Blackfeather Woods stage 3: bargaining

He flinched backward, the hiss of urine unheard but its pungent smell filling Towhee’s nose. Her head reared back as a look of disgusted surprise flashed across her face. When he pleaded with her and rolled onto his back, exposing his soiled underside, Towhee bared her teeth again but recoiled.

Pathetic, she murmured under her breath, likely too quietly for him to overhear. Louder, she said, Do the world a fucking favor and go die in a hole.

She began to withdraw from the scene by way of a backpedal. Despite his prostration, Towhee couldn’t bring herself to turn her back on Titmouse. He was nothing if not unpredictable. What if he leaped to his feet and tried to aim for the back of her neck?

Scowling at the thought, she continued her retreat. Towhee wondered why she’d ever thought to come into this godforsaken forest. She would never make that mistake again.