The Sunspire i dreamt i was an architect.

@Jace @Ferdie Von Pelt - I hope it's okay that I started this, I took your message to mean that I was supposed to! I can delete it if not! I also hope the minor powerplaying I did is alright. I thought it'd be interesting to start in the middle of the scene as opposed to the very beginning :3

Set after Erika's arrival, but before the pack gathering!

Summer grunted and moaned as he scooped heaps of dirt out of the earth and kicked it back behind him. He couldn't help but pant heavily from the effort, even though it meant getting soil in his mouth and on his waggling tongue. He stole a glance at his left and his right where stood Ferdie and Jace respectively, both working just as diligently as he at the task they had called on him to assist them with.

The boy wasn't sure how long they had been working before he finally took a few steps back and into the sun, lifting his head to enjoy the breeze as it swept around his face. After a moment, he turned his gaze back at his leaders (or rather, their bums) as they continued to dig out the den that was to belong to... some female of Ferdie's that was in need of it.

"Hey, guys..." Summer called uncertainly, "I'm sorry, I know you told me already, but... Why again are we doing this?" When Summer had arrived upon the summons, Ferdie had been quick to give an explanation of what they needed for him to help them with, and even quicker to explain why they were doing it in the first place. The Ostrega's anxiety had been too much for him to actually understand what was being said--such was the downfall of being too anxious to listen and make sure he understood. Now that he had worked off that stress, he didn't even hesitate to ask the question that he'd been too nervous to ask before.

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Jace took a step back and chuckled as he leaned forward and ruffled the youth’s fur, coming to think of him as time moved on much like a little brother. It was harder for Jace to dig at the moment thanks to the pain in his chest. It hurt like a mother. They had been digging for awhile now, he had heard the grunts and moans from the youth as he worked just as diligently as the two older wolves.

Jace looked at him and spoke softly We are digging this for Erika, she is to have children soon and she needs a whelping den a place to suckle them and feed them away from the elements. You are doing a good job my friend. He fell silent then and grimacing as he sat down, the pain tightening in his chest until he gasped for air slightly, the muscles and tendons pulled tight with pain. He then moved from his haunches to his belly stretching out the muscles slowly so as to not injury them further.

@Ferdie Von Pelt please feel free to hop in when you have time!

Ah, Erika. Jace spoke as though Erike were a household name in the mountains already. Undoubtedly she would be before long, but Summer was not quite there yet. Nevertheless, he accepted it since Jace followed his explanation with a nice compliment. He felt embarrased by it and shifted his weight from one side to the other to ease his tension. "Thanks," he mumbled awkwardly, shaking his head.

"How deep do these usually go?" he asked. Summer had never before built a den, not for a mother or for himself for that matter. There was much he didn't know, and the thought that he might do it wrong was a little nerve-wracking for him.

Jace did not agree with a lot of things, but he also knew that Erika was going to be part of the pack whether all of them accepted it or not. Ferdie would make sure of it, for a moment he grew a bit angry at his friend. SImply put because he wanted children so badly he was willing to upset the pack, and Jace felt that they should allow the woman a home, but Ferdie was going a bit wrongly about it, but what were you to do. When you wanted something you wanted it you couldn't help it.

Jace spoke softly IT depends on how deep you want it. It has to have enough room for Erika and at least 4 puppies to move around easily. That's not to say she'll have 4, but just in case.

Summer was unaware of the conflict going on inside of Jace's head. He himself found it a bit strange that Ferdie had made such a quick decision and was now doing so much for the pregnant woman. After all, what did they really know of her or of the man who had sired her forthcoming litter? It somehow didn't seem... honest, and far too rash. But Little Levi was a loyal young wolf, and he would not question his alpha's actions. Especially not when it seemed as though Jace was following so willingly.

The night-furred wolf listened to his beta quietly, his eyes drifting thoughtfully to the den-in-progress as their alpha continued to dig. After a moment, he turned to look around as his brows knit into a frown. "We should create a cache closer to here," Summer said finally as he looked back at Jace, "She'll need her strength, and I don't think we'll want to go too far from her to fetch her food when the pups arrive." Summer didn't know much about puppies and dens, but he did know about survival. He doubted Ferdie would leave the woman's side once the puppies came, so it just made sense that he have a food source close enough that he could access it easily without leaving Erika unguarded for even a moment.

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Jace had not realized the turmoil that would swim in his breast, at Erika being among them. He did not realize that most of the pack, would also find it so strange. He had honestly thought what he had said at the borders that Ferdie's word was law and it was how it would be, he still did. But he did question it slightly, and that was not a good thing. He was a beta, he was to stand behind his leader no problem at all.

