Pale paws carried the slender woman through the grove of trees as she followed Merrick dutifully, looking at the berry bushes around them curiously. Some she recognized, some she didn't. As they passed through the grove she spotted signs of dens that seemed moderately fresh or at least used recently. While she very obviously wouldn't know the scents herself, there was one that was strongly all across this area that had some similar traits to it as Merrick's scent—the kind of thing that showed they might be siblings. She glanced up at the dark brute that was leading her through these unknown lands, her ruby gaze curious while she was standing slightly behind him where he couldn't see her expression.

He hadn't specified exactly what they were on the search for and she hadn't asked. When he told her that they were leaving the slave ship and he was taking her with him she hadn't had any complaints or second thoughts. He had been one of the only constants in her life for a while now and while she knew she wouldn't exactly have an easy life with him, but it was still better than the alternative. Stepping up along side him as they walked, she glanced up at him briefly, but mostly kept her gaze shifted down toward their paws. "Would you like to tell me what you're looking for so I could help you?" she asked quietly.

"Keelin"

A low growl pulled from the giant man as the woman beside him spoke. Had he asked her to speak? If he wanted her to know something, he would have fucking told her so. She'd been his property long enough to know that, so why was she speaking out now? Was it because she felt some newfound sense of freedom now that they were off of the ship? Well, she had another thing coming if that was the case.

"I'm not looking for anything," he snapped, teeth clacking together with finality. The giant wolf's pelt bristled, spiking up along his spine. Why did he even keep her around? Merrick gave his head a shake and continued walking. He didn't really have to ask himself that question. He kept her around because it was too time consuming to train someone else to obey and serve him. It looked as though she may have been due a refresher course on causing him displeasure, however.

Merrick stopped, testing the wind to verify that they were on the correct course. The bird that had found him gave fairly clear directions after explaining that it had been looking for him on behalf of his little sister. Though Merrick would miss the status that he'd held on the ship, omens and signs told him that it was time for change. He'd been thinking it for a while, but a black bird circling the ship had been the final straw. He needed to get back on land. With losing the home that he'd known for the past year, what better segway into another chapter of life than to answer his sister's call? He wouldn't have to eke out a living or fight for a place again. Age would buy him status and relation would buy him comfort.

"Merrick Mendacium"

Keelin's ears flicked back for a moment as he snapped at her, telling her that he was in fact not looking for anything. "Yes, sir," she responded quietly with a nod and stepped back a bit, still standing beside him but with her shoulder almost even with his hip. She of course knew better to speak when she wasn't spoken to, but she was slowly beginning to test these new boundaries now that she was off of the ship. Her ruby gaze remained on the ground in front of her for now, keeping his violet, flecked side in her peripheral vision so that she would stay close and follow his lead as they went without falling behind. In reality it seemed as though nothing had really changed other than their location and the lack of prying eyes around them—at least fore now. She didn't know where they were heading or what had brought him here, but she could be content in serving him if it meant it kept her from having to learn another master or fall into even worse paws.

A rustle off to her left side made her ear swivel in the direction of the noise and she looked out from the corner of her eye before finally turning her head to face the cause of the rustling when she saw a shadow of the beast moving through the trees. A large, brown bear moved through the trees, clearly taking advantage of the freshly cleared out campsite and enjoying the berry laden bushes that were available to it once again. The bear seemed to notice their presence and looked toward them with a slobbery snort, lumbering as it turned to face them with a roar. Her ears flicked back with a soft gasp, falling back behind Merrick uncertainly.

"Keelin"

Merrick was irritated, but it wasn't particularly at Keelin. She was simply an easy outlet for that irritation. Snapping at her made him feel better. It made him feel powerful. The woman was at his mercy and she deserved the reminder that this was the case. She was weak. She was lesser. She should have been on her knees, kissing his paws for taking care of her. He didn't have to bring her with him, but he had out of the goodness of his heart. Okay... even he had to laugh at the lie in that last bit.

