Stone Circle Branches were sewn by the color of green

Since she had joined the pack, Oryx had remained fairly solitary in nature as a quietness stole its way into her life. Unspoken thoughts cast a spell upon her, and quiet often a tear would hang upon her eyelashes before being swept away as she buried those whispers with a sort of sullen desperation. She was tired and sore- and while her bruised bones and strained muscles healed, she found her spirit continued to decay as she became more and more withdrawn. 

In the night, her dreams were filled with the image of a rocky landscape that blurred past her at a frantic pace before disappearing into nothingness- and she was gripped by the feeling of falling which startled her into wakefulness with a gasp. She dreaded the dreams, which often left her sulking and fretting until eventually, she'd fall asleep again simply out of exhaustion. On one such night she launched herself to her feet upon waking up so suddenly, and had stumbled out of the den, panting fearfully before she realized she was even awake. She took a few moments to calm herself down. She looked up to the stars- and finding within them a pattern that was familiar and reassuring, she begged her nerves to settle, and left her den to make a trip to the stream to get a drink. 

Her path took her within sight of the circle of stones which were so revered by the pack- but the sight of them basking in the dim moonlight made her shudder. Trying to confront at least one of her demons, she stood still for a few moments, staring across the distance at the tall, pale figured as she tried to tell herself they were nothing but stones. Still; she flinched when the wind lifted, whispering through the stone formation and whining a low, soft moan. She clenched her teeth, and told herself that perhaps- if she could convince herself that there was nothing amiss or malignant about those stones, she might also be able to confront her dreams.

For the second time that day Siarut found himself venturing from the side of his mate. This time with a soft grumble, having been awoken to fetch some food. It wasn't often that Nanook requested something in the dead of night anymore, but when she did there was no way Sia could even fathom not getting whatever she wanted. She of course was the love of his life, and the mother of his very young children. She deserved the world. And so... the northern man headed quickly to the stream to quench his own late night thirst before heading to a cache to see what was available.

Her scent reached him before he reached her. She had been around for some time now, if Sia remembered carefully. Just over a month, if he had to guess. It wasn't uncommon for him to no introduce himself. For the first couple of months he belonged to Easthollow Siarut spent very little time within the borders, preferring instead to scout the areas surrounding. Returning to her sister had been Nanook's wish, and he had obliged, but for a long time he was uncomfortable. Unable to move past his demons to properly settle. He wasn't sure what he noticed this ideology change. He supposed it was around the time he found out Nanook was pregnant. He wanted his children to grow up in a home, but how could they if he didn't see this place as home. No, it was Sia's duty to finally fit in. To make the effort.

And so when he normally would have left the girl to her own thoughts, Siarut found himself following the scent. It was late, but then again he too didn't sleep much at night. Nightmares often waking him far earlier than the sun. But he had learned to live with the insomnia. Siarut let out a soft chuff as he approached the dark, sleek female, giving her a respectable distance.

She flinched- and simultaneously, whipped her head around to lock her startled gaze on the male who had used the wind to his advantage, and had managed to get this close to her without being detected. She blinked, and shook her head as though to shake away her frightened expression and when she looked at him again, it was with a wary anxiety that she forced a small smile, knowing that she had to treat unknown packmates not like strangers, but like family. It faded though, within moments, but she was also able to reassure herself that this would be alright. This was a packmate. Packmates were called family, in this pack...Though from everything she had learned about family, she still wasn't entirely sure she could trust them. 

She wondered why he'd chosen to join her, and then she remembered the stones. Her ears quivered for a moment as she looked at them again. She did not want to be found out, not yet. Not until she'd been given a chance to try and come to terms with the unknown. The stones looked unnatural to her- and the unnatural and the supernatural were to be feared and avoided. "I came to...See the stones," She said, her voice trembling but friendly. True, she'd come to see them- but she'd maintained such a distance that they hardly rose over the horizon line. She looked to him, then, brows raised, and begging a silent question. What did he think of them? She needed to find someone who felt the same way about them that she did...But at the same time, she did not want to risk being outcast because she feared the stones were a bad omen.

