Stone Circle won't hide her under a bushel, no

Backdated to the morning after Day and Amber's arrival at Easthollow and tagging @Valette and @Amber, but anyone can come and greet them!

They didn't even make it to the den before they were dead on their feet - curled up together in the Stone Circle's center, Day and Amber took their rest. When the sun rose on them the next morning, Day struggled to his feet despite still being weary from travel. He'd been gone for far too long, and the tired male wanted to get the run-down from someone he trusted - Valette, of course.

He called for the younger wolf with brisk bark that broke the sleepiness of the morning pretty well - though it was late enough that Day assumed the rest of the pack would already be up and at 'em, or at least near it. Going off of what he knew about Valette, he hazarded a guess at her being the kind of wolf that was bright and chipper morning, noon, and night. That would be good, if it was true - she would be the first packmate that Day would attempt to introduce Amber to.

Valette was indeed awake, but that was not because she wanted to be up early. She wasn't sleeping in the circle anymore, she was invited in Steady's den. But sleeping close to another male, that was her alpha, and with two pups it was quite a different dynamic. She yawned, barely missing the bark from Grayday. The female trotted towards the sound. When she arrived at the circle she saw Gray with a dark female.

Valette had heard something about Gray and a female. Would this be her? Valette trotted up to them, her tail carried high but wagging. 'Hey Gray!," she greeted him and then turned her hazel eyes to the female. "Who is this?," she wondered and smiled kindly at her. She didn't want to make her feel bad.

Amber had been happy to follow Grayday into their new home, collapsing into his embrace in a circle of rocks under the stars. The Ciel didn't notice much in that time, finding herself much too tired to care. Hell, she'd barely rested her head on her mates flank before she was out cold. 

In the morning, she flopped to the side as Grayday woke, grumbling and bitching under her breath before breathing in a loud snore -- Day's bark didn't wake her, oblivious to the world around her. It was the scent of another that brought her sapphire eyes fluttering open.

Her first reaction of the sudden new scent was to rumble a warning deep in her chest, head snapping up from the earth and eyes scanning around frantically. Upon seeing Valette approaching, she whined softly to her mate.

                         "Day? Who's that?"

The Beta came closer, greeting Grayday with friendliness that put Amber's hormones on edge. The Ciel rose, wide sides sticking out and balanced on her four legs as she came close to the pale flank of her mate. A yawn split her ebony maw, jaws snapping together before she could giggle out a groggy introduction.

                                                         "Amber Ciel, starwatcher and healer in training. Mother of Grayday's puppies."

Day's head turned when Amber awoke - for a moment, he turned away from Valette to go to her, wanting to wipe away the worry in her eyes. It was not good for the pups, of course, but Day also didn't like to see that look on anyone's face, let alone Amber's. She was not quite who he'd expected her to be, but he was coming to know and appreciate the dark woman.

"It's okay - this is my friend, Valette. She's the beta," he gently explained, giving her cheek a quick nuzzle before looking back to the younger wolf. His tail wagged in obvious pride as Amber introduced herself and stood a bit taller than he might usually. His eyes darted between the two, waiting for some serious friendship to start happening. He could already imagine Amber coming to like Val as much as he did - which was, in all reality, probably a little bit more than he currently liked his sister. Sunspot was a distant memory to him at the best of times, but having Valette around was every bit as good as having his sister around. Except, probably better, because Sunspot was a few hours older than him and not afraid to pull the age card.

Valette smiled when she was called Grayday's friend. Technically she was his friend, but it felt good hearing that she was in his eyes. The dark colored female bobbed her head in greeting. She was not as jet black as Amber seemed to be. She was more a charcoal/brownish hue. Especially compared to her. Valette was happy for them that they were having pup, though it did take some strain on her too as a hunter. She would do it for her friend and fellow pack member. It helped that he was one of the hunters too.

Valette quirked up her lips. "I think Gray already did my introductions but I am indeed Valette," she spoke with a gentle smile. She looked curiously over the female's belly. It was still a bit of a strange concept for her that there were pups growing in there. She wanted to ask how Gray met her but then she reminded herself that she already knew that story vaguely. She was not out to embarrass them. "I hope you feel at home here, and as the main hunter I will do my best to provide meals for you," she spoke. Hopefully Amber would prove to be useful with her healing.

Grayday -- his reassurance soothed her nerves, but every so often she would lick her lips anxiously --  introduced the dark woman as Valette, the beta and a friend of his, and she backed it up. Amber's ocean eyes roamed shamelessly and curiously over her pelt, noting the more chocolate-black hues rather than her raven-feather ones. 

The Ciel was happy to hear that she was welcome here, but not so much to have such a pressure on her shoulders; at once, her ears fanned down, brow furrowing. Her face twisted into something between guilt and shame -- she already couldn't hunt for herself, but now someone else had to feel pressured to hunt for her? Wasn't that Day's job, as her mate?

                         "No need to work any harder for my benefit, really. Once the pups are born and Day can keep them warm for an hour or two, I can hunt."

Weren't the hormones of pregnancy so lovely, with their mood swings?

Day, too, felt the wind go out of his sails at Valette's thoughtful declaration. He should have been glad for her stalwart vow, but more than anything, he felt the same guilt and shame that his mate was feeling. It made him want to lash out at both women, something that was not at all in character for the easy-going male. Too, Amber's demuring response should've fixed this, made him feel better, but it did not.

