Redhawk Caldera The hanging tree

I spilled honey on my keyboard a few days ago and it is seriously the worst.

He heard footfalls and turned. Whether he continued the act or pretended like he was up to nothing depended entirely on his audience. When he saw his trusty Beta female approaching, Peregrine's face split into a wide grin. He turned to fully face her, tail waving.

"Finley! How nice of you to join us. I was just showing little Firebird here a bit about hunting squirrels. Say hello, Firebird," Peregrine said, making a motion as if he was patting the head of a pup seated by his leg. "Aunt Finley here is the mastermind behind your name, you know. She's also a badass bearfighter!"

He beamed down at the invisible puppy, then looked up at Finley and muttered out of the corner of his mouth like some demented ventriloquist, "I'm just pretending. You know, for practice? Do not—I repeat—do not be alarmed." Because he had taken a hit to the head recently. But this has nothing to do with that, he was pretty sure...