Heron Lake Plateau My unicorn got run over by a tractor

With Colt gone, all Quixote had was Raven.  He might have considered Towhee a friend once, but with her becoming a leader, it had foisted her into some weird limbo where he wasn't comfortable speaking his mind to her.  On the other hand, he and Colt had just operated on the same wavelength -- there wasn't really a question that one would betray the other.  It was a friendship that he wanted to figure out how to keep, even if he couldn't find a way to get Colt back into the pack.

Then there was Raven.  With her, Quixote was taking a risk -- he'd gone all in on this single play based on instinct rather than thought.  So far, he'd been rewarded with a taste of taste of what he'd been missing, a faint dream glowing on the horizon.  He'd bare his soul for a chance at it, without question -- anything she wanted, anything.  She had wanted him to stay, so he would.  And if she changed her mind, was anything else holding him here?  To Quixote, their intimacy had shortcut around some of his more difficult walls, causing him to work from a later page in the handbook, so to say, and perhaps he was wrong in assuming she was too, but he'd figure it out eventually if that was the case.

The longer he sat, the more her scent started to win out over his anxiety -- her smile helped quite a bit with that too.  He relaxed.  As Raven spoke, Quixote eventually got to his feet again, stretching.  We'll see what she says.  I think we both decided to think about it.  See if she changes her mind.  Though it did make him wonder if Towhee would regret saying so in the first place.  Because then what happened if she screwed up again?  Should he put his money where his mouth was?  There were other things that would make Quixote step up to the plate anyway, but if he no longer had the excuse of 'not being the right fit' then that might add a few more to the list.  What if she was creating a monster?  

The space between them that had initially felt weird now felt too far, so he stepped closer, sitting down within reach even if he didn't do so, Might just be me, but seems like there's a lot less places to hide from the summer sun on the plateau than there were on the caldera.  Maybe just a few trees in the more open areas -- easier to take a nap under a tree than a bush.  By then he seemed almost bemused at the idea.  Raven didn't seem too concerned, so why should he be?  He'd probably just overreacted.  Probably a ways out anyway, can always see if it seems needed in a couple months when stuff is all green and alive.  Winter had felt like forever, and that still seemed like even farther away.

There was still that other nagging question, though still delivered with that same humor, Or do you think Towhee'll try to feed me to her bird before then?