Elf dog and owl head

Clay has had enough of home life. A global plague has brought the world to a screeching halt, and with only a summer of video-calling friends and bickering with his sisters ahead, he's only too happy to retreat to the woods. From the moment the little dog with the ornate collar appears like a spirit among the trees, Clay sees something otherworldly in her. With this mysterious hound, Elphinore, as guide, he glimpses ancient secrets folded into the forest and wanders paths deep into the unknown. But there are traps and terrors in the woods, too, and if Clay isn't careful, he might lose his way for ever.