Stone Circle There's something serious beginning

She had made very good time back to Easthollow, but there was no pausing, no resting. This trip was as fast as she could haul herself across the landscape before she headed back home again. Okay, she did pause, but she paused at the borders, panting for a moment or two as she caught her breath, collected herself, and generally just made her appearance here seem less rushed.

Arbiter did have questions -- well, basically just one, but she felt it was one that would lead into others potentially. Would it even be worth it in the end? Maybe. Maybe not. She assumed not, but then again Arbiter was always the sort to assume not until she was pleasantly surprised otherwise. It kept expectations in check. Hell, it had been long enough that she wasn't even sure who would answer -- Valette might have a new set of pups or something, though her scent did appear to be at the borders. So maybe not too different.

It was only once she was sure she looked as if she could have just had a mild walk over from the creek that she raised her head and howled.

Valette had been doing her round of border patrol, she was always procrastinating it since she didn't really like it. The female knew she wanted her scent on the border but just the tedious job of peeing everywhere or rubbing herself against objects just felt boring. Luckily a howl saved her, and one she knew too!

The female sped to the border and then trotted over to Arbiter. "Hello, Arbiter! Good to see you. All settled in?," she asked curious. The last time she had seen the female after all, they were moving away into a new territory. She hoped they settled well in their new pack, if that was the reason the female came here.

And Valette was the one to appear. Good. Hopefully she would be the heart of the pack's knowledge, as she did seem to be a responsible leader.Arbiter nodded, As much as can be -- we did decide to stay at the Bypass. Which was all she could find of the positives. They had a home. A home that maybe needed two more people to actually be complete, but the two she wanted already had names.

Arbiter's world had felt as though it had shifted to be primarily negative as of late. It had worn at her, but it only seemed to strengthen her resolve. So something had to come crashing down yet again. She continued, speaking with the cool and collected despite the subject matter, But that wasn't the sole reason for my journey. I was wondering if Terance and one of our children, Pike, had come this way a few weeks ago. They went out hunting, didn't return. She had waited. And now she didn't know how much longer she would wait, could wait. She either needed them back or she needed to move on.

Valette dipped her head, good to know that they settled on the bypass. It had been a long time since she had been there, but if Arbiter felt that it was a good home Valette was certain that it was. 'I'm glad for you and your family," she added then. However, that was not the news the other would bring her. It was far graver news. The female frowned in worry and shook her head.

'I've not heard of anyone mentioning Terrance, and I did most of the border duties recently," she commented, since Greyback had been traveling or feeling old. The female licked her lips. "That is worrisome news. Did you know in which territory they were going to hunt? Perhaps I can send some scouts to help look for Terance and Pike?," she offered.

So it seemed no news here either. It had been a stretch, but one she felt obligated to check up on. She hadn't expected a positive answer. Things would continue to not work her way. So it was fated.. Or something.

She shook her head, They were following the herds. It should have been a multi day trip to start, so by the time they were overdue, they could have been anywhere. I didn't find sign of them. It's been.. A month now? And that was the only place where she seemed to sound worn about it. I have waited and searched. I appreciate the thought, but I just need to know if there's really no sign. And what that likely implied. To be alone again. That there was nothing more she could reasonably do.

Valette felt for Arbiter. She knew how it felt when a mate went missing. It was a terrible feeling. Valette slowly shook her head. "We have not heard or seen them," she hated to tell the other. It would mean more bad news for the other female. "A month? That is long," she sighed and looked with compassion at Arbiter.

"I'm sorry, if there is anything we can do for you you can let me know," Valette offered. Arbiter was still an ally to them after all. She hoped that she could help with something at least, though she doubted that Arbiter would have anything. "We will keep our eyes and ears open to them."

That was the news she expected. The two were just gone, period. Hopefully together somewhere, alive, but that was more a hope and less of a certainty. Mm, was her wordless affirmation. It had been a long time. And Arbiter wasn't looking forward to it continuing, but near as she could tell, it would.

I don't know what you would be able to do other than that. A pause, then the faint hint of a wry smile, Or at least the only thing I'd actually ask someone to do. At least not someone who operated on more normal wavelengths. There were things she might ask someone with a similar background, but... Not Valette. Arbiter would probably get seen as a bit too... Detatched? Something like that. If anything changes on my end, I'll let you know. -- Anything we could help you with while some of my members scout?

Valette studied Arbiter, she didn't seem too distraught at the fact that her child and mate were gone. That was curious since she had been a wreck with each of her mate or child that went missing. Perhaps she was more emotional than Arbiter or the other female had already processed her loss. Valette lightly frowned at her words since, well, there was little that she could do. Arbiter was right about that. She disliked that idea that she couldn't help. "Now you got me curious," she admitted.

