Stone Circle We could've been in Venice.

 

Banner was off doing her thing and Stark was doing his. Which was fine. They didn't have to always be together - it just....felt weird not to be together after so long. Still the male had a restless streak in him a mile wide and he looked far beyond the pack's territory as if he might find the answers to everything he sought. He didn't want to run off however, content to be there and be present and try and get himself more familiar with the pack. He had ran the borders already, mapping out how big the territory was - and then he started to try and learn the inside of it. Stark didn't make it too far before he found a trail that seemed fresh of @Valette and took after her - curious about what had happened to her since they'd last spoken. 

The biggest shock had been the trio of scents right around her densite but he wasn't going to begrudge her for her life of course. It seemed that she had been busy as well and it just made things worse to think that she'd lost her mate. Stark wasn't exactly eager to open up to her about how it felt losing Octavia but then again, it wasn't like he'd gone running off with a girl for a year. He'd run away with his sister and he hadn't brought anyone else with them either. 

Valette had returned from a quick hunt. It was the time of year again with frost arriving in the morning and the strong winds blowing over the plains of their territory. Her pups were getting bigger and would need more food to keep themselves warm. Luckily for Valette, she found a very fat raccoon by the creek. This one had been hiding out in the fields far away from trees it could climb. She was a skilled enough hunter to got for it, the strong winds had helped her.

She was glad when she reached the forest. She shook out her coat that felt wrong because the wind had blown her fur in each direction. The female carried the raccoon back to her den. Normally the pups would have moved to a rendezvous site by now but before her den was a nice clearing that was often used for it. She didn't make it to the den though, Valette was met with Stark. She still needed to adjust that he was here. She placed the dead raccoon by her feet and grinned. "Hi, Stark. Nice to see you. Settling in well?," she asked.

 

It didn't take too long before his tracking paid off and he was presented with Valette. He offered her a smile, reminding himself to check his posture - the year of being a loner and the year of leading the Keep as well meant he did have to think of it. Low man on the totem pole was new to him. "It'll work out, it just takes a big of time." Stark admitted candidly, offering a smile to her. It wasn't bad by any means - and so far he hadn't run into anyone but that didn't mean anything. Stark tended to start at a task and work his way around it so he'd eventually get to the whole 'integration' thing. 

"So, seems a lot has changed. When we left there was a pack - Duskvale - near our borders. Their claim was gone and the debts fading seemed like they weren't the original packs either."  Stark explained. He was guessing a lot had happened. 

Valette nodded. It was only normal for someone to have to get used to a pack. That didn't happen overnight. Valette offered him an encouraging smile though. She knew that in the end most of the wolves loved the family life Easthollow offered. Even Murdock that had been distant and brewing had been cheered up by the arrival of her pups.

Stark started about a pack that she didn't know of. She thought about if she heard the name but she wasn't certain. She had been living in her own bubble with Steady and then her adoptive children at the time. Then she knew she wanted to become a mother. "I don't know about Duskvale, I'm sorry," she spoke. "A lot of packs vanished in this area. We have been the only pack since Morningside left," she spoke thoughtfully.

Valette then glanced at Stark. "I never found out if you like pups or not," she questioned then. "Because, well, I like you to meet mine one day. I can imagine if you aren't ready to meet them now," she chuckled. "Bet Banner likes pups. You should let her know she can help babysit if she likes that." Valette then shot him a playful glance. "I wouldn't ask that of you, of course."

 


Stark was surprised by the news that so many had faltered in the area. He'd always found the varied territories to be a boon - but then again, it took a great deal of work and that was something that often wasn't being put in. He knew all too well how hard it could be leading a pack alone but Valette didn't seem any worse for the wear - she'd taken to it as naturally as he'd expected from her. "They were basically in our backyard, it wasn't much of a loss. Warbone actually thought he could walk back into the Keep and just be handed the title of Alpha." Stark said dryly. "But I'm glad you guys have made it." He'd worried if they had been gone where she might have been - or if she was alright. Here she was standing strong and everything seemed to be going well for her, losing Steady aside. That was an ache you didn't forget though and Stark knew first hand how easily one could be swept back up by that pain. 

