Luneshale Pass It’s time to kill the lights and shut the DJ down.

“No see,” Soto said, earning a loud blink from her.

Did you just… she began to say, then shook her head and mumbled, Damnit, Bushtit. Where are you?

Just because he wasn’t here now didn’t mean he wouldn’t turn up later. It was the most likely place. Towhee already knew she wasn’t going anywhere, though she took some comfort in this reassuring thought.

Soto came closer, pointedly eyeing her bad leg. Towhee squinted at him, then quickly decided there was no use avoiding the proverbial elephant in the room. Besides…

I’m going to stick around for a little while, see if resting it helps, she said, speaking slowly. I’m staying here, Towhee added a bit more succinctly, patting the ground. I’m not asking. I’m telling. I’ll keep to myself and stay near the outskirts—the borders, she emphasized, wondering if he would understand a word of it.