Stone Circle Hufflepuffs are particularly good finders

Please allow @Dawn to post first! All other tags are for reference only.

After finding out about the dangerous shewolf that'd been visiting their borders, Grayday had quickly warned @Khoe and @Sylvas Streiter to keep the pack together and remain on their toes. Then, without much more delay, he'd set out with his daughter to visit Easthollow, where the rest of his family lived. He hoped they were far enough that there wouldn't be any trouble, but they were close enough that he still worried.

"I feel bad for saying it - but I hope she's only interested in the Bypass wolves," Day said to Dawn as they approached the borders. He tipped back his head and howled for anyone nearby, feeling that the words he had to speak didn't need to be imparted directly to Valette. Someone else could tell her, if she didn't feel like speaking to him. Perhaps it was not yet time.

But he hoped to see his son, if at all possible, and wondered how Krypton and Bud were doing.

Their last visit here had not been well received, and Dawn feared too that this one too would not be. But they came with important news, not to chastise Sunny in the wake of trauma, so it might just be different. Keeping steady pace alongside her father, which was much easier now that she neared his height, she nodded at his question. "I think you're right, Da; when I met her, she only asked about the Bypass, not Morningside. Besides; I haven't seen or scented her for ages - but the sooner she's gone, the better." she said to his comment, not at all feeling bad about the fact that she too hoped the lunatic was interested only in the Bypass. She valued her own people over others.

she stilled beside Grayday as he tilted his muzzle back and called for any and all Easthollowers, and in the back of her mind she wondered if Sunny would turn up, or stay away. She knew she wasn't done being angry at him, not yet. but she wouldn't make the mistake of yelling at him again; he was too thick for that.

ooc: ooh this looks interesting

krypton had felt strange the past few days, perhaps because she was still in sheer shock that steady was gone forever. It felt like the pack was beginning to crumble as members came and left as they pleased, three of which she felt hurt about. Grayday and his children, krypton loved the kids dearly while her friendship with Day was platonic and nice. But ever since he left, she couldn't help but just feel hurt. Because he promised to come back, yet he has decided to stake his own claim near the hollow as if there was no problem about it.

the gamma couldn't kept her own personal problems get in her head though, she needed to think for the entire family, she didn't want everyone else to leave or die. With the thought in mind, krypton made sure to keep her order checks strict and thorough. Anything out of the ordinary made her worry.

her focus was broken once a howl broke the silence she once enjoyed. The beastly woman felt herself pick up a lope, wondering who was ringing on their border. When she approached in a higher position, she spotted Day and his little girl Dawn. Not much has changed about them except dawn was a bit bigger than what krypton had remembered.

even krypton had changed just a bit, perhaps she was at her healthy weight or with the few new scars she had. Krypton broke to a trot before halting in front of the duo, offering them a small dip of the head and an attempted smile.

"Day, Dawn, it's nice to see you guys safe and sound." She said gently, shifting weight from one paw to the other. "May I ask why you have called for an audience?"

"Krypton!" Day greeted, his tail wagging when she came into view. He was glad to see that she was doing well, and when he looked at her right then, he couldn't help but feel a bit fluster. She really was a sight to see. He remembered why he'd had such a crush on her back at Silvertip. "It's good to see you, too," he replied, a wistful look on his face. Things had seemed simpler, back then - but also immeasurably more hopeless. Those had been the days before Adeline has ruled his world - before Amber, before Sunny and Dawn.

"Not good news, I'm afraid," he said with a sigh, glancing back the way they'd came, as if Kelina would pop out of the brush and set upon them without provocation. But she might, he reminded himself. It was why they'd come to warn the Easthollowers. "There's been a woman wandering around, lately. Dark fur and purple eyes. She's attacking and killing wolves. I wanted to make sure you all were warned about her. She's called Kelina."

"Krypton!" she called in equal happiness, glad to see the woman she had been so close too. Certainly, she was not the huge woman she remembered, the girl having doubled in height since she had last seen the woman. After putting to rest her confusion at this fact with her rationalisation that she must be growing, and everything, in contrast, seeming smaller, she turned her attention to Da's next words. 

