Stone Circle You only have me now.

if you guys could prioritize this thread it is appreciated <3

It was the next day after she found out Stark had left. She had made herself scarce with her children that day as she needed to cope with the loss herself. She now gathered her strength to tell her kids that their father vanished. She thought it was important to know. Luckily, Merrit would have Ezra and Greyback as role models. It was concerning to her that after she had children males would leave her. Perhaps she just had a stroke of bad luck.

Valette went to the rendezvous site and then howled for @Keen, @Merrit, and Arlette. She wasn't sure if they were close but Valette howled for them either way. She put some urgency behind it as she wanted to get this over with. She wondered how upset her youngsters were going to be. It wasn't like they spend a lot of time with their father, at least, that was what Valette thought.

Arlette had been close to the site. She wasn't too bothered to spend the night without her mother. They were becoming far more independent and Arlette was experiencing it like that. She didn't feel the need to spend every night with her mother, though she did like to search for her siblings to curl against. Nights were getting colder and she loved to have someone warm close to her at night. When her mother called she quickly turned on her heels and responded.

She rushed into the clearing and greeted her mother with a quick rub before impatiently sitting before her. Where they getting another hunting lesson? Or would they do something else cool like leave their territory? She wiggled impatiently and glanced around for her siblings. 

Can do! (: I've been waiting for this ;__;

Merrit yanked his head out of the hole he'd been digging and swung around, drawn by his mother's call. There was an edge to her voice that Merrit couldn't place, and he wondered, briefly, if his siblings had somehow gotten them all in some round of trouble. Yet he couldn't think of what they could be punished for, and so he wondered instead if his mother was simply rallying them together for another lesson or the like. That made more sense, though didn't fully satisfy the question of what made their lesson so urgent to attend - but mother always had her reasons.

The boy gathered these thoughts as he moved through the forest on legs like a spider, already boastful of the height he would attain - even though now, whatever majesty he might one day carry was lost in the lanky gangle of youth. This made him move with much greater care, having misjudged his gait more than once, and having tasted the dirt just as many times too many. Yet when he pushed through the underbrush that bordered the rendezvous, he found himself distracted by mother and Arlette, and with one foul step he quickly found himself tripping over his over-sized paws and stumbling forward like a newborn fawn to catch himself.

He staggered against the air with an ungraceful catch before he could collide with either his sister or his mother - though he drew dangerously close, and he procured them both a sheepish cant of his ears as he settled next to Arlette, attention more than fixed on mother and wholly pretending that didn't just happen.

She's sleeping when her mother calls for her — a common activity for the pup, contrary to many her age. At first, her only movement is a slight twitch of her ears — but after a moment, she stirs, eyes fluttering open as her mouth stretches in a yawn. She's slow to rise, fur ruffled and messy over a slightly-too-thin frame, but she doesn't hesitate to move toward the sound.
Another yawn escapes her as she approaches her siblings and mother, blue eyes dull with lethargy. She glances between Merrit and Arlette, then to her mother, and moves to press against her brother's side. Though she spends much of her time alone, resting or studying some fascinating creature, she finds comfort in her siblings' presence. There's something about the energy around Valette that bothers her now — she worries for her mother, for whatever reason she has called them. But she's so tired.

<3 <3

Luckily her children arrived soon. She was greeted by Arlette with some licks. Followed by her son, who with his long legs, almost stumbled into them. Valette offered him a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. She wasn't going to tell them very good news. Then Keen came in, looking rather sleepy. Valette took in a deep sigh. "Hello sweeties," she started. "I've got some bad news," she stated.

Valette gathered her courage. "Your father, Stark, who has been ill... Well, he left or vanished. I am not sure what happened but he isn't in his den anymore and I've searched for him, trying to track him down and I can't find him," She explained. She hoped they would get it. "I'm so sorry," she spoke sadly. "I'd hoped that you would have a father while you were growing up but, you will only have me as your parent." Technically, this has already been the case for the last month, but still.

Arlette excitedly greeted her brother even though he almost landed on top of him. The female licked him as he got close. She leaned against his body as Keen soon followed. Arlette yipped at her sister and offered her a smile. She was still a bit smaller than Keen but she was getting closer!! Arlette then focussed on her mother who greeted them. She looked sad, Arlette wasn't sure if she had ever seen her like that before. She frowned, not liking that her mother looked like this.

Then came the news. Arlette still frowned slightly. She didn't really feel... sad? She hardly saw the male. She tried to visit him but he was usually sleeping, and if he was coherent she wasn't sure if she should be close to his den. As he was sick and she didn't want to get sick. "Its okay mama," she spoke and then stepped forward to cuddle against her. "I like you as my parent! I don't need two!," she assured her with a big smile to cheer her up. She also liked to think that Greyback was good at parenting and watching her. So she wasn't really missing her father. 

His sisters settle against him, one on each side, and he feels the weight of his mother's burden - whatever she is carrying - sink only deeper as he watches the emotions that transpire on her face. He can tell by that the news is not good, and she doesn't leave them hanging; this is about their father.

Like Arlette, Merrit frowns, but his eyes are bathed in shadow. He can't remember a time when his father wasn't sick, but he loved him nonetheless, even if Stark had only been present in the small and quiet moments in the confine of the infirmary. No one knew just how much time Merrit spent with him; he had kept these times to himself, and didn't remark on them now, even as they stirred him to turn his eyes to the ground. Stark was gone, and while Arlette sprung forward to reassure their mother that she was enough, he felt something tear inside.

He said nothing, but watched the ground through a downcast stare. He needed more time to process this through.

When her mother speaks of bad news, she prepares herself for something — well, bad. A slight frown tugs at her features, but the expression turns more puzzled than anything as Valette continues. Honestly, she's not too sure why having a father is supposed to be significant — Stark had never been around much to begin with, sick as he'd been. More than anything, the sadness radiating from her mother worries her; she can deal without a father just fine, and surely Merrit and Arlette will be okay, too. But Valette... maybe she's the one who needs a father.
She presses a little closer to her brother and bites back another yawn. S'okay, She mumbles, echoing Arlette. Don't be sad, mama. Her last few words are quiet, more of a plea than anything; she can handle the absence of a man who'd never been around much, but it makes her chest feel funny and achey to see that expression on her mother's face.

Valette offered a sad smile to Arlette who instantly decided that she only needed one parent. Valette gave her a hug, soon followed by Keen's words. The mother looked at her quieter daughter. She offered her a sad smile. "I just wish that you would have a father," she spoke and noticed that Merrit had gone really quiet.

"I'm sorry that you have to deal with this. If you need to talk about something then you can," Valette spoke. Though she doubted that they would want to talk to her right away. It would first need to settle in. Perhaps they weren't as upset as she thought they might be. Arlette certainly wasn't. Valette stepped close to the other two. She could not be both but she would certainly try.

- end-

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