The Sunspire i need to be needed

@Rannoch and @Liffey

There was a longing in her chest that she could not seem to shake. The entirety of Forrest's life had been dedicated to her trade and while she did love midwifery, the same value wasn't placed on it in the Wilds as was back at home. It didn't make sense to her why something so important and pivotal in a woman's life could be disregarded so easily, but this generation wasn't her own; she wasn't meant to understand the way that they thought.

Nonetheless, Forrest was determined to find work. Morningside had been a nice place for her to regain her footing, but it was time to move on. That evening, she had set out beyond the border for a new pack to join. By the time the sun was rising, not only were her aging joints beginning to ache, but she'd found herself at a fresh, clearly marked border. With a smoky howl and a hopeful heart, Forrest called for her audience.

Something was pacifying within the depth of Forrest's song. Although Rannoch did recognize the voice that requested his audience, he quickly heeded the call. 

"Mornin'," greeted Rannoch once Forrest came into view. He stepped with haste, not wanting his guest to wait too long. Rannoch had not expected company so shortly after their initial settling, and he was thankful that Forrest had been respectful enough to remain at the borders. 

Rannoch stopped before the woman, his posture tall and his expression curious. "How can I help you?" he asked with a wave of his tail.

The response was quick and courteous, brought to the border by a male much warmer than those who Forrest had met before. He had a kind disposition that she thought matched well with his clear status as leader; there was no use in having a following if that following wanted nothing to do with you. To accomodate for his large presence, Forrest lowered herself and kept her gaze focused on the space between them.

Do you have room for one more? she asked, eyes fluttering up to meet his for only a second. I'm a midwife and, well, I suppose a sitter, too. It hadn't been something that Forrest had ever really thought about, becoming a counselor, before meeting the children of Morningside; it seemed that there was always something new to learn.

Forrest was forward, and Rannoch appreciated the fact that she had gotten straight to the point. He smiled, and it only grew when she informed him of how she could provide to the pack. "Your skills will be needed here at Sunspire in a few months," he reported with a wave of his tail, "One of the reasons my wife and I began this pack was to start a family of our own. It'll be our first." There were stars in the leader's eyes as he spoke of the future. 

"There is room," Rannoch confirmed, "And I think that Sunspire would be lucky to have a member with your expertise." Rannoch took a step back then and invited the painted woman into his lands. "Please, tell me about yourself, and I'll show you around." 

"I'm Rannoch, by the way. Rannoch Forstfur, Alpha of this mountain." ​

Just wanted to get her in here, so please skip over me because I don’t wanna hold anything up!

There were many things on Olive’s mind since their taking of Sunspire only several days prior. Of most importance and first priority, was her current status as mother-to-be. The signs were telltale, as far as Olive’s experience with pregnancy were. It was less of anything seen from outside and more of an energy and radiance she perceived on the inside — along with constant queasiness and the ever-present need to pee. However, the small band of wolves was currently laying claim to their area, which involved lots of scent markings, so her excessive urination went largely unnoticed but was surely much appreciated. 

But, this would not be her secret to keep for long.

Rannoch was a nice and generous man and all, but certainly even he may have qualms of housing a mother and god-knows-how-many cubs. It was possible that her perception of the situation was skewed by a certain alpha from a certain pack who may or may not have thrown her and her babies out in their most helpless of states — but Olive rarely held grudges or clung to the past, except when it came to Dakarai, Aries, Cassiopeia, Arturo, Lotte, Chusi, Teaghlaigh and the Blackfeather Fuckers. Nope, no grudges at all.

Either way, the desperation that came with a family and no pack was a reality  that the sylph did not want to revisit. She worried and mused upon ways to break the news to her new alpha, with whom she had just forged a relationship with; however, this time there was a certain sense of surrender to her actions and forethought. These were children gifted to her by the gods, so she was certain the gods would take care of them — and the gods were far more reliable than Dakarai, anyways. Whatever happened, was meant to happen.

There was a howl and Olive, making rounds and claiming space, happened to be nearby. Though at first the voice was unknown, as the druid drifted closer, the scent and voice became intimately familiar. Striding onto the scene, Olive greeted Forrest with a purr and dip of the head — and then, was somewhat stricken to see Rannoch already there and talking about his own future litter. Not good. Respect was proffered through a simple and fluid curtsy, then Olive loosed a genuine smile and tittered “Forrest, oh my, this is so divine!” in order to bite back the guilt and secrets, which sat tickling on her tongue.   

