Hoshor Plains i was a goddess — now i ache.

The woman’s svelte figure shifted in a way that confused his eye. It took Bushtit a second to realize there was a second wolf standing just behind her. She maneuvered into plainer view alongside the first, prompting the boy to sip in a breath and shrink a step backward. He froze again, beholding the lovely pair, his heart beating so loud in his chest he wondered if they could hear it.

The second woman—of petite build and sandy hues—spoke, though her voice was so low, Bushtit couldn’t quite parse her words. Fortunately, he’d picked up some lipreading abilities after spending so much time with Towhee. He thought he got the gist of the question, though he couldn’t decide whether it was aimed at her companion or himself.

He blinked, waited a few ticks, then pointed at his own chest and mouthed, “Who, me?”