Bearclaw Valley fruitless

Another journey ended up no results; Laurel glumly returned to Bearclaw Valley. The scents that Lucas had left behind were long gone now, which only further frustrated the searches that she made. There was little here in Bearclaw Valley left to live for -- just Indra and Piper, mostly, and whatever little solace the other children gave her. There was more to leave for than to stay, she realised with each passing day. Xan would never give her what she needed from him and only tolerated her because he had no pack without her and Indra there.

The only thing that kept Laurel here was the lingering hope that Lucas might return and that he would visit Bearclaw Valley first when he did. She couldn't bear the thought that she would be gone by then and he would find an empty pack, or worse, Xan, who might fill his head with lies.

Her step was slumped as she made her way to the rendezvous site around dusk, and it was painfully obvious that her latest venture out to the beyond had given no results. Her stomach rumbled as she knew she should hunt and fill the caches -- winter was coming up quick and she was afraid for what was to come -- but it was hard to motivate herself to do anything without Lucas' shining optimism to encourage her.