Hideaway Strath All this music must fade.

She couldn't take it a second longer. In spite of the dangers and despite her lack of a spotter, Towhee launched herself up the rock wall, moving so haphazardly and quickly that she was halfway up before her twinging ribs forced her to slow, stop and ascertain the situation while catching her breath.

Heart thudding in her throat, her eyes swept the steep, slippery slope of stones beneath her, then traveled up and overhead. Either way, she was taking an enormous risk. Might as fucking well, she thought, flinging herself further uphill, scrambling for purchase and recklessly defying death as she ascended at breakneck speed.

Near the top, a loose rock gave way beneath her bad hind leg and she fell, sliding backward about ten feet before a sharp stone stopped her fall by penetrating a solid two inches into her thigh. Gritting her teeth against the pain, Towhee righted herself and took a moment to inspect the wound. As her tongue curled out to clean it tentatively, her orange eyes lifted, drinking in an absolutely breathtaking view of Asterism Grove.