Sun Mote Copse When there's nothing left to burn

Towhee pushed onto all fours, ready to help Niamh if her friend needed any extra support. She managed on her own, cracking a joke as she rose and earning another chuckle from the Regent. Her tail switched as she waited for Niamh to lead the way, moving to flank her so they moseyed in tandem through the copse.

She couldn't hear the birds calling in the trees, though she saw signs of spring everywhere she looked. The air smelled of it too. Of course, the surest sign was her companion's swollen belly. Her gaze dropped for a second and she fell behind for just a beat as she admired Niamh's silhouette. Towhee then hastened to catch up again, thoughts bouncing from her own baby to her deceased godparents to the upcoming litter and back again.