Heron Lake Plateau Everything means something and something has occurred

"'Forced a more immediate decision'? Forced?" Towhee echoed in disbelief, talking over him and missing the rest of what he said in that particular breath. She shook her head, her orange eyes cutting away for a moment. She only turned back when he started to say something else, gaze moving with some reluctance back to his mouth.

"She wasn't just some mouthy member; she'd earned leadership and that should've counted for something here. It feels like you don't value your co-leaders much," Towhee said. She grimaced because it wasn't just some spiteful barb, it was an honest observation. She had always tried to treat her fellow leaders as part of a team, making sure to consult with them on important decisions. Quixote was Alpha, it was true, and Alphas should get the final word, but the way he'd handled this really disappointed her, even without her admitted bias.

"And maybe you're right and I'm a hypocrite. But it's been a long time since I booted Colt the first time. I was a yearling at the time." She gave him a pointed look. "I'm going to go see see Niamh now," she added without pause. Towhee turned away, then glanced back and gave the Alpha a long, unreadable look. "Later," was her only word of farewell before trotting away to gather her brother.