Heron Lake Plateau I name this boat Roast Beef. May God bless her and all who sail in her.

Quixote's quip earned a dry bark of a laugh from Towhee. "Guess so," she agreed, then shook her head in response to his concern. "It was just a garter snake. Been battling them since I was ye tall." She held her paw about six inches off the ground, smirking faintly. "I'll be fine. It just stings like a bitch."

The Beta's attention strayed upward. The snake had been sunning itself, yet the sky had grown overcast now. Her orange eyes dropped back to the vicinity of the Alpha male's face. "We can probably get a round in before it starts to pour. Shall we head out?" Without waiting for an answer, Towhee motioned the way and began to walk parallel with the foot of the plateau.