"She doesn't seem like a lunatic- she can be nice, actually. Which probably makes her more dangerous,"  she added, stifling the pride that threatened to surface every time she remembered that she had met a real, true-to-life, lunatic.

Although Krypton could feel however she wanted to feel, she couldn't help but give a true smile at the warm greetings. It was nice to know they were doing well and that they were at least happy to see her. She could let her personal things go to the side for now, perhaps she would linger on her thoughts later when she was alone. When they began to speak, her brows knit together in confusion. there was some killer wolf on the loose?

Krypton felt a bit of fear in her rise, she didn't want to encounter such a wolf. She had dealt enough with the crime her sister comitted, but now a wolf who has killed multiple? she wasn't into it, not one bit. she gave them both a nod that she was following. "i'll be sure to keep an eye out for her, dark pelt and purple eyes." 

"Who do you know of that has been killed or hurt by this, Kelina?" she asked the two curiously. Who exactly had been affected by the wrath of this wench?

do you mind? I am trying to get Sunny more threads, he hasn't been very active lately

The familiar sound of his father's call brought both happiness and worry to him, and his heartbeat quickened. He didn't set out to answer the call right away, wanting to think about it first. If Dawn was there they were sure to get into a fight, even though it was the absolute last thing he wanted. Maybe he should stay away? But as he thought of not saying hello, he knew he would regret not seeing his father so he turned and headed toward the borders.

Once there he was relieved to see Krypton standing there already speaking to his father and Dawn. He heard something about being hurt and killed, and a name Kelina. instead of greeting his family enthusiastically due to the serious nature of what he had heard, he walked forward and sat down with a single wag of his tail "Dad, Dawn" he greeted and then turned to Krypton. "Has someone been hurt?" he asked concerned.

her brother arrived soon after, and despite herself, Dawn felt a pang. he was bigger, different; and she knew hardly anything about his new life. there was still anger, lots of it, but also sadness, that this was the way things were. but she was quick to rationalise that it had been Sunny who had left them; Sunny who had thought his family wasn't good enough for him. she wondered if he cared, about the rift between them. probably not. 

anger renewed, her tone was even, when she said bluntly; "There's a dangerous lunatic wandering around attacking people." her gaze slid from her brother, landing back on Krypton, the woman she was happy to see. "There's a pack to the west of us. They're her target. But apparently, she could attack anyone. She didn't attack me, though, so, I guess it depends." realising that she was rambling, she snapped her maw closed, gaze moving to her Da.

Shooting a smile at his son, Day cut back into the conversation, hoping to distract both children from any ire they might still be feeling. "That's right," he agreed, verifiying Dawn's words. She probably knew more about Kelina than he did, though he didn't share Dawn's belief that she might not be dangerous to every wolf. He hoped her attention would stay on the Bypass wolves until they either killed her or moved, but he wasn't counting on it, and he didn't want Easthollow to count on it either. "We have to assume she's dangerous to everyone," he said gently, not wanting Dawn to feel like she was being corrected in this matter. He didn't know what the woman was really like, but it was always better to be safe than sorry.

Turning to Krypton, he tried his best to answer her question whilist still instilling wariness. "I don't know who she's killed, but she savaged a woman that we later took in, as well as a pregnant woman from another pack. Apparently, she'd not a bad fighter. I just wanted y'all to be on your toes. Hopefully she won't come this way at all."

Business completed, Day lowered himself into a bow and wagged his tail at his son. "I'm all better, now," he said to the boy, a playful edge to his voice. "How have you been doin', Sunny?"

Krypton listened intensively to the pair as they explained what they knew of this threat. She noted Sunny with a nod but paid more attention to day and dawn.

