Stone Circle Stone Circle 101

Valette was at Stone Circle when she howled for @Polaris as she wanted to show the new girl the stones. She would probably have seen it by now but she wanted to tell the girl more about their territory before she would leave to search for her parents. She waited by the stones that had so much meaning for the female. The matriarch hoped that the female would stay, even after she found her family. Though perhaps that was too much to ask of the newcomer.

Valette liked to give new wolves an introduction about their stones and their meaning. It was something that was unique to their pack and Valette was very proud of telling anyone about them really. Often new wolves were intrigued by them and would wonder what they were about anyhow. Plus she could get to know new wolves by how they would think of such stones.

the call had alarmed her a little; brain instantly scrambling across itself in an effort to discover in advance if there was anything she'd done that could result in reprimanding. sure she'd yelled at her son but she'd sought him out afterwards and she was pretty sure they could be considered made up now? not that, she added inwardly, it had been her fault in the slightest. she wouldn't be pleased to be expected to take responsibility for a clay outburst that, judging on west's reaction, she had the inkling was a common enough occurrence. still, standing tall, she'd found the earthy woman quick enough and approached her with an air of suspicious curiosity. she stood amongst the uniquely scattered rocks that seemed to be the pack's vocal point; much like the stream that had wrapped protectively around swiftcurrent. a wistful blink is all that's spared for such a memory as her mismatched gaze peers up at the matriarch. "hey valette-" wait no, way too casual you idiot. mentally stumbling a little; she backtracked with an "er sorry i mean miss uh matriarch" no that just sounded plain weird.

she scowled a little at the ground, trying to hide the heat rising in her cheeks at the disastrous greeting. could she not have just said 'hey' and left it like that like any normal wolf would. cringing inwardly, she glanced hastily at the rocks and waited for her to break the sniggering silence.

Valette watched the female approach. Her approach looked like she was curious and perhaps a bit suspicious. Valette could imagine that being called by the Matriarch could have you feeling like that. Valette chuckled when she greeted her and then corrected herself. "I don't go by Matriarch, you can call me Valette," she assured the female with a soft smile. She didn't need a title. Her leadership of Easthollow did not contain a lot of submission and dominance.

"I wanted to tell you a bit about our Stones. So you are not completely clueless about Easthollow before you go and look for your family," she explained. She didn't want to accept the female and not follow up after or give her some knowledge about the pack. Plus, it would always be good for young wolves to learn more about the world around them. "Have you been settling in well?," she asked curiously.

she blinks slowly and nods her acknowledgement, shoulders relaxing gratefully. okay valette it was then, that certainly made things much easier. it's easy to brush off her embarrassment with the balmy woman and her softly probing gaze so polaris indulged in it wholly, returning the smile with easy grace and letting her head tilt to the side as she went on to speak. "ohh" she lilts curiously, scanning the looming boulders with open curiosity. it did intrigue her that they'd found a way to gather in such a manner, but she'd accepted it as another strange feat by mother nature to leave them inquiring and fascinated. "is there history to them?" her tail sways lazily at her hocks as she steps a little to cast a look at each formation looking down on them, brazen and proud. ears flick to catch the question to pass from the older woman and she turned to focus her glance back on her.

the smile curling around her slender muzzle is more animated as she nodded "very much so, it's lovely here" she chirps honestly, it truly was pleasant within these borders. the whole aura reminded her a bit of home, true home. "i came across clay again and met west tyree" she adds, deciding not to mention the screaming element that had accompanied the first 'coming across clay again'. as an afterthought she throws in tentatively "i uh, don't know if he's mentioned it yet but west..tyree offered to come with me when i'm looking for my family" still determined to stubbornly delcare both of his names whenever given the chance, she smiles a little to herself and blinks hopefully at the matriarch. she wasn't sure if she wanted to risk sending off one of her own children considering that polaris herself didn't even really know where their travels would land them.

Valette dipped her head when the female asked if the stones have history. There was definitely a history to them and it seemed that the female seemed interested in hearing them. Valette smiled. "Yes, and they are actually quite important to the residents of Easthollow. Hence why I thought you might want to know about them," she offered. She wouldn't be offended if the female would refuse, but no one ever did when Valette wanted to explain about them. Plus as a newcomer to the pack, it would be good to know.