She offered and explanation for her late night appearance before Siarut could find words of his own. Something he actually appreciated. The brute nodded, glancing over at the towering rocks in the distance. "Bit far to get a good look. Don't you think?" There was an apprehension in her tone, a hesitation laid out easily for him to see. Curious. "I've never found them to be particularly interesting myself. Mind you I have no loved ones buried there." His olive gaze fell from the stones to the woman once again.

It was a little odd for a newcomer to wake in the middle of the night with the urge to see the sacred stones. Once or twice he had seen Valette and even more rarely Nanook wandering the stones late, obviously lost in a circle of grief. "But I sense you haven't woken in the middle of the night to seek out the company of the stones." His voice was uncharacteristically soft, as he tried to divulge her mindset and circumstances.

She felt her lips twitch when he drew attention to the distance and she felt a bit of dread seep into her heart. What if he invited her to go see them? She'd have to...She knew some day, she would have to go near them, perhaps even stand amongst them, so as to not insult the packmates who had taken her in, rather than leaving her to die. But she felt it was too soon, and the night too dark...And so she simply laughed- a cold, brittle sound that disappeared like a puff of warm breath on cold air. She froze, though, when he mentioned not having loved ones buried there. She turned her head to look at him- but found her gaze being drawn back to the stone circle. He implied, then, that there actually were wolves buried there. Dead bodies, buried within a stone circle? The fur along the nape of her neck prickled slightly, against her will. She simply nodded in acknowledgement, but continued to fret about the fact that there were dead bodies amongst the stones.

There was a change in subject, and she found it much easier to talk about nightmares, rather than the circle of stones, even though normally, she wouldn't have brought up such a thing, especially with a stranger. Nightmares on their own hinted at some sort of madness or illness, as something within her brain, mind and heart were not quite settled and set her subconscious against her. Regardless; "I was- I had a bad dream," She said softly. Company of stones? Hardly. "I was going to the stream, to get something to drink," She said, gesturing with a small motion of her muzzle; a quiet invitation for him to join her, and a reason to get away from the haunting stone circle.

Keen eyes didn't miss the shiver along her spine or the ruffling of her guard hairs. Did the stones really disturb her so? Siarut thought, curiosity still reflecting in his olive gaze. She was obviously concerned by whatever ideas had popped into her head regarding the stones. Sia offered the boulders another look, as if to see something he had missed before. To see if there was some evil or darkness that he had never noticed before. Finding nothing out of the usual, he would mention it later perhaps. When it wasn't the middle of the night.

Considering how tight lipped she was about the stones, Sia was surprised she divulged her real reason for wandering so late. "Ah." The man nodded slowly, understanding and empathy suddenly exuding from his features. At her acceptance, Siarut joined her at the waters edge. Although he didn't stoop for a drink just yet, instead he appraised her for a moment longer. Thinking about what to say. "I — I never like talking about...my nightmares." His gaze was suddenly fixated on the water rather than his companion. Embarrassed to be sharing so much with a stranger. He was so far out of his comfort zone as it was, Siarut figured why not go all in. "But, my mate claims it would help. Would you —," he cleared his throat before finishing his sentence suddenly unsure if he might push her to far, "Would you like to talk about it?"

She wasn't sure what else to say to him. She'd clearly not fawned over the stones the way the others seemed to, though he...Didn't seem to be as attached to them, and possibly because he hadn't buried anyone there yet. A macabre thought hit her- and she wondered if the pack might be more superstitious and interested in witchcraft than she'd originally thought...But what if there was a chance that those who had buried loved ones there...Had done so in order to gain some sort of power? She remembered that Greyback had asked her with some amount of trepidation if she practiced witchcraft when she said she would search for healing herbs...At first, she'd thought his wariness was simply because most wolves feared witchcraft...But now, she had reason to suspect that maybe he feared that if she was a witch, potentially she could unravel the power that the stones hid.

Or perhaps Valette had allowed her to join the pack so she could be used as a sacrifice. She nearly choked on the water she lapped up as the thought struck her- but she couldn't think of that now. These were paranoid thoughts. And the man standing near her could overpower her in an instant if she panicked. She had to stay calm...But she had to be wary. 

