Bearclaw Valley verbena

Ico's brand of courage came not from physical prowess, a death wish or a yearning for risk, but from sheer curiosity. If he didn't possess some semblance of bravery, he'd never learn anything worth knowing. And so he posed a question, albeit in a respectful tone, that may or may not rub Merrick up the wrong way. Could you tell me a little about the bears? And how you came to have this... affinity with them.

He'd yet to meet a bear (at least one that wasn't masquerading as a tittering encroacher), but they were afoot in Bearclaw Valley, precisely as the shadow-king desired. Ico just didn't know why... but he very much wanted to.