Stone Circle Round and Round

Clary hadn't realized how tight her face had stitched until her mother nudged her, and the tension in her brow unravelled from the surprise of her touch. The girl laughed, and she returned her mother's affection with a bump of her own while she sifted through the new curiosities this conversation had stirred. Clary still didn't know how the boys got the seeds, only where they kept them, but maybe she'd just find Ezra later and ask him what he thought was different between them. That seemed like a solid plan, and she decided that's what she would do.

For now, her attention diverted to the responsibility her mother offered her, and she felt herself glowing with every word from Valette's mouth. Her first adult mission! Not outside the territories, sure, but if she proved herself worthy to attend the borders without help from anyone else, maybe Valette would see how much she'd grown and would let her venture out further than day-trips once the pups were born. "You can count on me, mom!" she let her tail wave freely, "We'll all make sure you're good and fed and protected, and safe! You, and Stark, and all our baby brothers and sisters!" but the sentiment soured with a question, and suddenly she felt her brow furrow and her whole body sink with a pensive frown from the thought that occurred. "But once you have your pups... does that mean Stark has to leave?" She didn't know the man, but she knew her mother was happy with him. Yet leaving was what Ezekiel had done, and maybe that was just part of the natural part of having kids, just like the boys had the seeds. Maybe they had to do the leaving, too.