Sun Mote Copse Mad world.

If Fennec replied, Towhee didn't catch it. She inhaled and let the yearling do her job, her eyes probing the darkness around them and musing again that she could hardly see more than the blind yearling. Yet surely Fen's other senses compensated, in part, just as Towhee's imagined hers did in lieu of hearing. It was impossible to know, though it merited a few moments' reflection as Fennec finished.

When her daughter stepped in front of her, Towhee's eyes sought her lips. "What stuff?" she wondered. "Something gross?" she guessed, wrinkling her nose but laughing dryly. She huffed another wry sound when Fennec questioned her point blank about her motives.

"I wanted to talk to you about the spat with Niamh," the Sovereign answered with the same frankness, "and I wasn't going to do this but..." She paused, lips pursed, then continued. "Eljay told me what happened, then I spoke to Niamh to hear her side of the story. I didn't want to take sides—still don't—but it's like I told her: no one but maybe your Aunt Raven should ever question Eljay when it comes to medical care." There was a lot more to say on the matter, though she stopped there to give Fennec an opportunity to get a word in edgewise.