Redtail Rise And I felt his blood pour fast and hot,

Their lips brushed his cheek in the instant before he rose up, thrusting out a foreleg to plant against their chest. Riley was stronger, so even as he tried to snap at them, he shoved them out of reach. Masquerade snarled playfully at this, then stretched their neck over his braced forelimb and managed to just barely nip the tip of his nose.

They fell back after that, springing out of reach. They looked at one another from a distance of only a few feet. There would be no element of surprise in a subsequent attack and Masque had already played the chase card.

Suddenly, the dropped to the ground. They gazed up at him, marigold eyes assessing him carefully for a few beats before Masque flung themself onto their flank. They didn’t quite roll onto their back, not yet, but they began to wriggle and writhe around in the grass, eyes still watching Riley carefully for a reaction.