"What they said," she said in response to his question before shutting her mouth and listening. As one of the mercenaries here, krypton needed to make sure she alerted valette and dejected, as well as heightened her border checks. She didn't want to find this wolf, nor fight her alone. Krypton had had enough of her fights.

as the conversation drew to an end, the burly woman nodded her head towards the two and parted her lips. "I'll tighten my border checks, make them more frequent as well as alert the others. I don't want them wandering out without knowing how to protect themselves" she said lightly, casting her gaze towards the stone circle just for a bit.

"I'm sad to say I'm relieved they are interested in our neighbors, but better that it's their problem and not ours." Krypton finished off as she returned her glassy gaze towards the trio.

Sunny looked back at Dawn but said nothing to her, his ears perked as she spoke letting him know of some savage woman attacking others. His eyes darkened and he turned to his father, a questioning look in his eyes. Had anyone in Morningside been attacked recently, was that why Da and Dawn knew of this woman? He felt worried for his family as well as the wolves he had left behind at morningside. He took note that Krypton was ignoring him, but paid no mind to it knowing the situation was a serious one.

When his father finally bent down and wagged his tail, asking him how he'd been he grinned "I've been alright! I have been workin' on my hunting so i can be a great hunter like you when im grown! me and Keoni took down some pheasants all by ourselves" he said excitedly and wagged his own tail. He turned toward Dawn and felt his heartbeat quicken "I miss you both alot. I miss our adventures Dawn, im sorry i hurt you" he murmured honestly. He didn't want to ruin any happiness or seriousness in the moment but he needed to apologize to his sister.

gaze found Sunny as he leapt into speech, seeming to have hardly changed since she had last seen him.  she was still, watching him gamely, trying to tell herself that she wasn't interested, didn't care. but his next words seemed so out of place that she blinked, gaze falling onto his. anger lurched in her heart again, and she eyed him hawkishly. "It's not that easy, Sunny. You don't just leave your family and say "sorry" weeks later." she stated, words crisp and, luckily enough, lacking the heated, angry edge she thought might leak into her speech. she was affronted, that he thought he could slip her a quick sorry now and be done with it. 

nor did she want to do whatever they had to in front of Krypton and Steady, who's opinions of the quarrelling siblings was already low. she stiffened, familiarity lost as she looked to Da silently, wondering just when they could leave. this wasn't her home, these weren't her people. and Sunny didn't mean to her what he used to, not after he had chosen Easthollow over them. her anger had been fading, but it surged to the surface now, though not in the explosive, obvious way she had shown it before.

Day sighed, already nodding in reluctant agreement. "Me too, to be honest," he replied, though he did feel for his neighbor's suffering. "We'll be getting a hunting party together to bring her down. Hopefully we can deal with her before she realized that we're going to stand against her, too."

It was a huge fear of his that their involvement would center Kelina's ire on his own wolves. They'd have to plan things carefully, so that no wolf was left vulnerable.

The mood turned even more sour as Sunny and Dawn exchanged words. Truthfully, he couldn't fault either of them, but found himself annoyed at the continued tension between them either way. Still, when Dawn looked toward him for support, he couldn't help but give it, and gave her cheek a quick nuzzle.

"Regardless of our hurt feelings, Sunny is still family," he said gently, knowing it would win him no points with the girl, but that it had to be said anyway. He understood Dawn's rejection, and felt himself that it was too little, too late. Sometimes, he wanted to shake the boy and demand answers. Sometimes, he - like Dawn - wondered why he hadn't been enough. But Sunny was still his child, and Day would keep on loving him until his dying breath.

But he didn't ask Dawn to take it back. He wouldn't ask her to forgive him.

She cocked her head just a little when the words "hunting party" were mentioned. Protecting your own pack was one thing, but the neighbors that just moved in? It seemed like it was a bit of a stretch to do that. But Krypton had no say in it, as alpha of his own pack, Day could shed some of his blood if he felt needed to. However, Krypton did feel the need to really seal the deal with the Bypass wolves, they were in fact allies with the Hollow. 

