Redtail Rise juice box heroes

Masquerade woke to an overcast sky ripe with rain and realized it was time to go to ground. The pups wouldn’t come for another week or two, though her instincts demanded that she rest now in preparation for the birth. She would need to gather her energy for that ordeal, plus the subsequent weeks where her helpless offspring would rely on her to meet their every need.

Before she vanished into the earth, she wanted to make one last trip to the rise. It took all morning, though at least the skies cleared. Sunlight peeked through the leafy treetops as she trundled through the grotto. She reached its far side and paused to take a few deep, billowing breaths.

Deciding this was as far as she would—could—go, Masque tipped her red face toward the few remaining clouds and let the Redtails know she would be retiring to her whelping den. She would ask @Riley or @Dagur to send word once the pups came, though she would not be able to darken their doorstep again for a while.