Bearclaw Valley bittersweet

Cole chuckled, the sound deep and rolling as he tilted his head to glance at Annie with a smirk. Easy now, lil' girl.

She rolled, stretched from his paws. Cole looked down from where he held her, embracing the vulnerability with a girl— a daughter— he'd never thought he had again. With a quick swipe of his nose to her rump, he aimed to flip her upside down, catch her off guard.

'll race 'ya! He called, amicably trotting through the woods to the pasture. He kept a relative pace, making sure she'd get right back up and in his line of sight. He wondered just how much he could get her spirit out and aflame.