Stone Circle Don't be to hard on yourself

Valette was by the den. She kept a vigilant eye on each of her children. She was not going to let them out of her sight again. However, this made her rather tired. Plus, she had the whole sprained leg she needed to recover from. She was glad that Greyback was here to help her. He could hunt for her while she would be able to keep an eye on the pups at all times. She made sure they weren't bothering Leta too much. Boys would always want to play rough, she learned.

Valette rested her head on her paws but then realized that it was still a bit thick and painful. She licked her thicker paw with care. Not that it would help. Perhaps if she cooled it in the stream? She didn't want to leave Leta so she stayed put often having to bark at Clay and West when they were being too wild or would bother @Newt too much. Her sweet lanky boy that wasn't much into fighting.

Although Newt does not understand what transpired with his sister, he is aware that his parents are acting differently than they had before. Mama spends time around the den with them, and they don't adventure out as much unless Greyback takes them on a very short outing to stretch their legs and give Valette a break.

Newt likes the attention. At first, he was really excited by the whole ordeal, thinking that it was great. Yet, it quickly became obvious that no one is happy. Tension hangs heavy in the air, and Leta hasn't been up to play for days and days.

He is quiet when he drifts over to his mother, laying down near the paw that is not swollen. He kicks his patchy legs out, stretching his hind ones in a sploot.

Mama, why is Leta so sleepy?

Valette smiled at her son as he approached. Her eyes fell on his paws and frowned slightly. How could she have missed that? The mother brought her nose closer and sniffed them. It looked like they were itchy. Instead of telling her about his paws he asked about Leta. Newt was a smart boy and could tell that something had happened. "Remember when West almost got very hurt by the bison that one time? Luckily I could save him but with Leta... well. A bad wolf hurt her bad and I tried to save her but she still got injured," she tried to explain to him.

"That is why she is more sleepy as her body is recovering from her injuries," Valette explained and glanced at her daughter. Then she turned to Newt and glanced at his paws again. "Are your paws itchy?," she asked him curiously, as some of the fur was gone from his paw. "Did you get into something you shouldn't?," she asked him slightly scoldingly.

Alas, he feels self-conscious about his legs the moment Valette's attention turns to them. His forelegs twitch under her sniffs, and he wants to recoil away. Yet Newt remains strong, because he trusts Valette more than he does West. Mama comforts, West tackles.

Asking about Leta, however, is important to the greyscale boy. His head tilts to better listen as Valette explains the situation. While he knows the words, he does not quite understand.

Mama should sleep too! Newt will watch siblings. After all, Valette is hurt, too, and if sleep helps than he wants her to rest so she feels better.

Itcky? Newt glances towards his legs. Is that what the feeling is? He gives a nod of his head, but quickly tucks down when his mother starts to scold him. A whine escaping the poor boy. Grass makes them feel itcky.

Valette smiled lovingly at her son when he told her that she should be sleeping as well. She shook her head softly. "I will sleep when your papa is here," she assured him. "Plus, if I would sleep now you would have no one to talk to," she pointed out to him and gave him a kiss.

He was a sweet pup. She could tell. He looked so guilty when she asked him but it wasn't the answer she expected. "Grass?," she asked. They had a lot of grass in Easthollow. Only the forested area had some lack thereof. That wasn't really normal. Valette would talk to a medic if they had one. Perhaps Merrit knew a few things that could help. Valette pushed herself to her feet gently. She only lightly supported herself on her sprained front leg.

"Perhaps you should stay away from grasses for a bit then," she offered to the pup. "Follow me," she spoke and walked slowly on all fours. Slightly limping still. She moved to the other side of the clearing where there was a little creek. Especially in the beginning, it was important for the mother to be close to a water source. "Place your paws in the cold running water. Does that give some relief?"

Newt wants to argue, because if rest is good and makes his mother feel better, than Newt can tolerate not talking to someone for awhile. At least he is somewhat relieved that once Greyback is home, Valette can take a well deserved nap.

When will Papa come back? The greyscale pup asks quietly, trying to decide then if it is worth convincing Valette a short nap won't harm anything. If he understood what happened to Leta, he probably would have been scared enough to not suggest it in the first place though.

"Grass?"

His head nods, wondering if he said the wrong word and got something mixed up. Pa taught him a lot of them, and Ma did too, but sometimes it's a lot and his brain gets overwhelmed with all the new. Fortunately it seems he isn't wrong. He startles when Valette pushes herself up, a pout forming on his lips. If she can't sleep, then she could at least stay laying down!

He'll survive itchy legs, right? Unless West is right...

A look of panic suddenly crosses his face. Newt rushes to his feet, following after his mother quietly as they go to the creek near the den. He complies with her instructions, placing his paws in the water. It feels much better! Although the cold stings at first, the irritated skin no longer feels so... ache-y!

He sighs, and plops himself down on his belly in a shallow area of the stream. Feels good! Mama, put paw in, too? He asks, staring up at her with wide puppy-dog eyes.

He is quiet for a long moment, in thought, when he finally speaks about what's been bothering him; Am I going to lose my legs? He whispers fearfully.

Valette walked with Newt to the stream. She was glad that the cold glacier water helped. It came all the way from Duskfire Glacier it wasn't as icy cold as it was there but it was still refreshing. She smiled at Newt when it seemed to help him. She almost melted at the cuteness of his puppy eyes. "Yes, that is an excellent idea," she offered and went to lie down on the bank with her front paws in the stream. It did feel nice. The mother couldn't help but glance over her shoulder from time to time to watch Leta, West, and Clay.

The female turned to her son when whispered something. "Hmm? What? No, you silly!," she assured him. She offered him a kiss on his cheek. "I think it is just the summer grass that makes your paws itchy. Soon it will be autumn and winter so there won't be much grass," she explained. However, she wasn't really sure what to call this. She hoped that it wouldn't get worse. "The cold water helps, right?"

Newt beams—extremely happy now that Valette is off her bad foot and now resting with him. It gives him a sense of bonding with his mother, although the circumstances are not exactly pleasant. The greyscale pup wags his tail, spraying droplets of water as it goes until the conversation turns serious with his fear of losing his legs.

He pouts, truly concerned he will lose them, or they would turn into birds legs like West said. Valette is shocked by his question, and Newt flattens his ears, lowering himself further into the creek.

Really? He whispers, uncertain. The kiss to the cheek is comforting, and Newt gives a wobbly smile. What are those? What is coming? Autumn? Winter? He tilts his head.

Yeah! He taps his paws in the water, making a tiny splash and giggling at it.

Valette nodded at her son. She was certain that his legs wouldn’t fall off. “I am really sure, Newt. Don’t worry, but it is very important that you don’t bite your paws. Because now there a little wounds, see where it is red? Those can get infected. All big words sorry. But biting paws is bad. You shouldn’t. If itchy then go to the water,” she explained to him. She wanted to say that if he would bite his paws they might fall off but she didn’t want to scare him. Perhaps if he kept biting she would.

”Oh? Well those are the seasons. So now it is summer. You have four seasons. Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer. In that order. Summer is warm and not a lot of rain. Grasses grow high because there is lots of sun. Then comes Autumn. The leaves will fall off the trees and grass will be short. There is more rain and less sun. It will be colder. Then comes Winter. Everything will be covered in snow. It will be extra cold but your fur will grow thicker and you won’t feel it. Only after swimming. Everything will look bleak but then in Spring, snows will vanish and everything will start to bloom, most baby animals will be born and trees get their leaves back. Then summer comes again. After the four seasons you had a full year.” Valette smiled waiting for all the questions.