It was a quick and satisfying routine that never seemed to get old. Being accepted into someone else's home was a pivotal moment, even if the time spent within their ranks was short. Nonetheless, Forrest intended to make herself of as much use as she could so that she might be remebered when the time came for her to move on. Forrest Evergreen, she replied, though her attention was quickly stolen away by the arrival of her lost dove.

Olive, dear, Forrest crooned, taking a hesitant step forward to properly greet the girl with a friendly nudge to both of her cheeks. All of this was done while remaining clearly submissive to Rannoch, though she doubted that such a display was still necessary. After all, her acceptance had been confirmed. Forrest took a few steps to catch up with the alpha, though she remained a few feet behind out of respect. I met Olive somewhere around the the beginning of winter, I believe. I'd only just come into the Wilds and it just so happened that we crossed paths.

Rannoch's request for more information was remembered then, so Forrest thought of all the things he might want to know, only to find that no specifics came to mind. I've lived a long life. Tell me, what do you want to know?

Forrest Evergreen— Rannoch thought that the name suited her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Forrest," he replied, keeping the formalities to a minimum; she was family now. 

An unexpected arrival soon stole both of the wolves attention, and Rannoch greeted Olive with a dip of his head. He was surprised to see that Olive and Forrest were already familiarized with each other, and Rannoch took a step back to allow them to become reacquainted. 

To Forrest's question, Rannoch hesitated for a moment— there was so much that he wanted to know. "Well, for some background information, I'm a Sitter by trade. But, I've never really interacted with any children younger than a few months," he admitted, his gaze bouncing between the two experienced mothers, "What are they like?"

Although Olive was present, this interview was Forrest's. Nodding her head along with Rannoch's words, she took in the information he seemed to readily share; a sitter? Such a trade was feminine and matronly by nature and not one that she would have pegged the brute for taking an interest in. It was a testament to her one rule: never judge a wolf by its cover.

After a moment's thought on how to describe the miracle of youth, Forrest was ready to give her answer, In my experience, they're loud. Very needy, sometimes a bit smelly if you don't take care of them. There was a smile on her face that clearly read I'm kidding!, though her eyes admitted that there was some truth to the statement. 

I think that they're blessings, she continued with a sigh, and though there are some things that tie them together, they're all different. It'd be wrong to generalize them all.

Rannoch couldn't help but chuckle at Forrest's commentary. Although she had approached the topic with humor, Rannoch could feel that there was some truth to what she said. "I'll remember to keep mine clean, I promise," he replied light-heartedly. 

Forrest's expression softened, and Rannoch could see the depth of the woman's care for children. "That's a fair statement," he replied, his voice soft. He was satisfied with what he had been told, and Rannoch was confident that this would not be his last lesson from Forrest. 

"What's it like to watch them grow up?" he asked. Rannoch could only imagine how rewarding it was but, he wanted to hear the perspective of somebody who had raised a child before.

In truth, Forrest didn't know much about the "growing up" part. The eldest of her children had stayed around for a little over a year, but every litter after that had dispersed much earlier. Thinking about it, Forrest doubted that her youngest children had even made it to a year yet. Nonetheless, she was confident that they were safe under the watchful eyes of their kin.

Because admitting to the Alpha that she was flighty enough to leave everything, including her children behind on a whim didn't seem like the smartest thing to do, Forrest thought that she ought to tell him what she could. It's scary, she sighed, but incredibly fulfilling. You know, I can't compare it to much else.

I think that watching them grow up and knowing that you did your job is the best part of parenthood.

Rannoch absorbed Forrest's every word like a sponge. There was so much for him to learn, and very little time. Although he knew would learn a lot for Forrest, he knew that the majority of his education would come from experience; her words and guidance would provide comfort and confidence to the Alpha Male. 

"Thank you for all of that," Rannoch stated after he paused to commit the information to memory. "I know you just got in, and you must be tired. Can I show you around and we can talk more?" He glanced at Olive then, and offered, "Please feel free to come along, if you'd like." 

