Sun Mote Copse This mess is a place

He took a quid pro quo approach to it, which made sense, although Towhee didn't want him to do it because he thought he owed her. She knew him well enough to know he didn't mean it that way, so she said nothing. Of course he wanted to help raise these hypothetical hell spawn... if they did, indeed, exist.

Her chest tightened at the thought of Pippin trying to claim her pups. She really liked Pippin and definitely enjoyed his company. But she did not want to settle down with him. Maybe it was ugly of her but she also didn't want to share her offspring with him, even if they were equally his (at least, in theory). She decided right then and there that if she did pop out some kids, she would claim Kaertok was the father, even if they looked exactly like mini Arcs or Pips.

She said none of that to her brother, though, and she also reminded herself to stay cool. She didn't want to prepare for something that might never happen. Towhee took a deep breath to steady herself and said, "If I have pups, you'll be their dad, full stop. I don't even care if that's weird or whatever." Her shoulders rose and fell. "But who knows, right? Who knows what's going on in here?" She smacked her tum. "And who knows what'll happen between you two?"

Hitting herself in the stomach prompted Towhee to add after a beat, "I'm ready for breakfast."