He asked about her nightmares- and she wondered if he might be looking for some form of weakness, or an admission that she believed them to be premonitions...This was getting more and more bleak by the minute. But there was a kindness about the way he spoke- and he genuinely seemed to want to help, even if it was something he did because his mate requested that he do it. No, she did not want to talk about her dreams- but she could turn the conversation toward him. "You get them too?" He'd already admitted that he didn't like talking about them...But neither did she. This was a gentle way, she felt, of saying No.

She did a wonderful job at containing her continued suspicions and fears regarding the pack. Of course if he could read her mind he would know that she wasn't nearly as calm as he was now thinking. But, that wasn't a skill he possessed and so he was left fumbling around with a response to her question. A small scoff left his lips, he had already admitted to them so he gave her a nod while he continued to collect his thoughts. Siarut was in a more secure position that she was, he felt safe within the confines of the territory, he wondered if lowering his guard would help her do the same.

"Many who pass through Easthollow have traumatic pasts. I am no different." Siarut conceded. "They aren't as frequent as they used to be, but..." He trailed off slowly, eyes finally seeking out her own pale blue. "But they linger, even during the day." It had taken him a long time to come to terms with the fact they he would be haunted by his mistakes and his fails for the rest of his life. His mental stability a constant battle.

She wasn't surprised to hear the sound he made. She shouldn't have expected him- as both a male and a stranger- to be open to talking to her about something like nightmares. But he did respond, which was more than what she'd bargained for, and his words did nothing to ease her suspicion about the place. She frowned when she learned that the pack had a penchant for taking in wolves with shady pasts, and turned to look at Siarut when he confessed that he felt haunted, even during the daytime. She wanted to ask him more- but she wasn't so sure she trusted him enough to have him be her confidant. He could, after all, simply be checking in on her- as per Valette or Greyback's request- to see where her loyalties were. 

So she decided that perhaps speaking about something like nightmares wasn't the best thing as it might lead him to believe she was vulnerable. She wanted to change the subject but she caught the glint of his eyes and for a moment, he ensnared her gaze. Was he daring her to ask him more? Or was he...Actually being open? She was quiet for a moment. Maybe she was being too paranoid altogether- and shouldn't have let her thoughts run as much as they had. She pursed her lips together. "I'm sorry," She said, quietly, and looked away. "We don't need to talk about it," She said, softly. "I'm Oryx...And I am sorry, for...Whatever you've been through," She said. She wanted to seem empathetic- but was likely still too guarded to be able to extend any real amount of kinship to the stranger.

He was prepared for her to pry further, as most would take as much as they could get. But to his surprise the woman seemed to soften, if only a smidge. Siarut could feel a tiny bubble of pride blooming in his chest. "I appreciate that Oryx. As I am sorry for whatever cause your nightmare this evening." He tested her name, before offering his own, I'm Siarut. Pleasure to meet you." A smile tilted his lips for a moment, and he finally dipped his head to get that drink he had originally come for.

"Was it Valette or Greyback who welcomed you in?" The question fell without thought from his lips, his curiosity getting the better of him. He wasn't sure if she wished to be alone of not, but Sia wasn't sure he wanted to leave his latest packmate while they were so tense. She might be new here, not yet part of the family, but he still had a duty to look after her well being. So he filled the silence with a meaningless, easy question.

She nodded in acceptance when he extended the same respect to her that she'd offered to him. They had no need to push their boundaries and spill their darkest fears and dreams to one another, just for the purpose of doing something that Siarut's wife had put on his list of 'things to work on.' She was given the impresssion that he likely had experienced his fair share of pain and loss, and that his mate felt he ought to push through it, and try to get past his bad dreams. Maybe she wanted to change who he was...Or maybe she was just trying to get him to get past his fears so he might stop talking and kicking in his sleep. 

He then mentioned both Valette and Greyback, and she nodded, first. "Valette found me," She said, trailing off slightly. She didn't want to explain that Valette had found her on death's doorstep. "But I have met Greyback as well. They both seem very nice," She said. And they did- Valette had welcomed her even when she had been in terrible shape, and had had nothing to offer in return for all her generosity, due to her injuries, but for the promise that one day, she would be able to repay her debt. Greyback was perhaps one of the gentlest wolves she'd ever met- which was especially a feat when considering his size and the fact that he probably could have knocked her over with a sneeze. "You...Have been here a while, then?" She asked. She got the feeling he was well-integrated into the pack, speaking with such familiarity of the leaders, and having started a family here as well, with his mate.

