Bearclaw Valley however dangerous this may be

This whole thing seemed much more lighthearted than what Evien had expected. At least, from Merrick and the big blue creature beside him - the crowd, not so much. There were more than a few uncomfortable attendees, himself included, though it wore off when Merrick smiled at him. Ico and the girl he'd named Leila came to sit beside him - the first was expected, the second was not. He'd thought that the one who bore Merrick's pups should be up there next to him, but perhaps he was mistaken.

Toad skirted a wide berth around Evien and Taylor, and the doctor was beginning to think he understood why. He'd have to talk to the other boy later. Still, he was grateful for the three that did sit around him, offering Ico a smile and gently bumping his shoulder against Leila's before returning to his original seated position beside Taylor. 

Ulysses was the name of the man standing next to Merrick. Doglike in the way a couple of canines Evien had met before were, but not so much as the wiry one cowering off to the side of the group. The whole gathering was interesting, a band of misfits all sitting together around a prophet. Evien leaned a little closer to Kepler, sighing through his nose.