Redhawk Caldera I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti

A few days had passed since the incident at the borders with Wildfire, Reek, and Peregrine. Returning from Lake Rodney -- where he had spent the better part of the afternoon fishing -- Elwood decided to stop by the rendezvous site to check on his niece. Luckily, the allergic reaction had seemed to be somewhat mild, so he was sure that she was fully recovered; truthfully, he just liked to use any excuse to visit his godchildren.

By the time he reached the edge of the clearing, the sky had darkened considerably with heavy clouds that promised rain. There was a rumble of thunder in the distance, accompanied by a flash of lightning. Elwood considered turning for home, but then saw a flash of red in his peripheral vision. Wildfire was nearby, gazing up at the tumultuous sky with wonder.

With a grin -- and a wince, as another fork of lightning split the humid May air -- he trotted towards Wildfire, halting next to her and nudging her shoulder with his nose. "There's a storm coming," he commented, though the pup was already very aware of that fact.