Redhawk Caldera My "people skills" are "rusty."

The pups were outside today. In fact, they barely spent any time in the cave anymore, except to sleep at night. While the other three gamboled in the late February sunshine, Towhee broke away from the puppy pack and approached Raven, who was catnapping nearby. The Gamma quickly roused and lifted her head upon the Rho's approach, yellow eyes shrewd upon the Firebird's face.

-I'm hungry,- Towhee signed (a combination of mouthing the words and pointing at her mouth). She then looked pointedly at the caretaker's underside but when her blue eyes returned to Raven's face, she was shaking her head. The pup slumped a little, though she perked up a moment later when Raven procured a leg of deer seemingly out of nowhere. (In reality, @Elwood had dropped it off a few minutes ago while the puppies were otherwise preoccupied.)

"Come and get it!" Raven crowed over her head, though Towhee didn't notice her older sister's call as she fell upon the meat and began tearing off small chunks. When she felt the vibrations of approaching footsteps and then the jostling of her litter mates, growls began leaking out the sides of her mouth as the white-streaked fur along her shoulder blades prickled and her tail stiffened into an upward arch.

But the suppertime bickering did not persist and it wasn't long before a satiated Towhee took a few steps back and plopped onto her haunches with an explosive burp. -Thank-you,- she belatedly remembered to sign at Raven, who smiled in acknowledgement and said, "You're welcome, Towhee," slowly and clearly so that the Rho could easily read her lips.