Sea Lion Shores cake by the ocean

Smokestep agreed to keep his eyes out for the Cortens, and so Screech had a thin hope that he might still find them. It was unlikely, more like impossible, but he was missing them. He missed Coelacanth most of all, already regretting his departure from her side.

But the other comment he had made - comparing the gray one-eyed man to a father - made him scoff softly. He didn't say anything, but it got him thinking about who his father really was; a topic Screech had never investigated before. He had always been happy with Raven, and by extention Finley and Elwood, although he didn't consider any of them to be father figures.

The closest thing he could think of (in this spur-of-the-moment spill of thoughts) was Rannoch; he felt the sting of homesickness suddenly, and had to hide a brief flash of cheerless want with a thin smile.

Thank you. Just uh, call me if you see them? Yeah? He didn't have to help, and maybe in the long run he wouldn't, but Screech was appreciative. I best be going - there's more beach to comb, and he wanted to be alone with his new thoughts.