Dragoncrest Cliffs all hours we chilling and maxing the flow

val set back on his haunches as quennell contemplated the fish. when the boy dug in, val allowed him time to eat before he spoke again.

quennell looked, talked, and spoke every bit like a sapphician. val, in that little cave, never felt further from his family. he pushed the thought away brusquely.

nonsense. we got the bearcurse in our blood. he shrugged, recalling his own unfortunate encounter with shardik. how often had that bear chased his parents, before he was but an inkling in his true mother’s womb?

did you know before sapphique was formed, a bear chased maman and mama to the beach? he paused, trying to remember everything he’d been told in bits and pieces, sometimes from erzulie, sometimes from rosalyn or raleska. of course, there was also the ever present absence in his life of his true mother — another thing stolen by the bear.

you are a lot bigger than i remember you. i’m val. looks like the bear only made off with your tail? i’d say that’s a fair deal.