Sheepeater Cliff we made our homes in different places

Liffey was in the middle of saying something when a dark shape materialized beside him. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the grondendael had launched herself at Screech from his blind side - he didn't see the shape until Liffey had reacted, knocking the slender girl aside, and as Screech pivoted defensively he heard what Rannoch was saying, and finally clued in that there was someone there. He whipped his head about and spotted Coelacanthe during the chaos but didn't immediately recognize her as his friend. He saw her bared teeth standing out against the blackness of her thin face and recoiled, stumbling in to one of the others without thinking.

Then, as Rannoch's words registered, it dawned on him that this was the girl from the beach. Stop! He called out, throwing himself abruptly between Liffey and the girl. She's — this is my friend, but even as he said this Screech was looking wildly between Liffey and Coelacanthe. He was flustered by the turn of events and just as confused as the others, but he didn't want anything to happen to the Corten.

The boy's heart was racing and his belly flip-flopped every time he matched his gaze with her, so he returned his attention to Liffey instead, hoping things would calm down on their own.