Heron Lake Plateau On a hill, under a raven sky.

Phox had not seen one since Towhee had told him he was allowed to stay, but he had thought about Taurus much since his arrival. The moose had been a good sign to him since then, and he had peered up at it each night, thinking of it as a good luck charm that he needn’t carry around. The star formation was comforting to him, reminding him that even in his most difficult moments, there was hope that things could be better. Maybe even close to how things once were.

He hadn’t actually been seeking her out, but when he came across Towhee’s scent, it was second nature to seek her out. Phox hadn’t seen his sister since the Caiaphas incident, though he liked to think that had had a part in his slightly elevated status in the pack. A theta now, he knew hard work and time would still be required to gain the trust and respect of the rest of the pack. As for Towhee, he was not sure if he would ever be able to gain either of those things. He knew her well enough to know that she would not be easy to convince.

She was looking upward, as he imagined others had seen him many times before, when he spotted her. He approached cautiously, ready to flee if she wasn’t ready for his company, but hoping that she would be receptive to it. Pretty, aren’t they? he asked, though the question was purely rhetorical.