Sun Mote Copse Pattern recognition machines.

In a matter of days, Towhee's life had gone from almost boringly routine to utterly upended. First, @Wraen had nearly died, thrusting her into the sovereignty under the worst possible circumstances. Then, Meerkat had not only sucker punched her, she'd then ripped out her beating and bloody heart (metaphorically speaking). It had all happened so fast, to use a tired cliché. In a word, she was reeling.

She had mustered up some semblance of diplomacy for the kid's sendoff earlier, though she had crumpled at the last minute, soaking the girl's scruff with her tears. Towhee hadn't cared that @Bronco was forced to witness her emotional display. She had just barely stopped herself from begging Meerkat to reconsider, stay with her a while longer, but what good would that do? At best, it would've delayed the inevitable. At worst, it could have soured their beautiful mother/daughter relationship. Towhee couldn't bear that thought, so she'd let her go, at great personal expense.

Hours later, she wandered the copse in a daze. Her face was crusted and matted, though she'd run out of tears. Looking a hot mess, she arrived at the rendezvous site, only to find it empty and quiet. Her shattered heart sank and she hiccuped a half-sob before suddenly noticing Primrose napping beneath a bush. Mechanically, she walked over to him. All his older siblings had gone, yet he was serene in his youthful naïveté.

Without a word, she lowered herself beside the slumbering boy, staring into his peaceful face. She wanted to latch onto him, cling, maybe pretend he was a younger Meerkat. Instead, Towhee eventually scooted backward, leaving him to his sleep, and wandered back into the copse at large.