Heron Lake Plateau Could be stuck here and happy

Towhee's breath caught in her throat when Colt's name came up. She wasn't sure what to expect after that, though it certainly wasn't what came out of Niamh's mouth next. She felt the same sensation she'd experienced the other day, when Tegan's news about Bat had sunk into her like an injection of ice into her veins. She felt a sickening tightening in her gut at Niamh's pause, as if she anticipated being punched there. And in that sense, her Person delivered.

That initial chill quickly transformed into a wild heat. Her lungs filled with smoke and her stomach filled with lava as she stood there, swallowing convulsively. Hadn't Towhee asked her to stay? Hadn't she begged her? And yet here Niamh was, announcing her departure—because of that son of a bitch, Colt—as if it wasn't the single worst thing she could possibly say to the Beta right now.

Towhee's mouth opened and shut, then opened again. "Are you—are you fucking kidding me, Niamh—" she spluttered, the flatness of her tone giving it an extra edge.