Bearclaw Valley don't drag me to a sea of flame

Away from the den, she stretched. 

Her joints ached from being cooped up, too long had she been sedentary. She felt like a bird, whose endless patience had them sit for long hours on a nest- and found herself wishing for this phase to be over soon. She wanted to run with her children, to tumble and tussle with them, to see them move so she too, at last, could be busy again. 

She snuffled through the grass, noting that both Annorak and Athens seemed to be sticking around. They’d need an introduction to the children soon- and between them she hoped one might rise, and reach for a loftier position in their ranks. 

She found some dead leaves that smelled of autumn- with a groan of pleasure she bent one leg, tucked her chin in and rolled over onto her shoulders, finally able to give her back a good scratch against the ground. When she rose, she was adorned with bits of dead leaves and grass. She returned to the den, still unkempt, to enter and lie down beside her husband.

She opened her mouth to speak only to be distracted by the glint of a barely opened eye. ”Huh,” She grinned, to see the new development. ”There you are,” She said, over Ancelin’s shoulder.