Freshly reminded of getting breathless and his speed (What the hell were little kids powered by? The Energizer bunny?); Danny resolved he'd fix that.
Trotting along, Arly wagged his tail, darting down into the ditch to sniff at something.
Not having expected the farm dog to follow him as he jogged down the long stretch of gravel road, and maybe needing a break already, Danny paused to keep an eye on the dog. At least the dog had finally ceased with barking at him. But it's not like he had a leash on him or knew if there even was a leash for the dog.
If Sam could see him now. Running. Willingly.
Danny's mouth quirked up.
Tucker would be in disbelief.
"Come on, Arly. What are you even sniffing at? I don't want you staying here and-"
Arly's head snapped up, barking, legs bursting into motion.
A large shadow swooped across the ripped up cornstalks and dirt.
Vultures! Vlad!
Spinning, Danny jerked his head up off Arly's sprint across the field, eyes latching onto the shape above, reacting quickly.
"Oh crud!"
Not a ghost. Not a vulture. Ingrained reactions gained since his accident, not good! Repeat! Not good!
Danny's legs pumped.
"Please be okay, please be okay! Just maybe clipped the wing, please be a clipped wing, please be okay!"
Skidding down into the ditch where a small creek and trees cut into farmland, Danny hurried with his neck craned back, ignoring Arly's mad barking.
From up above in a tree, he spotted the bird. Beady black within a shocking yellow glared down over a dangerous sharp beak. Danny didn't see any damage or singed feathers.
"Ohthankgod! Angry, but fine. I did not kill the national bird."
Collapsing onto the ground, Danny flopped, keeping his gaze on the bird. It'd decided to ignore him to glare directly down the tree. At the jumping and barking dog.
A laugh burst out. Partly from relief and partly from Arly's crazed, body twisting leaps getting nowhere close to where the large bird was perched. Body unwilling to move again anytime soon, Danny laid all the way back onto dirt and little rocks and grass, completely unbothered. He wiggled his head against the ground, finding a comfortable spot to lazily gaze at the now clearly annoyed bird, a small smile lingering.
"Bald eagles live around here? That's so cool."