Bearclaw Valley saying you're to blame

evien snapped things in neat clipboard order, a high-ranked official standing alongside indulgent, smiling merrick. "of course you can," he droned in answer, winking at this toad. nothing like a bulbous amphibian, but stranger things had happened, he supposed. "he seems polite."
he trailed his grin to fields. "just boys being boys," merrick marvelled, teasing the blood-dappled pair before nodding smartly to evien. "i'll leave you in charge here." 
a titter; he began to lope past the trio, ear turned backward in case he was paused for any reason.