Redhawk Caldera Tretale.

His plea gave her déjà vu. Her lips parted as Towhee stared at him, taken aback by Killdeer’s request. Didn’t he know she didn’t want to settle anywhere again? Didn’t he realize that she had a contentious relationship with this specific place? No, she reminded herself, her grandson couldn’t know these things, which meant she was facing the unpleasant task of informing—and rejecting—him. Again.

Towhee hesitated, for a lot of reasons. Hadn’t she just admitted that she needed to park somewhere, regardless of her wishes? She licked her lips, glancing away at the caldera again, her brow scrunching. Maybe she could make up for her refusal the last time. And though part of her hated the caldera, part of her loved it too, and would feel truly fulfilled if her grandson reclaimed it.

It means a lot, that you’d ask, she said, turning back to face him, eyes weighing on his face. If you go through with it—if you take the caldera back—then I’ll come home too, Towhee said, with the caveat that I will travel freely if and when I’m able to again. I want to make the most of the time I have left, you know?