Stone Circle You signed up, you gotta participate

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Mae spent a lot of her time near @Cygnet, but like any child, she was easily bored and easily distracted. @Inkeri was nice enough, but the girl had quickly deemed her too nice, and therefore lame. So she went wandering, and eventually found herself standing before the tall stones that made Kvarsheim's territory unique.

She had never felt so small before. Mae stared up at them with eyes wide and ears tilted slightly back. For a moment she feared that they might fall on her, and took a trembling step back. Then she told herself that she was being stupid, and to prove it in her own mind, strode up to one of them and pressed her nose defiantly to the hard surface.

She’d scented the creek wolves and kept her distance, for once honoring Gunnar’s wishes for her to play the role of welcoming diplomatic host- which is to say, she could do little more than lounge belly up and so couldn’t very well stick her nose into much of anything.

But that didn’t stop the creek’s visitors from nosing about themselves. Someone’s wolfling was running rampant and hadn’t yet noticed the pregnant girl sunning herself there.

”Snorting anything good, kid? I could use something for my back.”

Only a joke… unless?

Mae was utterly surprised to see someone else there. She flinched and then straightened herself, a little indignant until she noticed — Shit, you're fat, Mae breathed in awe. Does it hurt?

She marched over to investigate. The woman smelled funny too, but her eyes were a familiar silver. Mae lingered over that detail. Then she looked away, and decided that she would not look at her face so much, but that giant belly which fascinated her to no end. Do you ever get stuck places? She reached out to poke the woman in the belly. Can you run? I'll race you. She would definitely win.

Kid has quite a tongue on her. The woman’s eyes narrow with amusement, edges of her mouth pleating into smirk.

“Thanks,” a dark forearm rests over her swollen side.

“Mm hurts like a stomach full of squirming worms,” she divulges flatly along with an achey moan, soaking in the pretty little dark girl’s intrigue and her touch momentarily before glancing around for her parents. She appears to be unattended and even if Tauris was herself soon to be a mother, she was no babysitter. She shifts, using the broad face of the Pilgrim stone to prop herself up.

“I’ll race you to swiftcurrent creek,” a challenge is set with her lifting chin.

Mae's ears went up in mild shock as she considered Tauris's claim. Did she really have worms in there? She looked back down at her giant belly and swore she saw something move beneath the skin. Ugh. Gross.

She took a couple steps back. All the way to Swiftcurrent Creek? Her eyes narrowed, suspicious now. The long trip was still fresh in her mind. I don't have time for that. I have to take care of my baby sister! Mae lifted her chin a little as she said it, expecting that the woman would now understand how very important her presence here was.

“Shame. Would’ve smoked you,” her eyes grin at the girl, though it was very apparent she had no real plans to move- much less run. 

“Who’s your sister, kid?” She cocks a brow. What reason would the creek have to bring their pups here?

Mae thought Tauris was full of shit, but before she got the chance to tell her so, she started asking about her sister. Immediately distracted, she forgot all about racing and Tauris's huge belly. She's real little. I found her, um, um... in a swamp! She struggled to recall it, frowning a little.

Then her head started to hurt. Owwww... She put one paw to her skull as it throbbed. The memories slipped away from her then, and she could recall no more about the circumstances of her sister's earthside debut.

“Hey, you alright?” She is surprisingly quick to her feet, moving to look the girl over, scenting her for injury and coaxing her gently into the grass with a supporting paw. “You’re ok.”

She crouches, considering her quietly for a moment.

“Being a big sister’s a lot of responsibility. She’s gonna need you to show her the ropes, teach her things no one else will. Protect her,” she murmurs at her side.

“I have a feeling she’s in good hands.” She brushes a soothing nose to the young wolf's cheek.

Sorry I let this one get so old! We can fade or continue, whatever you prefer <3

The woman's immediate concern startled her. Mae wasn't used to being fussed over. But she made no protest, settling in the grass while the throbbing in her head died away. Still she could recall nothing of that night, and it was becoming difficult to focus on the topic of their conversation at all.

She loved her sister, though, and managed a wavering smile as Tauris went on. I'll always protect her, Mae asserted, smile fading. There were bad things in the world. Endless reasons that her sister needed protection. It was a harsh lesson to have learned for one so young, and Mae struggled with it even now.

no worries ever <33 I’m good to fade!

The girl is plucky; persistent. Tauris can’t help but to smile. She likes her spirit.

“She’s lucky to have a sister like you,” she groans while plunking unceremoniously into the grass beside her, belly bulging out in front of her. It makes her wonder if she’s got a pair of sisters in there.

<3

Mae's smile strengthened a little, but it faded quickly nonetheless. She spent a little more time in Tauris's company after that, questioning her further on the hugeness of her belly — but eventually, like any child, she grew bored. And so she would wander back to keep watch over the sister they'd spoken of, thinking more on the night she could not remember until her thoughts were all muddied and her head pounded incessantly.

But she would remember what Tauris had said to her.