Bearclaw Valley at your back door yelling 'cause I wanna come in

The world was not real.

It spun around in painted colors of spring. Time between one valley to the next was lost in this spinning blur. He felt like a compass that could not find its direction, an anomaly in the way that he walked the earth.

Somehow it felt like he was only finally seeing again when the world curved up around him. Had he somehow gone back to the vale in the mountains? No, this was a new one. It was a claw that curled up and threatened to grasp him if he stepped foot within.

Scents clustered though and told him others were already within its grasp.

Like the dog he was, in some ways, he stood at their door and wondered if he could be let in.

Ameline's previous life as a scout came to aid her now- every day she moved, though her pace was slow and her breath was short. Bulging out on either side of her was her belly, which had begun to hang a bit lower- making her believe (and pray) that she would give birth any day now. Walking was the only thing that seemed to help, even though her ankles protested. 

She was on her way back in to her valley home when she found herself following a scent to the borders, and discovered a newcomer there, who had the sense not to trespass. He did not smell of one of the other packs, so she regarded him with a notable amount of wariness. She gave him a curt nod of her head, and squared her shoulders as she meandered past him- and then came to stand between him and the entrance to the valley. 

As broad as she was through the middle now, she would at least look like a formidable guardian. 

"Thith ith Bearclaw Valley," She said, realizing only then that her voice was a bit hoarse. "What bringth you here?"

She was like a bear herself. Colored in earth and wide in build. Although he had enough sense about himself to not make this connection out loud to her. Lest she have the good sense to kick him square away.

I don't know.

He cursed himself for saying it again. Those dreaded three little words that seemed to control his life. It left him spiraling and a mess.

I need — structure.

Although he did not drop to his belly and beg for it, there was a tenseness to his voice that served as a plea in and of itself. Let this claw of a valley hold him straight, let it give him that cutting edge he needed to keep living.

He looked desperate. Exhausted, even though he looked as though he'd been managing to hunt for himself well enough on his own. She saw a yearning for connection, drive to be put into use- and she found her brow lifting as she considered the possibilities of having someone so pliable in the pack. She had once had such ambition- but knew it also stemmed from the need for stability. 

"You can have it here." She stated. "Patrol twithe a day, report to mythelf or my mate if you thee anything...I can teach you who ith welcome, an' who should be chathed out. You will be exthpected to hunt, both on your own an' with the pack which...Will be growing thoon." She said. "If it'th thtability an' thructure you want, I can make sure you live comfortably."

And that claw of the valley opened.

Was it her? She was the bear and she loosened her grip to give him a reprieve. How was it reprieve if he wanted something to straighten him out? Maybe it was seeking something familiar. Something rigid could be so comfortable.

Okay.

He nodded. Still lost but, she would...guide him. She would mold him.

I can do it. Anything. Whatever you say — it'll be done.

"Good." 

She was satisfied; he was more willing than most others, which might make him even more useful. Perhaps he had some things to learn, and she knew she would be short on time and patience soon- but Ancelin could keep an eye on him if necessary. It'd be of little detriment to their pack if this man came and left, like others had. Whatever use they could get out of him in the time being would be a help.

"What'th yuh name?" She asked, tilting her head so that he might begin following her into the valley, and take in his new home, though the interview process was not yet over.

Obedient he was quick to follow at her heels. Beyond the threshold, there the claws of the valley gripped around him.

Don't leave. Don't go. Stay. Be healed.

His blood ran cold but not with horror. With some sickly realization that he had no clue what he might be molded into by a place called Bearclaw, but he prayed it gave him strength. That some part of that was imbedded into him.

Athens.

Would he always just be Athens? No matter how much he changed that name would be there, branded across him.

A deep inhale and exhale as he took in the world around him. Everything that would become his new cologne in time.

