Bearclaw Valley bittersweet

The morning was heavy with a lingering chill, the kind that seeped into the bones and clung like a second skin. Grey clouds loomed low in the sky, casting the landscape in a muted light. Cole trudged through the soft crunch of snow underfoot, his breath fogging in the air as he followed the faint, familiar scent trail he’d come to know.

It didn’t take long to find her. @Anatolia.

There she was, curled tightly against the cold beneath a bare-branched tree. Her dark furs blended almost seamlessly with the roots around her, but Cole’s sharp eyes picked her out with ease. He approached quietly, his large frame moving with surprising care as he stepped closer.

Lowering his head, he gave her a gentle nudge with his nose, the coolness of his touch a stark contrast against the warmth of her coat. He huffed softly, the sound low and rumbling in the quiet morning, waiting for her to stir.

curled tight.

clutched between crossed forelimbs was the deer femur he had given her. her teeth marks had met the grooves of his own along it. she had known then it would bond them, she just realized how much.

it was why she did not jolt in a panic when she realized it was him. content to unfold her sleep-stiffened limbs.

what? she tiredly grumbled as a paw swept at her face. she was waking up and soon she'd be upright, but a little protest was to be expected from a growing girl.

Cole lowered himself beside her with a slow, deliberate motion, the morning chill biting against his fur as he settled into the cloudy quiet. His large paws gently nudged Annie, gathering her up in one easy motion before placing her snugly between them. For a moment, he swathed her in the warmth of his frame, his chest rumbling faintly as he sighed. He, too, grabbed her bone she coveted and place it between her paws.

Prey’s out early, he murmured after a beat, his voice low and steady. You feel like huntin’? Could use a good stretch. His muzzle dipped slightly as he glanced at her, letting her decide if she’d rather linger or rise to the call of the morning.