Whispers of the Wild Heart

Previously

…Suddenly, a sharp bark shattered the quiet. Lyra flinched, her head snapping up, her fur bristling. Her father. He stood at the edge of the clearing, his massive form silhouetted against the dappled sunlight. His eyes, cold and hard, fixed on her, then flickered to the small green shoot. A low growl rumbled in his chest, a sound of possessiveness and displeasure. He took a step forward, his heavy paws crushing fallen leaves. Lyra instinctively moved to shield the shoot with her body, a fierce, protective instinct surging through her. She had