Heron Lake Plateau Norupo.

A rather unattractive snort escaped Towhee when she caught Tegan's comment to X. She supposed the bird either didn't understand or simply didn't care, as she had never bothered correcting her canine brethren. All the same, the mercenary shot her a sheepish smile and shrug before her attention redirected to the two incoming pups.

She motioned for Fig's sake and barked for Fen's as they bumbled in her direction, eager to introduce them to both their uncle and the latter's seeing eye bird. Towhee was still smiling hugely, though as her kids came closer, it slid right off her face. Something had just occurred to her. She felt a pinch in her chest as her orange eyes shifted back to Tegan, the birds momentarily forgotten. It was like the fuses had blown behind her eyes, obliterating the shine there just a moment ago.

"Fig, Fen, c'mere," Towhee said, trying to corral them with her foreleg. "This is your Uncle Tegan." She wasn't consciously using them as a shield, though the pups' stand-in mother tried to hold them in place in front of her. "Teg, this..." Abruptly, her voice failed her and Towhee not only looked like someone had rained on her parade now, she looked downright constipated.