"They're yours?" Stark asked with a surprised tone - he'd scented out the little ones during his trek through the pack but he hadn't found any of them. He hadn't wanted to run across them yet either given he hadn't known who they belonged too. "I caught little scents but haven't seen any ankle biters around." He teased, smiling at her. "I've ended up co-parenting several, now. Tambourine was as much mine as Octavia's by the end of it all, and we had a woman from Rosings have three kids in the Keep after they disbanded. Banner really took to one of her kids, I'm sure she'd love to meet yours too." Stark admitted. 

He looked away from a moment thinking of how bit all of those kids were. He'd done a lot with Silas too, but, at least Silas had both his parents at some point. He didn't feel right even hinting at his role in Silas' upbringing. He'd only taken a mentor's role. "I like kids." He admitted after a pause, it almost sounded like she wasn't sure if he could even stand them. "But there's no rush - I know it can be a bit...daunting, introducing your kids to strangers. Well. Strangers to them." 

AW means Steph, too, right? :-D

Steph's tummy was growling as she did her best to wait patiently for her mother to return. Minute after minute found her patients waning and finally Steph bounded off in hopes of finding Valette. Her nose took her exactly where she wanted to go, and she paused when she saw her with another male. Well, at least no one would tell her this was her papa. 

Then, she spotted the dead raccoon and suddenly the two adults didn't exist. Steph, uncharacteristically rude, went after it with gusto, sinking her crowning adult teeth into the soft flesh. She ripped off chunk, chewed, and then went for another. Blood dripped from her muzzle as she happily ate.

TOTALLY!!

Valette took it as a compliment that Stark said that he was glad Easthollow made it. She remembered him being unfamiliar with her and being a tad rude. But he seemed friendlier now. Valette wasn't sure if it because she was the leader or the year without a pack. She decided that she liked him complimenting her. She never would think it as such an accomplishment to keep a pack running. She saw it as normal because Steady had done it as well. She continued for him. Plus now she had new family members around her. "Thank you. Me too. This is truly home for me."

Having another pack settle so close could be a strain on resources. "But what happened to the Keep in the end? Why did you two leave?," she then wondered. She never got the full story what happened. She always wondered where Banner and Stark went. "I was quite shocked to only catch old scents of you two," she admitted to Stark. She had seen them as allies. Plus she had just started to be a scout it did her well to gain experience from that alliance. She learned a lot in those years being friendly towards others.

She smiled when he asked if they were hers. "Yes, they are. They are almost three months already!," she let out in disbelieve. 'So cute." Valette was surprised to hear that Stark did some co-parenting. Though, on the other hand, it wasn't that strange to her. She could see him being a father. Maybe she was staring at him for a bit too long now. Sometimes Stark reminded her a bit of Steady. "Look at you Mr. Co-Parent," she chuckled. "Well I have two girls and one boy. Perhaps you will grow a liking to them as well," she grinned. Just when she said that a very hungry Steph came running up and attacked the raccoon.

She let out a chuckle. "I was supposed to bring the food," she spoke and nosed Steph fondly. "Too late, this is one of the three. My daughter Steph," she introduced. Steph was basically her in looks but also when it came to her mealtimes.  "Steph, say hi to Stark. He is new in our pack. You should make him feel welcome in our family," she encouraged. She wanted her pups to be friendly towards new wolves in the pack. 'Stark isn't really a stranger though. I was already friends with him before you were born. He was in a different pack but now he came to live with us. Isn't that cool?," she told her.

Valette glanced up at Stark and winked. "Maybe come ravenous pups come running in soon. Brace yourself," she teased with a smile on her maw. Now Valette also couldn't wait to introduce her children to Banner as well, knowing she was fond of them.

 

In reality, when Stark had met Valette the first time he'd been in the throws of the drama with Octavia - trying to find her, raising her kid alone (but certainly alone, he'd had help from the pack), and there was Pippin who had been missing too and Mordecai. Stark could make excuse after excuse of course but now he had given himself time to....well. Not recover. To bury. To hide. To control his pain and push it somewhere else that he didn't have to focus on it anymore. "Good. It makes all the difference." Stark said quickly, offering Valette a little smile. 

