Bearclaw Valley only then i am human,

Cole stared down at the tiny, squirming thing placed before him, hands—no, paws—feeling too damn big for something so small. The boy was barely more than a scrap of fur and warmth, curled tight against the cold of the world, trusting, blind.
Jesus, he muttered, barely above a breath, rough hands that had known nothing but work and war carefully scooping the pup up. He was warm, softer than anything Cole had ever touched, and smelled... new. That was the only way he could think to describe it.
For a moment, he just held the boy there, listening to Ameline tear into her meal, filling the silence with the sound of life continuing. Puppy magic, he echoed, a wry huff of air leaving his nose. Reckon I’ll take your word for it.
He adjusted his grip, slow, careful. While you do that, he said, voice low, as if afraid of waking the sleeping pup, I'm gonna head out to Swiftcurrent in the morning. Been busy takin’ Tvar and Ancelin’s routes so they can be here.
His gaze flickered up to her briefly, then back down at the tiny life in his hold. He still wasn’t sure what to do with something so fragile—but he held on anyway.