Stone Circle Come talk to me!

@Steph

It was a warm summer day, and as the sun finally decided to go make place for the night. Valette was relieved as the heat seemed to stick to her coat. The Matriarch had found a cool spot in the shade after taking a dip in their stream. She needed that cool water to wet her coat to find a relief from the heat. Valette let out a long sigh as she took her rest for the day. Being a mother and a leader at the same time was tiring. She rarely had these quiet moments and it didn't sound too bad to have a nap.

An hour later, the female uncurled and stretched happily. She felt really rested after just one hour of not having one of the rambunctious boys jumping on top of her. Valette pushed herself to her feet and decided that she should check up on Steph. She howled to her daughter to see where she was, since Valette was eager to see her now she felt more rested. She realized she had no idea what was happening in Steph's life.

Since Steph's return, she hadn't had much free time to just sit and chat with her mother. But, she also didn't think Valette would mind much. They both had a lot to do, and Steph was trying to take on more and more responsibility so that the Alpha could find her own time to relax. With growing children and a mate and a whole pack, Steph didn't think Valette got a lot of time for herself.

Her tail started to wag the moment she heard the call. She changed her coarse to head towards her mother, and gave her a bright smile when she came into view. Hey, Mom, she said, nuzzling Valette's neck in greeting. How are you? she asked.

Valette greeted her daughter happily with a nuzzle and a kiss. Steph was such an adult now, she couldn't phantom to picture Steph as a child. Her first child. Steph would always have a special place in her heart. "I'm good. I'm glad I had mostly girls in my previous litter. Boys are so rambunctious," she chuckled and then went to lie down. "How about you?," she asked.

Valette then slowly curled her lips into a smug smile. "... And Sunny? Don't think I noticed you glances at each other when he was here with his children," Valette spoke. She was not a fool, she would catch those things. Plus she would love to have some girl talk with Steph. But then she realized that Sunny was mated right? He had a mate last time she recalled. Juicy! Now she really wanted to know more.

Steph chuckled about the differences between male and female pups. Steph didn't really think she and her siblings were better than the boys now; she had just been a little better at hiding the things she wasn't supposed to be doing. But, as she grew and was allowed more freedom, the necessity to hide had drifted away. But, by then, she had gotten the rambunctious days mostly out of her system. Well, more now maybe less later? She said with a smile, trying to give her mother some hope that the boys would settle down. 

Steph couldn't hide the smile when Sunny's name was brought up. Being completely at ease and open with her mother, Steph didn't hesitate to spill the beans. I like him, she said. Like, like him, she added. I just don't know how to tell him. I haven't really had these feelings before, and I'm worried he doesn't think of me like I do him. Some might have added on the difficulty of his children, but she loved them, and they didn't seem to hate her, so she had no fears where they were concerned.

Valette let out a sigh. "Oh I really hope so," she spoke. She was not sure if she could handle having her boys getting in trouble all the time. Then again, she probably would do that without question. The female then smiled at Steph slowly breaking into more of a smile. Th mother couldn't hold back a smile either. It was probably the first time that Steph really liked someone. "I could tell," she admitted.

"Steph, I have seen you BOTH grinning like idiots when you were seeing each other," she commented. Then she frowned lightly though. "I thought Sunny had a mate though. I am not sure if I approve of you breaking up a mating," she admitted. Steph was different from her. When she had been Steph's age she couldn't wait to be a mother and had used Ezekiel to have pups, which resulted in Steph. She was glad for it. She wondered about Clary and Ezra. She had not seen them in a long time.

"It works best if you tell him," she admitted. "Males aren't so good with hints, trust me. Though it can be very scary. But I can tell you that often deep down you know if the other likes you or not." she advised. There were so many questions. Like, was Steph going to leave Easthollow for Sunny?

She couldn't help but smile when her mother mentioned Sunny and Steph smiling at each other. But her smiled quickly turned into a frown when her mother mentioned Steph breaking up a couple. I wouldn't do that, she said, her voice strong in her conviction. Her voice softened with her next words, Sunny's mate died in the fire they had. While it didn't seem to have been that long, if Sunny was ready to find another mate, why couldn't Steph make herself available?

She listened as Valette gave her the advice to tell Sunny. She supposed her mother was right. It was no use in beating around the bush, and just sitting around hoping Sunny liked her. At the very worst, Sunny could tell her that he didn't return her feelings, and she wouldn't be any different than she was before her crush. I feel... I dunno. He could just be being nice, she feared.

Valette nodded approvingly. "I thought you wouldn't," she assured to her daughter. She had raised Steph well after all and didn't think that Steph would do such a thing. "Oh how awful that she died. And he is all alone with those kids. That is a tough job. I know how it is to lose someone, and through a fire. That is just terrible. If there is one wolf that doesn't deserve that then it is Sunny," Valette sighed.

She then looked at Steph. There was one thing that she did want to tell Steph before she would get into this. "Just know... Somehow Sunny does get a lot of bad luck. I don't know why but he has been through so much, and most of it wasn't even his fault but still. Perhaps you can give him something good in his life," she then reasoned. But then she realized. "If... If he likes you back that would mean you would leave,' she whispered.

She nodded, agreeing with all that her Mom said. He seems to be keeping it together so well, as far as I can tell. He is such a strong male, but at the same time, so kind and caring, she said. She could help but talk Sunny up, but she hoped it didn't sound like she was putting him up on a pedestal. 

She knew he had been through a lot, but she didn't hold that against him. All that he's been through, and look at where he's at? He doesn't let it hold him back, she argued for Sunny. It was not something she would ever hold against him. 

Her ears perked when Valette voiced a truth that Steph hadn't really been ready to face. She cleared her through. It would be wrong of me to ask him to leave his pack, and the place his children know as home, she said softly. Honestly, it would be easier for her to go to him than him to come here.

Valette didn't know Sunny in that aspect but she could believe it. Sunny had went through a lot and was still kind. He felt family was important hence why he came here to show his new children about Easthollow. The matriarch agreed with Steph by nodding to her. "You are right. I just wanted you to know." She was fearful that some of the bad luck would hurt Steph in a way, but then again, Steph should make her own mistakes as well.

"I know. I would just miss you, that is all," Valette spoke. "After all, you are my first daughter and have been around since the beginning. But, it is good that you are starting your own life," she smiled at Steph. Valette was proud of her daughter and who she had become. "But! We are not at that stage yet," she spoke then.