Stone Circle swagalicious

Let me know if I need to change anything here. Feel free to pop in. I was going to make this read only, but what's the fun in that? I'll archive it 1/10/2017

It was a bitterly cold morning the day that he decided to follow the trail Amber had left earlier that week. It'd been after a short, inconsequential spat. As was their routine, they'd gone their separate ways to cool off, make concessions. Day had returned to the den ready to admit that Amber might have been a little bit more right than him, but she hadn't been back. He would spend the next several days (until this very morn) waiting with quickly-abating hope.

After alerting @Steady and @Valette to his plans, Day set off in his mate's pawprints, looking for any signs of a struggle, of harm. He found only an imprint of a fall that she'd taken, but her trail continued on for miles after that.

Day abandoned her trail at the coast, knowing that his children were waiting for him back at home, and that - if Amber was coming back - she would probably be there as well. But when he returned to the territory, Amber's scent had gone stale, and Day had long since resigned himself to caring for Sunny and Dawn on his own. In a way, it was a relief. He worried for Amber, but it looked as though she'd left on her own accord. And he'd made a promise to protect and care for her... but she'd made promises of her own, and where did her just being... gone leave them?

He was too tired to care when he got back to the den. It's better this way, he told himself, curling around his two perfect children and closing his eyes. No Addie, no Amber, no complications. He could care for his children and just... just focus on that. His heart was too tired to do anything else.

Steady had been concerned when Grayday told him of Amber's leaving. It had been so sudden and out of the blue, at least for Steady, but he hoped his brother would return with his mate by his side. Steady gladly helped watch Dawn and Sunny, his tail wagging as he sat at the entrance of the den. He didn't want to disturb them, but he did hope they would come out for a visit.

By the time Grayday returned, he looked defeated, and Steady frowned as he noted the absence of Amber. Did you find her? he asked, wondering if she had refused to come back. If so, Steady would be stuck in a hard place. Loyalty was the number one thing he asked of his family, and for her to leave her family here and refuse to come back would not sit well with him. He would be hard-pressed to allow her back, should she change her mind. But, her pups were here, and they needed her.

i know technically the children aren't supposed to talk until two more weeks, but i've begun to have Sunny babble weird versions of words and questions. he says mama and he has asked "hooish oo?" (who is you?) to Dagfinn (i think it was dag...)

Sunny woke up next to Grayday and peered around the den. His mother was gone from the den and that worried him. glaring up at Grayday he squeaked to gain the man's attention "mama. mama!" he said in a harsh and demanding tone. God it was so frustrating not to be able to speak what he wanted to speak, instead of using one or two words and squeaking all the damned time. He stood up and poked dawn to wake her up. 


He was aware that his momma and Grayday had argued, but he was too little to understand what it was except anger. He understood anger very well for despite his usual sunny (haha) personality, he did indeed have some anger held in. The reasons for his anger were small and silly things, but he was a pup so little and small petty things did indeed bother him.[/ooc]

"No," said Day, unable to face Steady completely. To cover this up, he began to groom his fussing son, hoping the alpha would understand his less-than-stellar mood. "She... the trails just keeps going," he murmured, voice low. "I tracked her all the way to the coast and then... the kids were here... I thought she might be, too."

But she wasn't. He was alone, and Sunny wanted his mother. What was he supposed to do? "Dad's here, Sunny," he said softly, not knowing what else to say. His eyes slipped from his son to the alpha, worried and sorrowful.

"It's not like her," he said, but could he really be sure? He didn't know her from Adam.

He could hear one of the pups awaken just after Grayday's arrival. His ear swiveled and his head turned so that he could peer inside of the den. He chuffed, hoping to calm the pup with his presence. Turning back to Grayday, he frowned as his brother admitted that he had not found Amber. 

He moved as Grayday sought to comfort his son, sitting back on his haunches. Maybe she just needed a break, he wondered. I could tell she loves your pups. I'm sure she'll come back soon. She had to. Didn't Sunny and Dawn still need her milk? He knew they were trying out real meat, but as far as Steady understood, the pups still needed their mother's milk for several weeks yet. 

He didn't ask what had transpired for Amber to think leaving was a solution, however temporary or permanent. He figured whatever had happened, Grayday probably wouldn't want to talk about it.

All this talking! Is that all adults did? He squirmed away from Grayday and walked toward Steady, staring up at him in awe. He was so big! Daddy was too but still, something about this Wolf made him wanna hunch down under his gaze.

instead of hunching down however, he marched right over to Steady's legs and began to gnaw on his paws. His tiny tail waggled awkwardly as he chewed on the odd furriness of this Wolf's large paws contently.

