Otatso Wetlands Below my feet

@Stark :)

Valette traveled further, knowing that the landscape grew less rough as she progressed, she had the feeling she left the taiga. The girl unknowingly made her way towards the wetlands. Something she had not come across before. The girl saw the waterways soon enough, her ears fell back. Wetlands. Was her mother not attacked in the wetlands by a cougar? The girl swallowed thickly. Maybe it was somewhere else? Cats didn't like water right?

The female carefully walked into the territory that had currently high grasses and lots of water. She could hear the insects fly around her ears, which reminded her of the famine. The girl wasn't intending to stay here long. Still she wanted to map part of her location. Maybe there was someone around who could tell her about these lands. She let out a howl, calling out to anyone that was close if they were willing to come and meet her.

His efforts so far had yielded him no results and the dark male tried not to get too frustrated. It wouldn't do him any good to do so after all, this was just the beginning of what promised to be a long journey. He needed it though. Stretching his feet hadn't been a luxury he'd allowed himself in quite some time and he was sorely aching for the ability to spread his wings a bit. He'd love if it was any other circumstances than a missing child (and Alpha) but he had the drive to find the boy and hopefully it would help to quell some of the tension in his pack if he accomplished his goal. 

He was trying to decide which direction to go in when he heard a howl, it called for anyone - and he qualified as anyone. Stark took a moment, giving a short call in response, before he crossed down through the muck and the mire until he spotted another wolf. He was already dirty up to his paws and he couldn't wait to clean off, but he gave a bob of his head in greeting, trying to hold back the utter disdain for the state he was in. 

Valette was ecstatic that another one responded to her howl. It was not that surprising since wolves were social creatures, yet for the scout it was rather cool trick she could use on her next scouting mission. She couldn't rely on bumping into others by the will of sheer luck. These were vast lands after all.

Soon a grime monster came towards her. Not that she minded her, she didn't look so clean herself from being on the road for two weeks or more. Time went so fast when she was traveling, though she had to admit that she did miss the stability and safety of a pack. The girl greeted the other with a polite nod.

"Hello, thank you for responding!," she spoke once the male bobbed his head. "I'd like to become a ranger and I was wondering if you knew anything about this territory?," she asked, getting straight to the point. She would be willing to exchange information for it. After all that was the currency she had, limited knowledge. Little did she know she might have something to offer for this male.

Another scout. It did bring a moment's smile to Stark's face but he couldn't give her the information she wanted. "Unfortunately I haven't gone into the muck before - I've been looking for a puppy from my pack." He explained. He was straight to the point, not bothering to apply the pleasantries he'd usually start with. Pippin had been missing for far too long. Weeks now. And he felt responsible even if he wasn't. "I'm out trying to find him, I believe his father is too." Stark said as he crossed a bit closer to her, grimacing every time his paws stuck in the mire.

"I'm Stark." No last name, as he'd never really used it. It felt easier than anything else. "You're just out exploring?" He assumed, since she'd mentioned ranging first and foremost, and looking for information. 

Valette nodded acceptingly that this male couldn't tell her much about this territory, but she did note in her head that these wetlands were not the Taiga, the grounds were too soft. The girl was curious to find out that the other was looking for a pup. She sniffed him out. "Hey! You are from Tavi and Banner's pack!," she spoke to him, surprised because she now realized it. "Marauder's Keep," she added.

Her eyes widened. "Is Tambourine lost? Tavi told me about him, but I haven't met him. I also haven't seen a pup on my travels, I'm sorry," she assured to him. Valette sounded very genuine. "I'm Valette. I was on a mission to explore the Taiga, not I am on my way back home which I wanted to do through the Rising Sun region since I was born there," she explained.

She quickly caught on that he was from the Keep which took a bit of pressure off him. He didn't need to betray the secrecy of the pack to give her information - at least enough to retrieve some of the members of his pack that had gone missing. He bristled as she mentioned Tambourine, the hackles raising along his shoulders and down his spine. Protective to a fault, perhaps too protective, but he was facing a situation he'd never prepared for. "You! He gave an exasperated sigh, looking the female over. "Because of you Octavia is talking about taking Tambourine away!" Stark's ears flattened for a moment and his tail lashed behind him and the wound felt so raw it was like having Octavia in his ear again, screeching her vitriol at him. 

