Stone Circle Sherbet Bubbles

Birk, who rarely dreamed or remembered, what he had dreamt about, had seen the Queen. She had visited him in the sleep and her presence and the sound of her voice had felt so real, that several minutes after the notherner had woken up, he could not tell, whether she had been here or not. His mind wished her to come and find him again, yet he knew well that this was not going to happen.

Unable to fall asleep again, he got up to his feet, shook the snow from his coat and left the hollow, which had been his residence for the night. It was New Moon, therefore the night was darker without it's shiny orb illuminate the surroundings and show the way. But this obstacle did not bother Birk, who - by now - knew the Easthollow's territories quite well, and who followed the well-trodden path to the river.

Valette was up this night as well. She took it upon herself to patrol the borders and see if there was anything suspicious. She mostly listened and marked some of the borders. This wasn't her favorite task. She would rather be with her children but Valette knew that it was part of her job description. The female made her round around the territory. She made her way home but before bedding down and sleep she went for a drink.

The female drank the fresh water. She didn't expect many to be up, though some had weird sleeping patterns. Valette liked to sleep when the sun was high. If she could she would bask in the sun, usually, she would also have a rest when the night was darkest. She looked up and saw that it was Birk. "Oh hello," she greeted.

"Good evening, Valette," Birk returned the greeting, politely dipping his muzzle and offering her a warm smile. It was a sincere one, though his reasons for being in his leader's good books were purely practical and selfish. The fact that she was a likeable creature with many attractive qualities made the task a lot easier. Perhaps he could hope for more than a friendship one day. 

If all goes well. 

"Usually I would ask, what are you doing out here so late," he began. "But I believe that leaders have their own reasons, how and when to do their things."

Valette smiled kindly at the pale colored male. The female dipped her head in return for his dip. It was just a polite greeting. "Oh, I was just doing a late night patrol. Just to see if there wasn't anyone out there," she spoke. She didn't want to be too secretive. Plus it might give her an opening to see what the male was still doing up. Perhaps, he just liked the cover of darkness.

"I am curious what you are doing up at this hour though," she admitted then and looked at him with a smile. Valette could understand if the other wouldn't want to disclose anything to her but she hoped he would. She might get some more insights into his life.

"A fellow nightbird," Birk explained, because telling that he had had his ex-lover visit him in his dreams and therefore he was unable to fall asleep again seemed kind of lame. Besides - if you wanted to leave a good impression on the lady, you did not bring up your Ex-es in the conversation, did you?

"Is there a shortage of mercenaries?" he asked, finding it strange that the leader herself should fill in during the dark hours, when there were so many other wolves around. Or - were they recent newcomers like him and therefore not to be trusted 100%?

Valette chuckled lightly. "One could say that" she smiled at Birk. Valette slightly nodded. "We had a few wolves before with the mercenary trade but they aren't with us anymore. Would you be interested to pick up the trade?," she asked curiously. Valette believed in letting wolves do that they were interested in but if no one wanted to be a mercenary then Valette was going to ask it from some her members to pick up the trade. They did need wolves out on the lookout. "Not that I would demand you, but if you happen to be up at night it would save me some time if you could have your midnight walks at the borders."

"Sure, why not," Birk agreed, because, though patrolling borders and peeing on the same landmarks over and over again was not his absolute favorite past-time, there was nothing better for him to do either. Plus, if this could win him a place in the good books, then it was worth the struggle. 

"I am not the most aggressive person you will find," he began and mused on, "but my family and ancestors were bunch of savages. Therefore it should not be that hard to find that string and kick the gene in action. And it is fun to rattle some bones and flesh from time to time." Birk chuckled at his own joke, but then got serious again.

"Tell me about the policies, ground rules and I will try my best to be good at obeying them."

Valette chuckled at his joke. It was a funny one. She could find some truth in it. Once her children were in danger she didn't care what she would do, she would make sure they were out of that danger. Perhaps it was also a gene, not the same one as Birk's though, she had the mommy gene. Valette nodded quickly after.

"I mark the scent that is older and faint. Plus I keep an eye out for anything unnatural. If I see someone to the borders without howling I will get suspicious but still, greet them rather neutral. Only if they are over the borders I will get very defensive. Though I am not the greatest at border patrol myself," she admitted. She wanted to think of the good in people, luckily until now, that hadn't backfired yet.

"So - no "maul first and ask questions later" permitted?" Birk asked, arching an eyebrow, suppressed laughter tugging at the corners of his lips. It wasn't that he was not going to obey the rules (because as vain he was, he did not want to get his handsome face marred by scars), but it would be great to take some certain liberties with the strangers that you would not take with the packmates. Power-play, heavy sarcasm, mock-aggression - all the fun things. 

