Blackfeather Woods stage 3: bargaining

His pleas were met with staring.

Towhee spoke but to Titmouse, who only saw shadows and the giant bear face before him, he heard nothing.

Gradually as his sister retreated, the sound of tree branches catching on one-another penetrated his mania. Then, as Towhee became only eyes in the dark, the bear diminished, and diminished, and -- became her, as she left him.

He wasn't all there, still. Titmouse remained addled; but the moments passed and he realized he had won, for once. He was alone and the bear hadn't eaten him. The shadows remained flickering around him, licking like flames.