Stone Circle Hi, You Barely Know Me.... Will You Travel Across The Teekon For Me?

For @Valette when you have the time <3 @Sunny and @Dawn can jump in if they want too!

Amber wasn't sure where Grayday was, but she didn't really want to leave the pups anyway -- she'd gotten the approval from Steady to ask Valette to go to Silver Creek, but the Ciel just hadn't asked yet from lack of seeing the dark woman -- and so merely sat in the entrance and loosed a howl for the Beta's company. The pups, she could see from the corners of her eyes while she waited anxiously for the Scout. Would she want to go so far? What if she got lost? What if she got hurt?

No. Valette was a Scout -- she knew the risks of going on a trip and she was both experienced and skilled enough to handle herself alone for a couple days. The only reason she didn't send Grayday was because she didn't want to be without her knight in armor while the kids were so little.

Valette perked up her ears when she heard a howl that was calling her. She was curious what she was needed for. The female got up and trotted in the direction of the howl. She was met with Amber sitting before her den. After the whole deal with them wanting to hunt for themselves Valette had stayed in the background not to offend them. She would be there when needed and it seemed that she was needed today.

She offered Amber a smile when she saw her. "Hi Amber. Everything okay?," she asked curiously. She was pretty sure he needed to hunt something for her. Perhaps she wanted something different than hare or smaller caught game? She sat down, she could smell the pups. However she did not know how protective Amber was so she just kept her distance from them.

Amber's attention was drawn soon to the charcoal frame of her Beta approaching -- Valette gave her space, but after only a brief hesitation, she motioned for her to come in, backing away and giving her room. She was a good woman, dedicated and loyal, and Amber trusted her as both that Beta and Grayday's friend to be around the pups, especially since she was taking care of Keoni and Nikai. 

                        "Everything's great, but I had a kind of big favor to ask you.... I don't want Grayday away from the pups, or me, but I promised my family to send word when I gave birth. I don't want them in or by Easthollow, but if they chose to come visit I'll meet them on neutral land with the pups. I know you're a Scout, and they're in the Hinterlands.... Would you go for me?"

The request came out quietly and slow, as if she was gauging Valette's reaction by the word; her sapphire eyes, however, were strained on her children, almost afraid to look at what she'd come to think of as her friend in worry of her rejection. Otherwise, she'd have to send Grayday -- she knew nobody else well enough to send them out -- and the Winter would make it harder all around. A promise was a promise, though, and she really did want to see Spring, Natashe and Heston again: hell, maybe another one of the Ciel's had found Silver Creek!

It seemed that Amber let her closer so Valette did step closer and had a peek in the den. She smiled at Amber. Though she didn't see much of the pups she did hear them. It was kinda cute. Her focus turned to her when she started to speak. Valette was surprised to hear about amber asking to go to her family. The young female normally would agree without thinking but now she had pups of herself that needed to be cared for.

However she did want to explore the Hinterlands. "I would want to go there, I could finish my ranger specialty. However I am not sure if Steady needs me with Keoni and Nikai," she spoke in return. "I mean they are bigger but I wouldn't want to leave them unless I have Steady's permission," she explained. "Where in the Hinterlands is their pack located? It is very big so if I would have a more exact location that would help me greatly time-wise," she spoke. She did consider going.

Plus she had not forgotten about charley pryor that invited her into his pack lands. Perhaps she could combine it. She was not sure how this was going to mix with her Beta rank.

Amber was glad Valette came closer, despite the maternal need to protect -- she had to keep telling herself that anyone not Day wasn't here to hurt the pups -- proud to show off her little cubs that were the perfect mix of she and Grayday. She liked to believe that somewhere deep down, they knew Dag, as well -- he'd told stories and sang songs while she was pregnant, surely they would at least know his voice? -- but only time would tell that, if Dagfinn ever came back. Lately, despite her happiness with Day, she'd been wishing for the sweetness of her lover. The Ciel didn't want him in the way the word "lover" implied, though: she wanted his love in the purest sense anybody really could, in cuddles and play and songs. 
None of it compared, however, to the way the ebony fae coveted Grayday -- there was a distinct lack of something between them that Amber couldn't pinpoint, and though they were mates and parents, she wanted him to love her in the soul-pulling way she did him. After all, she'd uprooted her entire life, risked the health of her children -- given up several of their lives, now that she really thought about it, and lord was that even more shame on her crown -- and left everything behind on the idea that he would want her, that his alpha would take her and a litter of pups on the cusp of Winter. 
And now, she was asking a woman she barely knew to travel literally across the Teekon's for her to send word to her family of the birthing. 
Lord, Amber Ciel, what are you doing with your life?

Valette's voice shook her from dark thoughts, and Amber's gaze finally went back to the Beta to listen respectfully. Her worries were understood: Amber would go herself with the pups when they were old enough if it were not the beginning of Winter, and she didn't dare do it herself now, leave the kids behind. They needed her milk too much now for her to leave, even if her instincts would allow her so far -- most days, going to Stone Circle was a decent walk for her, with random bouts of leaving the territory for a few hours to stargaze or fish. 

