Stone Circle Home.

ooc: i really couldn't wait any longer for kryp to get home! All pack members are encouraged to join, but especially @Steady @Valette and @Chaska

---

The trip was grueling and seemed to take forever, from having to go from Ravensbloods forest and near the edge of Silvertip mountains towards the path from where she came. She was exhausted. Her legs ached, her stomach growled loudly as it did during the famine, and her appearance was one of a starving vagabond. 

She was shaky moving along at her walking pace, but still determined to reach her family. Love was the only thing that fueled her. Love for each and every one of them. Steady, Valette, Chaska- they were all so important to her. She needed to reach them, to tell them she was back home and ready to move in. However, the thought of asking to reenter scared her. When she left originally, Steady said she needed to come back. However, Krypton worried he might not keep his promise, or for that matter, even recognize her.

She felt foreign in her own body and seeing her own reflection. She was not the same.

"Keep going." She said to herself, pushing on with stinging pain from endless walking. She ground beneath her was covered in a light coating of snow, clean and untouched. Krypton sunk a bit as she walked, hearing small "crunches" from the frozen water as she walked atop of it. The trees that were behind here were covered in a light dusting of snow as well, almost like a baker sprinkling sugar on top of his cupcakes. The sun had already set, the moon was beginning her slow climb into the sky as stars propelled her up, sparkling like diamonds.

Whether they wanted her or not, she just wanted to be there and see them at least once. If they didn't want her, she would oblige obediently and not return again. Although it would be more demoralizing, painful, and embarrassing- she would accept and do as they wish.

Her brain kept her thoughts fogged up for the rest of the trip before she reached the land near the border. Her ears lightened as her eyes began to widen as her heart, though weak and tired, pumped with excitement. Krypton plopped down, her ears flattened and facial expression worried. What if they didn't want her? What if she was at the wrong place? What if-

Enough! She needed to at least try. She needed to try at least once to see if the others had told her correctly. 

She soon lifted her muzzle towards the air, releasing her soft and melodic song into the frigid air. Snowflakes wrapped around her gently as some landed in her fur, tickling her fluffy ears and nose. She waited in the snow, hoping they would come soon. She would freeze for them if she needed to prove to them that she waited. Even if it caused her death.

"I have returned."

I just couldn't wait for tomorrow! Welcome back!

The snow kep him inside. The cold was what kept him in. Yet he stayed at the entrance to his den, watching the snow slowly fall to the ground, to pile up in mounds of white and covering the ground in cold snow. He didn't feel like leaving though, running through the snow to leave prints. Pounce here and there like a puppy. 

Until a howl was heard. His ears perked up. At first, he believed it was a loner, and supposed Steady or Valette or someone else would deal with it. Had it not been for the gnawing feeling at the back of his mind, he would have left it at that. But there was something about it. Something he knew. So he stood up, ignoring the cold and went off with a sigh that could be seen in the cold air. 

He trudged on through the snow, his pelt slowly turning white from all the snow covering it. It was dark. It was becoming hard to see, except for the stars. The snow didn't help. And soon, he came to the border. At first, he saw nothing. So he turned to leave, and that's when he saw it. A shape in the snow. Had the caller gone down? Chaska started to worry. On a night like this, lying in the snow was a bad idea. But before approaching, he decided to call out to them.

"Hey! You alive over there?!" he yelled out, unaware of who it actually was.

Mary Ellen, I left it open for Steady to walk with her!

Valette heard the howl, and it sounded somewhat familiar to her. She lifted her head, already bedded down in the den with Steady and the pups for the night. The snow was starting to fall down hard and she was not really that inclined to check it out. Somehow the tones struck something inside of her. She was eager to see who it was. In the back of her mind she hoped it would be one of her sisters. But would she even remember them? The female went to to check it out at the border. Perhaps it was someone she hadn't seen in a while.

Though it was already dark, normally someone would way for the day right? Valette became more curious. She was not the first to arrive. Chaska was there too, and he was by a form. She came over in a hurried trot. There was a wolf, a big female. Valette was careful with approaching the body and looked questioning at Chaska. She didn't recognize the female's scent but her shape was familiar. She got the courage to nudge her and with that some snow fell off. "It's Kyrpton!," she let out in shock.

Being vague about things since I don't know where he stands with Keoni yet

Steady had been outside the den when the howl rang out, his gaze going to Valette as she appeared. It was odd that someone would be calling after sundown, as it was customary for wolves to come during daylight hours. Whoever it was apparently couldn't wait. Without a word, he was instep with Valette and headed to the borders, his hackles raised a bit in defense as they approached Chaska, who was smart enough not to approach the stranger alone.

