Heron Lake Plateau My unicorn got run over by a tractor

His words brought her some comfort, but she still had her misgivings. Towhee was a lot smarter than some gave her credit for, and she had a remarkable ability to figure things out on her own. Raven had never been able to keep a secret very effectively, and the notion of doing such a thing didn't sit right with her anyway. But Quixote's other tidings made her arch a brow curiously as well. Colt's gone?

That confounded her a little, to be honest. Sure, the Blackthorn could be opinionated and difficult to get along with at times, but he was a strong and capable wolf who had contributed well to their pack. He had helped them relocate, backed them up in the standoff against Screech, and...wasn't he Finley's brother? It just didn't make any sense that he'd been thrown out of the pack so suddenly. Then again, if he'd gone toe to toe with Towhee, then maybe it shouldn't have been surprising at all that he was given the boot.

Towhee's offer of leadership to Quixote didn't surprise her in the least, though. She could think of few wolves in their pack who were more deserving than he. His taciturn personality wouldn't be winning him PR awards anytime soon, but he was dedicated, hardworking, and had proven himself to be level-headed in a conflict when the ka-ka hit the fan with Screech and his bunch. She could see the merits he might bring to the Redhawks' leadership, even if he couldn't see them himself.

As he spoke, she listened quietly and let him get it all out. As he finished, though, his comment, "If it was just me, I wouldn't care." moved her a little. It meant a lot to her that he cared about her enough to be worried about how any potential fallout might affect her. Truthfully, it meant a great deal to her that he even came to her with all of this at all. She was happy to let anyone rant to her, but the friendly distance that had always been between her and Quixote seemed to be crumbling more and more with each passing moment that they spent in one another's company. She liked it.

She thought for a moment before speaking, and when she did, her feedback was simple: "I think you'd be a good leader. You should accept." A sweet smile painted her face, confidence radiant in her eyes. She wasn't sure if Towhee was angling at something, or if this was some strange attempt to ingratiate herself to him with the goal of wooing him. She fervently hoped that wasn't the case. "As for trees, I...I guess we could plant some. I mean...I know how to do it, I'm just not really sure...why." A short walk down the side of the plateau would take one directly into a thickly-overgrown thicket full of trees. Why did Towhee need more?