Stone Circle d

Since arriving at Easthollow, Kove had all but abandoned that which he knew as a guardian; unlike back at the woods, he was rarely loitering on the outskirts of the territory. He much preferred the heart of the territory, being where he knew he stood a chance at seeing the others. It was quite the peculiar change for him but not something that he had to get used to. Despite how the last few years of his life had been spent, the present felt right.

But, for as right as it felt, it felt as equally much as if he was neglecting his duties.

The sun was just beginning to set as the elder rose, deciding that he might as well make himself useful. He set his sights on the east and left the land’s heart behind, falling back into the role as easily as if he’d never stopped. He listened to the sounds of the world around him and watched for anything that seemed out of place as he trotted along, his stops frequent and partnered with a nose to the ground. When he found nothing he continued, the process repeated as it was necessary and his body kept in motion.

The fiery girl had not done much since joining the new pack. She had set out to make a name for herself, but with all of the happenings that involved her family, Piper had not really been active in the hollow. Once her mother had been settled in with the new pups and everything seemed to have calmed down for a while, the young Redleaf had set out to search the pack. She was obsessive with her attempts to familiarize herself with her surroundings. The wildfire moved away from the large stones and into grassy pastures that seemed to stretch on as far as her eyes could see.
 
Ahead, the girl saw a shape that struck her as familiar. Her long legs made quick work of the space between them until she had all but closed it. It was there that she recognized the pale figure. She had spoken with him once before, at the borders of a dark wood. The man had asked questions about her family and where she had come from. Piper drew her head up and called out to him, “hey! What are you doing here?”

It was easy to fall back into his old ways, a skill that could not be forgotten after being learned; it was like riding a bike for the first time after going years without it. Even though his body wasn’t quite what it used to be, his mind was still as sharp as ever, as was the desire to protect his family. He continuously drew in the scents around him, searching for anything that didn’t belong, just as he would stop, look, and listen; ever searching for that which should not be there. It wasn’t an abnormality that caught his attention next, but someone familiar.

Hearing someone call out, Kove slowed to a stop and turned to see who it was—and was surprised to see a face from quite some time ago. “Piper?” he questioned, then wondered if she’d ever located her brother. Before he could question her, she had one of her own, which he answered without hesitation. “I’m living here now,” he told her. “The pack in that forest we met at parted ways—for the better. My granddaughter brought me here to be with family not long after.” Which he was still grateful for, even if it had been a bit of an adjustment for him to make. “What brought you here?” he then asked. “Did you ever find your brother?” He hoped so—after being reunited with some of his own family members, he wished the same for any of those still searching.

There was almost a feeling of relief that had washed over her when the pale man had turned meet her with a steady pair of eyes. It seemed that the man had recalled her name without much effort and had even managed to inquire about her brother. The mentioning of Lucas was something that she hadn’t really had the time or energy to deal with. Piper had not spent any time attempting to come to terms with the idea that her sibling had passed away. It wasn’t a reality to her just yet, and there was a chance that it never would be.
 
Kove stated that he had relocated to the hollow. The wildfire girl cast him a smile and nodded her head in understanding. Something about seeing him away from the dark wood made her feel at ease. There was a gentleness about him that lingered beneath the gruff exterior. The Redleaf girl did not mind sharing the details of her own relocation with him.
 
“Well, my family decided to settle in here. I guess we have extended relatives in this pack, so my mom and Indra decided to call it home,” Piper answered him, shrugging the subject off. She didn’t want it to matter to her. Easthollow was still very foreign, but the young Redleaf wanted to show that she could role with the punches. “We lost my brother after he was found… I don’t know how, but my mother discovered where he died shortly after everyone was reunited.”
 
The look in her eye suggested that she did not wish to speak about this subject any longer.

Like him, she had also relocated to Easthollow, it seemed. He was mildly amused by the idea of it, how they had met again after an initial meeting that he had, at the time, been certain would be the only time they crossed paths. But they had both made their ways to his daughter’s pack nevertheless, able to speak once again. Although, he was curious: “Extended relatives?” Interesting. “Who are they?”

Kove wondered about who she might hold relations to in the pack, yet his curiosity was replaced shortly after by a somber expression. “I’m sorry for your loss,” he told her, knowing well how it felt to lose a sibling. It was not something that he would wish on anyone, especially not someone as young as her. “At least you have more family here,” he noted with a smile, yet the pity he felt did not quite leave his voice and did not dissipate at all from his eyes; if he had the ability to do so, he would keep all children from passing prematurely, if only to save their siblings from the pain of their death.

Kove spoke with the girl for as long as time allowed, catching up and sharing the tale of how he had come to be there. When the words ran low, he offered words of departure and then continued on his former path.