Bearclaw Valley i've seen their worlds inside my head

AW, tagged for reference <3 we can leave this as a simple one-post "RO" or we can have it be a traditional thread, just wanted to get this in my thread log bc i had no idea so much time had passed!!

astara had been an unorthodox mother; an unorthodox dam for an unorthodox brood. she had let those of ursus approach, though never enter the den -- and now, she was imbued with the instinctual sense that it was time for her clutch to begin stretching their legs.

@Avicus and @Aventus might find their horizons broadened in the days that came; they were just shy of a month old, and had begun being hardy little roamers. astara used to herd them back from the den mouth, but today, she placed her frame in a pool of sunlight just outside of the den, on a flat shelf of rock that marked the lip of their holt.

today, no sharp teeth would reprimand them back to the darkness - but, astara would not let them wander too far from her either. while spread out across the golden glow of early morning sun, astara wondered if @Merrick was near. she had interacted with him little since that fateful day, and wondered jealously if he had found comfort and love elsewhere.