Redsand Canyon (Nothing but) ashes...

She didn’t catch his dismissive comment. Towhee thought he simply ignored her. The disrespect riled her, not because she was his superior—she wasn’t, technically—but because they were meant to be pack mates. They were actually supposed to be more than that. Soldiers were intended to be comrades in arms, willing to obey their Imperator’s every command. This maybe-Glaukos didn’t seem to give a damn about either.

Of course, it was temping to fall back and stop wasting her own time. But Towhee’s exhaustion made her petty. And she was stubborn too. Wordlessly, she kept pace with the gigantic wolf. She would join him on his patrol and use the opportunity to get further acquainted with Mereo’s layout.