Oh, dear, I'm not tired at all. You can talk my ear off if you'd like. Were her joints aching? Yes. Her stomach growling? Yes. Her paws a little sore from her trek? Kinda. But Forrest Evergreen was not tired, nor was she ever.

There was too much to be done for her to waste time asleep! Every now and then, she would try to steal away a few moments of lousy naptime, but those (often poorly timed) naps were all the sleep that she needed.

Turning to Olive, Forrest beckoned for her to come along, then turned back to Rannoch. Tell me about Sunspire, she began, How did you come to be?

 

Popping back in, continue as you are!

The conversation drifted on without her, and Olive provided no imposition. This was Forrest’s show, and she did not need Olive’s help here. The woman’s knowledge and experience spoke for itself, and Olive truly doubted she could add anything that might swing the pendulum into her corner any more than it already way. It had seemed that her acceptance in Sunspire was agreed upon prior to her arrival on the scene, anyways — something that the druid could not be more happy about. 

Then, things were finalized, and Rannoch was inviting the newcomer across the borders and into their home. Her glee came in the form of a soft whine, leaking from between her jaws. Her tail swung to and fro, with gusto! Certainly, this bode well for her impending reveal. It wasn’t the entire reason for Olive’s happiness, but was definitely a large part of it. 

There was a tour to be conducted, and Olive was all too eager to explore her new home with her friend and her leader. They had only been in the place for several days, and Olive had not the ability to explore the entirety of the spire just yet. It was funny, for the blind to lead the blind. “Rannoch and his mate Liffey and a few others came from a place called Moonspear,” the woman commented as she trotted alongside them, finally finding a place to fold naturally into the conversation. Her gaze bounced lightly off that of Rannoch’s hoping to impress him with her knowledge. “Sunspire and Moonspear, isn’t that exquisite?”Olive doubted the relationship was a beautiful as the terminology made it out to be. She knew that this was not something Charon and Amekaze would take lightly.

Rannoch smiled at her retort; he was fond of her spirit. "Alright," he agreed easily, "You're stuck with me for a while, then." Rannoch set off at a casual pace; they had all the time in the world to talk about whatever they desired. Rannoch was delighted to see that Olive had decided to follow them along, and he couldn't help but offer his subordinate a smile. 

Curiosity came into play, and Rannoch was asked about Sunspire's conception. Before he could even calculate a response, Olive stepped in; he was grateful for the additional time that he had been granted. "That's right," he agreed with a smile. "Liffey, my wife, Terance, my best friend, and Wraen, Terance's sister, all came from Moonspear. Olive also lived there at some time." 

"The Ostrega family rules the mountain, and the Alpha pair have three daughters— Hydra, Alya, and Lyra. The three of them saved my life late last year, and I joined the mountain to repay my debt to them. Over time, the four of us came to figure out that Moonspear's leadership style wasn't something that we like. So... we decided to leave, and Sunspire was created." At least, that was the abridged version.

The story would be brought up again some other time, but in the moment, Forrest was only interested in logging it for future reference. There were names that she had to put faces and scents to, but just knowing them was enough to sate her curiosity. I see, she said with a matronly grin, You've struck this claim to begin a legacy of your own. It was a fair explanation for his interest in parenthood, Forrest thought; a father ought to be concerned about what he was getting himself into.

I was never the type for leadership, Forrest sighed, but I've always dreamt of marking my own little corner of land. I'm old now, though, so I'm content living under someone else. The old bones and lengthy knowledge of a midwife made for a great makeshift grandma, but not so much for an Alpha. Still, Forrest knew that her sanctuary would one day get it's chance; maybe not in her time, but in the next student's, perhaps.

Sorry! I forgot I could skip Olive!

"Leadership is a difficult thing," Rannoch admitted. "But, in my experience, the good often outweighs the bad." He hoped that his experiences in Sunspire would prove to be similar. 

"But, I do hope that you both enjoy your time here." Rannoch glanced at Olive and Forrest before he continued his thought, "I am always open to feedback or suggestions if something is making you unhappy." Rannoch spoke with sincerity; he hoped that they would both feel comfortable enough in his company to bring up issues.

The three wolves meandered about the territory for quite some time, and Rannoch got the opportunity to learn more about each of them. When it was time to part ways, Rannoch bid them a good day and slipped towards the borders to get in a quick patrol before sunset.