Stone Circle Thunderbolt and lightning, very very frightening

The skies remained clouded, opaque and dull, yet the argent woman was anything but. She had a home, her children's future's were bright, and the wolves were kind. It was such a stark contrast to the dark wood, it felt almost surreal. For her children she had found a den, and spent much of her time making it perfect for them. It lay at the edge of the wood, in a small, well lit glen, and was hidden beneath the roots of a massive tree, cool and dry and the perfect refuge. 

It was evening, the air was cool and crisp, and her children lay within the den, asleep. Finally they could rest, and though her youngest showed signs of a cold, they were diminished in the slightest. Thus, when a breeze shook the foliage above, did she emerge from her den and slip into the glen she had claimed, stretching carefully the back limb and the ankle that still held it's ugle braclet of scars. It never had healed properly, but she no longer minded. She was a healer at heart, that she would devote herself too. As she sat a short distance from the entrance that held her slumbering young, she half hoped someone would approach, so that she may know those around her better.

AW! tagging @Steady as well :D

Steady had been wondering about his new refugee, and her children. She said her mate had vanished, so there didn't seem any issue there. But, he did feel the need to know just exactly who it was she was running from. She had sounded so scared at the borders, and he didn't know if she was scared that he might turn her away, or because whoever she was trying to get away from wasn't far behind her. Once he allowed her entry, he stayed near that part of borders, waiting to see if anyone else approached, but no one had. Once enough time had past and he felt mildly confident no one would come, he marked the borders, and continued on.

Now, however, he searched Althaia out. Partly to see that she was settling comfortably, and partly to have, what might be, a difficult conversation with her. He followed her scent easily since it was so new, and found her by the edge of the forest. His tail wagged in a friendly greeting as he approach, neutral in his body language instead of the dominance he gave at the borders during their first meeting. Hello, Althaia. How are you and the pups doing? he asked, genuinely interested. It didn't get by him that one had the sniffles when they first met, but being that she was a self-proclaimed healer, he figured she be able to help them out and it wouldn't get too bad.

She was met soon enough,  not by another but by the alpha, Steady, who had met her at the borders. She was glad for a place in East Hollow, and would fight to keep it. "Greetings, Steady." She said softly with a respectful dip of her head, stance submissive a moment in respect. 

"We are doing well. This place is rich with herbs- I found the right ones to help my second born with her cold." She said in the same soft tone, gesturing behind her with a warm smile,  eyes speaking her obvious gratitude.

Exhausted as the youngest girl was, when her mother pulled away from she and her siblings, Witch's puppy blue eyes fluttered open. For a long couple of minutes, she lay there between her siblings, but when a voice came - the one of the dark figure that'd met them - she scooted back and perked her ears that way with a yawn. In the next moment, she clambered up far enough from the den that she could see Steady and Althaia. Her creamy fur stuck out from the dark earth, but unaware of this fact, she did not hide - she didn't even want to. Puffing air from her nose grumpily, she layed in the entrance and fixed her narrowed eyes on the dark blur of the leader. 

Witch is just gonna sit here and glare unless called or something, so go ahead and skip me and Ill post whenever xD

As much as Steady had to defend his pack, especially the attack on Eden, Steady was feeling rather dominant lately. And, so it pleased him a little more than usual when Althaia dipped her head in submission, though he tried not to show it. He was not generally one to push his weight around, at least he tried not to when it wasn't warranted. He gave her a soft smile, though. 

He smiled more when she she she found lots of herbs here in the new territory, and that they would help her daughter. I'm glad to hear that. I didn't really have herbs in mind when we picked a place, but it's good to know they will benefit you, he replied. You're welcome to start a herb cache, he added. He thought that most healers used those. 

A movement at the entrance of the den caught his eye and his gazed moved to the light-colored pup. Hello, he said in a friendly voice, his tail wagging. While he did want to discuss things with Althaia, he imagined it wasn't appropriate conversation in front of the pup, and so he waited to bring it up. He had a rather soft heart when it came to pups except for Eden's pups and so he didn't mind her intrusion. 

He spoke a while, small talk, and she nodded, though at the mention of a herb cache she spoke. "I think I will- I will make it my priority to gather herbs before the winter sets in. Have you another healer here?" she asked softly. She simply wanted to know if it would be up to her to create such a cache and store for winter, or if another here practised the trade. She thought momentarily of Potema, her friend in BFW. But could she still be considered such when she stood by the sacrifice of her son?

Her daughter appeared in the den entrance, and she watched her a moment with a small smile before turning to Steady. "Hazel. She is wary of strangers, unlike my other daughter." she said, and though it would be her pleasure to spend hours talking of her pups, she thought he might be here for another matter. Sending a small smile her grumpy daughter's way, she turned to him. "Can I do something for you, Steady sir?" she asked, wondering if this was more then a coincidal meet and gret.

