Sun Mote Copse Emotion sickness.

The first question to fall from her lips was perfectly Towhee, and Pippin was at least relieved to see she wasn’t in pain. Unless being in heat was painful? He could sort of relate—the sudden tug in his lower extremities certainly didn’t feel like a walk in the park at that moment.

“I hope she doesn’t,” he mused wryly, considering the rather attractive girl that had greeted him at the borders that day. He assumed the two were close—Niamh had chosen to vouch for her friend while not even knowing him.

He had always meant to ask if there was something more there between them. And if he could join in one day…

Her announcement at not being able to become pregnant pulled him from that rather distracting thought, and he frowned in her direction. Had it been any other woman, he might have been suspicious they were trying to trick him into a donation.

“How do you even kn—“ His words cut off with a quick snap of his jaw as she turned, revealing herself to him. But it was not because of the tempting sway of her hind that drew him to silence, but the mutilated sight before him. He definitely hadn’t left her in that state last time, and he felt his teeth grind down, trying to fight back the rising anger. She was looking at him, and so she could read his lips. “Who did that to you?”

Because Pippin was ready to return the favor.