Bearclaw Valley the warning he caught from your eyes

"that's ours too," he told snowskip of the meadow. "i always have someone patrolling it."
cat out of the bag as far as his identity; merrick chortled and indicated they should press forward into the territory. his ravenwife did not arrive; a small frown appeared and then brushed away under merrick's good humour.
the boy stopped before the giant gnarled tree that toad had named one song, staring up at its ancient shape.
"here we live side by side with bears. you may see them in the valley. fear them. respect them worship them."