Hushed Willows invincible

She didn't want to be rude, but this place was a real fixer-upper.

It was.. Nice, she decided. But Pepper didn't have much of an eye for beauty; she liked the way the willows shifted in the breeze, but was instantly resistant to the concept of bunking with strangers, as Stark had explained to her upon their long journey back to the Keep. It was a very strange thing to do — not to mention unnatural — when wolves were meant to sleep out in the open. Dens were for mothers, and caves were for bears! No, she wouldn't sleep in that big-ass cave, not even if he ordered it.

But she did linger long enough to meet-and-greet with some of the residents. They seemed nice enough, if a bit nervous of her, and she had somewhat expected as much. Pepper knew how hard it had been to accept Stark back when he was knocking on her door; how often did they have new recruits in this place? Enough to make them wary, she supposed. After a few casual smiles, some introductions, a little bit of banter, she was left to her own devices, and Pepper decided to explore the rest of the territory. It was very different from her natal pack and, feeling guilty, Pepper felt a great swell of homesickness as she patrolled between the willows.

Stark had tried to lay things out as much as he could, that he'd recently taken the pack, that there had been tension. Stark had introduced her to the pack mates that had been around. He slept better in the Crook now because of Tambourine, but taking over the responsibilities for a puppy still didn't feel natural to him in the slightest. Tambourine did, but, he second guessed everything that he did. Maybe that was natural with parenthood. He didn't know. 

After a couple days of letting her settle Stark decided to go see Pepper and see what her honest thoughts were. She would tell him the honest truth, give him her opinions without letting everything go. She wouldn't reflect it on him so much, but, she'd help him plan what might help the pack itself too. "Pep," He greeted, shoulder bumping hers as he joined her in her walk. "You settling in okay?"  

And just like that, her solitary wandering was cut short. Stark was on her heels and she had to stow away whatever apprehension she felt; so she did, and with a fast smile she regarded the dark man. Sure, I was just getting the lay of the land. It was sort of like a fortress, she thought. There was the mountain, the cave, the willows, all of which was hidden away by a battlement of natural stonework. It seemed like a good hideaway. A place to harbor an army maybe.

Which begged the question - What made you choose here, of all places? Pepper was usually known for her tact, but she knew she could get away with more when Stark was around. Pepper's gaze was trained on Stark for the time being, unafraid to look him in the eye despite their drastic rank differences — but she wasn't challenging him. She was full of curiosity. You like being king of the hill? 

Pepper didn't seem put off by his appearance at least, and that brought him a bit of comfort. He didn't want to disturb her no matter how much he wanted her opinions and to check on everything that she'd left behind in her pack. There were names, faces, plenty of people he'd cared about but ultimately left behind. Her question brought a little smile to his face and he shrugged. "I didn't pick it. The founder was a male named Warbone - he vanished in the famine that had over run the area. You're seeing things on the mend, thankfully." 

Stark drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I took the pack when the two Alpha Females became incapacitated. One had a badly injured leg, the other... Well. She ran off."  Stark was still bitter, still reeling from that, and hopefully the redhead wouldn't ask too much and pry into that. "I don't think I would have settled here if I'd made my own pack from the start. It can be claustrophobic - but I think most everyone is happy here now." At least happy with the location. He couldn't say they were happy overall. 

It was overwhelming to think how everything had changed in the few months since his arrival. The pack he had known was gone and everything left behind was struggling for stability and it's own identity. 

She got more than she expected; an entire history, condensed. It made some sense then, based on the progenitor's name alone, why the Keep seemed more like a fortress than a real home. The rest — the bit about the two females, the small details he glossed over as quickly as he could — made her brows raise, but she didn't make a comment. What really caught her attention and prompted a response, was Stark's admitted clostrophobia and deference towards the others.

And you? Her ears flicked forward, alert, interested. Do you count yourself among the happy, or have you been putting your feelings to the sidelines? That didn't sound much like the Stark that she knew. Then again, Pepper didn't know him as well as she thought. Hogan had been his best friend for a while, and she had avoided him on principle. But as she watched him now, listened to him, there was something different about him, and Pepper was a bit concerned.

Pepper asked the hard questions. In reality things were better now in some ways and worse in others. Stark had Banner and Rhodes, Banner was helping run things, and she seemed more happy so that meant Stark was happier. In others, the woman he couldn't stop thinking about was missing and probably hurt and three other pack mates were still lost somewhere. It was a toss up. "I'm exhausted." Stark admitted with a quiet voice. "When I'm not trying to keep things settled here I'm out looking for the Ostregas that are missing... A father and two kids. And then Octavia, too. She's gone, and she left her son - but I've been helping since he was a few days old." 

