even despite her brother's sketchy past, his sentiments toward the bird had the same effect on her as every other time. She slowly smiled, gladdened to have found someone who accepted his presence rather than gave it the horse eye.

"Yep," she replied, "and X is awesome. He doesn't belong to me but we struck up a mutually beneficial relationship back in the day and he's hung around ever since." Obviously, Towhee didn't point out that her hawk had indirectly caused the turf war... "He's an unofficial part of the pack and if he takes to you, I'm sure he wouldn't mind lending you another assist sometime."