Heron Lake Plateau machines just got workings, and they talk to me

Woo, good!  It's much easier to write (and read, I guess >_>) when not distracted.

Calling him over might have ended in a whole different world of screwed up.  Chances are, Quixote would have mouthed off at the wrong time and things would have been a lot less peaceful -- he was expecting it'd end with him in a fight, and that was not the right mental state to bring to something that had obviously been able to be solved reasonably diplomatically.  He might have been good moral support, if he could like... Not say anything.  Ha.

He sat as Raven did, curling around her as protectively as a wolf could until she was ready to speak, taking the time to absently preen the fur at her nape as he tried to get his own thoughts in order.  Though she couldn't see, his expression now had a defiant edge to it.  Whatever had happened, he'd have to go work some sort of magic so idiots would be less idiot-y, wouldn't he?  Annoying how that seemed to happen, but that seemed to be the likely vague course of action.  His face softened slightly as she pulled away, ready and expecting some sort of dreaded news, but what he heard was not what he was expecting.

Quixote blinked owlishly, then his brow furrowed in confusion, his voice quiet, What.  Was it a joke?  He leaned back a bit to look Raven up and down, making sure she hadn't done something super surprising like gotten in a fight and like.. Fought Towhee for the title or something.  It made about as much sense as the title just being given away, and the lack of any signs of a scuffle made him that much more perplexed.  Then, more seriously, though kind of like someone had just said a panda wearing a tutu carrying an entire marimba showed up, What?  It was a joke -- nobody actually makes someone with as many authority problems as him a leader.