Bearclaw Valley bear with me

merrick remained silent until his bristling raven and sunflower friend strode to the fore. singular eye watched the accented male closely, and he grinned through the peals of laughter, holding his ground as the other approached.
the confidence was met only with a rueful flare of his nostrils,
and then merrick flew forward, nimble paws propelling him up up up
snapping toward the brute's muzzle eye nose ear, throwing himself before the larger jaws with a single cackle blossoming in his throat.