"Now she's gone - but I can't focus on bringing her back with a kid missing." It was a whole fucking mess. "If you see her, send her home. At least to tell her son that she's gone." He hadn't expected to get mad at the woman and he certainly didn't want to take it out on her but there was this blinding feeling in him that maybe it was all her fault. it wasn't. There was no way it could be. It didn't make his hurt and less though. 

Valette visibly jumped when the male called out and accused her. The girl's face fell more and more into a frown. Octavia? Was that ... Tavi's name? What... The girl looked at the other rather confusedly so. Her face showed a bit of dislike. "I did no such thing! How dare you to accuse me," she spoke to him. "We talked about our past and what happened to me. She didn't want to talk much about her pack, only that she had a son," she explained.

Valette stopped for a moment. "Tavi is gone? But.. why would she?," Valette questioned. Even she was confused about the female's actions now. "I will tell her to go home if I see her. But-- Did she left Tambourine? That can't be true? She wouldn't do that!"

It wasn't Valette's fault. It really had nothing to do with her - maybe a little bit of bad timing, but Stark couldn't separate the two from one another enough to really focus on anything else. He frowned when she tried to say that Octavia wouldn't leave her son - she most certainly did. "I hate to break it to you, but, she did. Practically bit my face off then hightailed it right out of the pack lands leaving me one confused puppy." Who honestly wasn't that worse for the wear but Stark couldn't understand the mind of a three month old. 

"I trailed her North a bit but I can't focus on her when there is a puppy missing his parents. When Pippin is home I'll be able to devote more time to tracking her down but I'm hoping she comes to her senses first." A bit of his anger had melted away, leaving behind a more morose, beat down man. Stark didn't like that side of himself, he hated to feel like he was letting people see his flaws. He hadn't let himself be sad about Octavia leaving, about the angry things she said, he'd just tried to push through and focus on what he needed to accomplish. "I'm sorry." He finally grit out. "She mentioned your name for the first time and said she was running off with Tam and then it devolved into her screaming at me and she ran off."  Not much of an excuse for his anger, but, at least an explanation for why he lashed out at her. 

Valette listened to the male. Apparently it /was/ her fault. It seemed that she had mentioned her while wanting to go away? Why would she though? She felt so bad now, and it was clear to see on her face. She felt horrible. Tambourine alone? What was Tavi thinking? Leaving him? She knew how much trouble she had when her father left her. There was also another puppy missing. What a mess. The female looked worried and guilty at the same time.

The man seemed to calm down and explain it further. "Stark... I really don't know what I said that would make her leave. I told her about my home at Silvertip and that I was happy there. I promise you on my life I would not have told Tavi to leave. She spoke of visiting me at Silvertip but that is it," she explained to the male. "I don't know where she ran of to. But she spoke with so much love about Tam that I can't believe she would leave him. Maybe something is wrong with her," Valette spoke.

"I'm sorry you have so much on your plate. But I have not seen Tavi or the pup you are talking about." She looked at him with a genuine expression.

He was still hurting. The raw feeling would never go away, not when Octavia had screamed at him, not when no doubt the entire pack had heard it. Stark bristled, blue eyes looking the woman over with a look that was clearly full of a very raw hurt. "I don't...I don't know. She's been...off for a few weeks now but I thought maybe it was from the famine and then...I just..." He sucked in a deep breath, frowning at the floor because he didn't want a stranger to see him so upset. "I don't know what's going on but she hasn't come back and I don't know what to do with it now." It. Everything. He'd care for Tambourine as he had - like his own but then what about the pack she'd also left behind? 

"I hope they're both home soon." Stark said softly, finally looking up at Valette. "I...I really am sorry for yelling at you." It wasn't like him to lose his temper but still it happened and the woman didn't deserve it. 

Valette listened intently. Tavi had hid the fact that she was unwell quite good then. Valette hadn't noticed anything strange about her. This male seemed very invested in Octavia and her going away. He even apologized for yelling at her. Slowly Valette smiled. "It is alright. Emotions run high when you lose someone you love," she commented. It was clear that the male more than liked her. Valette was rather observant.

"Tavi works in mysterious ways," Valette spoke. "But I am not sure if she would ever leave Tambourine. She was so proud of him that day. If you stay around her young I am sure she would return," she spoke, however what she did not speak about was the fact that Tavi could be injured and wasn't able to return home.[/b][/b]

When you lose someone you love? 

