Redhawk Caldera The boneyard.

He said something that took an extra beat to parse. Had he really just said what she thought he did? Towhee blinked, then watched him take his leave. She didn’t move a muscle until he was out of sight.

Canal, she thought to herself as she finally swiveled away. Canal! Who calls it that? Towhee mused incredulously at first… then with increasing amusement as she crested the slope.

She lingered to take in the views for the last time for a while. From up here, she spotted the strange male off in the distance. Towhee shuddered a little, then with a dry huff of laughter, she descended toward the caldera itself.