Bearclaw Valley I know who I was when I woke up this morning

merrick had only made his mind to keep her before another thought crept to him: how best she might be bent to serve the bear. 
how best she might be used to mollify — ah, he had it. 
"and i am merrick. my mate does not speak, but you will know her when you see her, i promise," he laughed softly, coolly. "my son is the second leader here. they are cut from the same cloth." a swift, thrilling moment, to think of their power, but he put his mind to the shy boy ashlar.
"we once had a healer, and then we had a boy who wanted to do the same. unfortunately, the den still sits empty." he set his eye upon arielle. "would you like to see it? it's very pretty."