The Heartwood i bet my life

He mumbled a reply which made Peregrine's hackles bristle. They resettled when he reminded himself again that Pantaleimon was simply brainwashed and shouldn't be derided for his misinformed beliefs. The swarthy wolf regarded his new acquaintance with pity, especially when he noticed the deep sadness in Pantaleimon's eyes. He looked like he truly believed what he said and had accepted his fate... but certainly wasn't happy about it.

"I'm standing right in front of you, telling you you're wrong about that," Peregrine said quietly but firmly. "That's only how the world works in your tiny neck of the woods. Everywhere else, men and women are equal to one another." He paused, shaking his head. "Just go anywhere else and you'll see." Pantaleimon would not find such a divisive, sexist hierarchy anywhere else in the Teekon Wilds, that was for sure.

"You shouldn't go back," he opined, feeling strongly even though he'd just met this poor, unfortunate soul. It wasn't personal, more like principle. "There are nearly a dozen other packs around here. One of them would surely take you in and give you a home. All you'd have to do is carry your own weight. You'll be repaid with a home. Better yet, with respect."