Bearclaw Valley so close to what

the indifference to a genuine acknowledgment might have once stirred venom from her tongue. but in his tone she heard the voice of arktos and found herself chuckling instead of spitting fire. she'd thought them similar upon her first meeting with cole, a mistake perhaps, but even now she could both see and hear the similarities between them.

they would have gotten along, she thought.

the mention of her girls brought about a more serious expression from the stomecloud despite the man's uplifting words. "my girls are difficult," she admits with a burdened exhale. "ana is quiet and zeph," a sigh, "is reclusive."

she slumps to her haunches, a breath sucked in, "i always wanted kids, but i might have reconsidered if i knew how much of a challenge motherhood would be."

a truth she'd not said aloud before.