The bear—Saya—paused at the girl's voice. Blood still trickled from its mouth, yet even through the pain, it responded. It turned its head slightly toward her, and the violent shadows that danced across its fur began to ebb, folding back into its frame like smoke retreating into the night.
Its body trembled.
I stayed alert, chest heaving, lightning still crackling faintly over my skin. My hand tightened around the staff.
The girl stepped forward.
She was barefoot, pale-skinned, with long black hair that framed her youthful face. Her expression was calm, but her blue eyes flicked toward me with a mixture of curiosity and caution. A Feran. I had no doubt now.
She approached the crater slowly, eyes on the bear, hand resting gently on its massive flank.
"That's enough," she said again, softer this time.
