Bearclaw Valley A life of pain is the pain of life, and you can never escape it

Avicus had always favoured brawn, while her sibling grew to favour cunning. In this initial assessment of Ashlar, Aventus felt there was a distinct lack of both. What kept this brown-furred pacifist within the bear's valley, he wondered, eyeing the man with open scrutiny.

What kind of question was that?

She betrayed family, Aventus pointed out. She sought to kill me. Ask her why. Wherever Avicus was now, Aventus imagined she wouldn't wander too far from the valley. No doubt she was biding her time out there, waiting for another opportunity to strike at him. She thought she was so much better than he, but it was Aventus standing here speaking with Ashlar and not her.

But no amount of victory could give Aventus any insight into his sister's state of mind. She wanted to kill him because she thought he was weak, and (he believed wholeheartedly) she wished that he had died at Nyra's hand. That was the notion he subscribed to, but as for her true reasons, only Avicus knew those.