Stone Circle I'm home!

@Keoni @Nikai @Steady

Valette couldn't believe when she saw the Easthollow borders, finally. The trip had taken way longer than she expected. With the snowstorms that she had to go through on her travels it was difficult to navigate and she had taking the wrong direction several times. Then she just had to stop traveling for going in the wrong direction tired her out even more. The dark female hoped that no one was too worried about her.

Valette let out a howl for his children and Steady. Though also for the others to let them know she was back. As Valette trotted closer she looked more like a snow monster than her dark colored self. Ice clumps were sticking to her fur along with heavy snow on her back. She was clearly tired, as heard in her howl. But she was not going to fall down as soon as she crossed the borders, no. Her stamina was better than that. She shook out her fur, ice around her legs and belly. She could however deal with a warm den. She hadn't felt her toes properly since the mountain pass.

There had been a lot of snow going on. Nikai had asked a couple of times about Valette, but not as much as Keoni probably had. He hadn't been upset though, as he didn't think anything bad would happen to Valette, and he was content falling asleep with Keoni and Steady nearby every night.

Nikai had been asleep when the howl starteld him awake. Ears perked up as he recognised his mother's voice and his tail wagged. "Come on, Keenie, momma's home!" he said excitedly and nosed his sister roughly before making his way outside. He ran towards the direction of the call, going further towards the borders than before, and kept on running until the snow and ice monster with recognisable bits of Valette underneath came into view. Tail whirring, he squealed out an excited "Momma!" and threw herself at her chest, licking her chin while his ears were folded back and happiness apparent on his face.

if you had something else in mind for Keoni feel free to let me know and i'll just edit that bit out :)

Steady had been worried about Valette's absence. It seemed like she should have returned days ago, but still there was no sign of her. With no other leader, Steady was forced to remain with the pack, though that didn't stop him from watching the direction in which she had left. He checked several times a day to see if her scent was upon the borders again, but day by day, it grew more faint. Surely, she would not leave him as the others had. Was his destined to lose every Beta he had? Well, Krypton had return, much later.

He sighed as he laid inside the den, his mood growing sadder as the moments, minutes, and hours passed without Valette. He had been so stupid, so blind, to his feelings for her. That was, up until she had left. Now they were all he could think about. She was all he could think about. What if she didn't return? Another love lost. More pups he was left to raise without a mother. The curse of Easthollow would continue on.

But, there it was. Her beautiful voice that instantly brought the life back into him. He was up and wanting to run towards her, but when he realized Nikai and Keoni might followed, he waited, and then kept a pace so they wouldn't get lost. His tail wagged eagerly, and he whined in anticipation of seeing her. 

Her silhouette came into view and he paused, wondering if for a moment it was a dream. But, no. She was there. He moved forward again, trotting quickly to meet her, a smile upon his maw. She looked tired. And beautiful. He nosed her fur, sucking in her scent as if he couldn't get enough of it. He licked her cheek, his whole body vibrating with happiness that he could finally touch her again. I've missed you so much, he whispered in her ear.

She had carried the mouse for the last few days, had it with her during her vanishing act and still when she returned, exhausted. For a while she had hung around the borders, but sheer exhaustion had her trudge back to the den (with the mouse that was more than a little bedraggled and squishy) she had collapsed beside Nikai and almost immidietly fallen asleep, a paw still curled protectively around the mouse.

her brothers shouts fell upon her exhausted ears, but once the message became clear she was up like a shot, almost forgetting her gift and darting around back to get it. She rushed straight at her mama, an elated cry muffled from the mouse, crashing into her chest alongside Nikai and burying her head in the thick fur of her mother's chest. Eyes gleaming, while body wiggling with the force of her tail wags, thrust the mouse at Valette wordlessly, excitement in her every move, but speechless in her joy.

Melting my heart <3 so sweet

Valette almost had to cry at how she was welcomed by her family. She let out happy whines when the kids came running up to her. They buried themselves into her chest and she couldn't stop letting out whines in excitement and give them loving licks back. Steady licked her cheek and whispered how he missed her, while Keoni offered her the mouse. She looked at Steady briefly with a smile before taking the mouse and eating the squishy thing. It was not fresh but it would do. She was hungry and the thought behind it counted more for the young mother. "That was delicious, Keoni! Thank you," she praised and showered her with licks. Nikai followed soon after with a shower of happy licks from Valette. "Look how big you are! So proud of you both," she grinned at the two.

Valette's tail was going crazy. She ruffled her coat to get most of the snow off, making her less of a snow monster. She turned more to Steady now she greeted the kids. She was pretty sure he understood. The young female buried herself against Steady's chest, much so as the pups had done with her moments before. She took in his scent. Oh how she had missed him. He was so strong and handsome. Perhaps she lingered far longer than necessary but she couldn't help it. "I missed you more," she whispered back to him. After meeting Odette she realized how much she really loved him and how much it didn't bother her what he might have done. They had a wonderful family. Valette just hoped her heat would come soon and they could have many more. Though that thought she kept to herself.

Valette stayed close to Steady, mostly for his body heat too. "So tell me about all your adventures? What did I miss? Did you keep an eye on those Bison, Keoni? Did you two do some sledding?," she asked the kids, starting to walk to the den. She was rather tired and her paws frozen. She wouldn't mind a warm den where she could snuggle against Steady for warmth. She would talk with him later about Odette, she did want to tell him what she had said. She was curious how Steady would react. Valette shifted close to Steady, definitely more open with her affection towards him.

Nikai felt happy that they were reunited again. He'd lost a lot in his young life and although he hadn't consciously experienced a lot of that; he'd never known his real father and Blackfeather Woods and even his real mother were such a blur to him that he was beginning to wonder at times whether he had different parents or if Steady and Valette were his birth parents, confused about reality because he'd been so young. But somehow it did not seem to matter very much what was true and not.

After Steady and Valette had hugged too, Nikai looked at Keoni and nipped at her shoulder in silent gesture as Valette started going towards the den. He followed, tail wagging happily because they were reunited once more.

No doubt Keoni had many stories to tell and so when Valette asked about what they had done, he looked to her first, knowing her adoration for their mother and wanting to grant her the spotlight first.

Valette confessed that she had missed him more, and he shook his head side to side. Not possible, he whisper back, striking his tongue out to kiss her cheek once more. He bumped his shoulder with hers, needing the contact after she had been gone so long. He didn't have the heart to tell her that her journey had been pointless, and Amber was now gone. 

So, instead, he smiled down at the pups as he waited for them to tell their mother of all the exciting things that happened. Nikai seemed to look to Keoni, and therefore so did Steady. She was always so animated, and she had missed Valette greatly.