Sun Mote Copse Last transmission from the island radio

The ease with which Avery accepted her presence, then the comfort of her shoulder, made Towhee's insides feel markedly less hollow. She twisted her neck to gently rest her chin on the smaller wolf's head. Neither one of them said anything and the mercenary wondered what might be going through her little sister's head right now. She'd lost two of three siblings in a matter of weeks. Towhee's insides clenched in empathy with that particular brand of loss.

"If you want, you could come with me to look for her," the former Kilonova found herself offering without thinking. If it might help Avery, she could resume her searches. "We could keep an eye out for Crow too. And everyone else who's gone." She drew in a breath and sat up a little straighter so she could look down into Avery's face as she said the next few words. "A lot of people will walk out of your life. But some stay. We can look for the former but don't forget to hold onto the latter too." She smiled encouragingly, thinking of her recent conversation with Hydra. "Your mom and dad, for instance. And Eljay," Towhee offered in way of example. "You can always count on them to be there for you, to stay."

And me too, she thought though didn't add. Although she appreciated the easy, sisterly affection between them, Towhee didn't know Avery that well and vice versa. Maybe that could change, beginning today. They had a lot in common, after all: they were the ones left behind.