Feeling a bit out of place, Day was silent for a beat longer than was maybe acceptable.

"No, Val - " he began, but that didn't sound right. A weak wag of his tail was his attempt at fixing this. "Thank you," he said, trying again. "But please, focus on the others - I'm not useless yet."

The joke fell a litte flat, but Day hoped that both women would drop the subject.

"What's been going on since I've been gone?" he asked, trying to change the subject. There was such a strange mish-mosh of scents on the border that Day couldn't even tell who was still around.

Valette realized that she made an error with her words. This normally didn't happen to her so the female was rather surprised that they took her words the wrong way. She meant to be helpful and kind. After all she wanted to help Grayday give his children the best start in life. Valette now frowned herself. "I didn't mean to offend anyone. I wanted to be helpful," she frowned lightly, looking a bit upset that she offended others. Normally she was quite diplomatic around others.

The young female opened her mouth and then closed it. "Well... Not sure if you were up to date with this but Althaia got murdered. Um... Beheaded actually. She was running from someone and that someone we don't know found her. One of her pups went missing, the other two are in Steady and me's care. I live with Steady in his den with the pups currently," she explained to him. She then looked at Amber. "This never happened before and we don't think they are coming back but we keep an eye out. You don't need to worry."

There was an awkward, stressful silence that made Amber want to squirm in her very bones, sapphire eyes flicking around them. She realized Valette was only trying to be helpful, but the ebony female just didn't know the Beta well enough to allow her to personally hunt for the Ciel. Thankfully, Day felt the same, and not only backed her up but changed the subject. Deeply wishing she could just go back to bed or hunt for herself, Amber stayed pressed against Day's flank, listening to the news Valette gave. 

Amber's guard hairs prickled at the murder details -- a woman, a mother had been beheaded on the borders but some unknown force? Someone took and potential killed a puppy? Selfishly, Amber was glad it hadn't been her or her puppies, hoped dearly that it had been a personal vendetta and not a random killer. The mother-to-be was not scared: she might be worried for her pups, but she knew the force of an angry mother out to protect her children.... She could protect her children.

Day wouldn't go to her like he wanted to, but he hoped a wag of his tail and a more genuine smile would be enough to console Valette. He knew she was only trying to help; it was just a touchy subject for both of them. He was grateful, but he couldn't find it in him to accept her charity. Pride was a strange thing.

"You are helpful," he assured her, tail still whisking - until she shared her news.

Althaia had been killed? Here in the territory? A pup had gone missing?

Day hadn't know the woman well, but she'd been sweet to him when he'd met her, and her kids were all adorable. In Day's mind, however, it was a wolf with a darker pelt being beheaded, and his own pups on the line. One of them taken, their mother murdered, and all while he'd been away, leaving them to their fates. Like his mate, his reaction was more worry for his own family than actual sadness for Althaia's passing - though there was plenty of that, too.

His breath came out more harshly when he glanced to the side and saw Amber standing there, eyes blazing and fur pricked. He stared until his heart stopped pounding and then looked back to Valette, feeling lost.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here," he murmured, drooping almost imperceptibly.

Valette slowly nodded at the gray male when he assured her that she was helpful. She just wanted to be a good friend and a good beta. Taking care of the pack's young was a task of the whole pack not just their parents. Valette hoped that they would accept her help along the line, especially now they had some other young ones too. Perhaps they could have one babysitter that would watch all the pups, once Amber's were more independent.

Valette saw how affected Gray was and she grimly shook her head. "No, don't blame yourself," she spoke instantly. "This was a skilled killer. She wasn't just attacked, at least that is what it seems. Who beheads someone. I don't think she had time to cry for help. Steady blames himself too already. It is ever more important we stay vigilant now so it won't happen again."

Amber saw Day's glance at her, pressing closer to his side for a brief moment, pelt still prickled. It was a disturbing scene that played --one that showed not only Althaia's death, but her own and her pups', all laying there headless -- before the ebony womans gaze, and she felt the bile of vomit rising in her throat. A shudder ran through her, and she offered a soft dismissal before staggering back where she'd been sleeping.

                  "Excuse me, please....Sorry...."

She did manage to hide her face and shoulders behind the nearest stone before her belly emptied itself onto the grass, and a soft gasp was close behind as she found her bearings; her frame leaned heavily against the stone, and she was grateful for the coolness it seeped into her pelt, even leaning her face against it. She would not let something like that happen to her children. No, they would be safe. She would keep them safe. As a mother, it was her duty to protect them, to raise them, from now until the day she diead -- and after, if she had a say.

Day winced as well at Valette's explaination, more because of how he imagined Amber would take it than for his own sake. When she excused herself and stumbled away, Day moved quickly to place a kiss on Valette's cheek.

"She's a little shaken up right now," he said in a low voice, so that it would not travel to his mate's ears. "Thank you for catching me up, and for coming to meet Amber," he added, trying to convey all that he did not have the time or inclination to say. That this was not her fault (not exactly), that he'd catch up with her later. "I better go make sure she's okay."

He moved to bump her shoulder before trotting back toward his mate, concern evident in his stance as he brushed up against her side.

Valette nodded to Day. She could understand that she was a bit shaken up. "It is alright, Day," she assured him and let him go after her. Valette went in her own direction, back to Steady and the kids. That would probably be best for now. The young female hoped that she could be of help later in Amber's pregnancy. She wouldn't mind helping. At least they knew that now.


- fin -