Bearclaw Valley interim

evien's loyalty limned merrick's jaw with emotion, and he swallowed hard. "that's ... thank you," he finished lamely, the eternal boyish smirk wiped from his lips now. a long consideration, and then merrick rolled his shoulders. "it depends on them. it wouldn't be right to go after a bunch of old wolves and kids. unsportsmanlike," the bearwolf joked quietly. 
ursus was full of young and fit wolves, but when it came down to the mettle, the boy was unsure if he could order them into outright war.
"my mom left me in a place not far from here when i was a kid. not super young, but not grown. uhum i thought she would come back, but uh," and he shrugged again to dispel the aching cobwebs. "she left with her sister. and now my aunt is at easthollow and it's like, you know, they never looked for me."
they never wanted me.
merrick attempted a roguish look but it fell flat. he stared at the water. "that's my history. they don't even know who i am and i've been living next door this whole time."