Redsand Canyon Bid my blood to run.

Germanicus joined in on the joking, which went a long way in tempering some of her remaining tension. But he quickly returned to a more businesslike demeanor as he expressed his opinion about whether Towhee suited Mereo, and vice versa. He formally introduced the two other men flanking him and she laughed a little on the inside at the words, "This is Arsenio, as you know." Well, now she did.

Her lips parted in surprise when he informed her that her opinion of Akashingo was by no means unique in Mereo. That simple bit of knowledge really sealed the deal for her, along with Rue's warm presence beside her. When Germanicus mentioned Ruenna's influence on his pack's structure, Towhee smiled knowingly. Rue had a habit of elevating the leadership, that was for sure, and she was particularly adept at smoothing out rough edges.

Germanicus said a word she didn't quite catch. She supposed the exact term didn't matter much at the moment, as she was able to gather from the context that it was a rank. Her eyes sparked when he outlined a task for her. It sounded like a clever way to put her skills to the test. Pitting her against perfect strangers would be challenging in more ways than one, she knew, especially after glancing at the silent duo in the background. She snorted lightly. Towhee understood the assignment.

Her head dipped. "I accept your terms," Towhee said to Germanicus, then promptly shifted her eyes to Kallik and Arsenio. "Are you two of the—Auxiliaries?" The word came out quite haltingly and she glanced at the leading pair in case either one wanted to correct her pronunciation. Then she looked back to the Auxillaries. "I would like to work with you first," she said to Arsenio, "and then you," she added to Kallik, wondering how they—and Germanicus and Rue—would react.