Stark for a moment didn't even know how to address that. Could you truly love someone that you clearly didn't know? Or was he losing the part of Octavia that he had come to care so much about? Which was it - and how did he get back to where he had been and figure things out? Stark only gave a brief nod because he couldn't even articulate a proper response. "I've been there since he was just days old. Even if it takes her awhile to come home I'm still going to take care of Tam." Stark said gently. There was no way that he wouldn't continue to care for Tambourine just as he had been. He'd continue to feed him, keep him safe, give him as much love and affection as he could. Just day by day the line became more muddled and he wasn't sure when it was acceptable or not. The longer it took, the less he cared about those limitations. 

"If you see her, let her know he's safe. My sister and I have been taking care of him, my friend Rhodes keeps our borders safe." All his basic needs were met and then some. All he needed was for his Mum to come home and let their little family be complete. They could work on fixing things together if Octavia just came home. 

Valette smiled at the dark male. He seemed very noble to take care of a pup that isn't his, it seemed that he even didn't care for him only but also for the other pups in their pack. The young girl had more admiration for him. "You are the right kind of male. Most are not like you," she complimented with a kind smile.

The female quirked up her lips. "I will," she promised. "I have one question though. Can I assume this is the end of the Taiga? That would be more than enough information for me Ranger wise. I will keep my eyes out for Tavi and that pup of yours," she promised to him.

He didn't expect to have her compliment him, to say that he was a good man. He didn't think he was special, not exactly, but he was still happy to hear that someone did recognize that he tried. He was going to keep on until he couldn't anymore - until there was no other option. "Thank you." He said gently. "I don't..I don't see it as anything too special, just being decent." He said gently. He didn't think of himself as a good man he really just thought that he was doing what he needed to and what he should.

Stark tipped his head to look the lands over as she asked about them. "It's where the Taiga and Valley meet, I think. I'd call it the end in this direction - but from what I've heard the forest beyond the mountains close it off that way." He nodded towards the direction of the Sleeping Dragons, out far beyond where they were. "Thank you, Valette. If there's something I could do to help you in the future, let me know." 

Valette quirked up her lips. "I have not met many decent men," she admitted. "So for me you are special." The girl didn't say things she didn't mean, she would just keep her mouth shut otherwise. However if she did make a compliment she really meant it. The male also confirmed that this was where the valley and the taiga met. Perfect. Exactly where she wanted to be. "Thank you. I wanted to reach the valley. I know I am on the right direction now."

The young girl shook her head. "Nothing for now. I consider Marauder's Keep as a friend. So that is what you can be for me. A friend. Perhaps one day I would need your help, then I know where to find you," she chuckled. A soft smile turned on her lips. "Alright. I will be on the look out. I will go through the valley and over the mountains. You will know if I found her," she promised. [b]"Otherwise you can assume I have not seen her."[b]

A friend. She'd be his first friend outside of the pack. It wasn't a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination and honestly Stark needed to branch out more. "Definitely. And once things settle down some, I'll come out and visit and let you know how it all turned out." He said with a smile. His tail gave a slow, tiny wag behind him, but it was better than when they'd run into each other. "If she comes home, I'll have a messenger let you know." 

Stark was being hopeful, trusting too much in the prospects of Octavia's return and that things would improve once she just made it back. She had to come back. When she did, things would be fixed. He felt certain of that. "Thanks, Valette." He said with a nod before he turned back towards the Keep. "If you need a place to rest on the way home, don't hesitate to come knocking." 

Valette quirked up her lips when he offered her a place to stay if she needed a rest. She would definitely take that spot if she would head past their territory. "Thank you for the messenger, that would be great. I think Banner wanted to dabble with the scout trade. I ran into her. I hope she returns home. You are welcome to visit too, of course," she smiled.

"I will be going over the mountains, but not over Thunder Dome. It was too dangerous for me," she admitted. "But thank you for offering. It means a lot," she hummed. The girl nodded in than you. "Good day to you," she wished him and then trotted off towards the south, she wanted to head more into the valley and explore further was used to be her home.

feel free to Archive or post one more time! Thank you for this!! <3

Stark nodded his head, listening as she laid out her plan. He gave a little laugh when Banner was mentioned. "I'll let my sister know I ran into you, then." He said as his tail swayed slowly behind him. "Safe travels." He said with a nod as she departed and Stark watched for a moment until her figure disappeared and he returned to the Keep.