Pouty as the little flower was, her mind was set at ease when her mother smiled at her. While Witch did not yet approach, she did watch Steady with a little bit more softness than before. Surely if Althaia seemed happy to see him, she should too? Had she known what a father was, maybe she'd have been wondering if this was him - but that awkward conversation would come much later in life. 

The use of her nickname brought her ears perking higher, and she shifted a little taller, but still did not move closer.

He nodded to her reply, glad that she was already taken the initiative to gather herbs, supplying them for the winter months. He couldn't help but think it was more than what Eden had done for them, and Althaia had been here mere hours. No, there isn't, he admitted when she asked about another healer. Eden, after all, wasn't here any longer. I admit, my accepting you into the pack was not all just for you. We need a healer, he admitted to her. He didn't think of her as just a refugee that might be here for a short time. He hoped this might become her home, and she their healer. 

The pup, Hazel, as her mother said, seemed to lighten up a little as Althaia spoke of her. She even let up her scowl at him a little. It didn't bother him that she hadn't taken an instant liking to him, as he figured they had been through a lot. His gaze moved back to Althaia as she guessed correctly that he wasn't here just for small talk, and he gave her a gentle smile, as if he had been caught. I admit, I would like to know a little more of your past, and where exactly, or who, it is that you're running from. Though, if you wish not to talk about it in front of your daughter, I understand. The conversation could be put off a little while longer. 

He admitted that the pack needed a healer, and she felt her heart soar. Here, she could be someone. She could be what they needed and trully be a part of a pack. "And that, I would be glad to be." she said, agreeing to his words. She would go about getting her trade, and she would be the Hollow's healer, a title she would be glad for. 

Then he spoke of wanting to know more of her, and she sighed in the slightest, though was not annoyed. His concern was validated, for suppose he did not ask this of her and a few days later a warring pack showed up at his doorstep? Though such a thing would never happen, she would tell him some of her past. She glanced at Hazel before beginning, then turned her sights on Steady. "She does not understand words yet- it is fine." She paused a moment before continuing, then she did. She would be transparent, reveal her past if only with the intent to start a new one. "My mate and I had to flee from our pack. You see, I found myself on the wrong side of a border in the midst of the famine, a mistake when I was naive and stupid. I served as thrall, until...my first heat came." she dipped her head, remembering Charon and Harley and her stupidity. When she spoke again, it was much quieter. "A...a high ranking male did not admit to mating with me. He blamed it on another, and...they chased us out. The one blamed I grew close too, and we became mates. We came across another pack soon enough, one in a wood to the south. There we stayed. But...they disliked him. Harley, my mate. Enough to punish him, shun him. We hated it...but there was nowhere else to go. A few weeks later...he vanished." Now her voice faltered, broke, at the thought. Had they killed him? Nemesis had expressed her distaste, her hate for him. "There I had my pups. Four. But one...he was not healthy." Her eyes moistened over as she thought of him, her second son. "They...sacrificed him. To the crows. I found his body, and there was nothing I could do about it. So we ran, through the mountains. I...disguised our scent well. There is little hope that they will even pursue us, they have already a brood of children."

She turned away, quivering a moment as her eys glistened, away from Steady, away from her daughter. Telling him what had transpired was so different then merely thinking about it, it validated all the horrors. It spilled her story bare, and she hated herself a moment.

Althaia was right - she didn't understand any of the words exchanged, but at her mothers sudden mood change, the flower finally moved. Standing and prancing over to her mother with ears falling flat in worry, Witch pressed up against her mothers grey hind leg. Steady didn't seem to be the reason for it - the sounds from her were not those of fear, or anger, just sadness. For now, the alpha was forgotten, even if she didn't coo the way she usually would upon touching her mom. She clamped her mouth around her mothers bad ankle, but only with soft gums - she wanted to cheer her mother up to play, not hurt her.

Steady sat back on his haunches as Althaia began her story. In a few minutes, he would be grateful that the pup in their presence had no idea what they were saying. He frowned as he listened, imagining the horror she had lived through. First to be denied by the one who helped her create these children, and then to have one sacrificed... He couldn't imagine how much strength she needed to take her and her children and get them to a safe place. He figured any pack that would sacrifice a pup to crows would not hesitate to kill them all for her desertion. 

I'm sorry you had to go through all that, he said softly, then gave her a moment to compose herself. He could understand the emotional aspect of it, and knew what it felt like to lose family. But, he had never had his own blood taken from him like she did. As empathic as he felt towards her, he would not truly understand. I believe you when you say you covered your scent well, and I hope they simply go about themselves and forget to look for you all. Steady had offered his protection to her, and he would keep his word. So, if anyone came sniffing around, they would be dealt with quickly. But, for his family's sake, he hoped they didn't come.

His gaze turned when the pup came up to Althaia to began to gnaw on her ankle. Steady gave her a soft smile, hoping they would learn to trust him one day. Turning his gaze back to Althaia, he thought for a moment. I think I know enough, and I won't ask anymore, he assured her, hoping it would relax her a bit to know that when he came around, it wouldn't be to pry into her past more.