Redhawk Caldera Accidents don't just happen accidentally.

OK, that post made me LOL so hard. Also, thank you for this brill opportunity to explore Tow's language development. :D

She couldn't hear his verbal warning, though soon Lagan spoke to her in a way she could understand very well. As soon as he righted himself and snatched her by the scruff, the pup went limp. The suddenness of his movements did confuse Towhee, especially when he plopped her right back on the floor, and she looked up at him questioningly. He scowled at her and her over-sized ears wilted. She had done something to displease him. Although she was very young, she could put the pieces together to deduce he hadn't liked her biting at his belly.

She fought the instinct to drop her eyes, instead focusing on the movements of Lagan's mouth. She noticed the distinct repetition of bad. Between that word and the look on his face, Towhee understood that she was being scolded. When he gestured at the lump of flesh between his legs, it clicked that he didn't want her near it. Her blue eyes drifted back up to catch the shake of his head. She already had a pretty firm grasp on that one. It meant no, that's bad, stop what you're doing.

If Towhee had realized the opposite gesture—that a nod meant yes, I understand—she would have done so. She wasn't there yet, so all the puppy could do was look up at him apologetically, eyes a little shiny, then scoot toward Lagan and bump her head gently against his chest. The little girl hoped he wouldn't stay angry and that he could forgive her, not that Towhee knew of these ambiguous concepts. She just wanted her older cousin to smile at her again.