Silvertip Mountain Most pitbulls are just three shih tzus wearing a trench coat

Aventus knew Arielle would listen. She was so good at that. She reminded him of his mother in some ways — maybe it was because Astara could not speak, but he always felt he could talk to her and she would listen and understand. He could talk to her about anything, about things he could never tell his father. Arielle gave him the same sensation of being safe with his thoughts.

Nevertheless, he puffed his cheeks out and dawdled for a moment, bobbing his head to acknowledge what Arielle intended to do. Maybe he could just talk through it. He steadied himself, paw still aloft for her, and then began. I've lost track of Nyra. If she was with Moonglow, she is gone now. They all are. The little time he had spent among the moon village wolves had shown him they had their own strength. It was strange to think of them dissolving into nothing. For that reason, Aventus was convinced they had migrated somewhere else, like when Ursus left Bearclaw Valley, but as to where they had gone, he couldn't even begin to guess.

Must have left a few days ago. I haven't the foggiest idea where they could have gone. I do not think the bear will be any help this time. Or any time recently, he thought, but felt it best not to share his doubts about their way of life. He heaved a quiet sigh. I was thinking maybe we could go to Bearclaw Valley for a little while and check in. All of us, I mean. This place is sacred to father but ... so much has gone wrong since we came here, and now he will be angry. I think it might be good to get him away for a little while.

He watched her with careful silver eyes, curious what she thought of his idea. It involved traveling in the worst season of all, and yet Aventus wanted nothing more than to escape the miasma that seemed to hang over Ursus of late. He felt returning to the valley might help.