Dragoncrest Cliffs Dude, this is a Wendy's restaurant.

lady, your sister is batshit crazy. val nearly blurted. or was it bearshit crazy? either way: arielle was a deliberately repressed shadow in his memory. val was clearly discomfited by arielle's presence lingering in his mind.

he steeled himself. his gaze turned to lilitu, who now leaned close. her eye had that bright hint of longing desperation; her face spoke nothing but love.

val sighed.

i knew her, but it has been some time. did he spill that he insulted the clan of bears, practically spat in arielle's face by stealing a child that both she and her mate wished to murder? this seemed like a heavy topic for a first interaction -- besides, who knew if lilitu would even believe him?

i used to live in ursus. i -- his gaze searched the grey skies above. i thought aventus was my friend. but in any event, last i saw them they were -- an image of aventus face down in a pool of his own blood rose to val's mind. in bearclaw valley.