Blacktail Deer Plateau We will welcome summer's ghost

Peregrine guffawed when Blue Willow said she would've liked to meet them. "You would've liked my dad and he would've liked you," he said, "but my mother would've given you a stroke. If you think I'm bad..." He just shook his head, laughing lightly.

The pair lapsed into a companionable silence as they ambled along. The air was now dark and crickets and cicadas were singing in the woods. Peregrine's ears flicked hither and thither and he eventually paused, taking a deep breath and simply listening to all the sounds of the rain-washed night, motioning for Blue Willow to do the same.