Bearclaw Valley verbena

"hello, little fox," merrick purred, flashing a wide grin at the young seraph. "how have you been settling into ursus?" not waiting for ico, assured that the boy would step to his side, merrick put the now-common fluting energy in his belly to work.
long limbs carried him in a leisurely but focused gait. he was searching for fieldmice. he had thought a good deal about astara's burden, and had determined a plan that he shared with no one. it satisfied merrick, however — he turned his eye back to his snowy companion. "have you decided what you might like to do here?"