Redhawk Caldera Tretale.

Her belly flinched reflexively against the cold touch of snow, which made the sudden flash of heat in her bad leg all the more noticeable. Towhee froze in place, wondering at this peculiar symptom even as it subsided as suddenly as it had come.

Hot flash? she wondered, two seconds before she looked up to see her grandson coming toward her. Her heart leaped at the sight of him. Forgetting all about the queer sensation, she jumped onto all fours. She caught Killdeer’s affectionate scolding and pressed a laugh into the side of his neck as she hugged him.

Not dead, she joshed, just old. Old enough that I officially have a bad leg. I was resting it, Towhee explained as she pulled back to see his face. What’re you doing here? she asked in the next breath, her delight obvious.