Redhawk Caldera Tremble

Her words—her sudden change of heart—made no sense to him and gave him worse whiplash than the rogue tree branch. But speaking of senses, it suddenly clicked that he was smelling his own blood. Peregrine's eyes bugged out and, for once, he tuned her out as he marveled at this abrupt turn of events. He sucked in a deep breath, only to wince as pain seared through his broken nose. Still, he could smell again. His jade eyes dropped to the branch, his expression simultaneously delighted, horrified and disbelieving.

Then they clapped back to Fox as she said, "Unconditionally." Suddenly his face fell slack, expressionless. His eyes tightened. "My love for you has no conditions," he said, tasting his blood as well as smelling it as it continued to run from his snout like an open faucet. "I would love you no matter what, even if you lost all your limbs or went bat shit crazy or..." His head hurt and he couldn't think of more examples. But you get the idea.

"I would love you no matter what," he repeated, only to pause before speaking heavily. "But this relationship has conditions." His entire face was essentially streaming bodily fluids right now. "I will take care of you—and them—and never stop loving you. But I can't be in a relationship with someone whose love has conditions." And it was difficult but he managed it; he turned his back on Fox and walked away, making no mention of his renewed sense of smell. It didn't matter now anyway.