Stone Circle Don't worry, he shall return

@Steph

Valett had just said goodbye to Murdock as he would be visiting his siblings. As promised she would need to tell Steph about this. She went to look for her daughter. Valette had her tracking skills with her and as a mother, it wasn't that tough to find her daughter. She called out to her daughter. Once she found her, Valette greeted her with motherly affection.

"Steph. Murdock is going to visit his brother. This means he will be away for a few days. But he told me that he was going to return really soon," she explained to her. "His brother lives in another pack far away. That is why it will take a few days until he returns. But until then we can do a lot of fun mother/daughter things," she spoke with a smile.

Steph had gotten her courage back since the wolverine attack, and often found herself exploring the territory around the densite. With her mother and Moo sucessfully scaring the attacker off, and with mama confirming that Ezekiel was a protector of the pack, she felt safe going off on her own. Though she hadn't spoken with Ezekiel yet, Moo's advise was always in the back of her mind. 

Today, she had gone looking for Murdock. She howled for him, but hadn't gotten a response like usual. Thankfully, though her mother showed, and Steph was happy to return the affectionate greeting, her tail wagging. She frowned, however, when Valette said that Moo was out visiting his brother and wouldn't be back for several days. She felt a little slighted that Moo hadn't told her himself. But, the thought of spending some quality time with her mother had her smiling again. Her tail wagged and her ears perked, What can we do first? she asked excitedly.

Valette smiled when her daughter seemed cheered up enough with the idea that she could do fun things with her mother as well. Valette wagged her tail. "Well, what would you like doing?," she asked. She wasn't sure what interests Steph was developing. Was she into the stars? Or was she into exploring? Or maybe she liked hunting as well! Valette was curious. Now it was the time that she would start those interest she believed.

Valette glanced around. The first snows were falling, which gave her an idea. Maybe they should go sledding down the slope the standing stones were on. But perhaps she should do that with all her children. She had the feeling they all would like that.

Steph's muzzle scrunched up as she thought carefully about what she wanted to do. It took her a few moments, but then she got an "Ah ha!" look on her face. Can we go hunting? She had her fair share of time chasing around insects and rodents, but Steph hadn't been offically taught how to hunt. 

She was well adept at watching her surroundings, but hunting was a whole 'nother ball game. But, from little bits and pieces she had picked up, she was certainly interested to learn more. She looked up at Valette, a bright, hopefully look in her eyes as she hoped her mother said yes.

Valette grinned at her daughter. "I'd love that very much," she spoke and wagged her tail. "You should know that your own mama here is quite the hunter," she smiled. She was eager to teach Steph. Perhaps she would like to hunt just as much as Valette liked it. There was something about the chase which usually followed with a kill.

"Okay," she spoke slowly, eying her daughter up and down. 'Would you like to learn the tracking and finding of the animal, or would you like to learn the stalking or would you like to learn the killing?," she asked. There were many aspects of the hunt after all.

Steph brightened with glee when her mother agreed to take her hunting. Her eyes displayed a wonderous disbelief when Valette said she was quite the hunter. Really?! she said in awe. So you can teach me a lot! She knew most wolves knew how to hunt, but she also knew some were better than others. She was ecstatic to learn that Valette was one of the ones who were great at it. 

She tilted her head as she considered her mother's questions. How did Steph want to begin? She thought carefully what each one meant, her young mind working quickly to scan through each option. When she had decided, she looked up to Valette with certainty. Tracking! She loved learning about her surroundings, and being taught how to look for clues of her prey was even better.

Valette nodded in answer to her daughter. "I can. When I was young I liked food a lot so I decided to try and hunt my own," she explained to her daughter. She nodded once more when she wanted to learn how to track. "A very important skill to have," she spoke with a smile on her lips.

"Okay can you tell me how you would track something now? There aren't any wrong answers," Valette asked. She just wanted to know what Steph already would know or not. Then Valette could take it step by step. After all, there were lots of aspects of tracking.

Steph liked hearing about what her mother was like when she was Steph's age. It made Steph believe she could one day grow up to be like her mother; a wolf she looked up to greatly. You taught herself? Steph asked. She couldn't imagine trying to teach herself how to take down that big bison her mother had showed her in the valley.

