Koda had had a very good day. Although it had not started well. A monster had tried to attack his new family. The Rangers had fought monsters before, but this monster had cut their bonds of friendship. An attack on the tribe: the gravest threat there was.

But Shearfear was gone. Riley, his brother, had come up with an ingenious plan to stop him. And so they had triumphed over the enemy. What a wonderful feeling! When a hunt succeeded, his clan would feast and dance throughout the night. This also called for a celebration!

He wasn't the only one who thought so. Because people had come out of nowhere and hugged him so hard he fell to the ground! He didn't know hugs were still an acceptable form of greeting. Kendall kept reminding him to shake people's hands.

Then they'd let him ride in their car, and even given him new bracelets. Tyler only had one, but he had two! They were shiny and joined together. He liked the jangly noise they made when he moved.

Although his bracelets sometimes broke after he jangled them. But they kept giving him new ones, so that was alright.

Now his new friends were asking him questions about himself. Kendall had said this was called 'getting to know you'.

'Let's try this again. What's your name?'

'Koda.'

'And your last name?'

Koda frowned. What was a last name? Kendall had tried many times to explain it to him, but he had never understood. She was one person. Why did she have two names?

'My name Koda.'

The man talking to him was new. Louder than the others, and much more eager to know all about Koda. His name was Iaskthequestionshere. A funny name for a funny man.

The funny man looked at the guard. 'He doesn't know his last name.'

'Maybe he's Indonesian?' The guard suggested. 'Lots of Indonesians go by only one name.'

The funny man shook his head. '"Koda"? Sounds more Japanese to me.'

He turned back to Koda. 'Where are you from, boy?'

Koda hadn't mastered the concept of an address.

'Illegal immigrant, eh?' The funny man leaned closer. 'You'd better start giving us answers, or you'll never set foot in the United States again! Do you want to go home?'

Could they really send him home? Kendall had told him that was impossible, and she was the smartest person he knew. Did this funny man know something she didn't? Home was Taku, his parents, his tribe. He dreamed of them every night.

'Go home? Yes. Home good.'

The funny man closed his eyes slowly.

'Get him an interpreter. What language do you speak, boy? Chinese? Japanese? Korean?'

Could they speak his language as well? No one but Keeper knew it. It was a language of the eyes, face, body - so much more than English. English was only words.

'I speak -' Koda told him the name of his native language. 'You know?'

The funny man groaned. 'Just get me an interpreter who speaks Asian.'

Koda sat there. A new lady had come in.

'Jeogiyo, hoksi hangukeo hasinayo?'

She was making many strange sounds. They sounded vaguely musical.

'Daedap jom haejusilraeyo?'

It was not 'singing'. He was familiar with singing. Even if music had changed very much since his time. He remembered coming to work at the cafe on the first day and hearing sounds in the kitchen. He had burst in, convinced someone was being attacked. But it had only been Chase singing.

'Ni dong zhong wen ma?'

No, it definitely was not singing. Even by the standards of what Shelby listened to on the radio.

'Ye bu shi zhong wen ma? Tian a…'

Suddenly he understood. It was a chant for good luck before they sent him home. His leaders had done such rituals too. Before a man went on a hunt or left on a long journey, they would chant over him, call on his ancestors to give him good luck.

Did people still do that? But then again, sometimes Kendall did it too. When her latest gadget refused to work, she'd mutter words he didn't understand under her breath. He'd carefully memorised them in case he ever needed luck. But she'd scolded him and told him never to say those words again. Perhaps they were not a lucky chant? He would have to ask Chase.

'Darso Myanmar lar? Nin Myanmar so ngar ko pyaw sann par.'

He closed his eyes to listen to the lady's words. Maybe when he opened them, he would see Taku again.