Valette was quick to return the smile. By the looks of it, she was hanging out with the wolves closest to her age. It made sense really. She expected it would be good for her boys to hang out with the opposite sex that wasn't their sister. "I hope they were a bit polite to you at least," she offered with a chuckle. But then she revealed that West had offered to go with her. "Huh West? He isn't one to really leave the territory, he won't be the most experienced travel buddy to you, but a good hunter," she admitted. "But if he wants to go then I am not stopping him," she assured.

She hoped that they wouldn't stay away for too long she would miss West terribly. He had kind of become her hunting buddy. She liked that she didn't have to watch the herds alone anymore. It was fun to do it together with him. But she would have to suck it up. "Anyways, the stones. Most of the stones have a name. They represent the wolves that went before us. We take the values they stood for and hope that they watch over us."

she hums softly in agreement, eyes travelling from rock to rock with vibrant heed, appreciating their divergence. "yes i would love to learn about them" she murmurs honestly, curious as to what they could mean to the wolves that resided here. still young as she was, the hungry crave for information burned as bright as it ever would. as focus shifts back to her time spent here so far, an amused smile curls along her slender muzzle at the matriarch's comment on politeness. she stifles the little laugh wishing to bubble forth, thinking of clay although..in fairness she had been the one to break into yelling. still! she'd stubbornly refuse to see it any other way than her being in the right but there's no ill will with the memory now, considering their talk after. in fact the fondness that tickles at her when thinking of it reminds her a bit of how one would regard a sibling, not that she'd admit it to him but since he'd told her about his feelings she felt a defensive flair stir up for him no matter how much of a pain in the ass he could be. still smiling she offers a nod, thinking of west- now he'd been polite and so it's him she primarily thinks of when she chirps lightly "don't worry they were great"

she must bite back the irrational want to insist that valette add the equally lovely tyree part to his name when speaking of him. but it remains idle at the back of her mind; she was not about to start telling the leader of easthollow what she could call her own son by. plus, she's more focused on the little nugget of warmth stirring in her chest at the confirmation on how much of a home body he was. it made it feel more special that he would leave the safe embrace of his home for her. she smiles fondly to herself, tail flicking at her hocks. it felt good to have someone do something for you that they wouldn't usually do and her paws shuffle idly as she wonders why? did he actually just want to leave the territory and this was the perfect excuse or did he want to go with her? she mentally scolds herself for such self centered thinking considering they'd just met but...the idea of such a gesture leaves her warm and fuzzy so she clings to it, a greedy secret. "don't worry i'm quite good at navigating! i actually came here from outside of the teekons" she cannot help the pride to taint her voice at the declaration, chest puffing a little before she grins a little sheepishly and adds with a touch more modesty "and i'm actually quite a terrible hunter so you know...good combo!"

the nod of her head betrays any enthusiasm she may have suppressed previously when the benevolent woman confirmed that he was free to wander with her, tail flicks growing more wag-like in nature. rocking back on her heels, she attempts to clear her mind from the onslaught of thoughts to intrude from concerns about her family to the excitement of showing him these new places when her company went on to begin speaking of the rocks. it's a beautiful thought and she blinks wondrously at the formations. did they really watch over them? she swallows, what did that mean for the wolves that did not have a rock standing sentinel for their soul? her brows crease a little as her mind continues down the shady path of doubt, what if death was just the end and these were just coping mechanisms? she didn't like that thought and pushed aggressively at it, a body could fade but a soul had so much more meaning. the different energies and personalities they possessed had to go somewhere right? "that's beautiful" is all she finally exhales a little breathlessly. mismatched eyes turn to press into the warm gaze of the woman, overwhelmed by the sudden want to ask the onslaught of questions that might offer her some solace. in the end though, all she murmurs is "what are their names?"

Valette was glad to hear that the female wanted to learn about their stones. She was going to do this more often with new members to see how well they would take to the stones. They were important to Valette mostly, she couldn't speak for other wolves of the pack but if she would tell the newcomers that the stones were important then it would become something all members would look up to. She wanted the wolves of this pack to have better knowledge about the stones, and what they stood for.

Valette dipped her head happily, glad to her hear boys had been behaving. It had been the opposite when she was having a moment with the two of them. Perhaps the joined hunting had helped with their bond. She would have to check on them later to see how they were doing, especially if West was going with Polaris. Valette smiled at the female when she said she was good at navigating, she had been good at it once as well. "I was a ranger back in my day before I had pups. I must say that I don't use that trade all that often anymore," she admitted to the female. Perhaps she could learn West a thing or two, in how to get home. She dipped her head. "Hopefully you will learn something from each other then," she hummed.

