the sun is shining the birds are singing

Scylla's whole body hurt. The small girl had received a full blow from an angry bear and it had sent her careening into a fast flowing river. There were cuts in her shoulder from where the claws had grazed her, but thankfully she'd mostly just been smacked hard by the ursine's thick paw pads. The walk back had been long and difficult, but she had finally made it. Getting across the water and back to the island had been an ordeal and the child was quite thoroughly exhausted.

Holding her left paw up off of the ground, Scylla limped back towards home. The going was slow and she considered just giving up many times, so when she saw the reclining form of Erystotle, a soft, pleading whine squeezed from the girl's throat. Mismatched ears tucked back against her skull as she slowly approached the resting man. He would help her. She knew it.

"Scylla"