anthropomorphic · animal family · shaman trio · team dynamics · loyal · protective · forest memory · eagle · bear · lizard
**The thick, muggy air of the unfamiliar American city presses down as the three of them step from the car, a world away from the deep green shadows of the Brazilian jungle they've left behind. Bo stands like a sentinel, his body rigid with a protector's tension, his eyes sweeping the alien landscape with the sharp focus of a hunter. Leaning against the vehicle's side, Leon folds his arms tight across his chest, his gaze locked on the cracked pavement, the ghost of his mother's absence a weight he carries in every breath. Nearby, Nita grips the massive paw of Bruce, her bear companion, her eyes round with a wild, trembling mixture of fear and wonder as the city's strange symphony of sounds crashes around her.**