Stone Circle In Conclusion: I am a terrible pet owner.

Please allow @Easy and @Lavender to post first. Easy can then be skipped.

He'd grown in his time away from the Teekon Wilds. Valiant, though only eight months old, had reached his full height of 84 centimeters at the withers — shorter than Aunt Easy, a good deal taller than Aunt Lav, and comparable in height to his father. What he made up for in height, he lacked in bulk; he was a rangy creature whose paws still seemed almost comically large when compared to his gangly, teenage limbs and runner's physique — but his ancestry told the true tale of his strength. When one looked at his father and grandfather, it was easy to see the powerful creature he could become.

"Are you sure I should call?" he asked, still squished between his two aunts.

"Yes," said Easy. "We're returning you to your father, but you are joining Easthollow. They're family to us, but not quite blood. You'll have to pull your weight rather than coasting on the love we bear you."

"I pull my weight," Valiant scoffed, and earned a kiss on the cheek from his dark-furred aunt for his pluck.

"I know," she said fondly. "Now stop dwadling. Sunny's probably going spare."

With this advice, Valiant stepped out of the warm, maternal fold of his aunts and tipped back his head to howl for @Valette. He'd met her just once, and hardly remembered the interaction — but he associated her closely with Steph, who had become an aunt just as beloved to him just as Easy and Lavender.

Easy shot an exasperated look at Lavender as the boy finally moved forward, squaring his shoulders as if ready to march into battle. She wondered if Sunny had been similar when he was a pup, and then began wondering where Dauntless was and how he might be doing.

"Respectfully, would you please," she insisted, and was gratified to see her nephew manipulate himself into a more humble position.

Lavender moved slower now, weighed down by the grief of losing her Huskarl. It felt as though time had slowed since her mate's unexpected passing in Mid-October, and each day had provided a new, unexpected struggle. Lavender had become isolated and weak, as though she had become a shell of her former self. The decision of Lavender leaving Round Valley had been the concerted decision of her children, Brave and Journey, and Easy. It was evident that Lavender wasn't coping well, and something had to be done about it. 

Today, out of necessity, Lavender masked her pain with a weak smile. Valliant's acceptance into Easthollow was a welcomed distraction, and she focused on securing his place among their ranks. "Yes, disrespectful wolves don't get accepted into packs," Aunt Lav appended quietly, catching Easy's exasperated expression from her peripheral. Valliant adjusted in acknowledgment of the advice of his Aunts, and Lavender breathed a sigh of relief; he was still learning, just as Journey and Brave had. 

Valliant's call died in time, leaving the trio in limbo for now. Feeling suddenly anxious, Lavender slid closer to Easy so that their pelts could brush, and sought comfort from her sister. The anticipation she felt was strange, something she hadn't experienced in quite some time, and though it was uncomfortable, she welcomed it.

Valette trotted towards the border when she heard the howl. There were lots of wolves on the borders lately. She noticed they had a high influx of newcomers while at the start of winter no newcomers were there, it was just their family. Valette approached the group. She was rather surprised at first since she saw a whole group she didn't know they had enough spots to feed them all. Then she noticed it was Easy and friends. Well, then she had to probably make an exception to them all.

Valette looked at the young male and then two the two females. "Hello," she greeted. They all scented differently so Valette was curious what brought them here. "As you probably know, I'm Valette. You called for my presence," she commented, then pausing for them to tell her why they were here.

When he caught sight of a dark figure approching from within the territory, Valiant had to hold his breath to try and control the sudden leaping of his heart. It felt as though it was trying to jump right out of his throat, and then it abruptly shriveled up and died when he saw that it was not Steph, but Valette on her way to the scene.

By the time she reached them, however, he'd decided that he was excited to see Valette again as well. "Hi, Aunt Val. It's me, mini-Val!" Only, he was not so mini anymore.

"Valiant," Easy pressed from behind him, and he splayed his ears and gave a hopeful wag of his tail.

"I'm Valiant, and I would like to join Easthollow. I promise to work hard and to pull my weight and to be respectful," he recited, looking mighty proud of himself for remembering all the things wolves had to do to be good pack members. Most of the time, he did them without thinking about it —  Aunt Easy said that he should learn to keep these things on his conscience. "And my dad is here —  is my dad here? —  and I'm probably going to get as big as him, Aunt Easy says, so I'll be a bruiser. For Team Easthollow!"

Behind him, Easy shot Lavender another exasperated look. She came forward, but remained a little behind her nephew.