The amaranthine brute's mental musings were cut short as a big brown bear put itself in their path. The pair of wolves stopped on reflex and the man's dual-toned eyes narrowed, his lip pulling back in a sneer. The ursine roared at them and Merrick's ears pulled back just enough to protect his sensitive eardrums. The man's thick pelt bristled and he took a step towards the bear, eyes going wide as he released a roar of his own just to be a dick. The bear flinched in surprise and stood there hesitantly for a moment. That hesitation was all that the Mendacium man needed. Merrick launched himself at the bear, sinking teeth into its brown muzzle before giving it a shake. Flesh tore between his jaws from the force of the bite and the force of the bear pulling back in shock and pain. The tri-colored brute bristled again, snarling with his tail curled up over his spine to make himself look larger. The bear was angry, but it was still unsure of the situation, so it simply swiped out at the wolf, which Merrick easily avoided as it had been delivered half heartedly. The bear was still deciding whether or not to fight, but Merrick was going to make the decision for it.

"Merrick Mendacium"

Keelin stood back behind Merrick worriedly with wide, ruby eyes as she watched the bear that approached them with concern though she knew she shouldn't be all that worried with someone like Merrick around. She knew he could handle a predator like this one without too much of an issue, but if he was injured in the process she not only didn't have the knowledge or means to feed or protect herself, but she also lacked the supplies to mend his wounds properly. Sure, she could probably piece something together from what was around here since the herbs seemed fairly plentiful in the grove, but it still wasn't ideal. She flinched a bit when Merrick roared back at the bear, startling her and the bear as well, and she ultimately just backed away a bit more to let her master do what he does best. She watched as he lunched at the bear and kicked off the fight in earnest and luckily, at least for now, the only blood spilled belonged to the bear. She stood by anxiously, mostly just trying to stay out of the way for the time being.

"Keelin"

The bear, still confused, lashed out again and Merrick batted the paw away, long, obsidian talons cutting into the bears flesh. He could see the anger on the ursines face at being wounded, but it didn't matter. Blood was dripping from the bears face and now its paw and, finally, it rushed him. The purple brute sidestepped the lumbering attack, leaving Keelin in the giant beasts view. The bear focused on the woman for a moment, allowing its initial target to get behind it. As the bear rushed towards the brindled fae, Merrick leaped upon its back, sinking curved claws into its flesh. The man bit down on the back of the bears neck and gave it a shake. Instantly the beast forgot about the woman that it had been intending to eat, beginning to thrash back and forth to try and rid itself of the rider on its back.

Holding on took too much effort and energy, so Merrick planted his paws and pushed hard, leaping off of his bucking bronco with enough force to make the bear stumble and to give himself enough room to avoid an instant attack. The bear collected itself, roared again and, rather than attacking, began running away. "Fucking coward!" Merrick roared and, like the intelligent beast that he was, ran after it.

"Merrick Mendacium"

Keelin could do little more than watch and keep herself out of the way while Merrick fought the bear, leaving far more wounds on it than the other way around thankfully. If something happened to him and the bear came for her next she would be shit out of luck. As if reading her mind, when Merrick side stepped the bear to avoid an attack it’s beady eyes were suddenly focused on her and she thought her heart might just beat right out of her chest. She started to back away uncertainly while it moved toward her, her ruby eyes giving Merrick frantic glances.

Luckily before the bear could get close enough to do anything Merrick leapt onto its back and started tearing at the back of its neck. Keelin breathed a shaky sigh and watched with a bit of worry as the bear bucked and shook and did everything to try and get its attacker off of it. Eventually Merrick did jump down and the bear did run off so she thought that was finally the end of it… only for Merrick to yell after the “cowardly” bear and go chasing it down. "Merrick!" she gasped, but it was far too late and his large purple-hued form was already gone. Keelin sighed and took off after him since she didn’t have much choice but to keep following her master.

"Keelin"

As the bear ran, Merrick ran after it. Wolves were faster than bears, so it took him but a moment to catch up. The man latched his teeth into the bears backside and thrashed his head back and forth, tearing great rends in the brown pelt. Blood poured into his maw and the bear released a very un-bearlike squeal. It ducked its rump and tore through the trees and bushes as fast as it could. Only then did Merrick stop, watching it flee with a bloody grin.

The brutes tail lashed back and forth almost happily as he turned and rejoined the woman that had been rushing after him. He snorted upon seeing her. "A lot of help you were," he growled, giving his head a shake before moving past her and resuming their trek north. Merrick licked the blood from his chops, but made no move to wipe off the rest. What did he care? If anything, it would be a clear signal for nothing else to fuck with him as he made his way to his sweet sister.

"Merrick Mendacium"