Redhawk Caldera Houston, we have a problem

It was only a matter of time before Wildfire stumbled. When she tripped, she went hurtling down the mountainside (previously thought to be the rendezvous site's sloping clearing). She yelped only once, then grunted half a dozen times as she rolled and bounced, then eventually skidded to a halt near the caldera's base. For a solid half minute, she just sprawled there, her eyes streaming, her nose bleeding and her entire face simultaneously itching and burning. A small whimper escaped her.

When she heard the sound of footsteps pounding toward her, the puppy's eyes lifted. She thought it was her father and cried, "DUDDY!" in a plaintive voice. She launched herself at Peregrine... only to realize it wasn't her father at all when she got up close. Reeling backward, the bashful puppy tucked her tail between her legs and shrunk close to the ground. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest as she felt dismay and apprehension wash over her.