King Elk Forest You say it will reach out and seize the sorrow.

After drawing as much comfort as she could from @Figment and @Fennec, Towhee told them that she, like @Phox, needed some time to herself. Unlike her brother, she only planned to leave for the day. She disembarked from the far southern edge of the territory, moving at a steady clip and retracing her steps toward the Frosthawks. But she stopped when she reached the forest on the far side of the summit, isolating herself in a far corner of the woods and letting herself emotionally collapse.

Some time later, a sniffling Towhee regarded her surroundings with puffy, red-rimmed eyes. It was very still here, peaceful too. There was a dusting of snow on the ground that sparkled in the winter sunlight peeking through the sparse clouds overhead. Sighing so deeply it felt cleansing, she pushed herself to her feet, wincing at the joints which ached after being in one position for so long. She then began to plod through the trees, taking deep breaths and trying to keep her mind clear after letting herself wallow in her despair these past several hours.

Towhee didn't expect to cross paths with anyone, nor did the she-wolf who emerged abruptly from behind a tree. They started simultaneously, the mercenary's glistening orange eyes widening as she spat, "Bat?!" She couldn't even remember the last time she'd seen or heard from Bat. Towhee guessed it had been close to a year. Despite herself, she immediately wondered if Bat and Tegan were still attached at the hip. She looked around warily.

But Tegan wasn't here. He was at someplace called Triquetra, the pack he and Bat had established a little south of Kintla. Towhee stared as Bat told her about their brief and ill-fated stint at the coast; the tidal wave that had almost ended everything; and, more recently, their decision to settle down together. She also mentioned finding a badly injured Sugar Glider just a couple weeks back, give or take, and Towhee's jaw actually dropped at this particular bit of news.

She temporarily forgot about her woes as Bat regaled her about all their goings-on. When the yearling pressed her for news in exchange, Towhee did her best to share some tidbits, mentioning their own ordeals with the earthquakes. She was a little relieved when Bat eventually announced that she should get going; she had a bum ankle and the trip home would take a while. Even though Towhee still kind of despised Tegan, Towhee sent her well wishes and watched as the yearling expertly hopped away to the southeast.

Towhee knew how much the news about Sugar Glider and Triquetra would mean to @Elwood, @Finley and even @Wraen. She would inform them just as soon as she returned to the copse. For now, though, she wanted to savor a few more hours to herself. With Bat gone, her mind returned to her empty womb and the breath caught in her throat as the grief welled up and subsumed her again.