Redhawk Caldera Back at base, bugs in the software

Except for Ferret, all of the wolves that had gathered -- puppy and adult alike -- expressed some level of concern. The swarm only seemed to thicken around them as the moments passed, and Elwood felt his skin begin to crawl. His hackles prickled uncomfortably.

He glanced down as Gannet pressed himself against Finley's legs and would have been touched by the image of his mate with the pale-furred pup had he not been preoccupied. "I think Fox will be fine," he said -- although the insects were a nuisance, they didn't seem to be causing any actual harm to them. The grass and leaves, on the other hand, wouldn't be so lucky.

Finley showed her irritation by attempting to gnash one of the buggers between her teeth. Elwood watched her, then nodded his agreement with Peregrine's suggestion. "Yeah, going underground seems like the best plan," he said, taking a preemptive step towards the slope. The caldera's expansive caverns had protected them from the storm and would hopefully offer the same guard against this apparent insect infestation.