Stone Circle the scientist

AW but definitely hoping for an appearance from @Rickon :D

They were looking everywhere for the lost puppies. October had begun her search alongside Scimitar, but had separated from him for the time being in order to cover more ground. She crossed through many unfamiliar lands in her quest and scarcely stopped to eat or rest. The anxious pounding of her heart within her ears fueled the urge that kept her trekking on.
 
The autumn day was nearing its end when October’s travels brought her large boulders that stood like sentinels in the distance. Their strange presence was accompanied by the strong scent of pack wolves, and she dared not venture any closer to the distant stones.  Instead, she thrust her muzzle towards the darkening sky and howled in hopes that someone there might have information pertaining to the whereabouts of Lucy and Rannoch.
 
As her voice echoed across the plains, October shifted restlessly where she stood, ears and tail drooping submissively as she waited to be met.

Rickon heard the call from his hole-in-the-ground "den"; not quite asleep but he surely thought he was dreaming at the prospect of recognizing that strained and sorrowful voice. The dusky Alucard was on his feet in an instant, just to check, needing to see if it was her. Either way, he figured he'd get brownie points for intercepting a caller at the Hollow's borders.

But when he arrived, tongue lolling and eyes excited, he was not disappointed to find October there, fidgeting impatiently for an emissary. "October!" he burst, clearing the distance between them in a sure-footed speed he lacked when hunting. "October, hey—" he stopped before her, remembering the tone of her howl, and her harbored expression now. His smile fell, and he sniffed briefly for blood, but found none. "What's wrong?" His voice had lowered to a soft and intense timbre— demanding, and yet conscious of her current state.

eeeee!

To say she was surprised to see him barreling towards her was an understatement. Her troubled expression melted away somewhat when she recognized the dark male. She was confused to see him there because the last time they had met, he hadn’t smelt of a pack. “Rickon!” she called as his familiar voice reached her, formalities forgotten for a moment as she dashed forward to meet him.
 
Her heart flooded with warmth; being in a strange place, she was so relieved to have found someone she knew. She touched her leathery nose to his cheek, an anxious whine filling the space between them. Pulling away, she peered up to meet his olive gaze. “There are children missing from Neverwinter Forest,” she told him solemnly.

His frown deepened as she revealed her reason for coming to this side of the Sunspires. They were obviously old enough to get away, but young enough to merit a lot of panic. Almost anything could be dangerous to an inexperienced wolf under their first year, and judging by her disheveled appearance and the apparent fact she hadn't slept in quite some time, the accused missing were most certainly under that age. He hadn't seen any pups, recently, but he was loathe to admit such a disheartening thing out loud. As much as he wanted to say "hey, we found some lost pups just this morning!" he knew it just wasn't true.

Rickon gave October's cheek a reassuring lick. "What do they look like?" he asked, instead of asking something like how long they had been gone, as that might remind her if too much time had passed to still be that hopeful. "You know I'll help you, October. You don't have to be by yourself, out there searchin'."

His words of reassurance helped her relax somewhat; she slouched a bit before him, allowing his familiarity and kindness to soothe her anxiety somewhat. “Lucy’s small and has black fur. Rannoch is bit bigger with a grey and white coat. They’re both between three and four months old.” Although they weren’t babies, they were still nowhere nearly old enough to be venturing away from home unsupervised. The idea that they’d been taken had crossed October’s mind, but she was quick to try to shove it away. She wanted to remain hopeful.
 
She offered him a soft, halfhearted smile as his tongue swept supportively across her cheek. “Thank you,” she murmured softly. Rickon was a gentleman and it was no surprise to the pale woman that he would offer himself to the cause. “I couldn’t ask you to do that, though.” October felt badly about taking him away from his pack – a pack she hadn’t known existed until that moment. “Will you ask your pack mates to be on the lookout, just in case they come this way?”

"You don't have to ask, I'm offerin'," he reminded her, smiling slightly. "I'm gonna do both. I'll call Steady— my alpha, and his beta, Valette— and tell 'em what's goin' on. I'll also ask to go with you, if that makes ya feel any better... but even if they say no, I can't guarantee I won't hop along anyway." He couldn't see a reason why they wouldn't let him help her, especially considering that it was for the good of some very young wolves, and the fact that they had plenty able bodies within the Hollow to not miss him much while he was gone. Without waiting for her to agree, he tossed his head back and called for the presence of @Steady and/or @Valette.

Valette's ears perked up when she heard a howl, she happened to be close so the female trotted to the borders from where the howl came from. She recognized it as Rickon's howl already. She had been very keen on knowing her pack mate's voices so she could know what to expect.