He was going to blurt it all out - he could feel it, just beneath the surface and it was this terrible sort of secret and no matter what he did he was feeling it like his skin was on fire. "Everything went wrong, Pepper - and... And I've gotta fix it. I can't let them all down." he blurted out finally but his gaze was far beyond her. He refused to look at her, she'd never seen him as anything other than the carefree vagabond she'd met months ago and he couldn't fathom that changing now. She'd still see him as nothing - not the man trying to be everything for everyone. 

It was strange, but Pepper hadn't expected the truth to be so readily available. Stark had never been that close to her, and she had never really cared about what happened to him — she had been over the moon when he left — but as he admitted the truth to her, cushioning his many troubles in fact instead of hiding in denial, Pepper concluded that he had changed. Maybe only a little, but it was enough. He had grown up somewhat since he'd left them — Hogan, herself, and the others of their pack — and a part of her was almost envious of that.

It sounds like it was doomed from the start. That's not on you. He hadn't been the one to gather these people together and make a family out of them, by the sounds of it. He had just stumbled upon a problem and, in true Stark fashion, thought himself strong enough (or maybe smart enough) not to get caught up in it. A missing Alpha, then two disgruntled families, and two leaders out of commission? Not his fault. What makes you think its your job to fix it? What if its just time to let this place fall apart? According to Pepper, that's where Stark's strength had always been. She was being a little selfish now in thinking of home, and of all the changes that occurred because of this dark man's arrival to it, but Pepper's goal was to reunite with Hogan and helping Stark was only a stepping stone to that.

And maybe she deserved a little retribution.

All the same, Pepper was serious as she addressed him, and was careful with how she worded things. It was not her nature to abandon those in need either; the fact that Stark and herself were on the same side now, more or less, was throwing her for a bit of a loop. It isn't your fault that things are happening this way. It sounds like the people that came before you couldn't handle the pressure, so like a storm they tore through here, and you're left to pick up the pieces. That's unfair to everyone, and the longer you stay here the more it'll eat at you. If they moved they'd all be happier — she didn't have to spell that out — and there would be a better chance of finding Hogan out there in the wilderness, not cooped up in this secretive little place.

"Pepper," He sighed out as she began to tell him to just...just let it go almost. Like he didn't owe them anything. Like there was nothing he was supposed to do that wasn't for himself. "My sister is here - Rhodey is here. I promised them a safe home, and above that - I claimed this pack. It's mine and I can't let them suffer because I realized how much work I was taking on." He understood she wanted him to take care of himself too, but, it was so much more than that. He couldn't just let them suffer. 

"It's broken but I think it can be fixed. And....and I think maybe it deserves that. They never had chance to really get good so now we need to." Stark explained. He didn't expect Pepper to just get it, not right off the bat when she was just coming in to the mess that it was and Stark, Banner, Rhodey, Harlyn - all of them had seen what it was like. They saw where it was, but Stark, ever the visionary, saw where it could go. 

"We're going to be better than they'd ever dreamed." He said. "It'll be hard work, but then it'll be so worth it. Just gotta put in the effort." 

He had changed. It was strange that such a short span of time could make someone behave so differently, crave so many things, and alter themselves in such drastic ways. Was this all for power? Pepper didn't think so; she listened, and while it wasn't entirely clear, she knew that he cared for this place and the people in it, which was something unexpected, but not bad. He was a powerful man here — the alpha, the most powerful, she had to remind herself — and true to her nature, Pepper could not go against his wishes. 

If you're that convinced, then I'll help you. I mean, I'm already here, that's the whole point. But the look on her face held some doubt still. She pursed her lips and shrugged noncomitally. I think you need to look out for yourself more, Stark. Gosh, I can't believe I'm telling you of all people to be more self-involved, a smile twisted the corners of her mouth but Pepper remained composed, not letting herself laugh at this situation despite really wanting to. There were some very serious problems here, and she'd only just started to unearth them.

What do you need me to do?

Stark was quiet for a moment - perhaps a testament to his true exhaustion. He offered her a small smile, reaching out to nudge her gently on her cheek. "I'm not asking you to put your search on hold, Pep." He said gently, reminding her of her goal as if she wasn't thinking of him either. Happy was going to be fine though - Stark had confidence in him. Stark expected that their friend was doing just fine in his progress and he could still sleep well knowing that he was doing alright. 

What he couldn't sleep well over was worrying over the Marauders that were missing. Not only was Tambourine missing his mother, Stark was missing Octavia, Silas and Harlyn were missing Mordecai, Larkspur, and Pippin too. Too many were missing - too much had been lost. 

"Right now? I need to plan out what I'm doing." He admitted. "You're usually on stuff like this - I should find other packs, drum up some sort of relationship, yeah?" 

She hadn't anticipated the touch of his snout against her cheek; it was a meaningless gesture, but all the same, the unexpected closeness was startling. Pepper withdrew just an inch, but focused her mind on what he was saying rather than what he was doing.