She tried to think of how she currently tracked her prey. In the moment, she didn't really think about what she was doing; she just did it. Looking to Valette, she grinned. I just kinda happen upon them, then chase and pounce, she replied. It was an honest answer, at least, even if it did leave some desire to her tracking skills.

Valette chuckled softly. "I tried to. But I had some help as well,' she winked at her daughter. She had the help of her own mother and Saena after they left Bearclaw. "I grew up very close to here. I can show you when you are a bit bigger," she promised. Did she want her daughter to know what happened between her parents? She did want Steph to know about her own mother, whom she looked up to as well with her mothering skills.

"Well then you have a good instinct," she nodded. "Usually you don't happen to stumble upon prey. Often you need to find them. That is why tracking is important," she explained. "You can track by scent and by sight. By doing both of those you must learn how prey behaves. So for example, if bark has been eaten away you know deer have been around. If there are small round droppings there are rabbits close by. Things like that," she hummed.

Her head cocked when her mother offered to show her where she grew up once Steph was old enough. You didn't grow up here? she asked. She had assumed Valette was born here, as she was. It never occurred to her that she might not have. 

Her ears were perked as she listened to her mother. When she explained that deer eat the bark off trees, Steph's eyes went to the nearest tree. How can they eat that? It's yucky, she claimed. She thought it was dry and had no taste whatsoever. She should know, too. She's chewed on enough of it. Her gaze went back to Valette. Can we see if there is anything to track now? she asked, eager to put these instructions into actions.

Valette shook her head. "Nope, but it was close," she explained. She wanted to tell it was the valley next to their territory but she wasn't ready yet for Steph to go explore that on her own. They hadn't covered the area 'outside of the pack lands' yet. She didn't want them to roam there by themselves until they were at least 4 to 5 months old. 'But one day I will show you. I promise." She wanted to tell her daughter that she lived in many different places but today it was a hunting lesson.

Valette chuckled fondly at her daughter. 'Well, I think deer wouldn't like the taste of meat. That is where we differ," she explained. It was quite the silly thought, deer eating meat. Then they would probably not be prey. "Of course," she spoke enthusiastically as there was always something to track. Valette wanted to help her daughter and took a good whiff first in the air and then lower to the ground. Valette, as their hunter, often knew where the herds were located. She then saw bark eaten away. "Okay, look here. There is bark eaten from the tree, and if you look down you see these footprints. These shapes are from a deer. Why don't you try and follow them?,' she offered. This seemed to be the ones of a lone buck. She would only let Steph track it for a little while. Bucks could be dangerous after all.

She was happy with the promise that one day her mother would show her where she grew up. For today, though, tracking was the plan. Steph supposed that Valette had a good point that deer wouldn't like meat. Still, bark was so... Bark! 

She bounced up and down and turned in a circle several times, excited that they were going to track something together. Her mother pointed out a tree, bare from the deer eating the bark. Steph ran over to it, sniffing to get the scent of the prey. She looked at the tracks, and at the instruction of her mother, began to follow them.

She did not, however, take her time. She was in fast mode as she tried to see where the tracks would lead her. To the deer, hopefully! Several times, she lost track of the hoof prints and had to double back to where the deer had turned off. These beasts couldn't go in a straight line?! She paused when she heard rustling up ahead, her ears perked and looked back to her mother. What's that noise? she asked, not realizing the buck was several yards ahead, thrashing his antlers against a bush. 

Valette expected her daughter to take her time and observe like she would normally do in new situations. But this time Steph was a whirlwind of excitement. Valette could recognize her own young self into her daughter. The mother had to trot to keep up with her. Valette only thought it was good fun though. However, as they were getting close to the stag Valette wanted Steph to slow down. She chuffed to get her attention but another louder sound did that instead.

Valette stepped next to her daughter into a crouch. "Shh," the mother spoke softly. Valette was low to the ground and stalked closer making no sound. The stag seemed to become alert by the sound of Steph's voice. Valette motioned Steph closer. "Under me," she whispered as the mother got a bit more off the ground. From the lower spot, one could excellently see the stag in its full glory. "Only look okay?," she spoke "Dangerous."

