Bearclaw Valley When you come long like an island

merrick snorted. he reached for the rabbit and tore it open, blood staining his jaws, his chest. "the bears chose this place. it is theirs and always was." the bearwolf chewed, swallowed, meticulous, hateful; it did nothing to sate him and everything to whet and to torment.
"in the spring they wake and walk. they are hungry. only the strongest wolves might live among them without fear. and sometimes they choose one of ursus for a sacrifice."
mouth tightening;
merrick was thinking of evien and evien's head and evien's skull.
the rabbit turned to ash in his mouth.
"what if you were chosen, pandora?" his single eye blazed toward her. "would you submit?"