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

He intuited that Saena wouldn't let the subject of Fox drop so quickly and she proved him right. He listened, nodding his head to acknowledge her words but thinking better of saying much more on the subject. He did want her to know one thing, though...

"I believe you, Saena, and I'm sorry that I didn't pay enough attention to your takes on the matter. Truly." It might not have changed anything then and it wouldn't now, though he really regretted not making his kids feel like he was listening and that their feelings and opinions mattered. Especially right now, he knew all too well how that felt: like shit.

When she pointed out that Hawkeye didn't care about them, he sighed. "I'm sorry we weren't better parents," he said. He hated to bundle himself with Hawkeye, whose sins he felt were greater, yet today was about humility and seizing this unique opportunity to apologize. His pride had taken a hike several minutes ago.

It finally happened: Saena had hit some breaking point and was leaving. Peregrine was just grateful she'd stuck around as long as she had and hadn't spit in his eye. He nodded in response to her thanks, the cool words somehow warming his heart. He swallowed, his eyes watching her as she began to trot away.

She turned to say a few final words; they were sweet and sour. Peregrine bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Saena." He would have promised to come visit her, yet he didn't imagine that invitation was necessarily open to him and he didn't want to presume. Besides, he was still barred from coming to the plateau. "I hope we run into one another again. You're more than welcome to come by the caldera anytime..." he called after her, not sure if she heard as she disappeared.

Once she was gone, he sat heavily to rehash the words they'd exchanged. Despite the brevity of the encounter and the bitterness still lingering in Saena's heart, his lips twitched upward. He hated that he was fighting with Fox, yet it seemed everything happened for a reason. This had been an incredible turn of events and he was happy to have stolen these moments with his youngest daughter, despite their cost.