Valette licked her maw. Was there something Arbiter could help? Newt was still missing but he had been gone for awhile too and she felt that she couldn't ask such things of her. They had moved during the famine which meant they had more food and were able to survive. Then again it wouldn't hurt that they would ask around right? "My son Newt is missing. He has various grey tones, and green eyes like mine," she returned with a dip of her head. "It wouldn't hurt if you could ask around, then again, just like you I don't expect much since he left with only a howl as goodbye."

Because the way the loss had gone for Arbiter was worry that then passed into anger and that was where it still stewed -- she saw it more as likely a conscious choice of Terance's than anything else. But it spawned dark humor, I'm sure you'd think less of me, if you knew all my tactics,  Her voice was ever so slightly sharper when she continued, the spite burning through a little, I just want to make something out of this awful year. And at a certain point she stopped caring to the methods as long as she got what she wanted in the end. Caring hadn't worked out too well.

But then she shook her head, tempering that. Exhale. I'll pass his description along to my scouts -- as far as I know he hasn't been by. It's been fairly quiet up north. Not always a good thing. At least he'd said something.

Valette shot her a brief glance when her tone sharpened. The female decided not to push it. Perhaps she didn't want to know. She did dip her head in understanding when the other spoke about wanting this year to be over. "I can imagine," she admitted. "When a mate or children go missing-- it is just terrible," she sighed with a soft nod.

"I didn't think that he would go that direction but just in case," she spoke. "But thank you for at least looking for him," she sighted and then quirked up her lips into a smile. "Yeah, If it is too quiet it is always strange. So not a lot of luck with new recruits coming your way?"

She uttered a single note of affirmation, a dip of her head. It wasn't happy. But she'd spoken the truth. It would have been better if Arbiter had stuck to her original plan -- don't get attached. Too late to go back and change that. That was the ongoing issue she kept having, so much that she would have changed. I hope you'll have better luck. 

Arbiter gave a bit of a shrug, A few old faces that returned, a few new. But not as many as I wanted. Those that came with us from the creek for the most part stayed. It isn't quite what I was dreaming yet. Hopefully soon. She shrugged. That was the most she could ask for, was it not? She had to think then if there was more for her to say or if she should bid her farewells. Arbiter probably wasn't the greatest conversationalist right now either -- the world was very doom and gloom. Hopefully close.

Valette slowly nodded. She could understand that if there weren't many loners that were searching for a pack Arbiter couldn't to really grown and expand. "If there are wolves at our borders, I can send them your way if that helps you," she offered. They were having more than enough members and if she was going to have pups with Greyback this year the pack would be pretty full.

"I hope so as well," she returned to the stoic female. "Will you be needing a rest or a meal?," Valette inquired. She was not sure how much the female had traveled already and how far her new pack lands were from theirs. So she wanted to make sure to offer their ally some help if she needed it.

A brief pause. I wouldn't want to take all the ones walking your way, but if a rough and tumble sort comes by, I wouldn't mind. A slight shrug there. She also didn't like taking from other packs either... The idea was to grow not accidentally kill a pack, after all -- you know, a detail Rannoch seemed to have forgotten, but that was old news.

Had it been any other time, perhaps she would have taken Valette up on the offer -- right now, though Arbiter just wanted to get it all over with. She shook her head, Thank you, but no. I think... I think I have one more stop I'll need to make. I don't want to be gone longer than I have to. Too many scouts. And not enough she trusted to protect all the yearlings -- none of which had taken a particular liking to fighting, making her position that much more important.

To her, Easthollow was a place that if Terance had been by, it would have likely provided some actual information. All that was left was to go find where Ibis was -- she suspected if she'd seen him, they'd find some way to be useless. Look, she didn't have high hopes, but it was her next stop, whether she liekd it or not.

Valette nodded, she would do that. If there was anyone that wouldn't fit or perhaps was looking for something different than their family lifestyle then she would send them in their direction. That was the least she could do, at least that was what she felt like. Valette nodded once more then the other spoke. "Alright, if you need a place to rest on your way back or we are on your path again then feel free to rest along our borders," Valette spoke. She would let her pack know that she promised that to Arbiter.

"Then I wish you safe travels," she wished then and offered a kind smile to the other. She didn't expect one back from the female but it was just in Valette's nature. In that they were probably complete opposites, but Valette was glad that they could get along.

Arbiter didn't care if someone was different or not as long as they were reasonable -- reasonable meant smart enough to see logic, willing to do their job. Valette had lead Easthollow as long as Arbiter had known her existence, so she had to be doing something right. Treat allies right, burn enemies -- simple. The real question was what to do with certain others -- namely Terance -- if they ever returned. Best not to think of it now. And if you or any of yours head our way, I'll offer refuge as well. She bowed her head a moment.

Thank you. May things continue to be well here, for you and all of yours. And that would likely conclude their meeting. Another dip of her head in farewell, and assuming that she wasn't stopped, that was when Arbiter would head off. Slowly at first, but once she looked over her shoulder and saw none watching, she'd sprint off towards the horizon.