Exton

It's morning.

What gave me the first clue? The sun, streaming through my closed eyelids. I prop one eye open, cautiously - and I'm on the couch with Star, wrapped in a blanket. Hmmmm, that wasn't there before… I'm quick on the uptake first thing in the morning - can you tell? Wolf is doing his rug impression on the floor next to us.

I stretch and yawn. Star smiles. Wolf comes awake then and does his version of the manly stretch. He trots to the door and I get up and open it to let him out. He gives me a look, then heads off into the woods.

Suddenly Star is just beside me, so quietly I didn't hear her move. She looks skyward and then I hear it - the wing beats of a big bird. Phoenix drops down out of the sky, shrinking as he goes. I hold out my right arm - covered with a bracer - and he lands softly. I rub his crest gently, smiling, and he preens under my fingers. Then he gives a little bit of a hop and settles onto my back, becoming a tattoo once more.