Wapun Meadow Where are you??

Valette arrived at the meadow after running into a old friend and after finding a good territory where they could perhaps settle. She and Ezekiel had split up so they could cover more ground and explore more places. They would later meet here, in Wapun meadow next to Blackfoot forest. She had shown him where to meet. They would just take a day or perhaps a little bit more to travel back to his meadow. Then she could show Ezekiel her the lands she was born or if they had little time travel back to STM.

Valette arrived first and jumped up on the large boulder that overlooked the meadow. She sat down and waited, and waited... and waited. The sun was starting to set and it had Valette a bit worried where Ezekiel was. She let out a howl, turning her body while she howled from the higher location so her sound would travel further and in all directions. She howled for her friend, her beta. As she continued her howls she became more desperate for an answer. The howling took quite a lot of energy from her so she needed to take a break.

Where was he? Why was he not responding? They were already rather late in her eyes and their alpha was waiting for them. Though then she also grew worried of the fact that Ezekiel might have gotten injured or worse... he left. She let out another desperate howl for her friend. She did not want to leave him behind...

Rickon was the furthest possible distance from the source of the howling when he first heard it. No other voice joined in, though it was clearly a call for someone, and as the lament continued, he began to feel for the caller— knowing well how it felt to call for someone who wouldn't or couldn't answer. Feeling unable to just go on his way, the dusky male adjusted his itinerary to reconcile with a minor detour. He didn't rush, feeling over-conscientious of that fact that he might interrupt something with his investigative meddling.

The young, dark-furred female was easy enough to find, settled neatly in the midst of a vast, sloping meadow. His tail wagged tentatively, making several chuffing noises to attract her attention. Surely she'd be disappointed that he wasn't the correct recipient of her highly specified call, so he waited to see how terribly she'd receive him in that moment before deciding to approach her fully.

Valette had been so into her calls that at first she didn't notice that someone was approaching but when she stopped howling and concentrated on the world around her for any sign of Ezekiel, then she noticed someone else. Her perked up ears caught the chuff, something Ezekiel wouldn't have done because they were close. He was probably run up to her if he could even run. The female's eyes fell on a dark male. Naturally she was disappointed with what she was seeing. But this male had been going towards her. Perhaps he had a message of Ezekiel.

She jumped off the boulder and landed a few paces before him. Her gaze interested as she expected him to have some information for her. The girl had been rather desperate to find the grey male. It had been clear by her almost mournful and sad howling. He couldn't been dead... And... he wouldn't leave her right? Right? Valette looked rather hurt. "Have you seen a big grey male? He is kind of stoic and distant to strangers. He would smell of me," she asked. Because they had been close before they split up to explore this region.

Rickon almost instantly felt as if he had made a mistake in approaching her. She was clearly disappointed with his arrival as a complete stranger, and was wholly uninterested in who he even was. Immediately she was asking him of her friend, and the boy lowered his dark olive eyes sadly in answer before responding verbally. "I'm afraid I ain't met a guy like that... sorry," he said as gently as he could, intensely aware now that this fella was extremely important to her and that his unhelpful news could adversely affect her already tainted mood. "I.. well I heard howlin'... and I guess I just came through to see if I could help any."

Valette watched the sad glance of the male and how he apologized. The female now felt a bit rude towards this male who seemed really friendly. Especially that he even came towards her. The girl nodded slowly. "That is very nicely offered," she spoke to the male. The young female sat down before him. "This would be a our meeting spot, so if he doesn't hear my howling or can't howl back then he isn't in these miles around us... or... he wouldn't be alive..," her voice cracked a bit at those last words.

"He is my beta, we were scouting for a new territory for our pack," she explained. "I'm sorry I was rude. I'm Valette. What is your name?," she asked the darker colored male.

"You wasn't rude, Valette. You're just lookin' for your friend— I can understand that," he offered reassuringly, coming a few steps closer so that their voices needn't be raised to carry through the space between them. "My name's Rickon. I can help you look around, if you want? Maybe your friend's just sleepin' somewhere? It's pretty late out... Or he could be just out of range," he tried. "At any rate, it won't help to lose hope just yet. You got me in the meantime, and two sets o' senses oughta be better than one, so how 'bout it?"