"I can't promise you though that I won't bite anyone's ear off," he added in a friendly manner.

Valette didn't think Birk was such a wolf in the first place but maybe she was wrong? She did chuckle softly though and shook her head. "I prefer not to. If they keep a respectful distance and are friendly they are met with the same response," she spoke. If someone was disrespectful then Valette wouldn't be so kind and would ask them to leave. If they didn't she would call in the mercenaries. She realized that quite a few wolves were up for the job which she liked. It made her feel safe.

"If someone is rude do feel free to rip their ear off," she spoke with a nod. They were in general quite friendly but they would not allow disrespect. "I don't tolerate disrespect on Easthollow borders, especially not from lone wolves."

"Lone wolves are the worst," Birk agreed and added, "I have a first-hand personal experience after all." Pointing out to the fact that he had been a lone-wolf for a long time as well. He decided then that since Valette had not specified, what exactly "friendly" meant in her dictionary, he would act according to his mood that day. If he was in good humor - he would play polite and nice. If he was in a bad mood - then even the happiest-go-luckiest whitest and fluffiest wolf could bugger off. With one ear, if the first warning was not understood. 

"So - tell me a little about your pack's history. I heard that you were the founding leader and that you have not been here that long?" he had many personal questions for Valette in store, but he would not go and ask them directly. Rather take a stroll and find out other maybe not so important things along the way.

Valette slowly nodded. She didn't fully agree with that. She met lone wolves that were perfectly friendly but perhaps Birk had some different experience. She wouldn't want to go against his own opinion. He could think that Lone Wolves are the worst. Valette liked to think that Blackfeather wolves were the worst to deal with on her border. Luckily the topic shifted to a subject she knew much about.

"Yes, sort of. I became Beta when we settled here. I found this territory as Silvertip Mountain's Ranger. We settled here in the fall, so we experienced all the season here now for the second time. Upcoming fall it will become our third," she explained. That felt like so long! Valette didn't realize that time went so fast. "I became the co-leader with Steady, alpha at the time. We grew closer and I became Steady's mate. However, I didn't have him as my mate for long, as he died that following spring," she admitted.

"I've been leading the pack since that time on my own," she admitted. "We were always a family-based pack but as we are staying longer certain rituals have shaped Easthollow. Like the bison hunts and the Stone Circle which hold a lot of meaning to most members. By the tallest stone Steady is buried, all the other members will be buried in the middle of the circle after they died. This way they can be with our meetings." Valette liked the idea of being with her loved ones while being in the circle.

So - a bunch of children, but no mate. This left the most obvious question of whether she had any interest in having that role filled and, if not, whether she would skip the breeding season altogether. After all she had mentioned the family being a family-based and in Birk's opinion that meant strengthening the chief wolf's bloodline. Though he was very inclined to dig deeper in her personal life, he kept these thoughts sealed behind a polite smile and a warm and interested gaze.

Another thing he did not ask, was, what the Easthollow wolves were going to do, when there would not be any free grave spaces left by the stone pillars? He also found it a little curious this affinity to burrying the dead, because, where he came from, this would have been considered a waste of resources. If not by his own kind, then by the other creatures that lived on the fields. Dead bodies did not lie around for long there. 

"Bisons are those big, fluffy and horned beasts, right?" he had spotted the unusual grass grazers, but not known, what they were called.

Valette dipped her head in a curt nod. She was taught they were called that way but maybe it wasn't the correct name for them at all. The female did like the sound of the name. It seemed to fit them. "Yes," she confirmed verbally. "But we have had quite some injuries form them so far. They aren't like deer. They fight back and with their size, they are very difficult to take down," she admitted to the male. Valette did like the thrill of the hunt but she wasn't as fearless as before now she had become a mother. She did not want to die and leave her children behind so young like her own mother had done.

"So I heard," Birk acknowledge, remembering his encounter with Nikai, who had suffered from such beast during the last hunt they had had. These bisons looked magnificent from afar and even idiot would not question their ability to inflict damage and even kill a reckless hunter. 

"Your kids - there are three of them right? I have met Ezra - the quiet one - so far, but what are the others like?" he changed the subject.

Valette knew that bison were dangerous, it was common knowledge, especially in their pack. They had to live together with them. Birk changed the subject to a much happier one. She really liked to talk about her kids. "Steph and Clary and both very excitable young girls. Clary is the most eager to explore everything. I don't doubt that she will be a scout one day. Steph is calmer than her sister but not as calm as Ezra. She has more of a hunter mentality," she spoke proudly of her kids. "Did you have any kids before coming here?"

