Redhawk Caldera In a hospital

He listened in stony silence as Shrike relayed her movements and his own. His feelings of appreciation toward his pack mate and disgust with himself grew. He should have been the one out there, avenging Peter. Instead, he had tossed himself off a cliff and nearly gotten himself killed. Peregrine's body drooped in shame. He just barely bit back a sigh. He should have been here to protect his son. Then again, that thought prompted him to stiffen slightly, head lifting from where it had sagged between his shoulder blades as he favored Shrike with his good eye.

"We all should've been there," he said quietly, recalling his earlier blame of not only himself but his entire pack. "But," he continued after a long exhale, "I appreciate your dedication, Shrike. It means a lot to me, to us. Just..." He trailed off as he pondered how to answer the man's question. "I won't hesitate to kill her, should we capture her. Slowly and painfully. But there are also six living pups that need us here to protect them." Peter was beyond their help now. If they were going to pursue his killer, they still needed to focus most of their attention on those still living. It was a precarious balance.