Northstar Vale It's "Can I get a witness?" time

She was officially too rotund to do much of anything except mosey around Lotus Spring and Wraen’s Nest. Feeling particularly stir-crazy on this fine February day, Towhee opted into a second loop just as soon as she finished the first. She doddered around the water’s edge, wondering if all this walking might kick-start labor.

When she crossed paths with that infernal porcupine on her second foray across the fallow flower patch, Towhee made the possibly foolhardy decision to slay it. She first frightened it with her great bulk, then reposed nearby to wait for it to uncurl from its defensive posture. She knew she would need to move quickly, which would be challenging in her condition, but somehow Towhee landed a successful strike and put an end to the little grave disturber.

Towhee came away from the confrontation with two quills punched through her upper lip. They probably looked like particularly thick whiskers, though of course she couldn’t see them. She could feel them, though, and thought about calling someone for help. They needed to be extracted right away and the skin cleaned. Towhee didn’t want to risk an infection.

She dragged the carcass back toward the roost in the willows, careful not to prick herself again. She heaved it inside, keen to pluck out all the quills and use them somehow. Towhee would do that later, though. Maxim wasn’t home, so she turned around—a very ungainly movement, indeed—and waddled back out of the den to see her son approaching.

Jack! she called. Can you do me a favor and rip these out of my face? Towhee asked, pointing at the pair of pinions thrusting out of her right flew.