Valette spoke of her offspring proudly and Birk, who was not that fond of children, made an effort to memorize their names. After all the good thing about those little buggers was that they grew up at one point and hers were at the useful age of adolescence, when they knew better than to soil, where they slept, and bite all and every body parts that were in sight. 

"No, that right was reserved to my parents only," he replied. Having kids, where they had lived, was both a bravery and stupidity. Yeah, one had to leave a legacy, but then again those bundles of joy had a high incidence of dying young and very often it was an effort wasted, when a nurtured and fed young adult fell in the claws of Ice giants, died of starvation or were attacked and eaten during their first winter. Where food was very scarce, extra competion was not welcomed. 

"But I would not mind to having some one day," he added, though this statement was not entirely truthful. "What about you - any addition to the family planned this year?"

Valette dipped her head. Some didn't feel much for having pups or that one wolf hadn't crossed their paths yet. "Well, maybe one day you will find someone you want to have pups with," she spoke with a nod. Though that would probably not happen within Easthollow unless she would approve of it. Valette didn't feel much for other members having children but perhaps Birk would become more of a family member for her to approve of it.

'Oh I wish," she admitted. "I promised my sister to only breed if I have a mate. I wouldn't want to raise children alone again," she spoke then. But then again, she did have her eye on one male in Easthollow. Though, she was still uncertain if she would want to mate him. She had been without Steady for a year but she still missed him.

Birk doubted it with his dislike for very small children, though, who knew, maybe there were women in the world, who disliked men just as much, but were very fond of kids. In that case he would be happy to help out and meet that offspring a year later to see, if any good had come out of them. If they were still alive, of course.

"With so many packmates around - you had to raise children alone?" Birk's surprise was very genuine. "Either I don't get the whole picture or the others have not been painted in a very nice light."

Valette quickly shook her head. "Sorry, no. All the packmates were wonderful with helping me," she instantly corrected the pale male. "I just meant, alone as in, without a mate. You can only expect so much of others to help you with. Especially mental support," she spoke with a nod. There was much more that came with raising pups than just making sure they are fed and kept warm. There was also a psychological level, at least that was how she experienced it. "I wouldn't want to be without my pups though. They brought me so much."

Since Birk did not have an experience similar to motherhood he could not even fathom, what Valette meant by "kids giving her so much". They were trouble, hard work and generally an unsafe investment in the future. He recalled the offspring of Redhawk caldera former leaders and had hard time imagining that they had brought any joy in their parents' lives ever. Raven and one other were exceptions to the rule, but really?

"They are lucky to have you," he said, meaning every word. Because he realized that his life-story was different from Valette's and just if he had been born in her family, he might view things the same way she did and understand her better. Now all he could do was to respect the fact that she had a different opinion.

Valette chuckled softly when Birk said that they were lucky to have her. She hoped that her children felt the same way. "Those are sweet words, thank you," she spoke with a wagging tail. She just tried her best but it might be easier for her since she liked children. She wanted to be around them.

"Do you like being in Easthollow so far?," she asked curiously. "It sounds like our pack is different than what you are used to?" Valette now wanted to ask him some more questions.

"Lot less fighting and growling - that's for sure," Birk replied with a light-hearted laugh, leaving out the fact that at times he found life in Easthollow just too peaceful and mundane to the point of boredom. A little trouble to spice things up now and then would be great. Otherwise - having only a vanilla ice-cream everyday all days was not very interesting.

"I have observed that you are a very tight-knit group - I have spoken to newcomers only, since I joined the group. Most of the core members seem... indifferent," he said truthfully. "Though I can't say I have been the most dilligent at being a social butterfly."

Valette nodded. She didn't like the fighting and growling, though there sometimes was some of that. Though Valette liked when they mostly would get along with each other. It was easier to manage in her opinion. Valette was surprised that he talked to newcomers only. She would have to tell the others they needed to be more social to new members.

"I think it is because we had a large influx of members lately who also left us within a few weeks. So some don't bother too much but I am certain that soon the others will come around as well. I will talk to them about it." Valette wouldn't want to feel the new comers unwelcome. Perhaps that was why new wolves left so quickly? Valette had a lot to think about.

"Don't bother for my sake," Birk said, though feeling flattered by her concern about his social relations within the pack. "I am a big boy and I will make friends with all them, once I get over my own... reserved nature. I have been on my own for such a long time that making new connections is not easy."

"I see that we have arrived to your residence," he said, noticing the mix of scents, among which he recognized Exra's. "I will bid you a good-night and see you later then?"