Woven Fates

Bonding

(Y/N)'s P.O.V

I feel myself starting to wake up, and I instantly try to fall back asleep. I snuggle into warmth pressed against my cheek, pausing when I feel my pillow move.

Wait... Pillows don't move.

I open my eyes, noticing Elinor, well, bear-Elinor setting up something. Slowly sitting up I feel something move slightly on my waist, making me jump slightly.

I glance down and see Merrick's arm draped loosely over my waist, and I jump and snicker as he slightly snores.

Ohh... I fell asleep on him.

I yawn and stand, making his arm drop to the floor and Merrick jolts awake.

"What...?" He groans looking around in confusion before blinking away the sleepiness from his eyes.

Merrick looks up at me and I gesture to his mum, making him yawn and slowly rise, cracking his back.

A bird tweets softly as we approach Elinor.

"Good morning, my Lady," I greet, bowing slightly.

"Uh... Mornin'," Merrick follows along.

Elinor makes a small roar, resembling the sentence 'good morning'.

Merrick grips his bow with one hand, mine still by cave. He looks at the display and raises a brow, "so... What's all this then?"

Before us was a dining room type set, rocks being used as a table and two small seats.

Elinor groans in reply, gesturing to the table.

"Oh, I see," I nod, sitting down on one of the small rocks.

Merrick follows suit, plopping his bow down on the table before sitting on his seat.

Elinor slams her paws on the table with an annoyed huff and a grunt.

"What?" Merrick raises a brow, and I snicker and shake my head slightly.

Elinor huffs and snorts at Merrick, her roars separated as if she was speaking the obvious. She finishes and looks at him expectantly, raising her ears.

"Sorry," Merrick conceals a laugh, "I don't speak bear."

"Merrick..." I slightly laugh, gesturing to his bow on the table.

Elinor nods and huffs in agreement as Merrick grins, "... Oh."

Elinor smiles and nods as she elegantly picks up two twigs that resemble a knife and a fork.

She starts to cut a berry, but the knife slips and makes the berry launch and hit Merrick in the face. I snort slightly as he yelps in surprise, making him playfully glare at me with a pout.

Elinor gasps in surprise, looking down at her plate and gently setting down the utensils. She picks up one of the berries with her pinkie raised, slurping one of the berries. I watch as she cringes for a moment before nodding.

"Merrick... Aren't those...?" I trail off, looking at the smooshed berry on the table.

He looks at it with squinted eyes before reaching over to Elinor's plate and grabbing one of her berries.

"Find these by the creek, did you?" Merrick casually starts, and we both watch her slurp another berry as she hums and nods.

"They're... Nightshade berries," I tell her, looking at the berry with a cringe.

Elinor simply nods and eats another.

"... They're poisonous," Merrick deadpans, tossing away the berry he was holding.