Redhawk Caldera California sun

When Wildfire brushed his chin with her smudged snout, Peregrine leaned into the gesture, then skimmed his nose along her brow. He then looked her over with a critical eye. She looked happy and healthy, more or less, although he noticed a few new scars which made him frown slightly. He wondered how she was doing over at Moonspear, how things were going with that boyfriend of hers.

But she beat him to the punch. "You have four brothers," he announced with pleasure. "We call them Ferret, Gannet, Whip-poor-will and Peter Pan. They're about four weeks old, give or take." Peregrine paused. Taking Wildfire to see them was an impossibility. He severely doubted she would pull a Junior, yet he would never take that risk, nor would Fox. "Mom and I are both doing well," he added.

"And you? How's life at Moonstick?" he quipped, unaware that he wasn't the first (nor probably the last) to make that joke.