Hushed Willows mama, please—let me back inside

Thankfully, others arrived with haste. Aliac, whom she was happy to see, especially since it appeared Minnow was on her way back to the dens. . .to remain there, safe. God willing. Then Aeliana, Ariel—she felt much more confident now, with her friends by her side. She puffed herself up, growling, tail lashing behind her.

For a foolish instant, it seemed as if all would be fine. The bear began to back down, whining, moving off to the side. Lily watched it with her torchlight eyes, lips still pulled tight in a snarl. Even when surrending, the bear was still dangerous. She knew it wouldn't be over until it was long gone from here.

Some say that your life goes in brilliant, instant replay in your mind's eye upon facing death. But not for Lily. She saw nothing as the bear's paw came toward her, at once quickly and infinitely slow, arcing sideways through the air. No Mum or Daddy, no prairie. No Broken Boulder, Alarian, Eris, Korei. Nor Seabreeze, nor Olive, nor Dirge or Vilkas or Barracuda or. . . Not even Khali, Cam, Ziggy, Lana—

No, all she heard was Freddie's voice, as if speaking directly into her ear, laughing in his charming, ebullient fashion:

You're much too tiny to be fighting bears, darling!

In a way, it was good that she was knocked instantly unconscious by the blow. She would have fought 'til the end, drowning in her own blood, bleeding out while she watched her friends die, too. Wondering when her children would be next.

Instead, her last sight was the gentle green boughs of the willows—and then all was darkness, and Lily was gone from this world.