Redhawk Caldera Follow your heart, little child of the west wind.

Rue seemed to be thinking out loud, judging by her slower cadence, and Towhee's ears were aquiver as if they were somehow picking up on every hanging word. When her friend simply corrected her grammar, she blew out a rude noise. She very nearly gave her friend a playful shove, though fortunately she remembered Rue's bad back and checked herself before she wrecked herself her comrade.

But she wasn't done yet. Towhee offered a silent nod at Rue's astute analysis of the situation. There were many reasons why a wolf might be interested in leadership and the Sovereign could guess at a few of them. She knew Rue was a very dutiful, loyal wolf with a heart of solid gold. Towhee truly believed she would want it not for herself but for the betterment of the pack.

Although there was one perk that Towhee imagined Rue might enjoy solely for her own sake: breeding rights. It would give her second dibs next season, first if Towhee decided she was done having kids (questionable). And, honestly, with Phox, Niamh and their litter in the wind—a brutal reality Towhee had slowly come to terms with by now—there might be room for more pups even this year...

Towhee could only grin when Ruenna reached out and grabbed the Regency, however haltingly. "Let me do it. I—I want it." "If you were anyone else, I might grill you a bit first. But you've been my sidepiece before and I already know you'll be excellent. Welcome to the role, Ms Regent."