Heron Lake Plateau I'm working on my backwards walk, walking with no shoes or socks.

Quixote's schedule became less strict as the year got later and the heat of the day didn't demand it, but he still came back to the den during the daylight hours to heckle Raven and the quickly growing pups and sometimes take a nap.  They must have had a hell of a playtime as things were pretty quiet when he'd arrived, and he'd pretty much zonked out as well just in front of the tunnel to the surface.  At least then if someone tried to wander out, they'd probably wake him too.

Except it wasn't one of the youngsters that woke him, it was someone else droning away just outside.  It took him a few moments in his bleary, part-wakened state to even begin to parse words, let alone dredge up the context. What was Towhee going on about?  Something about Redhawk alphas and Blackthorn betas? Didn't seem to make much sense.  Something about Colt doing stuff?  Wait, he was totally missing something and it might actually be important. Hang on, I-- aw hell.  She couldn't exactly read him from where he was unless the fur on his spine had a billboard across it.

He unwound and started towards the light, turning from one shadow among many to a separate wolf again.  Another yawn, though he cut into it as he started to reply, Wait wait.. Sorry, try that again -- am I putting this together right?  You're wanting to step down?  And give it to Colt?  Which yeah, did sound pretty silly given their past.  He had to also wonder if Colt would even want the responsibility -- Colt had pretty much said he didn't want responsibility around the time Quixote had been promoted.  Not to mention since their rather rough last meeting, the two men had pretty much avoided each other.

When Towhee had returned injured, Quixote had honestly wondered what would become of her.  He'd kind of wondered if this kind of thing had been coming, but at the same time, it had been long enough he figured she'd decided to just continue on as it were.  Apparently not.  Quixote came out and sat himself across from her, an eye on the den entrance in case anyone else woke up from their conversation.  Hell, Raven might be in there too but his brain was so focused on trying to untangle this new mess that he honestly wasn't thinking beyond there were some obligatory number of mostly-dark forms tucked away in the darkness.