Valette smiled thankfully at him, glad that she didn't come over as rude. She was not the type of female to be rude or dismissive towards strangers. The young female nodded in confirmation that she was just looking for her friend. Technically more than a friend, she liked to think so. "Nice to meet you Rickon," she spoke to him. "I don't know. He is very dutiful. The soldier type, really. So I wouldn't think he would be napping somewhere. He could be out of range," she admitted. "But, we were suppose to meet up here this morning, and now it is late in the afternoon. Something doesn't feel right."

She looked around and her ears dropped briefly. Something in her gut told her that something might have happened. She hoped there wouldn't that he was just out of range. But, who could tell? "Would you think it is wise to leave this meeting spot to go look for him? What if he comes here while I am out searching for him?," she asked, suddenly not so sure.

Listening to Valette describe her companion, Rickon began to understand her anxiousness at him not being here. "Hey, I'm sure he's fine, Valette, 'specially if he's a kinda soldier, like y'say. He's probably jus' runnin' behind, y'know?" It was the least he could do to try to reassure her, considering she had no one else in this moment to rely on. She brought up the point that it might be dumb to leave the area in which they were designated to meet, but in the young adult didn't see anything wrong with his proposition. "We could stay," he acquiesced; "but if we move a few miles around, maybe your friend'll be able to hear ya better. We might even come across his trail if you're feelin' lucky." His tail was wagging now, maybe trying to bolster her hope for the situation.

"And if he comes here while we're off lookin', he'll either wait here for ya, or come a-sniffin' after you," he beamed. "I mean, do you wanna stand around here waitin', or do you wanna cover some ground an' keep yourself busy?"

Valette calmed down a bit and decided to be reasonable. She listened to the male and what he had to say. She decided that he was right and it wouldn't hurt if they would move a few miles to look for him. She gave a firm nod. "Alright. I think you are right. I have been in this place for too long," she admitted. Howling and standing still was kind of boring. Now she could stretch her legs and hopefully find an old trail. She was a good tracker having her hunter trade, but also her scout trade to locate. Partly that was why she was so bummed out she lost her Beta.

Valette inhaled some of the fresh air to gather some motivation. "Lets go towards the Taiga, it is north from here," she spoke. Seeing that Ezekiel split up in that direction, and they came south from the mountain range she felt like if she would head further north they might be able to pick up a trail. "It is just, because he has such military focus that he wouldn't be late, you know?," she spoke and then shook it off her. "Anyhow. Lets see if we can pick up a trail or if he responds to howls."

Valette started walking making sure to walk next to her newly found friend. She was always quick to label someone as a friend. "So... What about your Rickon? Are you in a pack?," she asked while keeping her nose low to the ground.

Rickon had successfully convinced his new companion to leave the area, though privately hoped he wasn't making a huge mistake on her part. He was deeply uncertain himself, but since he wouldn't allow his insecurity to show, they were off into the night before any other objections could arise. He padded evenly at the smaller she-wolf's side, casting her a sideways and reassuring grin as she reiterated her concerns. Rickon didn't have much hope to find a wolf whose character she insisted was so punctual— which probably meant that her worries weren't unfounded. All the young man could do was help her look.

His nose wasn't pressed to the ground, as he doubted he'd be much aid in picking out an unfamiliar male's scent, but he kept his dark olive eyes out for any movements beyond them. "I'm not, actually," he answered. "Lookin' though. I'll need to find me a home before winter flies down. What about you? From around here, Valette?"

Valette trotted on, her nose close to the ground, but her ears listening to the male. She hadn't picked up on his insecurity, she was actually growing quite a liking to the male. It seemed that he would fit in their pack. She could see him fit in at least. "Well! If you don't have a home why don't you join my pack?," she offered. "I am here to scout out a territory for my pack, Silvertip Mountain. Soon we will move to this region. So you could join us if you like!," she offered with a smile. "If you think our pack would suit you. I found a territory east of here with a stone circle! We will most likely settle there," she explained.

Valette hadn't done much recruiting on her scouting trips but that didn't mean she would never. This might be a good opportunity. "You don't have to, but if want to check us out once we are relocated you are more than welcome. I could put in a good word for you if you like," she offered.

