Bearclaw Valley hunters

Cole’s ear flicked at the question, his movements slowing as he adjusted one of the bird skulls in his grasp. She's getting better, he said gruffly, turning it in his paws before setting it down. Restless.
He exhaled sharply through his nose, eyes narrowing as he scraped a layer of frost from the dirt beneath him. The silence stretched just a little too long, hanging between them like a weight.
Then, with a low breath, Yes.
It wasn't an easy admission, nor one he made lightly. But it was the truth.