Mount Apikuni young & sick

Summoning @Sky Karan... :)

Bones gazed up at the mountain's scarred northwestern face, curious about what sort of disaster left marks like that. She did not venture closer, instead choosing to relax in the mountain's shadow. Although she loved socializing, she felt a strange need to be alone and think today. Not much weighed on her young mind, though Bones found thoughts of Atticus becoming gradually more intrusive and she knew she needed some quiet time to sort through them.

Finding a cool patch of grass, she stretched out with a sigh and continued staring at the blemished mountainside. She thought about what it would be like if she transplanted to the plateau and lived with her dad and his siblings. It would be the first time she lived with a family who actually wanted her around. It was an appealing thought. But then there was Captain Fox and everyone in the creek. Although she shared blood with none of them, it began to dawn on her that they'd nonetheless become her family somewhere along the line...

[size=medium]Sky watched the young wolf from afar, wondering how best to approach her. She did not wish to startle her. In the end, she decided to clear her throat and take slow steps up to Bones. When she came close enough, she sat down on her haunches and cleared her throat once more, trying to get into the counseling state of mind, which she hadn't much been in since her old pack had disbanded.

"So," she began quietly. "What seems to be the problem?"[/size]

A noise behind her cut right through the youth's thoughts. Her head turned and she spotted a pale she-wolf padding closer. Bones pushed herself into a sitting position, then maneuvered around to face the stranger. She was pretty in a soft sort of way. As was her way when meeting new people, Bones put on a bright smile.

A bit of a quizzical furrow appeared in her brow at the female's unexpectedly astute question. "Er," the youth replied with uncharacteristic uncertainty, "there is no problem...?" She paused and added, "Me name's Bones. Who're you?"

[size=medium]Sky gave a soft smile. If this wolf did not feel like sharing whatever it was that had made her look so troubled before, then that was fine. All in good time. But she could tell. She could tell by the slump in the wolf's shoulders, by the look in her eyes, that something was wrong.

"Hello, Bones," she said, keeping her voice calm and slow and soft. "My name is Sky." She looked around, gazing up at the mountain in front of her. "I decided to go for a walk earlier. I suppose I strayed a bit too far. Lovely day, isn't it? Though there are a little too many clouds for my taste. I much prefer the sun."

She glanced at the female out of the corner of her eye, gauging her response.[/size]

The woman spoke in a flowing lilt that was so different from Bones's loud, rough speech. She mentioned going on a walk, then made a few remarks about the weather. The juvenile glanced at the wispy clouds scudding across the sky, then her pastel gaze dropped back to earth. Specifically, they fixed curiously on the soft-spoken stranger's pale face.

"The weather is nice," she agreed generically, "though I like stormy weather best me'self." Bones paused, then wonderingly inquired, "Why did you think there was a problem?"

[size=medium]"Why did you think there was a problem?" Bones asked.

The grey-and-cream-colored female smiled knowingly at the young wolf. "No reason," she said. "Intuition, I suppose, though I could be wrong." Sky lay down in the grass to further prove that she was not a threat. "What are you doing out here by yourself?"[/size]

"Oh," was all she could think to say in response. Her eyes followed Sky as she made herself comfortable in the grass. "I needed some time alone to think. I don't have a lot on my mind, really, but there's this one thing that keeps crossing it..." Young Bones paused, then decided there could be no harm in bouncing her thoughts off someone else, particularly someone who didn't know her well.

Likewise stretching out on the ground again, Bones said, "I came here to the Teekon Wilds to find me father... and I did. He's great. But before I found him, I joined a pack 'cause I needed somewhere to live and all that. I'm really attached to that pack now. Me dad lives in another pack and he'd like it if I joined him there. And part of me wants to... but another part of me wants to stay in the creek. They're me family too now."

[size=medium]Sky sighed, knowing well this same feeling that Bones was going through now. Not knowing quite what sort of advice to give, she decided to tell her a story of her own.

"I used to live in a different pack from the one I live in now, far away from here. I grew up there, from birth to about three months ago. I had many good relationships with my old pack members, and I was, for the most part, happy."

