Sun Mote Copse How can we live in charcoal towns?

In under five minutes, four wolves surrounded her. Towhee thought about telling Eljay and Nellie to beat it, though every ounce of her attention remained on her son and daughter, completely ignoring the other two in the background. When Fig came to her, face brimming with concern as he reached out to her, Towhee slung out a foreleg to tug him to her. When Fennec bumbled onto the scene, she coaxed the girl closer with a choked, "Here."

She could see the confusion on the blind girl's face, plus the anxiousness on Fig's. "I'm not hurt," she said to them. "I'm upset." She pressed her nose to Fen's cheek, remembering how they'd talked about this. But it would be news to Fig. Towhee sucked in a hitched breath and explained, "I went to see Rave at Frosthawks and she—I—I can't—" She needed to pause and steady herself with another breath. "I found out I can't have kids of my own." Saying the words crushed her, though she tried not to lose control of herself. Her face crumpled as she tried to bury it between the two of them, clinging to them.