Jace gave a small chuckle, Very good Summer. We will dig that next. You my friend are going to make a great pack member, perhaps even surpass me as beta some day. Jace was not merely jesting either. The boy may surpass him someday, but isn't that what they wanted, the youth to be better than them.

The compliment brought a smile of pleasure to the boy's face, which immediately was scrunched in conflict as his polluted mind told him not to listen. Jace was a kind man, and Summer was all too aware of his personal flaws that made the thought of ever leading a pack simply laughable. He was uncertain, anxious, and intensely uncomfortable at the idea of having expectations that he could fail to meet. It was something he would grow out of or learn to deal with somehow, but that was something only others could sense. Summer was too much a hopeless victim to his lack of self-esteem and the mental issues that caused it.

As the alpha dropped further into the deepening den, Summer lowered his voice for Jace's ears only. "Do we know anything of the father?" he asked, turning his gaze to show his friend the concern upon his face. If Ferdie would decide to raise these pups as his own, that was his prerogative. If the mother didn't argue, there was no reason for Summer to. The true sire was another matter entirely.

Jace didn't know for sure, but he knew that he himself even had misgivings of being a leader. He was not the best at it, and he imagined he made mistakes or would make mistakes. And Jace has his fair share of personality flaws, one at the forefront of his mind was his temper. It got him in more trouble than he cared to admit.

Jace sighed and shook his head no, All we know is that he went scouting or something and never came back. I actually fear he may show up and bring trouble to our doors. I think we've had enough trouble for a lifetime, don't you? Jace was very worried that the true father would just show up one day and cause some serious problems. And he couldn't see Ferdie handling that well.

Summer took a deep breath as Jace shared his fears. It seemed they were indeed very similar to his own, which made him feel even more unsettled. He had yet to realize it, but the boy often took his cues from the beta. He was not someone who liked to get attached to others, not after the losses he had experienced in his life, and also the burden of the pain he could cause them when they cared back and he hurt them with the mental illnesses that ailed him. But it happened anyway. He would deny it, but it was true.

"I'd say so," Summer replied with a small frown. His words brought up the memory of Magpie, causing a faint twinge of hurt that the boy hadn't quite let go of yet. "I'm sure it won't come to that," he said a moment later, "Ferdie wouldn't put us through that again. If he comes, he'll have a place in the pack, or he'll take his mate and go."

Summer wasn't certain how true his words really were, but he trusted the man. He had done right during the Creek debacle by returning the captives. He hadn't put his personal desire to get vengeance on the Creek by keeping those wolves when they were suffering. Ferdie wouldn't put his personal desire to raise children above his pack's well-being.

It suddenly occurred to him how he probably had come off in describing what should be done if the father came looking for his children. He gave a quick glance at Jace and added quickly, "At least... that's what he'll probably do... I bet," he mumbled.

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Jace did not realize the boy looked up to him so well. He probably would have been uncertain if he was the best to look up too anyway. Jace sighed that's the problem Summer. I can't see Ferdie wanting to give up the pups so easily, especially if he raised them. and that was where the rub lied. Ferdie wouldn't just let them go, and he wouldn't just let the father in either. He wouldn't want the father to tell the pups he was their father. Isn't that what he had said when he accepted them, that he was the only father they would know.

Jace chuckled You're right Summer that is probably what he'll do good job. It was hard to really decide what he would do anyway. ESpecially since he wanted a family so bad, he was willing to do anything for one. It was almost an obsession sometime Jace felt, but he wasn't going to say that.

Summer looked over to Jace as he responded, his frown deepening. He desired nothing more than to trust his alpha, but as his beta gave him even more reason to doubt, he was finding it very difficult not to get sucked down that dark path. He licked his lips to ease his tension, eyes focused on Ferdie's shape within the den, but not really seeing him at all. He shut his eyes and shook his fur.

"We should probably get back to work," he mumbled. If Ferdie was going to potentially destroy their pack for these pups, then Summer was going to do everything he could to make sure those children came into this world safe and happy and that they grew into intelligent, hard-working wolves. The Ostrega wasn't willing to let the Spire go to hell for anything less than worthy.

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Jace did not like to doubt either, and he did not like to lie. So he told the truth, he figured it would be easier to tell the truth about what was going on than to lie and have someone say he betrayed them. He tilted his head and listened to Summer.

He dipped his muzzle yes we probably should. With that the large beta bent his back to the task at hand and made sure that the new mother would have a home, with the help of both Ferdie and Summer, with the most work and planning being done by Summer. When he was older, he would have to talk t oFerdie about putting him in one of the highest rank he could be...he did well.