Valette, though, had other ideas, and Steady stayed next to her protectively as she nosed the other female. Steady looked confused for a moment as his Beta announced it was Krypton, and his gaze went to the agouti female, who was getting covered in snow. Was she really here? Really back? Steady immediately went to her other side, sniffing her. She smelled a little different, which was to be expected, but it was really her. He let out a whine as he nudged her. Krypton, are you okay? Can you make it a little further? he asked, intending to bring her into their home, her home. He had begged her to come back, and here she was.

She was covered in snow by the time she heard someone call out to her."Hey! You alive over there?!" Her ears perked up, her black lips parted to release a breath of warm air that fogged up. Small gusts of wind howled in her air, almost blocking out the important message. She tried to recognize the voice, for she had heard it well before she came. She picked her brain, trying to decode the voice and figure out who it belonged to.

Then it hit her as the wolf came towards her. "C-Chaska?" she called out shakily and almost timidly. She let out a whine towards him, beckoning for him to come closer. She could barely hold her excitement inside. she wanted to launch herself towards him and wrap her paws 'round his neck and hold onto him.

Before she could, however, another came. It was harder to figure out this wolf, but the scent was familiar. She came closer to krypton, though the beast didn't move. she then nudged her and soon released 2 words. "It's Krypton!" She said this with a shocked voice. Krypton was able to look at her and figure out who it was. "Valette?" She asked, unsure if she was right in her answer. the girl looked to be quite mature now, making krypton beam on the inside. her face was too cold to smile.

Then, another wolf came, this wolf she knew right off the bat. It was Steady, the leader of Silvertip. Well, at least he was the last time she was here. He came over with Valette, his hackles raised and all, but he soon heard Valette's statement. She was surprised to see them here with her; it wasn't just a fantasy and dream anymore. It was real.

"Steady..." she whispered quietly, feeling his nose prod her too and his body nudge her. A small clump of snow fell off of her, making her shiver a bit. She heard his question faintly "are you okay? Can you make it a little further?" She nodded her head as an answer, standing up slowly to reveal her tall height, but also exposing her thin weight. She looked at all three of them with her glassy eyes, feeling her heart grow in size and allow a flow of warmth to reach all parts of her body.

"You're all here..." she whispered in amazement, tears welling in her eyes. Before she knew it, she threw her left forearm on and around Steady's back, as if she was trying to hug him closely and tightly. "I thought you were all gone," she cried. She feared what the case was when Silvertip was vacant. It was by a stroke of luck that she meet other pack members from the neighboring pack that guided her towards this stone circle.

"I won't leave again. Never." She said to them, sniffling weakly and shivering visibly.

Chaska almost took a step back, had it not been for Valette's arrival. The shape spoke his name. Had he met them? Then Valette answered that question for him. His heart skipped a beat. Krypton? She had returned? He wasn't sure what to think. If he had fallen asleep, and this was a dream, or if she had come and that he should be glad. 

Steady came next, and Chaska knew this was no dream. He was overjoyed. But then, worry overcame him. What was she doing, laying out in this cold? She needed warmth. But first, they had to get her out of the cold night. He had no time to voice his poinion as Krypton went to wolf-hug Steady. That made the grey male smile a bit. "We aren't that hard to lose, now are we? We're all family. Right, Steady?" Though the smile quickly disappeared when his mind went to the matter at hand. 

"We should get you out of the cold. Don't want you dying on your first day back, now do we?" he said with a small smile. "Steady, Valette, any place in mind?"

Valette looked rather worried. The female seemed very tired but she agreed with Chaska and Steady that she needed to be moved out from the cold. She could get hypothermic and who knows what the other had eaten last. She could remember that the previous beta didn't know much about hunting. At least not in Valette's eyes. The dark colored female looked at Chaska after his question. "She can't fit in our den? Well, she can if Steady sleeps outside. But... I don't know," she spoke.

"Chaska don't you have a den?," she questioned. Perhaps she could have a space there. In the meanwhile the female was mumbling things, and Valette hushed her softly. It would only take her more energy to talk. They would need her to go to somewhere warm at least. "We could go to our den Steady. But I would dislike you sleeping outside. You might freeze!"

I'm so sorry for the wait!!

Krypton nodded in response to his question, and he believed that she believed she could make it. Whether or not she could would remain to be seen for a moment. She looked to them all, almost in awe, that they were here. It was a little ironic, since they seemed to feel the same about her sudden appearance on Easthollow borders.

She wrapped a leg around his neck, and he lowered his head to make it a little easier on her. He frowned at her words, knowing it was him that had put that fear in her. I'm sorry, Krypton. If there had been a way to let you know we simply moved, I would have done it, he said genuinely. He feared she would never return, and so at the time, there had been no need to get word to her. He nodded to Chaska's comment. Of course, we're all family. Always have been always will be.

