Bearclaw Valley eight seconds

she has learned to shy away from her father's rage. fear, now—for he reminds her of the bear that had almost claimed her life. . .that had claimed Evien's. she ceases pacing, staying well back from Merrick. the blood is thick and cloying in the air and her stomach growls; how cruel the world is to link the smells of food & fate, life and death.

the (bear) lord giveth, and the bear lord taketh away.

Avicus nods once at her father's command. she stares down into the snow. begins to dig, soon feeling numbness between each toe. when she reaches the ground it is like stone, impenetrable. there is no way. . .

but there has to be a way. Merrick commands it. the red girl scrabbles at the frozen earth, chipping away bit by bit. her pads become raw, her forelegs ache, a nail or two (or three?) is lost to the soil. 

slowly, with bloodied paws, she begins to make an indentation in the valley, and glances back at Aventus a few times while she does so, wondering if he has the same awed respect for her father to join her in this task. he must, right?