Bearclaw Valley a pale blue dot

located within stillrift.

When the man came he said the same things. It was either that or silence, and the pining for her mother. Indra did not want to give in; she loved her mother, held her memory close. She wanted to be awake for when Laurel came for her - but sleep begged to be had, then soon enough she was drifting. Dreaming. Seeing at once the woman in the cave — and in the waking hours, the emptiness around herself.
Someone else came today. They carried food with them — Indra could smell it — and when she looked for the source, there was a figure more composed than the man; they did not limp in the same way. She stole glances and then, as they were descending in to the rift, she ducked herself, coiled tightly by some rocks.

Even in the darkness, Indra's bright russet fur was identifiable. Aventus stole down into the rift with ginger steps, favouring his right side so as not to jostle his flank too much. His shoulder ached and itched fiercely under the poultice and wrap Arielle had applied.

Indra, he called sweetly, pitching his voice low and warm as he gave the rabbit corpse a swift kick, sending it thumping to the rift floor. Eat.

It could've been the man.
No; when he called his voice was light, and then there was the thump of something hitting the dirt. She had to be brave —!
Plus there was no mistaking the gurgle of her belly. As her attention locked upon the body of a rabbit Indra felt saliva fill her mouth, and she unfurled herself, staring at it. Swallowing. Creeping closer.
He told her to eat, and so she hurried to grab the thing and rip in to it.

Aventus settled himself in a careful sit, eyes trained on the little ball of red fur as she uncurled from her place among the rocks and seized the food. She reminded him of Avicus just then, the fury with which she tore into it. Hunger could move a wolf to great things.

While she ate, he arranged his thoughts. He did not know what Merrick's endgame for Indra was, but knew she meant something significant to the Bruin-witch. Aventus meant to ascertain her state of mind in preparation for what must be done now that she was here. Do you remember how you came to this place?

She ate, and ate, filling herself greedily with the meat so fast that she felt ill, but she did not slow down until it was gone. Her belly felt heavy and uncomfortable—better than empty though, and warm.
Indra chewed on one of the rabbit's velveteen ears after. Her jaws paused mid-crunch when she heard his question, and then carefully she took her teeth out of it and smoothed the fur, as if it were alive. After a momentary pause she shook her head.
She stopped that too, remembering something.
A cave. It had looked the same, felt the same as the rift. Had she run all the way here? Maybe she wasn't far from home after all—a spark of hope flared to life as Indra contemplated this.

Yes, confirmed Aventus, smiling warmly down at her, but his eyes remained bright and cold. That was how they had been since the raid. There was no regret in him despite the injuries they had all sustained to get this far, for Indra lived and now they had her.

You were alone in a cold cave. We found you and brought you here. He slowly slid down onto his belly so he could peer over the lip of his perch at her. I am Arctos. I am here to begin your training. His eyes found the rabbit ear, assessed the way she stroked it like a loved pet.

Have you ever seen a bear, Indra?

They'd found her - not the other way around? That made some sense. She didn't remember them. When Indra thought about it too hard her head hurt, but, she'd thought someone had been in the cave with her too.

While this other man watched her Indra became self-conscious. She gathered the rabbit's ears close, unaffected by the mess. The ears were soft and she took comfort in having something soft close-by.

Arctos knew her name. Was he the one from the cave? She couldn't remember and that alone was frightening. Someone had been there with her. There had been a scary man yelling things, and it made no sense; someone else had to have been there.

Have you ever seen a bear, Indra?
Her eyes were wide and nervous as she shook her head.
Muttering, What's that?

They are mortal creatures like you and I, he began, taking note of the way she drew the ears close to herself. She found comfort in them, he guessed. Whatever gave her strength in this dismal place. Perhaps he would bring more of them, endear himself to her, begin to earn her trust, misplaced though it would be.

Yet they are more than we are. They rule this earth. Their roar shakes the trees. Their claws can take a man’s head clean off the shoulders. Aventus licked his lips, drew in a slow breath that rattled slightly when the pain of his ribs set in. Bears demand much. Should you earn their regard, they are fierce protectors.

The bear was with you in that cave, Indra, he said then, watching for her reaction through half-lidded eyes.

She had been so afraid in the cave. That much she knew was true. Someone else had been there and the man said it was this bear, this protector. Indra was too tired to think.
Something had saved her from that cave, and that man. She wanted to believe her own memory because she thought of that terrible moment often and saw her mother, but the other wolf — the one who came more often to see her — he said differently. And now this one, who spoke with such certainty.
The bear... Scared the angry man away?
Indra had not told anyone about the cave or what had happened inside of it.
Every time she'd tried to claim ownership over her memories, the one-eyed wolf had found convincing things to say to refute them.
This new one somehow played to the strengths of Indra's recollection while feeding the delusion Merrick had planted: that it had not been her mother but she had not been alone.
Her eyes were wide after she spoke, and something closer to acceptance glimmered there until the girl closed herself off to it, wanting very much to cling to what she knew, and right now it was so, so hard.

Yes, in a way, said Aventus. He could almost see the fault lines forming in Indra's logic and memories of what had happened. No doubt Merrick had done a great deal to break her spirit and reinvent it in the bear's image already, but he knew from his own childhood how imposing Merrick could be. He knew his mate would provide an even more gentle touch, but Arielle was also a fervent believer, even moreso than Aventus was. She might be gentle but she would be insistent. Aventus hoped to strike a balance between the two.

I do not remember an angry man, said Aventus, but you were alone and cold. The bear spirit spoke in our hearts and guided us to you. It is a dangerous world, Indra. It is safe here. With that, the man stood with a wince and a gentle groan. I must go, but I will return. Those, he indicated the rabbit ears, are yours to keep. He flashed a smile that edged on the eerie and cooed, good night, Indra, before he returned to the surface of Ursus, teeth grit hard against the pain the whole way up.

There hadn't been an angry man? But she remembered that. Above all the stale smell of the cave, above the terror that had filled her body, there had been someone there grabbing for her, biting her, pulling her. She remembered the weight, the resistance. The strength.
Indra was lost to that memory; the questions that arose with the simple commentary of the dark wolf, bringing everything in to question. She didn't know what to do. She didn't even hear him when he claimed this place was safe.
But she saw him motion to the ears. Staring down at the gift, listening to his promise to return.
Good night, Indra. The man said as he withdrew, slinking away while Indra's focus was upon the pair of ears.
G..good night, she murmured to the darkness, unaware that the man was no longer close enough to hear her.