Redhawk Caldera Although it hurts me so

She halted when Hotah’s agreement prompted a poignant sense of relief. It wasn’t a permanent fix, though Towhee realized that if she could just get the hell out of dodge for a few days, maybe she could clear her head. Perhaps she could even find some of Hotah’s optimism somewhere out there in the surrounding wilderness.

I’ll only take a few days, she swore, frowning at the giddy feeling in the deeps of her belly when she realized she knew exactly where she wanted to go. I think I’ll go visit the canyon.

Maybe she should’ve pestered Bushtit after all. It didn’t really matter now. Towhee could feel the insectile sensation fading from her skin and heaved an actual sigh of relief. For the first time in days—maybe even weeks—she felt a flicker of something like hope.

I’m going to go up to the Hobbit Hole, tell the girls and the others that I’ll be gone for a few days, she decided aloud, already lurching in that direction but stopping herself to look him in the eye and sign, -Thank you, Hotah.-