"That big one, the tallest, is the father stone. My first mate and leader of Easthollow before me is buried there. Steady took in orphans and raised them as their own. He was always tough but always fair. So that is why judgment is said to belong to the Father. Additionally, he protects his children. One might pray to the Father asking him to defend someone in battle, the strength to seek justice, and the wisdom to recognize it," she explained, she took a long look at the stone. It felt like a lifetime ago. "No one in this pack except for me knew Steady, so that is why I refer to him as the Father and want to tell other wolves about him and what he stood for," she explained, and that was just one of the stones.

"a ranger" she echoes with curious awe. there was nothing she envisioned more than her out wandering and discovering the world that wrapped around them in its vastly protective embrace. she couldn't imagine why somone who'd obviously shared her yearn to travel to some degree would choose to remain rooted to the one place by the demanding yowls of pups. wrinkling her nose a little, she silently declares with the naivety of youth that she would never trade freedom for the responsibility of pups! "well if you ever have any scouting tips or jobs for me let me know! i love it out there" the glance she casts off is faraway in nature, gaze focused inwards on the fleeting images flashing across her mind's eye.

she's quick to snap back to attention however, eyes skipping rapidly across hulking rock to land upon the one valette spoke of. blinking up at the stately formation, ears leaned back to catch the intriguing words to slip from her company. the father. a little shiver dances up her spine as she thinks of the wolf buried there- steady. did he really linger within this rock, watching over them for the rest of days? her teeth absently play with her lip as she's left uncertain as to whether she finds such a thought comforting or terrifying. the idea that death was not just stomping a flame out of existence and rather seeking a new vessel to contain the energy of their spirits had a beauty to it but....she frowned a little, was there something trapping about it too? such powerful energy trapped forever within the confining walls of something so exanimate. swallowing, a tentative move pushed her paw forward through the twisting blades of grass so that her toes brushed off of the smooth surface. maybe she was looking too deep into it, it's not like she believed that the rock could think, see and hear like they could and she's pretty sure valette doesn't mean that either. but it's difficult to wrap your head around the idea of existence that is not quite living.

perhaps you're not meant to think so much on it but rather feel. wearied by such wondering, she lets it rest for now and turns back to the matriarch. "i'm sorry for your loss...but, how do you know he's there? is it just...a feeling?" she hopes it doesn't sound rude or doubtful but her curiosity cannot be kept lingering at bay for any length of time and...well if there was a chance that her family's souls could linger somewhere in wait even if they'd passed away then she'd like to know how she could be aware of such a thing.

Valette dipped her head with a chuckle. "Master Ranger, actually," she corrected. She did like the wild excited look on the girl's face. She was reminded of Clary when seeing Polaris, that was it. The same eagerness to know and explore everything. It was good to have such a spirit around. Valette nodded. "I can perhaps think of things, or show you how I took in landscapes and landmarks. When I was still a normal member of Silvertip Mountain, I was the one that found this place when we wanted to relocate. We changed the name of our pack as well, since this isn't really a mountain," she smiled. Those felt like centuries ago. Then she was still uncomfortable with being a Beta, with leadership in general. Look at her now, she was not able to imagine a life as just a pack member.

She watched as the female looked more closely at the stone and inspected it. She liked that the female asked questions and asked deeper about the subject. The girl had an interesting way of seeing the world that was for sure. Valette looked at the stone. "It is not that I think he is there, that he is as present as he was a wolf," she admitted thoughtfully. "I have two ways of thinking about it, actually," she admitted. [b]"When we buried his body, he became part of this land. He is in the ground, in the grass, and just all around us. That his soul became part of this land. The stone, on the other hand, is more of a reminder, not so much that he became the stone. I remember him for who he was as a wolf. I try to reflect on a problem and think about it through what I know of him and what he stood for. Though that is not to say that I don't feel his presence, sometimes the wind has a way of embracing me while sitting by the stone," she spoke, slow and thoughtfully.

