Bramblepoint diortosire

Hemera had seen one. She turned, her verbal command lost on Towhee but her intention clear despite the gloom. Minding her foot and moving quite a bit less gracefully than her escort, she fell into step behind Hemera.

She had no idea they were close to their destination until Hemera moved a branch out of the way before it could strike Towhee. The Redhawk gave the younger she-wolf a smile, eyes flicking to the dim sparkle of moving water through the brush. She carefully pushed through to the bank.

Towhee gingerly dipped her throbbing paw in the water, hissing silently through the momentary sting. Although she missed the opening of Hemera’s conversational question, she shifted her eyes to the woman’s face as she settled and managed to catch part of the last word: “—by?”

Sorry, what? she said, then used her free paw to tap at her own chin I’m deaf, so make sure I’m looking at you when you want to say something, Towhee explained.