Valette would let Steph watch and take in the deer's scent. The mother also hoped that her daughter would be impressed by the creature as they should be respected. Just because they were prey didn't mean they weren't dangerous, especially the males could do some harm with those antlers.

Steph was attuned to her mother's body language and tone of voice. She knew something was going on, and she crouched down beside her mother, her ears perked towards the sound. She obeyed her mother's orders and backed up to crouch under her belly. Still curious, she couldn't help but peer around to see if she could spot what was making the noise.

Suddenly, the thrashing seemed to get closer, and Steph was finally able to catch a glimpse of the beast that was making it. He spotted them then, and turned to face them, his head held high. Steph felt like he was a hundred feet high. His legs seemed to go on forever. He huffed his displeasure at their presence, scratching the ground with a hoof. He took a few steps towards Steph and Valette.

Valette was glad that Steph was under her when the stag didn't seem too pleased that they were there. The mother flattened her ears. Valette let out a low growl. She was a momma bear protecting her children. It was no secret that the female could fight when need it. She jumped forward from the bushes and yipped and jowled. Instead of going for his legs she jumped and snapped her jaws close to the side of his belly. She knew that deer could kick and stags especially.

The stag decided to be smart and trot of with loud snorting. Valette moved back to her daughter. "That was a male deer, called a stag. They are more aggressive and bold compared to females. They can use their antlers and kick hard so you won't be able to hunt them alone. We always hunt deer and other big prey in a group,' she explained to her daughter. "Rabbits, Raccoons, voles, and Fish are smaller prey you can catch by yourself."

As she was pressed against her mother, she could feel Valette's growl in addition to hearing. She stayed in place as her mother leapt at the side of the beast. He snorted, and turn to go, and that's when Steph charged at it. But, she only went as far as to her mother's side. She had been scared when her mother seemed so, too, but as soon as Valette went for it, Steph seemed to feed off of her courage, as well.  But, Steph was a smart pup. She knew not to follow the beast any further. 

Her ears were perked in the direction of the stag, as Valette called it. Her wide eyes turned to her mother. He was so big! She had never been that close to such a big creature and she was in awe. It made sense that there would be more than one wolf needed to take him down. Have you ever been hurt by one? She asked. When Valette mentioned fish, her attention sharpened. Nikai showed me how to fish! she exclaimed happily. It had been a fun day, she remembered fondly.

Valette grinned when her daughter seemed so enthused by this all. She could only see her younger self. She couldn't help but nose over her daughter fondly. Her tail was wagging. "He is," she confirmed. "Almost. When I was still in the group that would do that chase and herd a deer to the trap, the wolf who kills," she explained. "Now I do the killing often actually," she spoke.

Valette grinned when Steph spoke about something brother learned. "He is a good big brother, isn't he?," she spoke proudly. "Especially with deer it is important which one you pick. This stag, for example, is one I wouldn't hunt," she explained to Steph. "As he would have the father the next generation of baby deer. It is better to only hunt a deer when it is injured or sick. It will also make the hunt easier," he added. Valette smiled at her daughter. "The best spot to watch the herds are from the stone circle. So when you see me sitting there I will be watching what the herds are doing."

She was entranced by her mother's story of hunting and almost getting hurt. I wish I could watch, she said pointedly. She wasn't brave enough to outright ask if she could, but she wasn't opposed to planting the seed in Valette's brain. Maybe at their next hunt, Steph could watch on the sidelines.

She listened as her mother explained how to pick out which animal to kill. Her eyes went back to where she had last seen the stag, trying to imagine the pack taking him down. His antlers had looked so sharp, and it was intimidating to see him thrash around in the bush. How do you know when they are sick? she asked. That stag had certainly looked healthy enough. She looked back to Valette when she mentioned Stone Circle. The spot we saw the bison? she asked. She hadn't been there in a while, preferring to stick to the wooded areas of the packlands. 

Valette chuckled. "Soon enough you can but you have to be a bit bigger. Though, perhaps next time you and your siblings can watch from the stone circle," she spoke thoughtfully. "But no Shenanigans. I don't want you to get trampled or kicked," she added with a serious warning in her tone. She knew that kids couldn't see danger sometimes and she wouldn't forgive herself to have one of her pups got injured.