Her question brought a little quirk to his lip, giving a brief frown. "We had most of the pack leave - it just....it was falling apart. I was falling apart. After everything with Octavia and how that all happened I just....I was selfish." He was utterly honest there, giving a breathy sigh. "Banner's mate had left too, we were both hurting. It was cowardly, sure, but it was the first time I think we'd done anything just purely based on us since we got to the Keep." Stark was straight forward as he looked at her, admitting his shortcomings with a brutal serving of self depreciation. 

Before he could get too much further into things - probably thankfully - a small black blob launched onto the scene and bypassed both adults. She landed on the raccoon with a gusto and Stark couldn't help the bark of a laugh, watching the girl for a moment before Valette offered an introduction. Steph. "Pleasure to meet you, miss." Stark said with a bravado, grinning down at the girl before he looked back up to Valette. "What are the others' names?" He asked curiously, wondering if the duo would make an appearance like their sister did. 

Steph felt her mother nudge her and wagged her tail in response. However, she didn't lift her head until instructed to say hello to the stranger. She looked up to him as blood dripped from her muzzle, and gave him a smile around the chuck of flesh in her jaws. Hewwo, she said. Her gaze turned to her mother as she explain this stranger wasn't a stranger at all, but an old friend from before she was born. Steph had assumed Valette grew up in Easthollow, so it was interesting to learn she had been apart of a different pack at one point. 

She filed the new information away, making note to ask her mother about her previous life later. She nodded, though, agreeing it was "cool." Her attention quickly went back to the meal before her, and as soon as she swallowed the chunk in her mouth, she was ripping off another piece. She expected @Clary or @Ezra to show up, and she wanted to get as much meat as possible before they did.

Valette listened to Stark. She could understand that he called himself selfish. These pups were an act of selfishness from Valette. She could understand. "It is normal after dealing with the loss of a loved one," she spoke with a soft nod. "There is nothing to be ashamed of," she spoke with a softly. "I think it is wonderful that you could choose for yourself. It is just as important," she added.

Steph introduced herself. She was so adorable. Stark seemed to be good with them as well. For what she had seen now. Not as awkward as Ezekiel was at least. Her eye lingered on Stark for a bit. He then asked how the others were called. "Clary and Ezra," she spoke with a smile. She now wondered where they were. They normally would be ready for a meal. At least Steph's appetite was good. She couldn't blame her for getting all the meat before her siblings would be there.

"They are starting to explore the territory more. Sadly they don't want to hang out with their mama the whole time," she joked softly. Valette really liked being a mother though, she wasn't certain if she would ask Ezekiel as a donor again. He hadn't been really there for the pups. She could tell that they needed a father figure.

Stark wouldn't mind talking to Valette about the whole notion of what had happened but it hardly seemed an appropriate conversation to have when in the presence of a child. Let them keep their innocence still, let them grow up and then learn the harder situations in life. They probably had no idea the turmoil they'd come from even, and for that, Stark was glad. "Nice names," Stark hummed as Valette offered her other two's names - and if he spotted a little one running around there was a good chance it would be one of Val's. He didn't know if any other puppies were lurking around the packlands but he'd have to explore some more. 

Stark couldn't help but let out a little laugh when Valette said that her kids already didn't want to hang out with her all the time. "Terrifying for a bit, isn't it?" Stark asked, thinking of when Tambourine stopped being his own little shadow and became a unit all his own, harassing and following after others - oh man and then the whole stump humping thing that had happened. Yeeeah he'd probably need to recommend Valette to find a very clear outlet for herself when those sorts of changes started. "I'm sure you don't give your mama too hard of a time, hm, Steph?" He joked, a smile on his face as he watched the girl eat. 


It was....well, honestly a relief. Not that he'd anticipated her to be standoffish but some children were nervous around strangers and new people and yet she was as welcoming as could be given her major objective was really just to eat. Stark couldn't help the little soft smile on his face - alright. He'd never admit it out loud but he had such a soft spot for kids and he missed being around them. Didn't miss flakey mothers bailing on said children, but, he missed the children themselves. 

