Redhawk Caldera You don't have to be ruled by fate.

If the question caught him off guard, he didn't show it. Elwood turned to face her, opting to speak rather than sign, which made sense as they continued to plod along the borders. She watched his face carefully, nodding at his sensible response. Towhee immediately thought, I'm dedicated and helpful. She blinked. She couldn't pinpoint when the idea of pursuing leadership might have entered her head but she could not deny her seemingly sudden interest.

"Do you think," she began slowly, "that I'd make a good leader someday?" Her heart skipped a beat. It was one thing to think it but another to voice it, to put the idea out there in the wild. Plus, she was genuinely anxious about her godfather's feedback. What if he didn't think she'd be cut out for it? What if he thought her handicap or the chip on her shoulder would hold her back from obtaining such a position?

Finding herself feeling defensive and prickly, the Xi said, "You won't find anyone more dedicated—or loyal—than me," to help make her case. Aware that she wasn't giving her uncle a chance to get a word in edgewise but seemingly unable to help herself, Towhee added, "I'll never leave. I'll always be a Redhawk. And a Blackthorn." She caught his eye as she said that last bit, which was something else she wanted to discuss with him. But it would have to wait for now. She finally shut her yap to allow the Alpha male to speak.