Bearclaw Valley and the space has been broken

the toad was dead and gone, as was their game.

no matter.

astara had lived her life largely in silence, and knew how to draw enjoyment from the company of others. as aventus shifted to make himself comfortable, the blackbird reclined to her side, laying across the pinestraw with her muzzle upturned to her son.

like him, she found her eyelids growing heavy -- especially as the warm of the teekon's soft sunlight pooled around her.

before long, astara was adrift in sleep.