When she arrived she noticed a pale female at their borders. The darker female approached with a friendly statue but an assertive one. Her tail was up and her muzzle raised, indicating that she was of higher rank. Perhaps the female knew this already because she had been summoned. "Do you need my help?," she asked Rickon and dipped her head towards the female. "I'm Valette," she greeted.

She didn’t voice it, but she looked at him with a quiet gratitude that spoke volumes. Rickon was a good man and was easily one of the most important individuals she’d met in the Wilds since arriving. When her friend’s howl pierced the quiet autumn air, it didn’t take long for one of the leaders he’d mentioned to show up. The woman’s dominant stance prompted October to sulk closer to the ground, her ears pressed back against her head while her tail moved to tuck between her hind legs.
 
Valette addressed her subordinate first before introducing herself. “I’m October, from Neverwinter Forest,” she replied softly. Her gaze danced sideways towards Rickon, anticipating him to explain the situation to the silvery Beta.

"October said her pack's had a couple young pups go missin'," he explained after his friend had introduced herself to his leader. Under more normal circumstances he would've liked for the three of them to slack off and have some sort of vibrant fun, but with the sweet, pale Forester looming with an intense amount of distress at his side, there seemed to be no room for trivial play in the least. He leaned slightly against her, encouraging her bravery as he continued. "They're only a few months old— Rannoch is grey, white... an' a little bit bigger than Lucy, who's black. They would like us to keep an eye out for 'em if they come 'round these parts."

Rickon was so wired that he forgot to properly greet or bow to his beta, but she didn't seem to notice. Maybe Philos had been right, and submitting all the time wasn't a necessary thing around already familiar packmates. "I... well, uh, you know me, Val. I'd really like to get out there an' help m'friend here check around for the little guys. 'Course, only if y'all could spare me for a few days, that is. I won't go if you need me here."

Valette was sorry for the female and her pack that they lost their children. It seemed it was a common thing. Marauder's Keep had a lost pup and well, they had their own scattering of pups but that was because an event. "Of course we will keep an eye out, though, where is your pack located?" Valette knew that only on other pack was in this valley, so this female should live somewhere else then. Maybe a new pack in the Taiga? Or maybe on the other side of the mountains. She made the conclusion that it had to be the mountains. "Do you really think pups would cross these mountains?," she asked.

Valette was a bit surprised by his question. She felt that she was not entitled to have him ask permission from her, but then she realized she was entitled. She was his Beta. "Well. We could use your help to. But who am I to keep you here if the life of pups are in the balance," she spoke. "It is alright, but I'd like you to stay in this region so you care close by if there is a family matter you need to attend."

“We live west of here, past the mountains,” she informed the woman easily. The next question Valette posed struck her as somewhat odd; there were ways to maneuver around the mountains that didn’t necessarily mean having to cross them. October, for instance, had trekked around them instead of hiking over. “We really don’t know how or why they’ve gone missing. They could be anywhere.” If someone had kidnapped the youngsters, there was no telling how far away they may have been dragged. A feeling of disgust and terror rippled through October at the thought. She shuddered.
 
Rickon’s presence beside her was one she drew great comfort and strength from. She leaned against him somewhat, grateful beyond words for his selflessness. Bright pumpkin eyes rested fondly upon his dark features as October offered him a smile before looking back towards the Beta. “Thank you,” she told the greyscale female softly.

Though at first Rickon didn't understand Valette's limitation, he remembered the circumstances under which they had met, and knew instantly that he didn't want to put her through the same thing she had just recently gone through with her missing friend. "I'll only be a howl away, Val— I promise," he told her, meeting her eye and giving a solid nod to reassure her. "Thank you," he added quickly, and though he was loathe to peel away from October, he darted forward and ducked his tall head to place a carefully appreciative lick upon Valette's chin. "See ya soon," he murmured to her, turning on his heel to begin leading October away from the Hollow.

"C'mon. We'll search around the base of the mountains. If they did find a way through, we'll find out where." Nudging her pale shoulder, the two began a slow trot westward, side by side.

i'll start us a new thread, katie :)

I will archive! :)

Valette nodded and let them go. Hopefully Rickon would return quickly. Valette went to @Steady to tell him about Rickon and the story of the missing pups. Just so he was informed well about that was happening with their newest member and why he was away for a few days. Valette thought she made a good decision. If they had lost pups they would want others to look out for them. Though, in their case Broken Antler was now their enemy. Frankly Valette was curious about them, and about Odette. But that was something for later.

- end-