Steph chowed down on the meat until her belly showed signs of her meal, her abdomen bulging out at the sides. Finally full, she sat down on her haunches beside her mother, licking her chops as the male, Stark, spoke to her. Steph gave a devilish grin to him before replying, Noooooo. It was obvious, however, that even she didn't believe her answer.

She turned to her mother at the next comment, her face contorting into confusion. I love hanging out with you, Mama, she replied honestly. She was confused as to why Valette would think she didn't like being with her.

Valette dipped her head. She liked the names as well. She wanted shorter names so it would be easy to call them all. Even though she didn't know how many she would get. She smiled at Stark. She was not sure why but she liked that he approved of the names. Perhaps, it was just because he reminded her of Steady. His calm presence and also good with kids. Though, of course, he wasn't Steady. He could be quite different from Steady.

She was about to reply when Steph looked worried. "Oh honey," she cooed and licked her cheek. "You are too sweet. Mama loves hanging out with you too and that you are exploring the world," she spoke. She licked her daughter's muzzle clean in a quick and skilled manner. She had clearly done that many times before. She then looked at Stark scrunching her nose in a cute manner saying more like perhaps-not-the-best-topic-now. She didn't want Steph to think that she didn't want to hang out with her. Because Valette truly loved being around her children.

"See, Steph is not giving me a hard time at all," she praised her daughter. But then again, mothers were usually very proud of their offspring. Valette quirked up her lips. "But yes, very terrifying. But one has to let them go. You will keep an eye out for them as well, won't you?," she asked him then.

Okay, that was adorable. Between Steph and Valette Stark couldn't help but smile, tail wagging a couple times at the display between the two females. "Y'know, I bet that means you know all the best places in Easthollow - you'd show me sometime, right?" Stark asked with a smile. "And maybe I could get my sister to come along too, her name is Banner." Stark offered to the young girl, smiling warmly before he met Valette's eyes again. It was fortunate that as big as the pack seemed they all could look after one another - right down to their littlest members. 

"Course I will." Stark nodded at her question - it was a natural thing to keep an eye out and if he'd wondered what the kids were up to he didn't mind tagging along to find out what was going on. Stark had found that to be a natural aspect of day to day life. Even if they weren't his kids, all the kids of the pack belonged to the pack so in an essence, they were. "It gets easier after awhile and that's when things become really fun too. Time for learning and showing all sorts of different things - all about trades and the world and everything in between." Stark probably enjoyed that the most. Of course a snugly, cuddling kid was adorable - but Stark loved teaching the kids more than that. 

She was happy that she could make her mother feel better. Steph didn't like it when her mother was upset. Her gaze turned towards Stark when he began to speak, and her eyes lit up as her head bobbed up and down. Yeah, I can! I know all the good spots! The pup would be delighted to show him around. 

Her head tilted as her mother asked if the male would look after Steph and her siblings. Great. One more adult making sure they weren't doing anything they shouldn't. Steph was too worried, though. It was often she got herself into trouble. But, she was young.

Her eyes caught the movement of a leaf as the soft wind blew it across the ground. Steph went down to her belly, and then ran after it, grabbing it up with a playful growl. She chomped on it a few times, deemed it "dead", and spit it back out. Leaves were not good for eating, but it still satisfied her to "kill" it.

Valette smiled at Steph responding so cutely to Stark. She loved how social her little girl was. She sometimes really was a mini version of her. Valette didn't mind it at all. "Perhaps you can show Stark all those good spots one day," she encouraged. As she liked Steph to explore but it was always nice to have a capable adult with her. With any of her children for that matter.

Steph started to hunt a leaf while Stark told her it would be easier eventually. Valette nodded. This was true. She already showed Steph about hunting and it was incredibly fun to watch her learn and gain more knowledge about the world. It also made her feel good as a mother that she was doing a good job. "You are right and then when they are growing into adulthood I can always start over with a new litter," she grinned at him. Not that she was planning her next batch of kids but she wouldn't make it a secret she wanted to be a mother once more. She was much like her own mother in that aspect.