Firestone Hot Springs Memories Fade

He didn't understand the implication about the possibility of Pura being dangerous, though Peregrine obviously hadn't been around his son enough to detect any peculiarity about his behavior, aside from his solitary nature. He had always been a little different—some might even say off—but Peregrine thought him harmless. Blue Willow's words did make him think back on that day when he'd caught his son chewing on the bones of his mother. He swallowed.

He listened as Blue Willow launched into a soliloquy about Saena. His fur prickled slightly when she used the word abandoned. Would that be held over his head for all of eternity? She clarified that it was how Saena thought of him, which made any anger he felt subside. He hated to think his daughter was afraid of forming deep connections because of him, though he wasn't the only one to blame. He'd been the last straw in a long line of wolves to leave Saena, starting with her own mother's unfortunate fate.

"You know, maybe she doesn't want to do the whole mate and family thing. I know Osprey's the same way," he said after she finished. "There's nothing wrong with that, as long as they're happy. That's all I want for Saena: happiness. It really sounds like she'll get that if she earns herself a spot in leadership." And if that didn't happen for any reason—though Peregrine himself couldn't see why not—then she could always strike out on her own, found her own pack.

"Hey, speaking of Oss, she made it back all right, didn't she? She stayed at the caldera for a few days," he explained, in case she wasn't aware. "She helped a pack mate of mine, then since she was there, she hung around long enough to meet the pups." Peregrine's lips twitched as he recollected his sister's interactions with the little ones, Raven in particular. Maybe she didn't have any plans to be a mother, yet she was a great aunt.