Sun Mote Copse Blow the wind southerly.

It was getting late and the cold was boring into her bones, yet still Towhee traipsed persistently around the copse's fringes, determined to complete the circuit before she turned in for the night. Her mind was already wandering in the direction of her warm bed, her eyes growing heavy, when movement caused her to snap to attention. Wide awake again, she squinted through the darkness, her mouth falling open when a figure materialized from the night and took on familiar features.

"Crow?" she blurted incredulously, standing stock still as he approached, ignoring her disbelief and posing a question that took her aback. Five minutes later, they stared at each other in pensive silence and all Towhee could think to say was, "I'll tell them the news but you should say 'hi' to your parents, brother and sister while you're here."

But he only shook his head, said a quick, "Gotta get back," and then melted back into the night. Towhee took a single step forward, as if about to give pursuit, but then she stilled and let out a long sigh as she replayed their conversation in her mind. "Towhee, is Sugar here?" "What? No, why? She's supposed to be—" "She disappeared the day after she arrived and nobody's seen her since." Her heart sank into her belly as she gazed out into the dark, familiar words whispering through her mind: Whose blood?