Bearclaw Valley sunshine, through the rain and snow

she knew she was harrying her sister, and she fell silent with a frown. laurel was right -- it was of paramount importance they bed down here, gather their reserves -- maybe, someday, when the puppies were hale and ready, this conversation could be revisited.

she bit her tongue with a sorry expression, and looked away. "you're right. i just... i'm so angry, laurel." she thrust her head into her sister's neck, feeling a wrack of both guilt and anger consumer her. "they deserve better - you deserve better. i don't want this. we could do better." she sucked between her teeth and tried to reformat her long-gone composure: "i just want us to be happy."