Bearclaw Valley only then i am human,

Cole steps forward, dropping the hare at her feet with a quiet grunt. His eyes shift to the hide he carries, setting it carefully to the side before he looks in, drawn toward the bundle of warmth curled against her.
They're so small.
His breath catches for a moment as he takes them in—tiny bodies pressed close, rising and falling with each delicate breath. Four of them. He stares, head tilting slightly, expression unreadable. There’s a flicker of something in his chest—something deep and old and aching—but he smothers it before it can fully surface.
God, they're... He exhales slowly, voice low, reverent despite himself. So little.
It ain't like he’s never seen pups before, but something about this—about Ameline, curled around them, about the way they twitch in their sleep, ears too big for their heads—makes it feel different. Real. His gaze lingers a moment longer before he clears his throat, shifting his weight back.
Makin' sure mama eats, too.