“Just like a bobcat. Stalking, then the short chase.”

“There are other predators like that,” Robin replied thoughtfully. “How were we to know?”

Jay shrugged. “There were probably other signs.” In the meantime, they would sit in this cell until the chief came for them. They were likely to wait for a while, the chief didn’t like them very much. Robin thought it was only Jay, but Jay knew Robin was an acquired taste.

“You aren’t really a jay, are you?” Robin asked. “You don’t seem to like eggs that much or have any talent for mimicry.”

Talking about beast blood was new. It caught Jay off guard more than most other topics Robin had surprised him with. Past, Robin referred to occasionally. Family? Neither of them had broached that. He cleared his throat. “No. I didn’t really have anything manifest in me. Nor can I say that there is much avian in my ancestry. The name’s… a coincidence, I suppose.”

Robin nodded, head bobbing up and down. “Me too! I mean, nothing ever showed up. There are plenty of robins in my family. It’s even a family name! Robin, son of Robyn, daughter of Robin… Goes on and on!”

Jay’s lips twitched. “I can only imagine.”

“But I never was much of a robin. You know?”

Jay considered his flighty friend and shook his head. “You… well, you would know best.”

And they waited.