Heron Lake Plateau locked and loaded, where the hell is peace of mind?

She noted Ceara's shift in expression and the minute cues of her body language in reaction to her words. Her head cocked, curious about how she might have taken them. But before Towhee could ask, she felt a familiar cool, leathery nose against her neck. She turned her head and sidestepped out of the way, giving Raven's hip an affectionate nip as she took her place beside their injured pack mate.

Towhee didn't respond right away to Raven's question (and all the other questions it inferred). When she did speak, she did so more slowly than usual. "After what happened to me—and now this—maybe we ought to consider putting a kibosh on traveling for a while. It's needlessly dangerous." Her lips pressed together momentarily. "Surely they won't come this far seeking a fight. But if they do, we'll have the home field advantage and everyone will be here to defend the plateau." After she spoke, she shrugged, "But that's your call."

She may have been the Alpha during the first battle with the Blackfeathers—and it had been her decision to come here—but now the Redhawks' fate rested in Raven's and Quixote's capable hands. Towhee would, of course, do what she could to assist the leadership and defend her family and turf. But she wasn't an Alpha or even a Beta now, plus there was her bum leg to consider. If it came to round two, Towhee would be playing a very different role.