Starglow Basin Re_jaded.

“He’s harsh,” Tierra began and all Towhee could think about was the way they’d smashed like, well, wild animals. But then she said, “He saved my life,” and that was like being dowsed in cold water. Her eyes found the gnarled flesh on her daughter’s neck again, her lips pinching together. Despite this valiant act, he sounded a bit like trouble.

What happened, that he needed to save you? was the first question out of Towhee’s mouth. Is that how you met him? Who’s ‘us’? were the second and third.

Before Tierra could possibly answer any of the rapidfire questions, Towhee suddenly had a strange thought: were her daughter and Soto involved? No fucking way, her inner voice hollered, fueled in part by denial but also by the way Tierra had described him and the strangely haunted look in her eyes.