He smiled at her promise. I'll hold you to it, he said softly. For now, let's get you warm, yeah? He was sure she would agree to that. There seemed to be a small debate on where exactly to put her. While Althaia's den was probably still open, it seemed disrespectful to put anyone there. But, Valette had a good point about himself sleeping outside. So, he turned to Chaska. What do you think about her staying with you? It could be temporary, until they find warm ground to dig her a new den.

words were exchanged as the temperature dropped and the winds became louder in krypton's ears. she shivered from the buildup of snow on her body but remained quiet as she listened to her family discuss about her quick placement. in all honesty, she didn't want to cause them so much trouble, having to have her crash with someone and all. if Chaska didn't mind, then krypton would happily camp with him for a night. she especially didn't want to push steady or Valette out of their den.

she looked towards the others and weakly said "I could dig one tonight. i don't want to make anyone sleep outside or have me crush them in their den." though she is skinny at the moment, krypton is still a large woman. the last thing she wanted was to shove someone against the wall of their own den just because she arrived late. that would be absolutely miserable for them and mean for her to do.

she wiggled her toes slowly, feeling her nails flex with her.  "digging won't take too long, i'll be done before sunrise." as krypton remembered, she was always able to dig well. when prey went scarce during the famine, she was able to dig for underground food, including roots and bugs. digging a den wouldn't be too hard for her, despite her tired body.

Chaska's ears perked up against the wind at the mention of his own den. In any other situation, he would have rathered to have his own space. But Krypton was out here. To dig out in the cold, he couldn't bear to know that was happening.

He shook his head at Krypton's answer. "Not in this cold. You are welcome to stay until the cold is gone, and you can dig your own den." By Steady and Valette's words, they were already in agreement. 

Now the only thing was getting her there. Being out here in the cold, could she get there on her own? "Can you walk?" He gave a worried glance to the others, worried she would be too weak from the cold.

Valette listened to Kypton's words and deemed her crazy. Her eyes went over her and then to the snow that stayed on the ground. It meant the ground was cold enough for the snow not to melt, meaning that the ground would be hard and tough to dig through. "The ground is too hard to dig. I think it is safer with Chaska for now, and when you feel better you can see if there is some softer soil in the forest," she spoke to Krypton.

The female was open to help Chaska if Krypton couldn't walk anymore. She smiled at the other female. "So glad you are back home Krypton," she spoke. It always felt good to have a family member back. Though, she wondered if Kryp would become the Beta again or if she was going to be the only Beta.

Krypton began to talk of digging her own den tonight, and Steady immediately began to shake his head back and forth. No way. You're too weak, and the ground is too cold. You need rest, he said firmly. Even if he had to sleep out in the weather, he was in a much better position to do so than she was. Thankfully, Valette and Chaska echoed his sentiments.


Chaska agreed that Krypton could stay with him, and Steady nodded his thanks. There, it's settled, he said, grinning to Krypton. It was three against one, and he hoped she would agree with them and rest, at the very least for tonight. Tomorrow, if she wished, he would help her dig her own den. Ready to head there? he asked. If she was, he would stay close enough to her that she could lean on him for support until they made it to Chaska's den.

it was clear that they weren't going to agree with her suggestion. thankfully, it was because they cared about her that they made the decision. she let out a defeated breath, but a weak smile towards them. inside her chest, she could feel her heart beat become stronger. was this what she was missing the entire time, why her heart was so frail and weak? family love? oh, how she missed being with these wolves. they were so dear to her, so wonderful in every aspect.

had she known what valette was thinking, krypton wouldn't have known either. returning to the title of beta would be rude of her, considering she left uncalled for. valette was better off being a beta than krypton was. when she heard the young girl's kind words, she couldn't help but smile wider. "it's so wonderful to know i have you all." she said, with a thankful heart.

they asked if she could walk, making her nod her head. she again wiggled her toes and nails. they felt numb and stung from the cold, but she could walk, just not as fluidly. "yes," she replied to steady and chaska, slowly getting up. she felt taller for a strange reason, perhaps it was confidence with being reunited with the wolves she loved, maybe it was the numbness in her legs. she didn't know, but it did not matter.

krypton's legs shook, and she nearly faceplanted had it not been for her forepaw catching her in time. she smiled sheepishly, taking a wobbly step, this time, not falling. "i can make it," she said lightly, her tail wagging a bit. she wondered how it would feel to sleep in something warm again.

Chaska was glad to see the others agreed. And eventually, so did Krypton. He couldn't help but smile and nod in agreement to Valette's words. "It's been different with our nurse around" he said with a small joking grin.

Since it was his den they were taking her to, he was ready to lead them there. He took one step, and stopped when Krypton wobbled on her foot, a skeptical look on his face. When she reassured them, he looked at her for a few more seconds to be sure, then shrugged. "If you say so" he muttered to himself, unsure if she could walk well. "If you don't mind, I can lead the way to my den Steady." He had just come from there, after all.