Sky gazed up at the blue expanse above her, the one she was named for. "During the winter, my family members either died or slowly, one by one, left the pack, until there were not enough of us to keep it going. Last winter was… difficult. We lost many pups and elderly, and knew that we would not survive if we stayed together. There were too many of us to feed. So we split up, and I haven't seen my family since. I do not know if any of them are even still alive, for they do not live in the Teekon Wilds."

Her gaze alighted upon Bones once more. "I cannot tell you whether to stay or to go. What I can say is this: My new pack is as close to family as I have left, but if there was a way for me to return to my old life, I would do so in a heartbeat. You may feel differently than I do, and that is okay. It is not my decision to make. But I would tread lightly, no matter what choice you decide."[/size]

Although Bones found Sky's tale interesting, she simply didn't get the moral of the story. The two situations were not very similar. If anything, young Bones would draw parallels between Sky's birth pack and Tortuga... and she had no desire whatsoever to return there to live.

With the blunt, overwhelming curiosity of youth, Bones asked, "How was splitting up helpful? Wouldn't it have been easier to stay in a group of three or four, so you could at least have a chance at going after prey big enough to feed all of you? And what killed them? Were they sick? Or was it just the cold? And what exactly do you mean by 'tread lightly'?"

[size=medium]Sky inwardly flinched at the young wolf's questions, though she could not be angry at her for asking. But even if she was not angry, it didn't mean she was going to answer any of the questions. Those wounds were still fresh. She wasn't ready to discuss them yet. Especially not with someone who was not a member of her own pack.

Suddenly she realized how hypocritical she was being, but she shook off that thought and focused on the task at hand. Anything to distract from the slow deaths of her old family. Hmm… she thought to herself. Maybe I'll just try being blunt with her.

"Is there any way your current pack leader would let you go and visit your father and his pack so that you could further discuss your options? Or perhaps both packs could call a meeting together? I've found the best policy is openness and honesty between all members involved."[/size]

Sky ignored each and every one one of Bones's questions, which quite frankly stumped the youth. She didn't repeat any of them. Instead, she listened to the female's sage advice, then answered, "I haven't talked to Cap'n Fox directly but I'm sure she's fine with me visiting." She paused, then continued musing, "And I guess I wouldn't mind talking to her and me dad about it directly, together or separately. I don't know if both packs need to come but... it's definitely a good idea to talk to those two, at least."

Bones stared off into the distance for a few beats before her pastel gaze returned to Sky. "Communication is key, I've always heard," she said summarily. "Thanks for the advice," she added generously.

[size=medium]Sky dipped her head in response. "You are quite welcome, Bones." She eyed the young one, giving it a moment of thought, and then said, "Come to be again one day and I will tell you about my old pack and what happened. Though not today. I still need time to process. Also, if you ever need more help, seek me out. I will do all I can for any wolf, regardless of rank or pack."[/size]

Belatedly and in a roundabout way, Sky offered an explanation for her reticence. Bones's ears flattened somewhat, wondering if she'd upset the woman by mentioning her dead pack mates so cavalierly. There wasn't much to be done now but nod in acknowledgement and leave it at that.

Realizing they hadn't exchanged information beyond names, the youth suddenly asked, "What pack are you from? I live in Swiftcurrent Creek," she volunteered.

[size=medium]"And I am from Northstar Vale. I am their newest member. It is a pleasure to meet you, young one." Sky offered a smile despite the restlessness that told her to be off. "Speaking of which, I must return to my pack now. I will see you again one day, I hope."

Here she stood and gave a last nod to the juvenile, before turning and jogging back in the direction of the Northstar Vale.

{Exit}[/size]

"Likewise," Bones said politely, returning the smile with a breezy one of her own. "Bye, Sky," she added when the she-wolf excused herself back to Northstar Vale, the same place from which Xi'nuata hailed. The youth supposed she had two reasons to drop by there sometime.

Not yet ready to return to the creek—and certainly not prepared to talk to Fox about the subject—Bones adjusted herself in the grass and found herself staring at the scarred mountain again. Eventually, her eyes went glassy as her thoughts consumed her and she passed quite a bit of time just lying there, lost in thought.