Bearclaw Valley verbena

merrick felt a slow shocking grief steal over him. to be seen as a bear and not himself. in the next moment, however, it had faded into pleasure and awe, and he could not keep the tremble from his voice. "you bless me."
immortality through word.
it could be done. already merrick felt connected to the wizened elder of which ico had told him. he breathed in a tear-stained sigh, cleared roughness from his throat. 
"i wonder if there could also be immortality through flesh," he mused, thinking of the poisons he had asked from evien.
"perhaps one could achieve that as well."