Bearclaw Valley exploration

There was no response there, and Cicero wondered if she was asleep. He would understand if he could not see the pups, but Cicero had expected at least for Kove to come and see him, to tell him that he needed to leave. He could offer the squirrel and leave then, or ask Kove about the pups. Cicero was not sure if he was really interested in them, but he was interested in Scarlett -- for she was so light and vibrant, and Cicero wondered how it was that she managed to keep out the darkness so well; she intrigued him -- and if she wanted him to, he could feign to be interested in her children.

Instead of Kove or Scarlett telling him anything, the first that came to sight was a large creature. Cicero had not seen such a creature before, and he watched it with interest to see what it would do. The adolescent remained alert, for he knew that there were other predators in this world, and unlike his siblings, Cicero did not think himself the strongest and best creature in this world. There were forces that could snap him -- and his siblings, for that matter -- like a twig in this world, and he was well aware of that.

Raziel had told them of a bear living among the wolves, and Cicero wondered if this was it. He had not thought to ask what a bear looked like. But he remembered that he had been given a name, and it was the only straw he could clutch onto for now. "Is beast Arthur?" Cicero asked. He wasn't sure if the beast would be able to understand what he said at all, if it spoke the same language as the wolves, but if it did not, then there was nothing to be embarrassed about, for it could never tell another that a wolf had tried to talk to him even though it was impossible.