Broken Antler Fen We don't need to be related to relate.

Wraen made several valid points, to which Towhee could only reply, "I know, you're right. It's just a lot easier said than done. And there's a part of me that's having a really hard time accepting the situation." She exhaled through her nose and turned her head to the side to peer off into the fen. Appointing new Regents meant giving up on her brother. (Especially after Wraen pointed it out, Towhee realized she'd given up on Niamh already.)

She missed her friend's observation about Kukutux, though she swung her gaze back to Wraen's face to say, "I miss him, Wraen. Nothing feels right with Phox gone. He wasn't just my Regent. He was meant to help raise my pups." And his own, of course. Her heart ached as she wondered for the nth time: had he found Niamh in time? Were they simply elsewhere, bringing up their litter wherever Niamh had given birth?

"I guess," she concluded after another sighing breath, "I need to start moving on with my life. It's just..." Well, she'd already said it: it was a lot easier said than done. Just saying it out loud made Towhee feel a lot like crying.