Haunted Wood I think I was wrecked all along.

Under different circumstances, Towhee might've dunked on the pack's name. But all she did was tilt her head and pay attention to everything else Bridget said. Naturally, she thought of the Redhawks and how they were some sort of messy hybrid: tightly knit but explosively dramatic despite it... or possibly because of it.

When Bridget mentioned everyone else moving on, Towhee did glance away. She was sure the medic meant something slightly different but the Sovereign could definitely relate to that feeling, particularly lately. A lot of the time, folks left. Some came back. Others didn't, disappearing or dying. Towhee didn't know what was worse: closure or lack of it.

She only mused for a moment or two, looking up and realizing Bridget was saying something else. "—fights with snakes? Did you deserve it, or do I need to go find the thing and make sure it apologizes?"

Towhee understood it was meant as a joke, intended to offer some levity in a terrible situation. But her stomach clenched. Maybe the rattlesnake did represent some sort of karmic consequence, though she couldn't put her finger on any particularly egregious sin. And hadn't the universe already beaten her pretty soundly by now?

Shoving aside the slightly existential crisis, Towhee answered in the same vein the question had been asked with a simple, cheeky, "Yes." And even though she hadn't actually caught it, she managed to answer the first question by adding, "You know. I was out here 'cause my kids were driving me nuts. I needed a break. That's why I'm so grateful to you. Their last memory of me would've been me being moody and short with them before stomping off." This time, tears slipped out of both eyes at once. "Shit."