"We're low on numbers, but I'm sure Zeke and I could offer some muscle if you need it," she said politely. The two were both mercenaries and mostly were the ones covering border control, besides, no other wolves in Hollow looked to be the best of fighters, yet fighting and skill was not determined by size. "I would tread carefully, even if you have the numbers, she has unpredictability on her side, she can pop up whenver she feels like it without us being prepared." Knowing something was dangerous is scary, but not knowing when it's going to happen, no ability to predict her actions, that truly scared the beastly woman.

Krypton remianed silent as she heard the beef go down between the siblings. She tossed Day a confused look, but nonetheless kept her trap shut. She didn't need to intervene between the two siblings and family itself, for it was none of her buisness. "Well then, I guess it would be best if I alerted the others. Thank you two for bringing us this important news. I hope you two travel back safely, check in with us when you need to" she said delicately as her parting message. Krypton gave each of them a warm smile before heading back inland to see Valette. There was much to talk about.

ooc: Krypton out

What had he expected? For Dawn to have changed since they last saw one another? He had hoped yes, but he didn't truly believe she would ever be the same sister he had once wanted to protect. He was honestly surprised that she thought he was so bad for going off on his own, even dad had done it. Shielding the hurt and anger from his eyes he simply shrugged and responded in an even and casual tone "Then there's nothing else I can do Dawn. I won't crawl on my belly and lick beneath your chin till you forgive me like I used to. I'm done begging. You can hate me all you want, it doesn't change the fact that I left nor does it change that I still love you" he was always the talkative one, and what he had meant to be a mere sentence turned into another speech.


Turning to face his dad he walked toward the borders until he was able to touch him, and nuzzled him softly. "I should get back and see if I can do anything to help out. Take care of yourselves" he said with a slight note of sadness and turned. He looked at Dawn once more and hesitated before shaking his head and walking away, his tail held straight out behind him. He forced himself to hold his head up high, and to not bolt into the woods. He had chosen this and he would live with the decision as long as he had to.

 Sunny out. I'm unable to do bold while on mobile so forgive me for that

he spoke, and the hate trickled back. her anger had started to fade, when she had not seen him for so long, and a kind of nostalgia had started to fill her. but Sunny did not understand, did not understand her, did not understand that she was not lesser, not someone who needed protecting. through gritted teeth, taking little notice of what her father had said, she hissed, "If throwing me a "sorry" is the most you think you can do, you're pretty stupid, Sunny." His name became a hissed curse, her words daggers and her heart burning a hole in her chest.

however, it was the look he shot her, the shake of his head, the way he acted like she was lesser than him. it brought back so many memories of him doing the same to her, thinking he had to act her superior. she wanted to fly at him then, to hurt him, to prove that she was just his equal, seeing as she couldn't do that with words. her features seethed with a hate unprecedented for her, magnified all the more to hide the pain in her heart. "You can't ever stop patronising me, can you? But you're right. I hate you Sunny. Maybe you leaving was the best thing that could have happened to Morningside, and me." the words hurt on the way out, like broken glass making their way up her throat. she expected regret, but there was a kind of desolate relief in the words being pushed out of her. she spun, unable to look at her father, moving away from Easthollow, from Sunny. her father's words returned, and bitterly, she thought, he isn't. not my brother, anyways.

As soon as Sunny spoke, Day knew that there would be no reconciliation - not today. The temperance he'd managed to teach his son would find no parallel in his daughter, and while her fire didn't burn him, it still found fuel in his self-righteousness. As long as Sunny continued to take the high road, there could never be peace. Dawn would never accept his calm apologies - Day had begun to wonder if she'd come to see it as indifference. Perhaps she couldn't see that not all love and anger burned as hot as her own?

Sometimes, he couldn't see it, either. Sometimes, all he could see was a boy that thought his father was a failure, and today, he stood stiff and still as his son came to touch noses, exchange scents. And then the boy was leaving, and Dawn's voice rang out hot and loud. He didn't hear the words, but they burned as they flew past him.

The fur along his spine bristled with discomfort.

He turned to follow his daughter home.