Wapun Meadow If I was out of my body you would see the truth

"and ursus returns the favor," merrick declared back, catching the hint in donovan's eyes and letting his own single orb glint in recognition. a wild thought swam to his mind; he and the tiger, unfettered once more, in this very congregation.
hiding the grin of want and amusement that threatened to make itself know, merrick glanced toward the bear-pack's handsome physician. under any other circumstances, he would have refused to allow any within their sanctuary. but they had come here upon a message of alliance and allyship.
"please," he murmured to evien. "and take her with you," he muttered for the young doctor's ears only of his blackbird. "for once, i don't want a fight." his blood-honey queen would, he hoped, welcome the  opportunity to threaten another in her silent manner. rosina's voice, syrupy, pointed, dragged a grin from his lips, though it faded quickly.
while he had initially liked nyra, her continued address of the raven thrumming with a deeper and more tactile rage would not serve this assemblage. "will you ask donovan if i might speak with him before we all part ways?" merrick inquired of the pale woman, cutting in with his voice and the two steps that put himself between she and the jealous raptor. his energies were polite but his intention to end their discourse clear, his firm claim to the rights in the meadow.
he turned back to the rook simmering in her fury, gave a gentle swish of his tail, filled his single eye with the sight of her. i am yours, merrick gave wordlessly, allowing all sound to die down roundabout he and her; for a long moment he belonged in totality to the woman. "go with evien. he wants to take baptiste into the valley."
"leave them with me," he said of avicus, trailing his gaze along the line of the girl's own to where it rested on a near-shadow of her mother, and of aventus, who he caught attentive toward his dam. "i'll show everyone the gifts you gave ursus."
if the corvid was willing to capitulate, merrick would beckon the young pair forward; if not, he might signal his own withdrawal from the meeting, for eager as he was to meet with the tiger again, nyra must not be allowed near.