Hideaway Strath If I look back, I am lost.

He was rather used to startling her at this point, and once she realized it was him, she settled. Then she started to cry, which is a thing that wolves patently don't do, but we've been over that. I'm gonna pretend it was more of a wailing soft howl. In any case, "oof" was the singular thought that went through Phox's head. Here in the grove (his word for their new home), he had felt nothing but confident that things would be much, much better here. Phox had no reason to believe that, but it had just been that way. It appeared Towhee wasn't feeling the same way. He had noticed, but seeing her outwardly crying like this was a new one.

Gently, he licked her ear, then her eyes, trying to comfort her in any way possible. Even though she couldn't hear it, he whined softly, hoping to calm her down and soothe her worries, whatever they might be.