Redhawk Caldera We're the guys that stop the monsters.

She quirked an eyebrow at what she considered to be a silly question. "Yes," Towhee replied in her usual clunky, wooden intonation, "no—" Before the word "now" could fully emerge from her mouth, a shadow passed overhead, causing her to cut off as she jerked her head upward. Her already stony expression pinched as she watched X circling.

"Go find Phox!" she called again, expression impatient and voice harsh. When the raptor only continued to circle, she dropped her eyes to Blixen and said, "That's X. He usually listens to me. I don't—" Her voice abruptly cut off again as the bird swooped down and landed rather roughly in the space between the two she-wolves.

The hawk's head jerked side to side, each golden eye boring into her plaintively as if begging her to understand. The two of them still didn't communicate effectively, other than X's obedience of simple commands. But as Towhee watched his quick, urgent movements, an idea struck her.

"Did you look for Phox?" she questioned. X opened his beak and gave a cry. She didn't hear it, though she thought she understood. "You couldn't find him?" To Towhee's amazement, he shook his head rapidly in the universal gesture for "no." "He's probably outside the territory hunting. If anyone can locate him, it's you, X." She reached out a paw to gently bump it against the bird's proud breast.

X crouched, then exploded into the air again, quickly winging out of sight. Turning her attention back to her would-be opponent, Towhee blinked casually and asked, "Ready?"