Porcupine Ridge but they're weird and they're wonderful

Tawodi had returned to the pair shortly after they had finished fishing. Athens had offered the last of his fish, which Tawodi gulped greedily, and Losi found herself surprised at the gesture. Not many thought much of her hawk companion, let alone give him a prize, and she fought the aww that threatened to escape her lips. 

Instead, she showed her gratitude in a smile, though not letting herself tarry too long in his eyes. If the glance his way had been any longer and she would have forced him into a hug. It was the small things that got to her the most, the things that many people might not care too much about in others. Little gestures spoke loud of a person. And, Athens was practically screaming at her. He may appear sullen, but there was something else underneath there; the livered female could truly only guess, but, maybe, someday she would be right.

Maybe.

As for the area around them, she felt unease in her bones, and her own heart hammered against her ribs. She was not inclined to heights, they made her feel slightly lightheaded and dizzy. It may very well be a reason the mountains had not called to her—or, rather, she ignored them, if they did. But, she agreed to see Athens through, and wanted nothing more than this, so she would call upon her ancestors for safety and guidance to push through.

And, if he allowed, she would inch herself closer to the man, almost to the point of bumping shoulders as they traveled up…and up, and up. 

“This is—how you say—treacherous. I do not know if Tawodi’s idea of safe is the same as ours.” The bird squawked in indignation. He was a bird, a traveler of air, and paths were nothing more than weird bits of terrain that held no significance to his kind, but he did the best he could her them. “Calm, Tawodi, it will be alright. Right, Athens?”