in a riotous show of ochre and orange, bearclaw valley rose its head beneath robes of autumn. queen and knight and princesses built up the bonds of the ursine keep even as their neighbors grew strong.
who could miss the caravan of wolves who came, who joined the stone spires? ancelin chose to assume little and place attention entire on the growing royals who dotted the valley.
athella snapped her teeth at buzzing knife-owners, and her father chuckled at the lesson she might learn. yet he barked once to her now, trying to arrest the attempts before she really was stung; "i found foxes. let's go chase them, athella."
he stood tall, waiting for her approach and seeing how very much she resembled ameline.