Duskfire Glacier I am the cut that ends foes—

he stood quietly beside tikigâk, his eyes still on the cougar's lifeless form. the air between them held a quiet weight, a sense of shared understanding. the battle had been fought and won, but neither of them sought to glorify it with words. instead, they stood as one, both recognizing the rare feat they had accomplished—surviving, unscathed, while protecting their own.
tikigâk’s press against his shoulder was the only acknowledgment they needed. it was a bond built in the heat of battle, silent but strong. he let his gaze fall to the ground, the fur of the cougar already fading into the snow as the wind whispered over them. the cubs would hear the story, no doubt, but it was not the killing that would matter. it was what they had built, together, with blood and sweat. the legacy they had forged.
with one last look at the fallen beast, faust began to cut the hide from it. a telling gift for her.