Redhawk Caldera distorted light beam

She was back to feeling totally drained, perhaps because she'd moved around too much yesterday or, more likely, because she'd mentally and emotionally exhausted herself. Regardless, Towhee slouched to the Hobbit Hole's entrance today to sit in the fresh air and sunlight. She didn't see Caracal or Sphyra, which made her heart perform an uncomfortable flip. But she reminded herself: they were old enough to freely roam the territory now. And there were lots of other eyes on them.

Towhee closed her own, tipping her head skyward to enjoy the sun on her face. She neither saw nor heard Phox and Tierra heading her way, though some other sense triggered and she dropped her head about a split second before Tierra made impact. She let out a little "oof!" of surprise but instinctively slung her left foreleg around her daughter's shoulder, unsure why Sphyra was so clingy today. But she was here for it.

There was something rather desperate about her, though, and it hit her: this was Tierra, not Sphyra. Towhee gasped as the realization hit her at the same moment she spotted Phox. Clutching her little girl, her mouth dropped open as she stared at her brother. She recognized him, though he looked like he'd been away for years rather than months. He looked older, maybe thinner too.

Although it still hurt her a little, Towhee raised her right foreleg. Her whole body trembled as she made a jerky sign. The motion was unmistakable, even single-handed: -Come here.-