Bearclaw Valley [TW] My summer tan has begun to fade

"they were servants of the bear. except this one." he pointed to the pelvic bone. "my mate carried this all her life."
merrick turned toward evien second; to his single eye the skull seemed wreathed in green and frothed with knowingness. "he was our bruin-leaf. the bear took his life as a blessing."
next, astara — "my mate." the skull was fresher than the other, though tending toward ivory now.
"we keep our holy ones with us. it is the way of ursus. the bear is our home, and where it leads we follow, bringing these bones to rest."
merrick was silent for a good long while and then he turned toward indra. "do they speak to you?"