Bearclaw Valley the sharks and the minnows

they must meet!! @Dolce

tvar moves steadily along the patrol route, carrying the weight of a plump beaver in thick jaws. he pauses at a cache nestled beneath the shade of a snow-covered spruce, carefully depositing his prize. nudging the beaver into the hollow, tvar covers it meticulously, using his muzzle to pile snow and small branches over the fresh kill.

he lingers a moment, ensuring the cache is secure before straightening with a low huff, his breath visible in the cold air. then, something shifts.

the faint crunch of snow beyond the trees draws his attention, his ears flicking forward. tvar stills, hazel eyes narrowing as they cut through the snow-draped clearing ahead. through the skeletal arms of frost-laden branches, he spots a figure—a man of towering stature, broad and rugged. tvar’s gaze sharpens, scanning the stranger as a low tension hums beneath his pelt. cole had mentioned a newcomer. dolce, was it? this must be him. tvar presses forward, black paws cutting through the snow as he emerges from the treeline. as he nears, his voice breaks the cold stillness,

dolce, aye?