Bearclaw Valley Silence, then...

merrick sensed avicus' unsurety, but he would not explain himself now.
evien's death had left a rent in the material of ursus that he meant to fill with one of his children —
she must learn, for aventus held the fierce ambition of their bloodline.
and yet there was a caution in avicus that the bear had come to assume —
his thought faded; merrick watched the gestures of the other. she could not speak.
kill.
affection and pride blossoming together in his heart for his redgirl's choice of whetting.
it does not matter, merrick signalled to the mute one's explanation with a casual lick of his teeth, a single wave of his plume. he aligned himself with avicus, nodded toward the pale woman with the blaze of sunfire fur along her nape. "she will need a name. unless you can give us one," he added, looking back toward their guest.