Bearclaw Valley your dark splendor

in the pause between statement and answer, merrick cast an approving eye over the pretty feature that evien had claimed for his pills and potions.
when the boy shifted to face him, merrick slumped to the wet earth with a sulky splay of his tattered ears.
"she's fat and smells weird," the bearwolf answered mournfully. the raven was changing; he did not recognize the name that evien used, for he had never given the woman one of his own.