                           "I understand. Steady named a few people I could ask, you one of them; I'd be glad to babysit them if he needed me to while you were gone. Hunt for them, maybe -- whatever he needs."

Pausing, Amber thought of the fastest and easiest path to Silver Creek. Down under the mountains, straight across the Flatlands and the Wilderness; Silver Creek could be found by heading sharply West from the end of the Hibernation Point. 

                                                                    "Crossing under the mountains closest to us, heading directly across to the other mountain range -- at the end furthest from the Coast, you'll find their scents in King Elk Forest -- they live West from there, but its pretty easy to find after you reach there, if someone doesn't find you in the forest itself. One of my sisters is it's alpha, and she should be expecting the news."

Valette looked at Amber and decided that she wanted to travel to the Hinterlands. Steady was there for the pups and they could miss her for a week at least. Right? "I will do it," she agreed to Amber. It was something she could do for the female, perhaps explore more of the hinterlands. She could also visit her father along the way.

"What do you want me to tell them? That you have given birth and you are alright? What are their names? And gender? Do you want them to know that? Any other things I should tell?," she asked the other female. She would let Steady know she would be away for a week tops. The female liked that idea. Then she could also think about their whole relationship.

A bright grin spread across Amber's ebony maw, and the mother stepped closer to Valette in order to give her a thankful nuzzle to the shoulder. 
 
                          "This means a lot to my family, Valette. Thank you."

Eyes glossing over with unretained happiness, Amber felt like she wanted to cry -- she really was home, here, despite how much she missed Spring and her family. Speaking of Heston aloud as her brother, not just "family", was a little weird for her, but it felt right: even if Spring and Heston weren't together yet, she saw the pale man as much her brother as any of her real ones. 

                                                    "Spring and Natashe, my sisters, and Heston, my brother -- they'll be waiting for the news of the birth, that I found Grayday and we all have a good home here in the Valley. If they want to come visit me, and you're okay with bringing them to Wapun Meadow, Steady said that was okay, but if they can't, then I'll make the journey in the Summer with the pups myself."

Valette smiled when the other female looked so happy with the news it made Valette happy. She nodded once more when the female thanked her. It felt good to help out her packmates. She would have to say goodbye to Nikai and Keoni though. Then the female started to explain. A lot of names but she managed to keep up.

"Alright. I will give them that message," she smiled. Amber had not told her the genders of her pups nor their names so perhaps that is something she must know too. "What are their names?," she asked, because it might look stupid if they asked and she wouldn't know what their names were to begin with.[/b]

It had taken him a few long moments to realize that momma was talking to someone, and the voice was female. His ears had started opening ever so slightly, so he could hear muffled sounds. Pushing himself up onto his legs as he had done before a few days ago, he slowly tried to walk toward the voices. Finally he saw the fluffy tail of his mother and he ambled forward unsteadily and clumsily pounced on the appendage. Nibbling on the fluff turned out to be a mistake however, as black fur came loose in his mouth and attached itself to his tongue. muttering in the cute gibberish of young children he voiced his displeasure, each "word" followed by spitting and hacking to get rid of the fur.


Finally he fell silent and looked up at Amber with narrowed eyes, his cute face filled with as much annoyance that he could make. Then he saw Valette and he blinked once in awe. she was pretty too! he cautiosly moved forward and tucked himself between Amber's paws, cuddling against the soft fur of her chest, all the while staring at Valette with huge reddish eyes.

Nodding, Amber watched as Sunny eventually noticed the Beta and stood: this thrilled the mother, and she sat still as he wobbled forward and clambered over her tail, but talked to Valette. 

                                       "This is Sunny, my eldest son. Dawn is the paler little girl." 

Said boy spluttered at the mouthful of fur that he pulled out of her tail -- her sapphire eyes winced even as she smiled -- and babbled adorably, and Amber could only coo sweetly at him. Warrior skills. She told herself, unwilling to scold her children at all for base desires. Thankfully learning his lesson and moving closer to press into the protectoin of her torso, the ebony monther beamed in pride.

Valette watched how a pup came from the den. It was so small, and young. She remembered that they weren't the same age as Keoni and Nikai. She smiled at the little thing, tail wagging. "Well nice to meet you Sunny," she greeted the pup. Valette turned her attention back to Amber. "I will make the preparations now and will go swiftly," she spoke with a smile and then quirked up her lips.

"I wish you a good day. I will howl when I leave," she promised and got to her feet. She couldn't linger now. She had something big to catch and then she could leave for the Hinterlands. Valette was quick on her feet to turn and trot away. She had to make a good plan so she would be back the quickest.

Sunny thinks everyone is pretty XD He's gonna call Dagfinn pretty XD

Sunny's gaze lifted as his mother cooed at him the sweet sound making him laugh brightly. He wobbled over to  the enterance of the den as Valette left, chirping loudly in dissapointment as she moved away. Quickly however he lost interest in Valette's retreating figure and instead tilted his hed upward to smile at his mother, pleased with the brief but interesting (for a few seconds) visitor.


Exhaling audibly he stood himself up once more and made his slow but steady way over to dawn, whom he had abandoned to see the female who had talked to his mama.