Great Bear Wilderness Summer loving and fights, how it is for us

Saena didn't know his name, though she provided some information and Peregrine realized she might be hoping he would know. Desperate not to offend her in any way, he mentally scrambled, dismayed at his inability to come up with either a name or a face. His pulse was pounding for some reason. He closed his eyes briefly and took a breath, though he still came up with nothing and was forced to shake his head apologetically.

"It was probably a good idea to walk away," he said softly, kicking himself inwardly for being unable to conjure a name. "I'm sure they did. Those two have your back, Saena. I fully believe that. Willow would never let anyone get away with speaking to you like that." He didn't think Dante would, either, but he was dead certain about one of his oldest friends. "Me too," he added in an even voice. "If he doesn't, I'd be happy to rip his fool tongue right out of his head. Or you could do it yourself," he added. She was learning the art of killing, after all...

"KODA!" It just burst out of him in the two seconds of silence following the not-so-idle threat. "Is that who it was? He was a pretty recent recruit just before I left. I didn't know him well. He was polite the last time I saw him," Peregrine mused, recollecting his visit with Finley, "but if he spoke to my daughter that way, he's a fucking punk," he finished emphatically, just hoping Saena wouldn't reject that title.