She laughed lightly. "Athenth," She said, a cryptic smile lifting her lips. "That'th perfect; we're probably gonna go with A nameth for our kidth...Tho that fit-th right in." She said. "I'm Ameline, an' my mate'th name ith Anthuhlin. We have two daughterth, Athalia an' Amnerith." She explained. They had begun choosing names for children, but she did not dare to speak them out loud yet, for fear she might invoke bad luck.

"Thith ith the one obviouth way in an' out of the valley...There's another path out, but it'th hard to find tho...We're pretty well protected here," She said. "Guardian duty ith more jutht a thtationary thentry duty," She said. Now they would have an extra set of eyes to watch; it would give them more time with their children. "I'll show you around, then you think you could take a watch at noon?"

What he dreaded seemed to work in his favor. Everyone here seemed to have a collection of A names and he wondered the odds.

So rarely a believe but...his ears ran hot and rang. As if something struck through him in that moment.

Stay. Stay. Be one.

He heard her words and felt something warm in his chest too. Already she set him upon a task and he found he appreciated it. Something to busy himself with.

I can do that. Fighting was not his style, but he could sit and watch. A sentinel who could launch a rally call when needed. Sentry is a...good position for me. I can hold it at night too — if you ever need.

For as sleepless and restless as he could get.

"Good." She said. It would be an easy shift- their neighbours had already established peace, and it wasn't often that they were bothered by trespassers or potential joiners. "That there ith the thentry thtone," She said, gesturing up to the boulder on which she typically perched, so she could see out the mouth of the canyon and into the floral valley beyond. 

"Now. We got thome neighbourth in the area, but we're all on good termth." She said. "Firtht one- Thwiftcurrent Creek; led by Akavir, who doethn't vithit often, really. But hith beta, Arric, cometh by- with hith wife, Arlette...An' if you're wonderin'- we had the 'A' name idea firtht," A light snicked before she resumed his education. "Arlette ith a medic, an' we've agreed that she can come an' get herbth here in exthgange for givin' me lethonth about herbth. Tho, if she cometh, you can let her in. Jutht let me know aftuh if she'th been here. Any quethtionth tho far?"

He looked upon it and tried to picture himself as a sentry upon it. Hardly the image of strength, but perhaps he'd make a haunting gargoyle to ward off any who meant ill.

It was good she informed him of those who might be welcomed though. He doubted he was wanted to scare off everyone.

Akavir, Arric, Arlette.

His features might have twisted into perplexed humor had she not beat him to the punchline. Still he wondered the odds of it all. Was this whole place littered with those who were branded by some variation of an A title? What did that mean?

None. He had a thin lipped kind of smile. One of student who was beginning to understand his place. I— He hesitated for a moment, uncertain if he wanted to speak it. Fearful of being mistaken for kind again. Why was he so scared of such a nice thing?

I appreciate this.

Maybe the Bearclaw would find him too soft, but he figured it was better to say it instead of assuming it would be understood.

"Good," Another curt but satisfied reply. He was listening, and seemed to become more comfortable as they walked, being told exactly what it was that he would know. She believed that if he knew what he was walking into, it would be less daunting. If she explained the structure of the pack and its alliances, he would simply fit in and get to work. The fewer surprises, the better. 

"Now. Even clother to uth-and I mean like...Jutht beyond that ridge-" She gestured toward the Northern borders, "Ith Kvarsheim. Thmall pack, they mothtly keep to themthelveth. We're not on thuper buddy-buddy termth with them jutht cauthe they theem to be run by yearlingth nowadayth. They're not allowed in the valley but can call for a converthation if they want." She explained, and shrugged. "They theem to kinda want to jutht thtick to themthelves, which ith fine." She didn't care much for them, anyway. Out of sight, out of mind.

"We do a lot of hunting in the meadow jutht beyond the valley'th entranthe...Don't let anyone give you guff for huntin' there, cauthe it'th neutral territory but we altho don't want other packth huntin' there too much. If you notithe too much activity in the area...Let uth know." They'd established the meadow as their preferred neutral hunting grounds- but the wolves of the other packs seemed to benefit from it as well.