"Often they are lethargic, meaning they don't want to run because they are tired," she explained. "Or sometimes they have a wound and you can smell the blood and see them limping," she added. Valette liked to think they helped to put the animal out of his misery. "There are also tactics to make the herd run and pick the slowest," she explained. The mother nodded when she asked where Valette would usually watch the herd. "Yes, but bison are a whole different level. They are even tough for a big group of wolves. Very dangerous. Promise me to never get close to them alone."

Her mother seemed to know what Steph was asking, but she denied her request. Steph frowned, but it didn't stay on her maw for long. She nodded quickly, assuring her mother there would be no funny business when they finally got to watch a hunt. I promise! she said eagerly. Even it might be several weeks from now, Steph was already excited.

She tried to imagine in her head the scene that Valette painted. A wounded, limping deer, and the pack circling it before taking it down. Since she didn't know the proper techniques of taking down an animal, the rest of the scene was mostly all over the place, with the wolves just jumping on it and it lying down as they killed it. She would learn one day that it was nearly that easy. Her attention went back to Valette as she wanted Steph to promise that she wouldn't go near the bison. I won't, Mama, she assured her. While Steph did want to see one up close, she realize that such a big beast could easily hurt her, and she didn't want that any more than her mother did. 

But, maybe there was something else she could see. Is there another prey we can track? She knew she had gotten lucky seeing that stag up close, and she was eager to try her luck again.

Valette was pleased to hear that her daughter wouldn't come too close. Valette remembered one time where she had been in the middle of a bison circle. It hadn't been pleasant. She didn't wish for Steph to be trampled. None of her kids. She nodded with a smile. "Alright. I promise that when you are a bit older I will show you all about hunting. Then we can do hunts together," she spoke.

Valette smiled at Steph. "Of course we can. Why don't you try and find some tracks," she offered. She was certain there were all sorts of tracks around here. The fields were used by rabbits and hares. There could be voles as well. Plus maybe the occasional fox or raccoon. Though the latter usually stayed around the river.

Her tail wagged and she smiled when Valette promised she would be able to learn much more about hunting, and then even hunt alongside her mother. She was excited, and barely able to contain her eagerness. But, she would not bug her mother more than she already had, knowing it would most likely work against what she wanted, and not for. 

With Valette's approval, Steph got to work quickly trying to find any signs of other animals. Her nose was to the ground and her eyes shifted side to side. Either by scent or sight, she was determined to find something. It was a little while before she hit on anything. Her tail began to wag and she looked towards Valette. I found poop! she announced happily. They're like tiny round balls! She knew that had to mean an animal was around, but she wasn't sure which one.

Valette quirked up her lips as Steph found something. The mother stepped closer and took a good sniff, by the shape she could tell they were rabbits or hares. She smiled at Steph. "Good! Let's see what kind of animals make poop like that," she spoke to her daughter. She didn't want to tell her right away what kind of animal she would be tracking. She wanted Steph to find out herself.

"Do you have any idea what kind of animal it could be?," she asked her daughter. She would let Steph track this herself at her own pace.

Valette reacted positively to her find and it made Steph beam. When asked what kind of animal made the poop, Steph looked it at. Her instinct was to tell her mother that she didn't know, but she didn't like that answer. So, she sniffed around, trying to pick up the scent of what might have been here.

It smelled familiar. It smells like that meat you brought us that had the really soft fur, she commented, looking towards Valette. It had been the softest she had ever felt, which was why she remembered it. She had even taken a moment to enjoy it before ripping into the meat.

Valette liked to see how much Steph was into hunting. She could only see her younger self in her daughter. She liked that. Sometimes when they showed more of Ezekiel's traits she was confused what to do with them. Like Ezra's phase when he was all stubborn. He seemed to do better now. Valette nodded. "Exactly," she confirmed.

"Do you remember me saying what it was?," she questioned. "You can also think of where you have seen these small round droppings before. Perhaps around some burrows?,' she hinted to her daughter. Now it was for her to fill in the gaps of what creature would live in burrows.