The corner of his eyes widened slightly as his head swung to regard Valette for a moment. He had only crossed two packs making his way for Teekon, and neither had felt very open to the prospect of his joining. He'd been allowed to stay a night at the last pack he'd crossed, but after getting too chummy with the alpha's young daughter, he had been sent on his way for fear of becoming an eventual threat. Being offered a home so openly had not yet happened to him; it surprised him, almost more than it delighted him; and for a few seconds, he seemed flustered.

"W-Why that's mighty generous of you, Valette. And I can't turn down a offer like that all willy-nilly— i-it's too kind of you!" he grinned, dark eyes flashing with mirth. "I wanna look around a bit for my sister, but you can bet your tail I'll be headin' back lookin' for you and your pack. Where's the stone circle? Is as super awesome as it sounds?"

Valette smiled at Rickon who seemed so surprised and flustered that she made such an offer. "Of course!," she spoke. "You are helping me right now, at least I could offer you a place to stay if you need one!" Valette smiled kindly at him. She found that he would fit in greatly with them. "You lost someone too? Oh dear!," she spoke worriedly. "Well I hope you find her," she added.

Valette chuckled at his compliment. "It is really cool. It is east from this meadow, go through the woods and you will stumble upon our borders if we are there. I was thinking of the name Easthollow for it, seeing it is so far east, and part of our territory will be this big meadow with a large deer herd. I think seeing that I am their respectable scout I am pretty sure we will settle there. If you come to our borders you can tell anyone you know me," she smiled. "It will probably help you!"

"These must be the lands of the lost, amirite?" he jested, trying to make light of their missing companions for the benefit of spirit-lifting. Though it wasn't truly a subject to joke about, it was no small feat to feel hopeful enough about finding them to make a comment like that. Clearly Rickon thought that whatever was lost could be found again, and in no diminished capacity from whence it had first gone— or maybe he simply chose not to think of the worst. "Well after we find your friend, you can turn around an' help my find my sister. Sound cool?" he winked, having no actual intention of seeking her help on the matter. If he was being quite honest with himself, Perrin had specifically said "don't look for me!" as she was running away, so he had no business even wasting his own time hunting for her, let alone anyone else's.

His ears pressed forward as she described the home she had scouted for her new pack, and he nodded to acknowledge that he had absorbed the information. "East from the meadow— through the woods— Ask for Valette. Got it!"

Valette thought about it and wanted to nod but she remembered her sisters that were still so far away from her perhaps dead. Maybe not Nanook but Sesi definitely was. She was certain of it. And then her mother and father who split up, but also the drama with Reek and Saena. She looked at the other, understanding what he was trying to do, but she didn't agree with it. "I think it happens anywhere but I get what you are saying," the female spoke and smiled.

"I will, I am a ranger so I might be of help!," she pointed out. "Though, scratch that. Because even I lost my friend and I have no clue where he went," she admitted, feeling lightly flushed about it. Valette had been trotting on, but there weren't really any scents that told her Ezekiel went this way. She wondered what happened, it was probably something bad. It couldn't come at a more unfortunate moment because she just started to trust the guy and grow close to him. All her faith in males and their faithfulness were gone out the window. "Yes, good," she smiled.

"You're a ranger?" Rickon asked her curiously, after a beat. "What's that mean? You made a profession outta wanderin' around, or what?" He couldn't fathom being praised to wander— his mother hadn't wanted her kids to wander, anyway— but he supposed this place wasn't Castlerock.

Would you like to fade in your next post? I wanna go ahead and throw Rick over at East Hollow and see how things go from there :)

Yay! Yes of course! Tag me in it too so I can have Valette in there! :D

Valette nodded in confirmation. "Yes I am," she chuckled. "First you become a scout and I specialized in becoming a ranger. So I map out locations and know landmarks. Sometimes my alpha asks to scout out a new region. I did that before with the taiga." She smiled at this because his reaction was amusing. "I'm also the hunter of the pack so I only do scouting trips when asked by my leader." After all she liked to provide for her pack. "So think about it, and your welcome to join!"