Redhawk Caldera i wait on clip-clops.

Oops, I forgot to mention that Fox has a huge healing gash on her face from the cougar.

Fox stuck her tongue out, momentarily opening the scab that had formed on the side of her face from the cougar's sharp claws. In fact, she had more or less forgotten about it up until that point and was somewhat surprised that Finley hadn't said a word about it. But perhaps she was too preoccupied with her own, much more serious, injuries. Fox didn't mind, though, and slid down to recline as Finley recounted the tale of the big bad Bitch Bear. Or whatever it was. Was a female bear really called a bitch, or some other word? Fox figured it probably didn't even matter.

When her friend and Beta finished, Fox couldn't help but store away the most important bits for later use. It was another tale of Redhawk Caldera that she could add to her collection, along with the cougar, the break from Blacktail Deer Plateau, and her own story that spanned all the way back to Swiftcurrent Creek. That felt like an eternity ago, and Fox wondered if this day would feel like that in six months time. By then, she would surely have little ones underfoot.

“I’m so glad you’re home,” she said at last, “and not dead.” "Safe" felt like too much of a heavy word, especially considering that the caldera had already faced a large predator and Fox had managed to tumble down one of the slopes on her very first day here.