Heron Lake Plateau No distance left to run

She frowned lightly when he mentioned Finley's and Niamh's litters. She supposed she should go visit them and, truth be told, Towhee wouldn't mind meeting her godparents' latest bunch. But what about her former Person's? They basically embodied their mother's abandonment of the plateau and her loved ones there. Plus, they were Colt's. Towhee wasn't really sure how she felt about meeting them. And that made her feel some kind of way, considering that Niamh had once asked Towhee to be their godmother.

Next, Phox said something so bewildering that Towhee's thoughts screeched to a halt. She blinked at the total non sequitur, a strange feeling tightening in her gut. Even when he reassured her that he would never leave without her, it didn't loosen. Sure, she could totally understand his sentiment, yet where on earth had this come from? They hadn't discussed anything like this in a while. Camilla and then the kids, they'd changed everything.

And that apparently included Towhee's heart and mind. Rather than toss out an instant rebuttal against the idea of ever leaving, she signed slowly (for emphasis), -I will not be separated from any of you.- Her orange eyes bored into his, even as her mind whirred.

Once upon a time, she would've rejected the notion outright. But now that she had this makeshift family unit with Phox—and now that nearly every single wolf she'd felt close to had bailed on her in one way or another—she didn't know that she felt as connected to the plateau as before. Her loyalty now lay with her brother and his offspring. Maybe kids really did change everything.

She said nothing else for a long moment, then added, -Did something happen between you two? Something recent, I mean? Where's this coming from?-