Redhawk Caldera It's going to be a bumpy night

An urgent call of nature prompted Wildfire to rise a few hours after midnight and pad away from her sleeping family members to water the grass behind a screen of shrubs. When she was finished, she wiped her feet and took a step back toward the pile of wolves, only for the moon to capture her attention. It was almost perfectly round and so bright that her amber eyes squinted slightly. It's looking at you... she thought, her ears drawing backward slightly. Her mother had assured her it wasn't actually an eye but that didn't stop the shiver from wriggling down her little red spine.

Wildfire was so unnerved that she jumped and almost yelped when something suddenly moved close by. She froze momentarily, heart thudding in her chest, watching as her father stood and began to walk away from the clearing without a sound. Her eyes trailed after him, wondering where he was going at this hour. "Dud...?" she whispered after him. Peregrine didn't so much as turn to acknowledge her. He just kept going. Driven by curiosity and a thread of dread, Wildfire paused for a few seconds, then loped after him.

"Dud!" she said more loudly once they were well beyond the rendezvous site. "Where're you going...?" He didn't answer her, which caused Wildfire to stop in her tracks to stare after his retreating backside. Her tail dropped and her fur raised. She looked over her shoulder. I should get mom, she thought, though her gaze flicked back to her father's silhouette as he continued heading down the mount. She stood still, indecisive, for a moment, then went tumbling after him.

She caught up to Peregrine and walked at his shoulder, staring sideways at his face. His expression was blank, his eyes open but dreamy. Wildfire quickly deduced that he looked like he was sleeping but how was that possible? How could he walk around if he wasn't awake? It boggled the youngster's mind. It also spooked her. Unwilling to abandon him in this state, she faithfully kept pace with him, following the Kappa as he led the way toward Lake Rodney.