Northstar Vale I know a woman who should’ve known better.

His smiling face went a long way to soothe her battered heart. Towhee couldn’t resist bending down to press her nose to Sable’s forehead. She then lifted her head and faced forward, trotting slowly toward the two forking streams feeding into the spring. They waded across a shallow point and then she led her son toward Wraen’s Nest, just like she’d done with Jr.

-“This is Wraen’s Nest,”- she told him when they arrived, -“where we’ll come to live in a few weeks. Take a look around if you want.”-

She glanced across the meadow toward the tree where she’d met Phox moments ago. Her brother was gone, probably off to hunt. Towhee quickly returned her attention to Sable. She kept an eye on him even as she slowly padded closer to Leo’s grave.