Twisted Slough And heart to heart you'll win, if you survive

For reasons unknown even to her, Towhee didn't think to question why Fennec was also far from home. Then again, she probably didn't think about her daughter's handicap in quite the same way others might. She didn't see it as something that should hold her back (and would've bitten the 'nads off anyone who insisted otherwise).

But as with her deafness, she knew Fen's blindness came with, well, downsides. She watched Fen's lips carefully, picked up on the guilty look on her face even if she couldn't hear the tone. Naturally, Towhee couldn't quite relate to how the noise of rain might be disorienting. But she could certainly imagine and empathize. And she could understand how it might also compromise Fen's sense of smell.

"If it makes you feel any better, I was lost too," she replied, "although I think this is the slough, so home's that way." After speaking the words, she nudged Fen's muzzle toward the distant copse. Tucking herself closer beside Fen and mostly out of the rain, she clucked thoughtfully and added, "Man, I bet the rain fucks you up. I never really thought about it before."