Bearclaw Valley stay away, away, away

jakoul.
fitting 
she favoured the name of ursus with the same serpent's rasp; the coils shifted behind his single eye; and he drew a little intake of breath, the inhale of a surprised boy — something youthful and unaffected deep within merrick. 
he knew he would never come unraveled for anyone aside from the raven who had given he and they four strong children;
the shifting, then, the affable tighten of his own snake-self near her own.
stepping to flank her side,
something akin to friendship, though any could aptly argue that merrick did not understand how to have friends.