Redhawk Caldera Rockin' on top of the world

Elwood quickly closed the gap between himself and Peregrine, though he was careful not to crowd the Alpha and not to stray too close to his den. Even though Fox was nowhere to be seen, Elwood could smell her. Luckily, Peregrine didn't have anything to worry about, as the younger male hadn't yet reached sexual maturity and there was, perhaps, another female in the pack that he had his eye on.

The charcoal Beta dropped the duck at Peregrine's feet, then lowered himself onto his haunches. A stray feather stuck to the corner of his leathery lips, and he used a paw to remove it. Maybe he should have stripped the bird of its quills before bringing it to the leaders; realizing his mistake, he began to do so, holding the duck down with a forepaw while he plucked the feathers individually from its body. His ears tilted towards Peregrine so that he could listen while he worked.

"What do you mean? You don't trust your bear fighter and me to take care of things?" he joked in return. Though he and Finley could often be found goofing off, he felt that they could shoulder the responsibility of the pack should the need arise. Elwood continued to de-feather the duck, only pausing when Peregrine's voice became slightly more serious and he apologized for his behavior at the feast. "You're not a dick," he assured the Alpha with a shake of his head, then added, "But if Fox isn't not pregnant after that...I might be a little annoyed." He laughed, then flipped over the duck and began tending to its other side.