Redhawk Caldera On dark wings

11/4: I'm concluding this since Ashton's gone. :(

Ashton provided the appropriate response, though Peregrine would keep a watchful eye on him until he trusted him more. Not that there were any pups around right now. And hopefully by the time they did arrive, Ashton would be a long-standing core member of the caldera...

"Okay, I'm done with this patrol. I'm going in," he announced a few moments later, veering somewhat suddenly and bounding up the slope. There were fissures scattered among the rocks: access points to the caverns below. He sought one now, nose dropping to the ground even as his bright eyes scanned his darkling surroundings.

Fluttering and squeaking noises overhead made him look upward. He watched a few more bats flit off into the night. He then traced their rough trajectory backward and began climbing toward the point where he thought they'd emerged. There he would find one of the entrances to the caves.

Before taking the plunge, he paused and looked back. "You coming?" he asked with a toothy smile before dropping out of sight and disappearing into the caves for a few hours of hardcore spelunking.