Stone Circle When the party is over

West had been restless that evening. He had spent the day watching the herds, counting the numbers just like Valette had taught him, but his attention wasn't really on the beasts as it usually was. Instead, the woodland boy's thoughts drifted to Polaris. Shortly after they returned from their trip she had disappeared, perhaps she just wanted to travel alone, but he couldn't help but think she left. He thought she liked it here? Hadn't she wanted to make this her home? She had made it clear that she had no interest in seeing her father, at least not now and the boy couldn't blame her.

He sighed as he worked his way to his feet and begun pacing off towards the forest edge. Why hadn't she said goodbye? Clay had also left when they did as if he was the wind itself. Perhaps he would never have a true relationship with him, at least there was Newt....who still hadn't returned home. West let himself fall into the tall grass, rolling onto his back to gaze up just as he had with Polaris when they first met. Where were they all now? Emerald eyes shifted to the colors that were beginning to light up the sky as the sun decided the day was to come to an end. Were they looking at the same sight? A bit of warmth spread in his chest at the idea of he and the dove looking at the same sight, he was sure she was looking too.

His moment of bliss would not last long however as a cry echoed through the hollow. West's ears flicked at the sound, for a moment believing it was imagined, but soon came another. The boy rolled to his feet, careful to investigate in case he was barging in on a dispute between packmates. As he neared though the sounds only grew more intense and what lingered in the air was the heavy stench of something unfamiliar drowning in the metallic scent of blood. The scents were overwhelming to the point of putting him on alert, whatever was happening he could apologize for later, but no wolf should be bleeding that much.

Hurrying to the scene, the pieces quickly clicked together as the boy skidded to a halt. Bodies were strewn across bloodied grass. His eyes scanned quickly to identify those that had crumpled, Kaito, Arlette, Nanook —, and a large creature, unlike anything he had seen before. There was blood, so much blood. No, of course, it could never come from one wolf, it came from several. Something new shook the boy, it stirred him to hesitate as his sister and uncle cried into the night. West did the best he could to wipe the fear that had painted itself over his features, the threat appeared harmless now and with the cries that came from Siarut, West could only assume that his aunt was gone. That left Arlette and Kaito, though looking at the male's crumpled body he feared that the boy had met a similar fate.

West decided to go to Arlette, she was still alive but she was bleeding. The woodland boy had no knowledge when it came to healing so he did what came naturally. He was quick to lick at her wounds, the taste biting his tongue. It was then that he caught sight of the stillborn pups. West wasn't sure what to make of them, but it wasn't hard for him to understand that they too were gone. Tears pricked his eyes, but he would try to not let it show. For now, he would just focus on Arlette.