Redsand Canyon ostium

By the conclusion of the Imperator’s speech, Towhee’s eyes felt like they might fall out of her head. Midway through, she reached  her right paw up to rub at her brow, then her temple, smiling despite the pain as several members of the pack—including her own kin—were recognized for their merits. Luckily, Maxim was seated on her left, so she threw a congratulatory elbow at his ribs.

She dropped her forelegs and turned, trying to catch each of her relatives’ eyes and offer a nod of acknowledgement for today’s honors. But soon the pack’s youngest members recaptured her attention as they were ushed forward. They were not exactly the picture of decorum as they approached Germanicus, though a smirking Towhee didn’t know what anyone would expect from tykes that age.