Broken Antler Fen We don't need to be related to relate.

She playfully rolled her eyes at Wraen’s retort. Been there, done that, Towhee replied sardonically. But she knew her friend meant it in a figurative, not literal, way, so she let out a breath and said, I think I’ve got this… thanks in part to your wise counsel. Seriously… thanks.

Wraen saw her off with another old saying, complete with a threat. You’ll never find someone else who could hold a candle to our story, she protested with a grin. But good luck, Towhee added with a click of her tongue and a laugh.

Smell ya later! were her last words, tossed carelessly over her shoulder at Wraen as she headed toward the distant caldera, a looming silhouette in the gathering dusk.