Morningside Cuesta I watch the bees.

@Grayday  i didnt decide this up until now, but i wish for sunny to be in Easthollow.i am going to be messaging Valette and Steady of this soon, but for now im going to send sunny for a visit.@Dawn if you wanna come in too!

Ever since the talk with his father about leaving Easthollow and starting anew, Sunny felt the desire to go back to where he was born. He missed Uncle steady,Aunt Valette, And his two friends Nikai and Keoni. He had only also realized that the adventure his father had told him and Dawn was the adventure of leaving Eashollow, or at least thats how sunny thought of it.


He wanted to go home to where he felt comfortable, to where he had alot of people he knew. Kieran Adrien seemed nice but everyone else he hadnt really talked to or met much. His heart beating nervously he called for his father, trying to make his howl sound strong and mature. He wanted easthollow, he had made his choice. 


Thinking on it while he waited for grayday to arrive, he wondered if Steady and Valette would accept him back or if they would be mad about him leaving.

Grayday was heading toward the eastern end of the territory, where he hoped he might pick of the scent of burrows. He knew they'd scented them on the way into the cuesta, but he wasn't familiar with their habits, and didn't know if they were here to stay or simply passing through. With any luck, they would be as common as the bison had been at Easthollow, and they'd have a large prey animal to hunt that they wouldn't have to travel far to find.

His ears flickered when Sunny's howl rose up, calling for him, but by the sound of his voice, Grayday decided he wasn't in danger, and simply tipped his head back to answer the call - I'm over here. A moment later, he was back on the trail, knowing that his son would find him soon enough, if he felt the need to talk. Maybe he'd even teach the boy a thing or two about tracking.

Sunny stood up at the response and sighed as he began to follow he sound. Once his father was in sight Sunny chuffed and sat down, looking at his father expectantly. "Dad...I..." he felt his nerve waver but once again began to think of Easthollow.  He stood and moved closer to his father lookimg at him with scared eyes "I wanna go home. I miss Easthollow, I kiss Keoni and Nikai. I miss Uncle Steady and Aunt Valette. I dont feel the same here, and Im going back" he stated stubbornly, though he desperately and fooishly hoped that Grayday would understand. 


He knew he had said he would go anywhere Dawn and his father went, but now he knew he couldnt do it. He couldn't stay here while his heart yearned to be elsewhere.

Though he contined on his path, Sunny caught up soon enough. Day half-turned toward the boy, about to impart some instruction on the fine art he believed they were now jointly pursuing - only to stop short when he saw that the boy had sat down, and appeared to have something heavy on his mind.

With a soft sigh, Day abandoned the hunt. No matter how busy he was, he'd learned that he should always make time for his children. Padding back toward the smaller wolf, he sat down and cupped his ears forward to show that Sunny had his undivided attention. He listened well, but misunderstood a bit of the boy's intentions.

"I've been thinking that would be a good idea," he said agreeably. "I miss 'em, too, and I'm sure Addie wants to see her own papa. I've talked to them about visiting, too, and I was plannin' to leave in a few days, once we make sure there'll be enough food to go around."

At his father's misunderstanding of his words, Sunny felt his ears lower and his shoulders droop. He gave a soft sigh and shook his head "no dad. I mean Im going home. Im going back to Easthollow, Im returning to their ranks."  he stated it several different ways avoiding eye contact.

He flicked his ears and took in a breath "I remember the way. I can find my way. It wasnt fair to take me away without tellin me we were sayin goodbye. I thought it was an adventure but nothing more, like you said." he stated how he felt honestly.

His heart plummeted into his stomach as the true meaning of Sunny's words finally broke through his thick skull. You've got to be kidding me, he thought to himself, flashes of frustration, guilt, and anger washing over him during certain parts of Sunny's explanation. Part of what he said was true - perhaps Grayday should have been a little more transparent with them. But he hadn't known himself that they'd be leaving Easthollow's ranks when they left, and even now, he did not intend to keep Sunny and Dawn from the wolves they'd once called family.

"I have wronged you, and I'm sorry," he said as gently as he could, "but we're not going to stay at Easthollow. I'll take you all back to visit, and I always meant to, but you're not yet old enough to decide what's best for you."

The statement brought back painful thoughts he'd been trying to stay away from. While Sunny and Dawn were still pups, Adeline was not - he'd known that this visit could take her away from him, but Sunny? No. Sunny was his, his flesh and blood.

"We can leave tomorrow, if you really want. I'm sure Sylvas and the others will be fine without us for a couple of days."

Sunny felt his tail sag as his father apologized for what he did, and Sunny nodded as a response. When Grayday spoke about him not being old enough to decide things for himself sunny took in a sharp breath. Just like kieran Adrien he was sick of being treated like a pup, despite the fact that he is one. He could handle alot more than everyone thought, bit he was still treated like a mindless baby. How come Dawn got treated older?



Speaking of Dawn he hadnt seen her in a while, and that worried him. How had he not noticed that she had left, was there that much distance betwen them already? "No im going. This isnt my home, I want to be somewhere where I can not worry bout what you or Dawn think of me. Where is Dawn by the way?"  he stated as firmly as a youth could without sounding petulent.

"I'm proud of you," he said firmly, taking a step toward the young boy. His heart ached to hear how badly he'd failed his son, and looking back, he began to see all the times he could have done things differently.

"Have I hurt you so badly that you need to run away?" he asked softly, eare drooping. "That you would rather be with your aunt and uncle than me?" Clearly, this was the case. "I'm trying to do better, my boy, but your old dad is an idiot. I'm sorry I've made you think I feel anything but pride for who you are and who you are becoming, but I can't let you just run off to live at Easthollow."