"Yeah," Day agreed halfheartedly. He might've said more, but it was then that Sunny detatched himself from the pity party and went after Steady's paw. If the boy had been a grown wolf, Day might've worried about him, but he was sure Steady would never hurt a puppy - especially not one from his own pack. The older male laughed at these antics, his heart seeming to lighten.

"At least... at least it's now," he said softly. "If it were any earlier... if they'd still needed to nurse..."

He'd come to care for Amber in the months since he'd met her, but he would never love her the way he loved his children, or even the way he loved Adeline. They just didn't mesh, and even when he found things to admire about her, it hadn't been easy. But if anything happened to one of his kids, he didn't know what he'd do.

His gaze focused on the pup coming toward him, his tail sweeping the ground behind him. Sunny went to work on a foreleg and Steady was glad to let him, his spirits always lifting around pups. In turn, he lowered his head to gently gnaw on Sunny's back leg, not intending to bite, but to let the pup feel his teeth. It was important, he knew, that they understand the pain they could inflict. If not so that they could be gentle, then so they knew how to defend themselves.

He lifted his gaze to his Gamma, understanding what he meant. It wasn't that it was ever a good time for a mother to leave her pups, but it was comforting to know that their health wouldn't be compromised because of it. I'm sure Valette and the others would bring them meat so they get their nourishment, he commented, looking down at Sunny with a grin. Though this one seems to not be lacking in the stamina department. He was trying to lighten the mood, as others had done for him when Niita went missing.

Sunny stiffened as he felt Steady's teeth on his hind leg, his eyes widening in fear for only a few moments until he realized that the adult meant no harm. Instead sunny awkwardly raised himself up on hing legs and braced his front legs on Steady's chest, nosing at the adult male's lips to get a better look at his teeth "woooaaaaaaaah he gos big teets" he gasped in awe accidently saying 'teets' instead of teeth due to his inability to pronounce words that well.


He sat back down now satisfied to know that someday his teeth wouldn't be so tiny, and could actually aid him in a fight. He turned his head to look up at Gray and gave his daddy a cheerful smile "Daddy gway" he chortled and pressed his forehead against his father's pelt, needing affection and wanting Gray to feel better. There was a dark emotion coming off his father in waves, and it worried him.

Sunny's mispronounciation choked a surprised laugh out of his father. Teets. The things kids say, he thought, moving to sweep the boy toward him with a paw.

"C'mere, you little rascal," he said with a growl in his throat, baring his own teeth to the child. "Who's got bigger teeth, huh? Daddy or Uncle Steady?" he asked.

He was poked and prodded, and Steady's expression turned to confusion as Sunny announced his "big teets." It took him a second to realize he was talking about his "teeth." He grinned as the pup walked over to Grayday. His brother sure did seem to make a good father. It was bad luck that he had to do it without a mate, but Steady hoped to show him it was the whole pack that raised the youngsters, not just the parents.

Grayday opened up a competition, and Steady quickly got in on it, baring his teeth, though he tried to be comical about it, scrunching up his face into a contorted expression.

Daddy Gray pulled sunny toward him, earning a delighted squealing shriek of laughter from the boy who then put on a mask of faux concentration as he studied the two adult male's teeth. "hmm... Uncle Steady's teets look sharper, but daddy's teets woah! They are huge!"  He said in awe at he stared at his father's teeth. Turning to Steady with a guilty look he added "but uncle Steady looks scarier when he does this" he said and wrinkled his face into a contorted snarl.


Giving his father a proud look he puffed up his tiny chest "When I grow up, I wanna be a warrior! The best fighter ever! Like my uncle Steady and my Daddy!"  He boasted, his voice filled with conviction and determination. He had heard the sounds of something awful happening a while ago when he was wandering around on his lone escapades, there was prey eating noises and snarls and nightmarish laughing. He had been too scared to go further to investigate, but he knew daddy and steady were there.

Day didn't consider himself very scary or a very good fighter, so he wasn't exactly offended when Sunny gave Steady the vote of confidence. That was why he was the alpha, and not Day.

"You already do a great job of protecting your sister," he complimented, wanting to encourage his son's interests.

Steady hadn't been aware that the pups might have heard the commotion with the trespasser. None of them had seemed any different, or acted like anything was up, and he was happy to let the incident pass. He was at peace now, knowing Althaia had been avenged, and that her pups were being raised lovingly with her in mind. He still thought about Witchhazel, and he wondered if she was still alive. Would he ever really know?

He chuckled as Sunny tried to mimic his facial expressions, then nodded to Grayday's words. I agree, he added. We know you look after her when we aren't around, he said, giving the young pup a smile. It was nice to hear him say he wanted to grow up to be like them. His gaze went to Grayday, and he briefly went over their history in his mind. He couldn't remember a moment when the male hadn't backed him up since he had joined the family. One day, he would show his appreciation.