Bearclaw Valley don’t go over the edge

it would be a few week's time before astara escaped the shadow of the den entirely; presently, her most persistent child demanded nearly 24/7 servicing. astara couldn't recall if her other children had been so insistent -- but the tiny growl of displeasure coincided with aventus' arrival.

even in her poor state, there would be little to hide the way her dull gaze got a little brighter -- the way her shoulders rounded or her ears pricked. it was not solely because of the gift in his jaws, either.

she sniffed him in her usual custom fashion -- where'd you go, what do you smell of, whodat -- once the inspection was over she roughly licked at aventus' head thankfully and all-too-eagerly seized the killdeer.

ah! fresh meat, well and truly. her jaws felt warm with salivation -- merrick kept her well fed, as did them all, but there was something about a fresh kill that truly roused the blood. mid-gobble astara remembered her children, and turned back to her tiny demon-child with reluctance.

it would be selfish of her to eat all of it, right? but... if she ate all of it, better milk for the child.. sort of.. in a reumy haze of blood and crackling bones, astara threw all but the killdeer's mangled wing down her hatch. this she dangled in front of asperas curiously.