Redhawk Caldera Paul is dead.

She was told to stay put and watch for movement. Got it, Towhee thought, dipping her snout decisively. Her orange eyes tracked Reyes's movements as he closed in on the lodge, then performed what she might call an assessment. Without working ears to provide any context, it was sort of strange to watch, though Towhee had lived long enough to recognize the visual cues associated with hearing and listening.

"Okay, um..." she said rather artlessly after catching the remark he threw her way, "what—" She didn't get any farther than that before something splashed near the lodge's base. Towhee stiffened, prepared to make a move if a beaver emerged on the shore, though she noted with some disappointment that a shadow glided out into the lake instead.