Language had always been of keen interest to Siarut. He spoke a few languages, only two fluently, but there were others he could understand. And so her use of the word found struck Sia as odd. He gave a slight tilt of his head in curiosity but other wise let her keep her stories. She was obviously fairly nervous, and he got the weird sensation of guilt settling in his stomach. Not a feeling he was used to when speaking with other in his own home.

“They are very nice. They’ve helped a lot of people.” Even in his own tenure within Easthollow Sia had seen many come and go, man battered and bruised people. Even know he could think of the tragic tails that lingered with the territory, Polaris and Clay, the first names that came to mind. Easthollow has become a sanctuary to so many.

“I have been here for some time now. It’s almost been a year now.” It has been so long since he had seen Takiyok. Their last meeting hadn’t been the best. But then he had been distracted by Nanook, and the children, and gosh he had really lost track of the time. In that moment Sia decided he would leave in the coming days. To visit his sister. There were so many in the pack that would help protect Nanook and their children. It was at times like this that he had to learn to rely on his pack.

As if to reply and acknowledge the praise Siarut gave Greyback and Valette, Oryx blinked and nodded slightly. She did not think either of them were harmful wolves at all...Though she was still wary of the fact that they were religious- and that they cared so much about what Oryx considered to be an unnatural stone structure. Apparently Siarut had managed to survive a year without being turned into a sacrifice- so she reminded herself yet again, that it was simply the paranoia talking. These wolves might be religious- and yes, they buried their dead near those dreaded stones- but that didn't mean it was done in sacrifice. 

Everything that she didn't know about these wolves was so easily turned into a fear; and her imagination had a tendency to roam perhaps a bit further than it should. But Siarut seemed to be rational, and relatively trustworthy. He was respectful, and he seemed to have become fairly established here. "Do you and your mate have children?" She asked.

IM SORRY!

He couldn't help be smile at her question, "Yes we do. They were born just over a week ago." It was obvious that Siarut was over the moon, as any new father would be. His tail swayed easily behind him, and a weight lifted from his shoulders. "If you find your place here we will of course introduce them to the pack when the time is right." Siarut sought a reaction to his words, wondering if she was considering making the effort to become part of the family.

He was intrigued by the young woman. She reminded him of Alessia or Myreen or whatever her name had been. It had been a long time he had thought of her. Mentally shaking off the sudden memories, Siarut turned his gaze away not wanting to seem rude.

Hey- it's ok, nar worries <3

Well- he had a bit of spark in him, that shone when he spoke of his children, and Oryx was glad to see it. While he was a fearsome creature, there was no denying that he was very proud to be a father, and happy to talk about his children as well. A family man, who had lots to live for with the company of not only his beloved mate, but the children they had brought into the world as well. She did not expect to be invited to see them, as they were still little more than strangers yet, but in the future she would be happy to see the toddlers. "I look forward to that," She said, with an appreciative dip of her head- though it hurt her heart a little, knowing that she was still an outsider in the midst of a pack. 

He gazed at her, and she wondered perhaps if he was wondering about her...And she thought she felt a question coming, though she too turned her head away, as though to ward off the discomfort of having to talk about herself. No question came, but she noticed, then, the break of light beginning to seep away at the Eastern horizon. It made her feel comfortable, content to know that the dark of night had an end and that it was now in sight. She blinked, and drew in a soft breath. "I think...I may try to catch a bit more sleep, before day breaks," She said. It would only be a matter of hours now, before the light grew across the sky and tapped out the stars as it swept with the dawning light. "I am glad to have met you, Siarut," She said. Perhaps he might be something of a kindred spirit- and that they might weather the undertow of memories silently, side by side.

Siarut watched the woman curiously, a small smile still gracing his lips. He would follow her progress within the pack, looking forward to getting to k is her. “It was nice to have met you as well, Oryx.” She moved off, and he dipped his head offering her a quick farewell. Once she was gone he crouched for another drink before heading toward the nearest cache to grab his wife an early morning meal. And snuggling in with his family for a lazy morning.