"Lavender and I are just delivering him," she shared. "I have obligations elsewhere, and I'm still keeping an eye out for Steph." Her orange eyes were combing carefully over Valette's somewhat thin and bedraggled form. She didn't look quite well, and it worried her greatly. "I can come back and help with the hunting, if that makes it easier to take on another youth."

Valette arrived, looking much scrawnier than Lavender had remembered; her anxiety increased tenfold, as she braced herself for an unfavorable outcome. How was Easthollow to accept Valiant, a growing boy, when it appeared as though there wasn't enough food to go around? Lavender nervously drew her tongue around her lips, allowing the others to converse while she fretted about the fate of her nephew in the background. 

"And I wish to stick with Easy," Lavender admitted, stepping forward to stay at her sister's side. "But, I will help as needed, too, if it means that Valient has a home with his father." She offered, hoping that her offer sufficed.

Valette turned to look at Valiant. He seemed like a smart young fellow. By the looks of it he had been practicing to say the right words. Valette had always been a sucker for young ones, especially ones that tried their hardest. The Matriarch gave a firm nod at the young male to confirm to him that she heard what he had said. It seemed only Valiant was eager to join their ranks to bond with his father. Did they know?

"I see, so it would only be Valiant that would be joining Easthollow then," she spoke with a nod. "Valiant, you must know that your father Sunny got into some trouble and has forgotten everything about his life. We hope that him being here that he might remember his past but, we don't know if he will improve," she explained to him, kindly. She didn't want the blow to be too hard.

Valette knew she wasn't in the best shape but that was mostly because she had been feeding her own kids before herself. She had been certain that once she would start their regular hunts again she would flesh out once more. "Your aunt Dawn, lives here as well. Plus Minnow joined our ranks too. They seem to pull their weight so I believe your words about pulling your weight," she spoke to him. She then looked from Easy to Lavender. "Don't worry we will take care of him," she assured the two females. "Prey is returning and we have several hunters by trade," she added.

She then turned to Valiant. "You are welcome to join our ranks."

Valiant waited eagerly for Valette to accept him into the ranks; he'd had no real doubt that she would. She was supposed to be family, after all, and after all his family had gone through to keep him with wolves who would take care of him, he was programed to believe that they would always be there and do right for you. Why should Valette be any different?

But the first thing she said was that his father wouldn't remember him. The shock of it froze him there in the snow for a moment, so that he could only sit and stare dumbly as she went on to say that the rest of the family was there as well, and that he was welcome to join the pack. He wasn't so sure about that now, however, and he looked back at Easy and Lavender to see what they thought about that only to see that he wasn't the only one shocked by this revelation.

He looked back at Valette with his tail dipping almost between his legs. "Thank you," he said, sounding a bit dizzy and rote. He thought about turning tail and running back to his aunts and asking them to take him with them -- but Dawn and Minnow were here. That had to count for something.

"Lavender and I will be just across the valley," Easy encouraged, jabbing her nose against the base of his tail to get him going. "Your sister is here, as is mine. You'll be with good wolves."

He wanted to ask why he couldn't go home with them, but thinking about Aunt Dawn and the warm feeling he always got around her finally spurred him into motion.

"Thank you," he said again to Valette. "Please -- don't tell him I'm here. I want to talk to Aunt Dawn and see what she says about how to... how to introduce myself."

As Valette voiced her decision, Lavender breathed a sigh of relief—Valiant had a home! "Your hospitality is very appreciated," Lavender remarked with a bow, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders. She had one less thing to stress about; her nephew would be safe and sound in Easthollow's ranks. 

As Easy nudged Valiant forward, Lavender lingered behind. "Yes, you got this, kiddo," she encouraged, loud enough for those nearest to her to hear it. Lavender remained in place as Easy nudged  Valiant forward, and instantaneously, she realized at that moment that there was not much more for them to do. They had accomplished what they had set out to do, and all that was left was for Valette to whisk Valiant away. 

Even with this happy ending, Lavender had caught Valiant's remark about Sunny—a sentiment that evoked a frown upon her lips. Although Lavender didn't entirely agree with withholding information from Sunny, she had to allow Valiant to make his own decisions. 

For now, Lavender remained silent—she couldn't help but wonder what the other's would make of his request.

Valette dipped her head. "You are welcome," she spoke. She had taking in quite a lot of Sunny's family. They were basically family to her. Valette wouldn't mind taking another youngster under her wing. The female then nodded to Valiant. "I will leave it up to you who you talk to and who you don't then," she spoke. She figured Dawn would be happy to see another of her family join their ranks. Plus, some of his siblings would be here as well.

"Well then, why don't I give you a tour?,' she offered to Valiant. Then at least he would have some sense of the lands.

- fade end here since it is old-