Bearclaw Valley The joke's on you

@Ameline and/or @Ancelin

he'd left the woman and man of bearclaw. 

the lengthy absence was unintentional, but necessary all the same. 

with the woes of his past, certain tracks he'd left behind needed to be concealed. lest they find him here. 

he couldn't endanger the bearfolk, nor their coming offspring.

The days grew long- longer for her, as her days extended into restless night. Walking was her only escape, and so she paced near the borders rather than sitting atop the sentry stone as she often had. Every time she took a break, the youngsters seemed to be prompted to lash out and beat at her insides until she moved again. 

She was very ready to hand them their eviction notice.

She caught a familiar scent on the air and made her way toward it. A wolf who had had some promise- but who had ditched them without much explanation. Ameline was surprised to see the man in their area again, and regarded him with calm skepticism, clearing her throat in hopes of receiving some form of explanation.

bearwoman. as he saw it fit to call her. 

a dip of his head was offered in both greeting and apology. 

there were things I needed to settle before I could return here. to keep you, bearman, and bearpups safe. I would not see you harmed because of my ill past.

Her eyes narrowed, but she did not deign to respond to the title with an accepting nod of her head. His explanation came soon enough; and when she reflected for a moment, she could recall him explaining that he had a past to shirk when he had first come to them. 

”It ith done then?” She asked, leery that such a thing might come up again. She wanted assurance that he would not jet a second time.

it is. he answers simply.

i am yours, now. 

bearclaw was home, and here he would remain.

It was over.

Whatever it was he had been through, and wherever it was he had come from, he seemed completely detached from it now. She hoped that he had not had to permanently silence anyone in order to free himself- and if he had, that he'd been quiet about it. 

"Doeth anyone elthe know you ath Merikh?" She asked. "You could choothe a new name if you want. Or I could choothe you a new one." She offered; thinking of the pack's current name scheme.

the shadow shook his head at this. none but you have known me by this name. 

it had been made for his new beginning. but maybe it wasn't truly designed for him. 

I wouldn't be against you choosing a new one for me.

do you have a name you'd like her to give him? :)

He was smart- even the name Merikh was allegedly one only the Bearclaw couple knew. She had to wonder what his story was, just out of curiosity- but part of her dreaded finding out the truth. They needed pledged members, especially now that her due date was looming so close. She wanted a handful more recruits as soon as possible, and couldn't afford to turn many away. 

Ignorance would be bliss, in this case. 

"Hmmm....Well, How about I give you a couple, an' you pick one? You can always choothe Merikh if you want, an' I won't take any offenthe...Motht of the pack here have 'A' nameth, tho...Jutht give me a thec, an' I'll give you a couple." 

She and Ancelin had been brainstorming names, after all. There were a few that they had both liked, but others they preferred more- she could have three names on the tip of her tongue in a moment or two.

nothing in particular! I'll leave the options up to you! ^^

just as Ramesses had once named him, the bearwoman would do the same for him here. the idea brought an unexpected tingle up his spine. but whether it was a good feeling or not, he pushed it away. 

I trust your judgement. or as much as he felt he could, for how little of time he'd known her.

How important was a name, truly? Ameline had changed hers, shedding the youthful 'Lilia' for a name that could continue the pack's name scheme, and had thought nothing of it. Merikh had changed his name once- and would again, it seemed, if he liked her suggestions. Still, it meant something to her that he might pledge himself to the pack and take on a new name. It was a sign that he was willing to truly start over, and commit to the pack.

"Annorak," Was her first offering. "Arteriom," Her second. "Archax." She struggled to pronounce the third, but managed a surprisingly crisp rendition of it, considering her usual lisp. She wondered then- would he accept any of her recommendations?

all three would surely sound well on the tongue, but he could only choose one. 

after a moments' thought, he knew. 

the first. 

annorak.

the name of his true reinvention.

"Annorak," She repeated, and a smile curled her lips. "Welcome back," A light rhyme, a sign of her improved spirits. She gestured toward the valley so that he might feel free to go and roam, and tilted her head back to send out a howl informing the others that Merikh- now named Annorak- was welcomed amongst them once more. 

"G'wan, get thettled...Ath thoon ath you're ready for guard duty, thwing by tho I can take a break," She said.

I won't be long. he promised. he was itching to put himself back on his feet, doing the work he'd come to do. 

then with a low chuff of farewell, he turned to a new path through the valley.