Redhawk Caldera strawberry

Weaning was off to a promising start, though the pups still nursed quite frequently—and aggressively, especially in Peregrine’s case. Towhee sometimes couldn’t bear the pain anymore. Today, she pried the pups off like leeches and gently deposited them on the den’s floor before marching toward the door. Deaf to their cries of protest, she walked outside without a backward glance and didn’t stop until she was close to the lake.

Ricky! she blurted when she spotted her great grandson lounging, his name coming out particularly garbled. Towhee’s tongue had healed for the most part, though her speech was worse than ever, so she switched to signing as she said, -Welcome back! How was the hunt? Is the rest of your fam-bam back too?-