Redhawk Caldera you always knew you'd be the one to work while they all play

Towhee had been through more than her fair share of injuries and physical maladies in her life, yet nothing had taken her down quite like this snakebite. The healing process was long and slow, requiring all of her energy and leaving her stuck in the Hobbit Hole day after day. Her mind could've easily gone to rot, especially with everything else going on, but fortunately Towhee simply slept through most of it.

Today, she felt more awake, a little stronger. She pushed to her feet and wandered outside on shaky legs. Towhee paused in the doorway, leaning against it, and looked down at her bitten paw. It looked jarringly normal. She raised her eyes, watching Sphyra picking a fight with a bush in the middle distance. She wondered where Caracal was right now; she didn't see him.

Of course, she thought of Tierra too. Her stomach tightened. She was dimly aware that search and rescue efforts were underway, though Towhee also knew they were often exercises in futility. All the same, she would probably be out looking too, where she capable. But even at her healthiest and strongest, was there really a damn thing she could do to stop her children—and everyone else, for that matter—from leaving her?

That thought sapped her strength and Towhee sank into a sit. She thought about calling out to her daughter, asking Sphyra how she was doing. But sooner or later, she would leave too. Probably sooner, she thought a little darkly. Hadn't she tried to prepare herself for this: raising her children, knowing they would eventually vamoose, and accepting that as an okay outcome? They were still very young, but it was a mistake to think that meant much around here. She should really try harder to harden her heart, starting right here, right now, with Sphyra.