Wheeling Gull Isle snake eyed with a sly smile.

They both stared at the droplet of blood for a beat. Very gently, Caracal lowered Ava to the ground, his other paw still lodged in her mouth. He blinked hard, reaching his now free paw up to touch at his own eyelid. He hissed a little. At least it was already his bad eye. It explained why he’d struck out in his sleep, not that it soothed his conscience whatsoever.

I’m sorry, he whispered down to her one last time, sniffling as he finally tugged his foot loose. Can I make it up to you? Maybe we can…

He looked around the den, amazed that they hadn’t woken up anyone else. Caracal’s eyes rested on Heda’s dove-like face for a moment. What if she’d reacted like Towhee had to Reyes, chasing him from the den and exiling him from the island? The situation—and its context—were surely different, though the guilt remained a heavy yoke on his slim shoulders.

Attention cutting back to Ava, he finished his earlier thought by saying, Maybe you and I can go for a walk together on the beach?