Hawk strolled down the sidewalk in the dusk, passing a long, low hedge that broke in the middle for a sign marking the clinic behind it. The bus stop was almost directly in front of the sign, but before he reached it, movement from the doors of the clinic caught his eye. He peered over the hedge for a moment, and then realized he recognized the figure at the doors.

It was a peryton, tawny-and-cream colored with darker markings ringing his neck and lining his eyes. He had paused to shrug out of his white coat, having to manipulate it over his wings in order to get it off.

"Ohhhh," Hawk said, causing the peryton's ears to twitch in response. "You're a doctor."

The peryton looked up, white coat hanging on one shoulder, to see Hawk approaching him from the entrance of the empty parking lot.

"That 'splains the big tattoo," Hawk said, with a slight grin. The peryton merely stared at him wordlessly. Hawk stopped in front of him. "Hey," he added, in greeting, when the peryton didn't say anything else.