Stone Circle over the castle on the hill

Strange, how after so many months, this place is the only place that truly feels like home and Clary basks in the feeling - lovely, like the way cold water tumbles down a parched and weary throat. She has missed this place, and the young ranger collects herself on the border and tips her nose to breathe the winter breeze. The winds have picked up since dawn, and roll down the hills to fill her lungs with memories of home.

Mother's scent runs strong, and so does Steph's. The others she doesn't recognize, but they all carry the familiar current that makes Easthollow and every member what they know they are to each other: family. These are her family, and she finds confidence in this to lift her voice, earthy and strong, for someone to meet her - hoping for her mother or her sister, yet eagerly ready for anyone.

A strong howl billowed outwards across the territory causing the large males ears to flick towards it, his mind instantly realizing it was familiar. Turning, he rushed to the border, his large figure hurling over the tall hills that overlooked the territory lines only to come face to face with a figure on white. It was a bit difficult to spot her against the snowy land, but as he slowed and trotted downwards to her his mind began to swim, trying to figure out why she was so familiar.

Wagging his tail with his head slightly bowed Greyback drew near. It couldn't be? He barely recognized the young girl, it had been a long time since he last saw her; nearly four seasons. She had left soon after he joined, but the elder would always remember the familiar face. "...Clary?" He whispered in awe, rising slowly to his full height. "Welcome home."

Valette jolted to the sound of the howl. Instantly her mother instinct flared to it highest level in recognizing the howl of her child. The female turned on her heels and tried to run s fast as possible to the border. The female ran flat out over the hill with the stones to get to the other side of the territory. The female noticed that Greyback was there. How was he she fast on his feet? He must have been closer.

It was no secret that Valette was excited to see her daughter. She ran still at full speed, only using the breaks at the the very last moment. "Clary! Clary!," she breathed out in excitement. She almost tackled her daughter to the ground, showering with licks. She would try and lick ever inch of her face that she had missed so much. "My little baby!" Though she was hardly a little baby anymore...

The howl stopped Steph in her tracks. For a moment, she thought it was all in her head. It had been quite some time since she had heard her sister's Howl, and she simply didn't believed it was real at first. But, realizing it was, in fact, the return of her sister, she took off running towards the borders.

Her mother and Greyback were already there, but that didn't stop Steph from joining in on the greeting. She attempted to nose her Clary in greeting, over and over as her excitement got the better of her. Clary, I'm so happy you're back, she expressed. It was going to be great to have her back.

The first to meet her wasn't who she expected, but he was familiar, and that was enough to warrant little bounce in her step. "Greyback!" she called, but didn't rush to meet him. Easthollow was family, yes, but she'd also been away for a very long time, and Clary wanted to show the pack the same respect she'd show to any other. She was a grown-up, after all, and she knew how the world worked a little better than before.

Only, any reservation seemed to scatter when she found herself distracted by a movement just beyond Greyback's shoulder. Valette - and Clary felt her heart twist with an ache she hadn't realized she'd been bearing. "Mom!" and All her energy spilt forward as she covered the final steps between them and threw herself at her mother with a wolfish embrace, and aimed to cover every inch of her face with a kiss for every day she'd gone without.

Clary was about to make some silly retort against her mother's remark, when another scent washed over her, and her heart twisted again. "Steph!" she squirmed against her kin, kissing and nuzzling and embracing them both, and their love warmed her in ways she'd nearly forgotten they could.

"It's so good to be back," Clary laughed, and she bumped the chin of her mother, then Steph, before she pulled away - only enough so she could bounce her gaze between them. "Gosh, I didn't even realize how much I missed you! It's been so long! Um - how are you? What's gone down?" What else could she ask? She swung her tail in a gracious arc, "Honestly, I kind of just want to hear about everything."

I struggled with this post so much, grr

Greyback watched as the family united, his tail wagging proudly behind him. Clary had remembered him despite her long journey, and better yet— she had returned home in good shape. Now she was eagerly meeting her family again, a family that was once broken and shrouded by despair since she was gone. He hoped Clary would be at ease, and hopefully bring comfort to Valette and her younger siblings.

"There will be plenty of time for that," he chuckled as the white girl asked about hearing everything. "Quite a lot has happened. Good and bad, but we shall not focus on that. You've come a long way- you must be tired and hungry?"

Valette grinned when Clary greeted her with just as much excitement as she expected. The girl had always been high energy and Valette loved that about her. Clary instantly wanted to know all the scoop about what happened while she was away. Greyback helped and spoke that many things did happen. "Yes, Clary. Get inside the territory. We will feed and water you," Valette offered as a smile. She was certain Steph would agree as well.

Valette expected Clary to join them in the ranks again but that was something she would probably find out later. "Since you left a lot happened, new members joined and left. The most awful one leaving was Stark. He vanished after a long sickbed. Not only that but he became sick soon after the birth of our children. Your siblings, your sister Keen named after Keoni, younger brother Merrit, and little Arlette," she explained. She then looked at Greyback, they had been together since the Yule ball. "Don't be too sad for me though because well, recently I found someone new who makes me happy," she smiled at Greyback. "Greyback is my mate now, after I mourned for Stark."

