Redhawk Caldera And the two of us went up in smoke

Elwood paused once his howl dissipated, dropping to his haunches to wait for Finley's response. As the seconds ticked past, he started to second guess having this conversation at all -- would it be the right time? Was there ever a right time? And how would Finley react? She did have a history of running from her problems, so if she perceived this wrong, he could find himself hot on her heels once more.

But when she arrived, his worries melted away at the sight of her smile. She playfully swung a squirrel by its tail then deposited it at his feet with a Finley-esque quip. No matter what had happened to their relationship in the past few months, he still loved her more than ever and wanted to continue their future together.

"That was sexy," he said with a laugh. He stood and stepped forward to close the gap between them, pressing his muzzle tenderly against the uninjured side of her face. He kissed her cheek, then withdrew. "I have something I want to ask you," he said, meeting her gaze.