Aside from the awful idea of his son being so far away, he didn't want to burden Steady and Valette - who should soon be raising pups of their own - with a son that he was meant to be raising. "We'll visit, okay? Every week, if you want to. But you're my son, and my responsibility."

He did not answer the question about Dawn, believing Sunny was merely asking in order to say goodbye to her as well. Grayday had, of course, noticed she was sometimes mysteriously absent,  but she always turned back up before he got too worried. He expected these things of his children, as they were growing older each day, but going off to live in Easthollow for good was quite different from exploring the surrounding territories for a few days at a time.

The fact that his father wouldn't let him go was only proof to Sunny's young mind that he would never be treated like an Adult. He felt pressured to be someone extraordinary since his father was the alpha, and it was scary to him. Instead of  saying that however he still wished to leave, to be somewhere free of any ties while still having people he cared about.

"You haven't hurt me. not really. I just ache for Easthollow. If you had been seperated from Adeline against your will, and you ached for her and wanted to go back to her but someone or something was keeping you away from where you yearned to be how would you feel?"  he asked showing in yet another away that he was much wiser than his age decreed.


"I understand it wasnt against my will, but if i had understood I dont know if I would have went willingly. I love you and Dawn, but please daddy dont make me stay here. Someday I will come back to see you, I'll ask Auntie Valette if I can visit routinely. Just dont make be be somewhere I dont feel comfortable"  he begged openly, willing his father to understand.

Like with Adeline, he wanted more than anything to give in at once, and grant Sunny the instant gratification he desired. After all, he wanted Sunny to be happy, didn't he? But Grayday couldn't bring himself to grant his son this wish. It was too far, too much, too soon. In a few months, he'd see if something had changed, but for now, it was out of the question. The boy was even younger than Grayday had been when he first left home, and the time without his mother and father, sisters and brothers had left scars on his heart that still ached to this day.

"Not yet," he said gently, standing firm in his decision. "In a few months, I might have a different answer for you. When you reach seven months - the age I was when I left home - I won't make you stay any longer. But five months is too young. You've not yet learned to hunt for yourself, and until you do, you can't just go to another pack. I am your father, and although Steady and Valette love you, it is not their responsibility to provide for you."

His ears still laid back in displeasure - not at Sunny's behavior, but at the pain he was clearly experiencing. "Perhaps if you become an adept hunter before you reach seven months, I'll rethink my answer sooner," he allowed, willing to compromise at least a little bit, since Sunny seemed to feel so strongly about the topic. If it had been Dawn, he might've stood more firmly, but he trusted his son to speak only what was truly on his heart, and not simply his current whimsy. Sunny was more mature than Dawn, in this respect, but still not yet mature enough to leave his father's side - at least in Grayday's opinion.

"i have hunted for myself. Me and Kieran Adrien hunted a rabbit together. I have caught myself many mice after that first one back by the berry bushes."  He could see he wasnt going to get anywhere by pleading with his father. He wasnt seen as anything productive, His father hadn't been around to see his hunting. It seemed the fact that him and Kieran had hunted together like a team meant nothinf either. Sunny sighed in an aggravated manner, was all that mattered the fact that he was five months old?


It was time to put his paw down and decide himself what was best. He was going to Easthollow and if he had to sneak away he would. Maybe he would bolt away and hide until he could sneak away. Dramatic yes, but maybe that was how it had to be. He would assert himself like Dawn always knew how to do, something he admired greatly. "I am going. If i have to leave now thats how it will be" he stated and turned tail and fled. Due to his small size he was able to crash through several bushes and slip beneath several low branches that would make it harder for grayday to follow him. He saw a shallow stream up ahead and splashed through it getting his fur soaked.


Running despite the ache in his lungs he spotted a hole in a hill, and went into it. The scent of Fox and some other odd scent was disgusting but he could tell nothing was there. He tucked himself away inside the hole and prayed his father wouldnt find him.

The day had finally come. Sunny had realized that Grayday had no real authority over him. He'd never purposefuly injure one of his children, and aside from using force, how else could he keep his son by his side? Different options and scenarios whirled through the father's mind, but he remained rooted to the ground as Sunny spoke and then fled just as quickly. It was clear to him that there would be no happy ending, here  - at least not for Grayday. But even if he couldn't stop his son, he would never let him go alone. Filed with fear and love, the male bounded after his young son, opting to take a shortcut around the bushes he'd fled into. Though there was a greater chance of him losing the trail that way, it was faster than trying to follow him through them. Besides, he knew the way to Easthollow - he'd surely catch up without trouble.

The shoutcut took him over clusters and crags of sun-warmed rocks. It was risky to be leaping across them with his poor eyesight, but Grayday didn't care for his own safety on this day. He kept going even when he felt a strange and sudden pressure in his left flank, and heard the telltale rattle of danger. His heart thumped unevenly for a moment, but in the absence of pain, he thunder onward, intent on reaching his son and... doing something. But he'd only travelled a few more seconds before hot pain began to throb on his flank, and moments later, it seemed to spread and burn through his very veins. Rattlesnake, he thought desperately, slowing slightly to look back at the wound. The only thing visible through his fur was a small dribble of blood - nothing else to hint at the severity of this ailment. He'd seen wolves die of snake bites, of course, but he'd also seen them live through it. As he came to a stop, he tried to think of what to do, panting in pain and exertion. When he stopped moving, the pain seemed to grow more intense, so he tried to keep on going - but his legs were not cooperating, his body was cramping, his heart -

"Sunny!" he shouted, sinking to the ground on shaking legs. "Sunny, come back here!"