Sun Mote Copse Night on earth.

But Niamh stopped her before she could beat a hasty retreat, probably toward the river as originally intended. Towhee permitted herself to be halted, giving her friend the benefit of acknowledgement, and felt her flight response lessening significantly when Niamh rushed to apologize. Towhee really wished she didn't feel the need for that. Why hadn't Niamh simply understood that her comments were entirely lighthearted?

"Dude, I literally just pointed out that us being sisters is more important than you being Phox's wife and baby mama. It was a joke," she felt the need to emphasize, "but the sentiment wasn't." She paused there, still really confused how Niamh could've taken any of those comments at face value. But then Towhee remembered her inability for higher thought processes during her own estrus and something clicked. Maybe Niamh just had lizard brain.

It didn't make this easier, though the perspective helped. "Look, I was making jokes because I don't feel like getting into the heavy shit right now. I'm—fuck, I'm heartbroken, Niamh. And I'd love to just hang out and keep it light. Because, I'm sorry, I do not have the bandwidth to deal with anyone else's crazy emotions right now."