"The end times come," says Bella. "We do not need much longer. Elders say the next generation of cubs will not grow up before the Apocalypse." She seems very untroubled by this.

"I do say." She nods. "I am going back now," she adds, and starts shifting. Bella doesn't need to cross all her forms again to go back to her native shape, the shifting finishes quickly with less change in size. She picks up her axe in her teeth again.