Phoenix Maplewood Feels like years

@Valette? Lemme know if backdating is needed. He was around from the 1st to the 10th and the 12th to now.

He hadn't realised that they had gotten a visit from Valette. Perhaps he hadn't been around or maybe he was so distracted by things that he didn't hear the howl or smell her scent. Either way, he did now and wanted immediately to talk to her and tell her things himself. He hadn't gotten to tell her about dad though he was sure that she knew. Hoping she was still around and he wasn't being an idiot, he sent up a howl for her.

Val was traveling to MOS from the 13th until the 17th!

Valette had decided to rest at Morningside for a bit. She couldn't travel all the way back in Easthollow in one go. She had not been traveling much lately so her long distance stamina was less these days. She didn't expect that there would be a howl for her. It sounded like Sunny. The female trotted in the direction of the howl and soon found the male in question. "Sunny, hello," she greeted and then quirked up her lips into a smile.

As soon as he spotted her he grinned, tail tapping the ground he sat on with joy "Aunt Va-" the words froze in his throat when she stepped into a beam of sunlight and oh boy. He stared at her for a few long moments before swallowing thickly unsure what the hell had happened. She looked really nice, he didn't remember her ever being this pretty before. "Aunty Val, you look real nice" he said and then wished he could dig a hole and crawl in it. He tried to follow it up with a stammering "I mean...you always do" but the quickness of it and the stammering ruined it.


Clearing his throat he offered a wavering smile and decided to just start the conversation "Did you hear all the news? About Dad, Dawn, Aditya, Shale..about current happenings?" he asked. He listed all the names of wolves the most important stuff involved.

Valette was surprised by the male's greeting. She tipped her head a bit when he spoke of her as pretty. She didn't feel pretty with her days of traveling and the recent news that her mate left her, however, she did take the compliment. "Oh, well. Thank you," she still slightly frowned. The female was not sure why he would call her pretty but then again it was nice to hear.

She nodded gravely. "I heard about you leaders being gone but not specifically why or how. I know your dad died, I'm sorry. And Shale, his... brother, right?" She had heard Grayday talk about him. Valette looked at Sunny. "I know life must be tough. I lost a lot of loved ones as well. But remember you have wolves that love and support you."

Sunny had been trying to figure out how to best say he was taking over Morningside but when Valette said that he had others to support him he froze. That was the problem, he wasn't a pup anymore. He didn't want to be supported. He wanted to support others and help them out and right now the pack was in need of someone to show them the way. Ears flicking back ever so slightly he lifted his gaze back to her face "That's the thing. They need love and support right now just as much as me. Everyone here is at risk of losing their home. I'm stepping up Val.... I'm taking my dad's spot. Aviana is giving me some time to collect myself and then I'll be leading Morningside" he announced it, chin lifting slightly as a surge of pride went through him. He would lead Morningside and it would become his legacy too.

Valette sat down and then nodded. "Well, to see that Aviana stepped up and giving you support says enough sunny. They are here for you," she spoke. "And that is all a leader could wish. Don't doubt yourself," she spoke. But after she said that, she noticed that Sunny looked rather proud. She smiled. "It will look good on you," she complimented. "Did your father tell you anything about being a leader?" Valette was not sure if Grayday had explained things about it to Sunny.

Sunny thought it over and then smiled. He supposed that it was true, the pack would still be supporting him as leader just as they had supported him where he was now. He didn't know if that was a Morningside thing or just how every pack worked. One for all and all for one. "No he didn't but I think Dawn was always supposed to take over. She's the more levelheaded one. But from watching him I learned. It's my job to think of the pack as a whole first and never myself over it. I will care for all, make sure everyone is fed and enforce rules and laws to make sure nothing bad happens....even when it's hard to enforce them" his mind went to Engel who had been forced out for saying he couldn't help himself. He had smelled heat scent before but he was really young then, would it be different now?

"I have ideas too. It'll be sort of a new beginning. When Dad died everything went downhill. I want it to be different. I want bonds to be strong enough that if something happens to me, Morningside will continue on through the grief as one strong unit not...everyone losing their minds." he finished and then looked at the sky, a slow smile forming on his maw. He thought his dad would be proud of him, watching from above or wherever he was.

Valette slowly nodded when listening to Sunny when he talked. Grayday hasn't told Sunny much about leadership. But what the male was telling her sounded like he had a good idea of what he was in store for. She dipped her head in agreement with Sunny. She did agree that the male could be more level-headed but as long as he recognized that in himself she was certain he would do well.

"I think that is something difficult to achieve as members should be comfortable with one another. I also believe you will need steady leadership, with not only you on the throne but also Betas who can be there when you aren't. If you might fall away then there isn't a gap for where someone needs to step up. Then there is already someone assigned which will give rest," she advised. Some of that advise she could use herself. She wanted Steph as her beta but the female hadn't really shown much interest or got back to her yet.

Sunny listened to Valette's advice and blinked in surprise. He hadn't thought about that, appointing a beta. Now that he was, two wolves came to mind to be in that position but one of them immediately struck him as being best. "So far everyone here does like one another. That's always been a Morningside thing...very little inner turmoil. Except for Aditya and Dawn but they kept that so on the down low that nothing truly came of it till now. As for a beta...I have someone i think I'll ask immediately after we end this conversation. She has proven her devotion completely, to my dad and to me plus the pack as a whole" he said sounding deep in thought as he spoke it. He found he wanted Aviana as his Beta, she had already helped him so much now but what if she truly wished to take Faye and leave? He wouldn't stop her or beg her to stay, she deserved to follow her heart too.

Valette was pleased to see that her advise was something that was helpful to Sunny. The female dipped her head, glad that he already had someone suitable for the spot. She also needed to think of a Beta. She had someone in mind as well, Steph, but she was still young. However, if she would get the right guidance from her... Valette thought that such a thing would be okay. "Well, you can always come to me for advise if you need it," she offered.

With that said, she would need to travel back to Easthollow as soon as possible. "Speaking of a Beta, as I should appoint one myself. I will need to travel back to Easthollow now as it is without a leader," she explained. Sunny would understand. "If things have settled do come and visit," she spoke. She would like to remain in contact with Sunny, not only for their pack alliance but also because of her personal investment in the boy, or should she say, man?

"Take care," she wished to the greyscale wolf. She dipped her head and turned to travel back home. She could rest and feed herself once she was back to her homelands. Valette realized that she liked it less and less to be away from her home, while her mastery was currently being a Ranger. Silly how things changed once you became a parent.

- Val Exit -

5576

Sunny nodded giving Valette a warm smile. It felt good to hear out loud that he could still turn to her for advice like he used to when he was little. She went on to say she had to go, she had left Easthollow without a leader but that when things settled down he should come visit. He hadn't been to Easthollow in so long that immediately he agreed and said farewell, watching her go before turning and heading back toward the dens.