"We named the stones," she then continued. "My own mother is buried here as well. Steph became beta to help with running Easthollow. Umm what else. There was a cougar attack but Greyback saved me. We also went to a Yule festivity from another pack to celebrate the longest night. All very interesting." Valette explained. "But I also want to know about you. What did you do all this time away!"

Edit: Mary Ellen quit wolf, I'd say it is safe to say you can skip Steph <3

Her face glowed and she turned her grinning gaze between Greyback and her mother. She had come a very long way, indeed - to the end of the world and back again - and she was hardly in the mood to eat right now. Her excitement danced like butterflies through her stomach, and all she wanted to do was listen and talk.

Yet this was hardly an argument she imagined would take, so she found herself nodding instead as she skipped forward and fell in procession with her mother, sister, and honorary uncle - she hardly knew Greyback, but he seemed to have made a presence here, and that put him on level with Murdock, who had been an "uncle" in her eyes, too. They were all family here, after all, regardless of their blood.

"Thanks, ma," she said with a smile, and turned her attention to listen as they walked. Clary had always been a talker, but she had learned the art of listening, mostly from her aunt Nanook. Her face, however, spoke her emotions loud and strong: the fall of her brow when her mother spoke of Stark, and his terrible ailment and disappearance; the pinch of a frown when she spoke of raising the kids alone again. How awful! But Valette's news of taking Greyback as a mate filled her face with surprise, and Clary turned her wide eyes toward the older man.

She didn't know what to think at first, but the way her mother smiled at Greyback made her heart squeeze with an ache that wasn't completely new to her. This far, her mother hadn't been lucky with the mates she chose, and she hoped Greyback was different. There was genuine love in the way Valette spoke of him, and she searched the older man's face for that same love reflected in the light of his fire-kissed eyes. Maybe this time would be different, maybe it wouldn't. In any case, until she knew, Clary would give him the benefit of a doubt.

Clary bumped her sister's shoulder with a conspiratorial grin when Valette spoke of her promotion. "Beta of Easthollow, right on, Steph! You really weren't kidding when you said a lot has happened! Hokey smokes," she said, once her mother had finished. "Some parts sound like they honestly sucked, but I'm glad to see that you're doing well now," and at that, she turned to Greyback with a sparkle in her eye, and offered the man the tease of a grin - mischevious, but good-natured, and warm, "Better watch out for mom real good there, mister Greyback. She'll definitely keep you on your toes." Clary was pretty sure her mom could take on every wolf in the Teekon Wilds with her eyes close and legs bound, and still come out on top.

"What've I been up to? I guess a lot and not-a-lot all at the same time," and she turned back to her mother as she explained, "I just travelled around a lot. Met a pretty sweet nomadic pack to the south of us -- oh, that's where I went after I left you guys, since Aunt Nook showed me the North already, and I really wanted to get out and see something new. There was this great big desert, which was a little bit better than Red told me it would be, but not by a lot. I didn't stay there long, though. The pack was living in a much better area - wide, and grassy, with a couple of trees and distant mountains," she paused, and glanced around, "Huh. kind of like here, actually. Anyway, they taught me a lot about ranging, and exploring, and a little bit about medicine and herbs. Honestly, I kind of wanted to stay with them longer, but," she glanced aside, her gaze wistful and tinged with uncertainty. Clary still didn't know if her decision was right, but it was one she had thought carefully about, and she would stand by it now. "I guess I just want to start a life for myself, but somewhere closer than out there. Not actually in Easthollow, but somewhere nearby. I just..." and at that, she shrugged, and turned her gaze back to her mother, "I guess I really missed you guys."

The man smiled as Valette looked at him, announcing their status to the young girl while filling her in the years fiasco. He trailed along with them up the hill, keeping a close ear of the words they all exchanged while he looked out past the world around them— ever keen on being alert to the world around him. It was when Clary's voice would eventually tip in excitement that he would look back at her and make eye contact being going back to his usual scanning.

"Steph has been doing a wonderful job," he stated, "Surprising to think the little girl who chased me off the borders when I visited back is all grown up and helping lead the pack," he chuckled, remembering the image of the black ball racing towards him, fires blazing despite their obvious size difference. "Oh- and of course. Your mother nearly chewed my ear off after the cougar attack. I thought I would meet my ends for being cooped up in her den all day!" He laughter soon bubbled out and rang louder. It had been a long time since he laughed so hard but Clary's excitement was rubbing off on him.

When she spoke of her travels he fell quiet and nodded along to her. "We missed you too, Clary. You are always welcome back anytime but we understand you wanting to start your own life. Wherever you go, be sure to keep in touch... or I might just have to track you down." He gave her a smirk during his last words to be playful.

Valette grinned when Greyback spoke about her chewing his ear off. "Well you weren't staying put with an injured shoulder," she stated with a grin. She had not been mean with him but she had wanted Greyback to rest more instead of doing his chores. Valette nodded. "Yes, we missed you as well," she spoke. "But if you want to be close in another pack that it totally fine, Clary."

She smiled at her daughter. "You might want to look into Lost Creek Hollow, they are an ally of us west of here. Some of Bearclaw's members are there as well, and we have a good bond with them." Valette wouldn't mind if she would go there. "It sounds like you had a wonderful time on your trip. How was aunt Nanook doing?," she asked curiously.