Redhawk Caldera Memoreyes

The giggle roused her from her slumber, and Fox blinked a few times before frantically counting and touching each of the three babes. Peregrine and Nightjar seemed to be having some kind of "moment," and a smile tugged at the corners of Fox's mouth. It was the first genuine smile she'd worn since Derp's death. The pups were opening their eyes little by little, and for whatever reason, it made them seem more real to Fox. They were no longer blind and deaf, but alert to every sound and shape around them. Well, maybe not shapes just yet, but definitely shifts in light.

Already, Fox had taken to keeping the children from escaping the den, even though she could tell they wished to venture out. "Soon," she told herself. Perhaps even today, they could bask in the light of the sun with her and/or Peregrine's watchful eyes over them. "What were you trying to say last night before you passed out?" she asked, her voice rasping from sleep.