Neverwinter Forest I can feel your love

the little shaman, no longer of ursus, had struck out on her own. in her jaws she held the glittering skyrock, the heart of the bear-god's curse, the one thing asperas knew she could never be parted from no matter the grief it brought her. grief, in the days since the flight from silvertip, had come to define the spiderling's existence. she did not allow herself to feel it, rebelled against the sensation with every fiber of her being, yet it cut deeply.
the bear was to blame. the bear and his witch. but she did not think of that now.
the warm summersweet rain scarce penetrated the thick verdant canopy above, but the buzzing cracks of thunder following each electric flash from the sky reminded the voidsent far too much of the night they'd been cursed by the bear-god. each rolling boom seemed to come at once from everywhere and nowhere, setting asperas's hackles rippling wetly along bony spine. unnerved, and more so because of the feeling itself, the night-pearl made for the heart of the forest, hoping for more protection there.
instead the unchild found a spirit made flesh, twin crimson flames set into a figure of ash spun with shadow. sensing, somehow, kindred in the unfamiliar boy, asperas did not falter. it was the first time she had ever seen another her age, aside the brother she hardly knew, and no part of her wished to squander the encounter. the bearberry drew close to sniff at the damp stranger, light-footed with muscles tensed for retreat at a moment's notice. distrust tinged the open-handed greeting, but did not yet stain it irreparably. for now, asperas was only wary, protective of the precious burden she bore.

edited to reflect recent events