Heron Lake Plateau I think I'm done

There was something odd about the way he spoke. Obviously, Towhee couldn't pick up inflections or tone, though it was his phrasing that struck her as peculiar. Her head tilted slightly. Maybe this was why she never spent time around him. But that was extremely petty.

"That's kind of the point," she rejoined, backing up a step as he rose. When he appeared ready to come along, she began striding toward the shore, adding as she did, "I actually swim alone all the time when I'm commuting to and from The Roost, so you don't have to worry about rescuing me. It was just an excuse to spend some time with you."

With a blink and a shrug, she continued leading him toward the edge of Heron Lake, pausing beside the water. She reached out a foreleg and dipped in her toes, then looked up at Ben. "Temp's pretty comfortable. You much of a swimmer?"