Redhawk Caldera Ashes, ashes, we all fall down

Only after the words left his mouth did Peregrine suddenly remember that Trick might not be at the caldera. He had asked to join the search for Lucy. "Damn it," the Alpha muttered under his breath even as Elwood and Shrike moved in on either side to support him. "Trick may not be available," he said to his trusty Beta male before exchanging pained but grateful glances with him and the Gamma.

Slowly, painstakingly, they shuffled upward toward the rendezvous site. Several times, Peregrine grew dizzy and asked to stop and collect himself. After what seemed like hours, they reached their destination and he slumped woozily to the ground. "Fox?" he murmured, half out of it. "Can you..." His brain went all fuzzy for a moment, his vision darkening, before he blinked himself alert. "Can you help me keep it clean?"

Without another word, the Redhawk patriarch slumped over onto his good side, leaving the torn and bleeding flesh exposed so his mate (or anyone else) could tend to his wounds. Meanwhile, Peregrine's eyes literally rolled back in his head as he finally let go and let himself pass out cold.