Redhawk Caldera There are no pan-asian supermarkets down in hell

Couldn't help but get into all this spooky action with Whip! Hoping for a @Gannet, but all are welcome otherwise. Forward dated to Halloween night.

Night fell fast over the caldera -- faster than it had ever before in Whip's experiance. Each day was getting noticibly shorter than the last. Though Whip did not understand the process, he felt no reason to fear the lengthening darkness.The days followed a strict pattern; easily predictable if one put a small bit of thought into it. Whip did fear the things he knew. However, it was the things that made him uncertain that struck terror in his heart. 

For some strange reason, reasons unknown to even himself, Whip felt a slinking feeling of unease. The cold wind had shifted from the north, bending the threadbare branches of the thinning trees around the rendezvous site. Their twigs curled outward like broken, grotesque fingers. It's only the wind. Whip repeated his mantra over and over again in his head, hoping that some sort of understanding would calm his nerves. 

His mantra did not have the desired effect.

The more he tried, it seemed the more he set himself on edge. After a while, Whip was unable to take it any longer, so he sought the scent of his brother and began to follow his trail -- but carried on the breeze was another scent. One disturbingly familiar that shook Whip to his core. So much so that he broke out into a frantic and fearful run.

HECKS YEAH

Gannet was out past dark, not a usual occurance for the pale boy, but he too felt no fear in the shortening days.  The dark, despite their pack's many misfortunes, held no undue malice for him.  It seemed, day or night, bad things simply came when they would.  A part of him honestly enjoyed the calm that seemed to fall as the shadows lengthened, and he had enjoyed a pleasant romp chasing ravens near the border.  After a time the birds grew tired of the game, though, and moved on.  So he too made to continue.

It was dark, and a cool breeze had kicked up. His fur fluffed up along his lanky form, and his ears twisted back.  It was envigorating but a bit uncomfortable, and he had the sudden wish that he had another with him to walk near, if only for the warmth.

Suddenly he heard the sound of something approaching, and approaching quickly.  His tail rose and he lowered his head, spooked by the noise and ready to defend himself if need be.

Whip ran until his spindly, scabbing legs were screaming for him to stop. A sharp pain flared in his chest, knife-like in its sudden quality, yet he continued to sprint toward his brother despite his body's misgivings. Like the rest of his body, Whip's mind raced too. His thoughts were a blur and he found himself unable to collect them. With his mind effectively turned to mush by sheer terror, Whip was driven only by the instinctual desire to not be alone. 

For a monster had come to the caldera -- and Whip wouldn't be caught dead alone in the dark, lest he end up dead himself.

When Whip finally came upon his brother, he skidded to a clumsy, stumbling halt. He looked to Gannet, wild eyes wide with uncharacteristic fright. He's back, Whip mouthed silently as he struggled to regain the breath that he had lost in his flight. When he finally found his voice, he spoke only one word -- the only word necessary. "Ferret."

Gannet was preparing himself to rush right back, not usually aggressive but also unwilling to be attacked outright and without fighting back, when his phantom turned out to be Whip.  Immediately his demeanor shifted to welcoming, and he rushed to greet him.  

Whip's fear was overwhelming, and it made Gannet's stomach drop.  Had something happened?  He waited with a worried expression as Whip collected himself, then listened as the cause was relayed.

His own nervous empathy was then replaced by confusion.  Why would Ferret be back? He had attacked dad, and by doing so made it clear he didn't want to follow the Caldera any longer.  So Gannet assumed he was gone.  If he didn't like it here anymore, what was the point of returning?

"Why?" He asked, pressing close to Whip in reassurance.

Whip was just as dumbfounded as his brother as to why Ferret lingered as close as he did. Nevertheless, Whip did know that for whatever reason Ferret had chosen to stay so close, it certainly spelled trouble for rest of the Redhawk family. There was no way of verbal limbo around it -- Ferret was a monster whom Whip feared like the boogie-man. 

"I didn't see him," Whip wheezed with both fear and exhaustion. "But, he's here. I smelled him." By now, Ferret could be anywhere in territory. Now however, Whip had lost his least favorite brother's scent. Ferret could be anywhere down wind. He could be far, far away. Or, he could be right around the corner, lurking in the underbrush.

A sparrow rustled in a nearby tree. With haste, Whip frightfully turned to face the noise. "What do we do," he whispered to his brother in the hopes that he had some sort of plan where Whip did not.

Whip was freaked, and it was making Gannet himself edgy as a result.  Their brother played rough, sure, and he'd attacked Peregrine, but Gannet still had a hard time fearing him.  He'd never really hurt him, so he'd keep that trust until it (literally) bit him.

Yet he didn't entirely discount Whip.  "Tell dad," he said, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully and bracing himself as he looked around.  Then he frowned, ears tilting back.  "Tomorrow," he amended, thinking on how edgy their dad had been too lately.  For entirely different reasons, of course, night wasn't really a time to be approaching their parents now.  Even tomorrow might be hard.

Honestly, if Ferret was around, Gannet wouldn't mind finding him and asking him why he'd left.  He was curious!  What made him attack their dad like that?  It was an alpha challenge that the easygoing Gannet didn't understand.  He just didn't have the drive in him.

Yes. Find Dad, thought Whip in complete agreement with his brother. However, his insistence that they wait until tomorrow made Whip uneasy. Unlike Gannet, Whip held no brotherly trust for Ferret. He was a danger to whole Redhawk family -- a bad egg. In Whip's mind, his brother Ferret had been completely disowned.

Whip looked back to his brother Gannet with panic fresh in his eyes. "What if we're too late? He tried to kill Dad before, what if he tries to finish what he started?" Whip couldn't bear the thought of losing his father. Little did he know, his worst nightmares were coming to life.

Now there was a result Gannet hadn't considered; Ferret going after dad again.  Hmm.  On one hand, it was hard to believe dad should be afraid of anything.  This was Peregrine they were talking about; he protected them, and he could fight anything.  But on the other hand, Ferret had hurt him once.  Stood to reason he could do it again.

Gannet nibbled his lip thoughtfully before responding.  He wanted to make his brother feel better, but he really didn't feel as though their parents would welcome them tonight.  It had been weird lately.  "He's ready now."  Ferret wouldn't be able to take their dad by surprise again, so he wouldn't win if he tried.  At least, so far as Gannet thought.  "Ferret won't win."  He said this with complete confidence.