Valette glanced to the side at the female. "Maybe it is different for me because I knew him, hence why I tell the wolves that didn't know him personally what the stone stands for. Perhaps in times of doubt it can give them strength, hope. That is what they do for me." Plus it helped for her as a leader to think through different perspectives.

master ranger? awe rounded eyes scan the woman closely, thinking hungrily of all she must've seen to gain such a title. "wow" she lilts appreciatively, eyes shifting to rove the territory once more. it must feel pretty great to know that the home that protectively encircled the wolves that reveled within its firm grasp was a result of you. you gave them home. it seemed more appealing a thing to hold onto than even the title of being a leader and this woman had succeeded at both. "i would love that" she breathes, feathered plume stirring to swish once more at her haunches. 

when their focus belongs to the transcendent stones once more, she chews thoughtfully at her lip. the words to slip from her company's lips and twirl about the fringes of velveteen ears hold such beautiful imagery that her eyes sting with emotion misting at their edges. a paw is lifted to float with delicate grace over the swaying blades twisting together in their jig. inhaling deeply, she blinked up to the earthy matriarch and nods, a melancholic smile blossoming across angular features. "i...that's amazing i love that a lot" yet within the beauty of such an idea lies rivulets of sorrow. if the mountain had really claimed at least some of her family then...well they'd never been buried, she'd left them there where they didn't belong. sure you could argue that the earth had buried them itself, one great motion to reclaim those lives it had gifted previously. her breath catches lightly in her throat, such deadly power. compared to what lay dormant around them they were like little puppets, powerless to it if it decided to pull at their strings. yet it provided for them too...a viciously alluring circle of life. 

she nods a little distractedly to her final words, mismatched eyes drawn once more to the boulders standing sentinel over them all. "yes i think you should continue to tell everyone, it's lovely and i think...very true" blushing a little, she smiles down at her shuffling paws and imagines the hum of the breeze to hold undertones of another chorus, of those past on milling curiously around them.

Valette nodded, then they would have a chat about the female's travels when they were back. It would be a good exercise for the female to remember what she had seen and recalled the landmarks. This was something they could do later. Valette was really pleased that her explanation left such an impression on the younger girl. It was good to have a new generation to be interested in the stones. She had not really seen that in her children, but they grew up here, perhaps thinking it was normal. But the stones were very unusual.

"I'm glad you think so," she hummed in return. Valette was starting to truly believe this over the years. After all the events that happened against them, she felt that they had been protecting them. The herds that returned just in time after the earthquakes and many more of such things. When she was down sometimes the wind had its way of blowing up here that just felt like a warm hug. She knew that the wolves of the past were watching over them, she just knew it.

Valette dipped her head. "I am doing that, especially with new wolves, I try to introduce them to the stones like I am doing with you now," she returned and then turned her face into a soft smile. "Then next to it is the mother stone. My own mother is buried here. Her name was Scarlett. A very warm, loving, king wolf. Sometimes a bit too much of it, but always saw the good in others. So that is what she stands for. She is often asked for mercy and to keep loved ones safe." That was the case for Valette. "Smaller than the father stone but just as important."

she nods along to the lilts slipping through the air from the matriarch to her cupped ears, smiling with appreciation at the gesture. learning about the power that hummed serenely from the sleeping stones definitely made her feel more connected to the pack as if little invisible tethers wrapped tenderly around her svelte figure, rooting her to something real. she hoped it would help to bring ease to anyone else seeking something more than mere refuge when stumbling upon the nestled pack. blinking up to valette once more, her head tilted to the side as she moved to address another of the pack's earth granted sentinels- following the graze of her featherlight gaze to rest upon the mother stone. 

fond smiles gather upon her features at the bittersweet words, she sounded like a marvelous addition to this world and it secured her own thoughts on valette's accommodating nature. it also made her heart yearn for her own mothers, loving but fierce and her mind wanders down twisting memories peering out tentatively from the doors of her mind. she'd always feared that she, like this late scarlett, had been too soft with her repulsion towards violence or even hunting those deemed as 'lesser' animals. she'd wondered if her mothers had wished she could separate her kindness and find another burning strength like them but now...she had. having never thought about her own transitioning mind as it adjusted to the obstacles of life, she'd never come to realise how feisty she'd grown. the pain in her heart gripped tighter, almost choking her at the stark realisation that her mothers may never get to know how much she'd turned out to be just like them. 

the ache spread delicate petals across the fluttering thud of her heart as mismatched eyes regarded the stone, fighting against the blossoming bitterness wriggling in her gut. coming to terms with how unfair of a place this alluring earth was had always been difficult to her and although she liked to believe she'd matured enough to just accept it, sometimes it would slap her in the face again and she'd writhe in frustration. so much bad happened to those that did nothing to deserve it, if the world set an example like that then why did it seem so insulted by those that chose the dark path if they were ultimately punished as much as those that fought off the shadows. chewing at her lip, she couldn't hold back the slip of a whisper to break the breach of tense jaws; "i wish she'd been there to keep my family safe, i wish anyone had" she could almost swear the breeze grew sharper at the words, soft fingers growing claw like as they raked through her short pelt.

