Bearclaw Valley a descent into the maelstrom

the whites of her eyes gleam as she turns to stare at the creature, then back to the wolf-woman. like the stranger, Avicus breathes out, then shakes her head. and then she latches onto the only word that had been repeated so far in this conversation.

dead. except when she speaks aloud, in a childlike voice a little hoarse from unuse, it comes out more like—

deh, she remarks. no, that wasn't quite right. she tries again: dehhht. the ending is quiet as a whisper, but there. the creature is dead. is that a name? a description? what are the wolves?