Well, that's a start. Does anyone within this pack have any friends in high places? Or do you have any alliances set up? If we can get word out to them, we could get help. Maybe exchange information about the area for favors. Ideas rolled hastily off of her tongue, and afterward Pepper had to pause for a breath, but she was still wracking her brain. There are so many missing.. And children, that's... she had no words for that, really, so she went quiet and just shook her head.

The Keep couldn't spare many more wolves, obviously. They couldn't send all the adults out to search for those that were missing, but they couldn't just sit and wait for things to happen. If only we had more bodies to spare.

Stark gave a brief shake of his head to her questions about ties and loyalty. "I've only been the head honcho for maybe a week." His priority had been to try and track down their packmates but then it probably made just as much sense to reach out and lay down ties while they were out and about. "I've got a few friends around other packs, but, we're not there quite yet. I know Banner - my sister- has friends in other packs too and I appointed her my Beta." There was certainly pride in his voice when it came to her, and he wanted to continue to see her prosper. 

"It sucks." He said quietly. It was terrifying. There was a lot of options about what might have gone wrong and he was jsut hopeful that nothing had. Maybe they were found and safe and sound by some pack, but, the time just kept dragging on and on. "The previous Alphas wanted this place to be a secret. Neutral, not get involved in others fights or drama. I like the idea, but....I don't think we need to keep information locked down." He admitted. "We've added a couple wolves to our ranks recently, and with the seasons shifting soon I think we'll see more." It was a guess, of course, but the natural way of things. 

"I'm just hoping we get them home before things get bad. The kid would freeze or starve on his own." 

She listened attentively as he answered her questions, although a part of her brain had a momentary blankness when he mentioned Banner — a brief what the fuck! — because she rememebered the dark woman from the rainy day beneath the tree; but that wasn't important right now. She'd meet up with her and maybe gush about her experience with Stark, or maybe not, or perhaps just avoid Banner entirely because of how aboslutely mortified she felt for that split second — but she focused keenly on Stark as he continued speaking, and whatever plans were formed within Pepper's mind quickly shunted to the back of the queue.

Keeping a place contained, secret, and safe — those were idealistic fantasies that didn't really work in the long run. Especially for a pack of wolves, since they were social by their very nature, and from what Pepper could remember of her natal pack, it was always better to have friends. If cutting the pack off from the world led to all of this, then doing the opposite is a much better idea. Even if its just a theory - or just an experiment. If we work on making some friends, maybe they'll help us. There's always the chance that your missing wolves are somewhere nearby, and we just don't know because... Well, the previous leadership was purposefully ignorant about such things. She didn't mince her words, but Pepper was also trying to be careful. Stark cared for this pack and the people within it, so there must have been some bond between him and the previous leaders — she didn't want to insult that relationship.

Here's a plan: I'll meet up with Banner and we can look around, make some inquiries, maybe even make some alliances. If nothing pans out at least we'd have made the effort. And if it works, we'll have someone to help us find your missing family. Pepper couldn't imagine losing anyone from back home. It pained her enough to think of Hogan being out there somewhere, but for now she was setting her needs aside and focusing on Stark's. 

Stark listened to Pepper, head tilted a bit as she offered up her plan. It sounded good and doable and Banner would probably appreciate the efforts of someone else. "Well. I'd like to be involved in actual alliance talks - I figure it's got to go through me after all." Yes, having Banner there meant there was a huge chance he'd go with whatever she said but he still wanted to be involved. Something about being good for his image, maybe good for him to start acting like an Alpha more properly. 

"So a pack disbanded recently, in the ravine nearby. We'd never interacted, even before my time - I think everyone was simply too busy getting all wrapped up in the famine and keeping themselves alive." Stark explained. "We can see about the other packs around here, though, and while we're there, we give them a description for Happy and hopefully we'll kill a few birds with one stone." 

He was receptive, which was good. Also somewhat different from what she'd been expecting of him. Stark had always moved to the beat of his own drum, and it was surprising (in a good way) to see he wasn't some kind of authoritarian nutjob while at the helm of the pack. His addendum - that he be present - was accepted with a sagely nod. Sounds good. I.. guess I should get started. There wasn't much else to discuss, she assumed. Pepper wanted to get out and exploring as soon as possible, so she would hastily give her farewell to her most esteemed leader and get to work, as was her way.

Stark nodded a bit stiffly when she said she should get started. That sounded fine to him, honestly, and he almost wished he could be a fly on the wall just to see Banner's shock when the two met one another. Or. Remet. And realized they both knew him. Maybe it was complicated considering how many of their paths might cross and how he tied so many in together. "Lemme know what Banner thinks." He said with a little chuckle, curious about how she would respond to running into Pepper again.