Valette watched the expressions unfold as the female listened. What made Valette so intested in this female was perhaps because she was much like her younger self. When Valette was still a yearling she had also been through a lot, same for Polaris. She felt for the female, losing her family so young. She had lost her mother as well at that age. After her mother died it had felt like her family had fallen apart as well. Her sisters moving away, one to be never seen again. Nanook had returned, and Valette had forgiven her. She was just glad to have her sister by her side again.

The words the female whispered where hitting true. "I would wish that as well, Polaris. But life has its way of being tough on anyone." She turned her gaze to the other, warm and comforting. "But is how that wolf deals with that hardship is how they define themselves," she spoke slowly. She was reminded of her brother, Xan had always dealt with hardship differently. He was strange to her, a brother but raised so differently because their parents separated. "There will always be hardships, a Mother or Father stone can't stop that. Because without hardship there can not be happiness, and there cannot be growth. I don't think I would be the warm wolf I was today if not for those hardships. It sounds contradicting but I learned so much from those moments."

She hoped Polaris would find her family again and just experience some happiness because of the loss once more. She hoped that that other female had not been lying about this Kavik being alive. That would perhaps be a tough blow since hope being scattered was perhaps one of the worst heartbreaks.

her ears fold lightly against her head as if attempting to shield her from the powerful truth rolling from the words ushered her way. she felt the press of her gaze and suddenly felt very, very small as she swallowed and struggled to lift her own eyes; their usual flame having momentarily dulled. yet the warmth to step from the steady green cast her way wrapped her in an embrace promising security and safety and the girl, suddenly so exhausted from the constant need to prove she was okay- found herself yielding to the promise of comfort. still, a muscle twitched in her jaw at the following words; 

"But is how that wolf deals with that hardship is how they define themselves,"​

memories slithered forth, smoky tendrils stroking the edges of her mind with cruel croons.

"Now, you have two options: allow the pain to crush you, or use it to make you stronger. Which will you choose?"

the thickness of that suffocating forest pressing in, crushing at her as the man of shadows with his predatory grin had posed that question. uncanny eyes sizzling with delight at her discomfort as he sought to take what had happened to her and use it warp her into one of them. her expression grew sour as she was momentarily lost to it, the lush, rolling lands of easthollow replaced with the haunted woods and their reek of death. but she recalled the anger, the way she'd lashed back at him before he'd retreated into the shadows that hung from his pelt- valette was right. shaking her head to escape the memory, she cast a wild look to the woman before easing the quickened beat of her heart with a deep breath, she was stronger- that was fact. yet a troubled furrow of her brows accompanied her last thought- did the woman realise that clay, her own son was perhaps tethering on such a line and straying onto the wrong side. his anger, she chewed at her battered lip again and pushed it back- none of her business, clay had specifically said not to come looking for him again and so she wouldn't.

"i know" she murmured a little hoarsely, appreciating the straight forward nature of the earthen woman. gentle yet not coddling her either. her gratitude soared. "thank you so much valette- for everything" sincerity flashed strongly in her unique gaze as she stood a little taller and admitted without a scrap of shame. "you wouldn't mind if i rested for a bit? i'm...i'm really tired" it was true, although knowing she was safe and allowed to rest she'd struggled to drop the tension wrapping around her muscles despite her relaxed demeanour and all these memories hissing free....exhausted her, she needed to rest- truly rest. and thanks to this conversation, she believed herself capable to now. "i'd love to learn more again though" she murmured in regards to the overlooking stones, completely honest. for now, she simply leaned back on her haunches and awaited the matriarch's permission to depart.

Valette knew that they talked about heavy topics and that it was a lot for a young mind to process it all. Then again, Valette felt Polaris was older mentally because of those hardships. The matriarch watched the female, and could tell that there was something, the way her face contorted for a moment. Valette didn't feel like it was her place to ask, though knowing that she lost her parents gave her an inkling on what was going through the female. Her green gaze met with the other's unique one. "You're welcome. I really enjoyed this conversation."

Valette dipped her head in reply. "Ofcourse, the things we talked about are quite energy draining," she assured the female. "You can come to me any time if you want to learn more." Valette gave her permission to go, and decided that she liked Polaris. She would make a great addition to their Easthollow family, that was if she would return from her travels. She looked at the female for a moment. Since she was going with West maybe her son would be a reason for her to stay. Valette smiled at that thought. If Polaris returned she might be able to couple those two together.

- fin -