Stone Circle My Dad Considered Me a Cross He Had to Bear

for @Greyback tears will ensue

The roan wolf had been doing a lot of thinking lately. Between her talk with Nikai and Evergreen's return, a lot of options had been laid out before her. If someone had told her a year ago how much her heart would change, the warrior would have likely scoffed. But things were different now.

The following weeks had been rough as thoughts plagued Ira's mind about what she should do, or what she should say. Her trip to Kaistleoki had been short, but she felt as if she had left her heart there and her paws ached to go back. She couldn't will her self to leave however, at least not yet. There was unfinished business in Easthollow, and she refused to start over with regrets. 

Long strides carried the mountain wolf to the stones, the place where it had all begun as the sun grazed the horizon. She gazed out to the large heard in the distance, ever so slow but strong as sun rays warmed the pelts of all who witnessed the day's end. Taking a seat at the hill's edge, Ira tilted her head back and howled for her father.

A call cut through the thick air of the lands, choking the noise of the forest and ultimately silencing the animals. It graced the man lightly, dismissing him from his evening duties— although he begrudgingly left @Leta, whom he was busy playing with, and answered the call swiftly with his own.

Many would write Greyback's voice off as gruff, dark, but the sound that left his jaws was that of a coo. Caring. Soft. He had always used that tone with his family, one that was void of complacently and prowess. Something that could be overlooked as simple.

He was anything but simple when it came to his family.

...

As he rose to the towering stones the suns rays bathed him, painting him in its red and yellow while his shadow shied away behind him. There he found Ira, her back bared to him, framed by the same light that kissed his fur. He stared for a bit, his body lax as he took in the sight before him, burning it in his memory for safe keepings.

It was only when the wind rolled behind him and pushed his scent upward that he knew she was aware of him. Yet— he said nothing. The father simply strolled forward and let out a breath through parted jaws as he slowly sat beside her, his joints protesting as the slow motion of his weight and time's ticking clock.

Time passed as she waited for the tower of a man to arrive. Had it not been for his call she would have questioned if he had ever heard her, or felt the energy to appear. Truthfully, she could not fault him if he didn't. Four pups could sap the strength from even the strongest pillars and such had been evident as of late.

Luckily, the roan woman would not have to wait in the shadows as her father's scent was soon carried by the wind announcing his arrival. Part of her desired to turn and spill her thoughts, but she knew that the swirling plague would be indescribable and likely too much for her old father to follow. Instead, she fought to keep her gaze ahead, ears falling downwards slightly as she struggled to start, despite planning her words for some time now.

Do you have the time for me to speak my mind? Gods know the last time she did so, she had shattered what thin bond they had. Now desperation clung to her words, only audible to those who knew her speech well enough to distinguish her emotions from her usual cold tone.

He waited.

They both did.

And as time stretched between them the man turned his head to look at the storm colored wolf, watching as her ears gave way to her emotions, the weight of them falling a hair as she fumbled for words and stared ahead. His daughter, a stone with an incantation of protest, now seemed like a pebble lost in the waves as she drowned under his gaze and the setting sun.

Greyback wasn't sure what had brought it on, but the longer he stared the deeper he got pulled into her gravity.

She spoke a simple request to him that warbled in her throat and in return, made his own clutch tight. "My little stream," he voiced with a tentative tone "Why don't you look at me?"

"My little stream,"

The words washed over her with the salt of memories that threatened to rip open her scars, but she refused to let them sink in. She had come so far since then, since she first left the mountain tops she once referred to as home. 

"Why don't you look at me?"

His words burned. How could she meet his gaze? She had never once been kind to him, insisting that one bad deed was enough to paint him as an outcast who cursed her blood. Yet the only response she had received after finally meeting him was regret and a call for forgiveness. Ira denied him back then, even declared that he would never be her father and oh how she bit those words now.

She gave in, head turning in the direction of the mountain, yet her eyes still remained just out of sight. How am I to face what I have once soiled?

His eyes scanned for how his words affected her, but as far as the father could tell, they had no surface effect. Perhaps in another time she would of scorned him, cursed him out and left with bitter salt on her tongue. But now she still sat in his presence, remaining beside him.

Greyback drew a breath in, one deeper than the rest, and held it as she turned to meet him. It was only when she stopped before their gazes did meet that he pushed it out through his nose with a resonating huff and bowed his head, attempting to meet hers by moving the rest of the way himself. "What is it?" He whispered to her.

"How aM I to face what I have once soiled?"

A firm line pressed between the mans brows, a subtle notion of his confusion at her words. "The same way I did."

Greyback withdrew his head from where he crowded into her space, and so did his shadow. The sun had finally slipped past the horizon point, its rays only reflecting in the clouds above. 

"We all have our shortcomings, but you are by no means a product of mine. Look up, tell me what is the matter, my star."

A frown pulled at her lips as she fought for even breath. She did not deserve his kindness. With the sun's light hidden by the land, Ira pushed to her paws to face her father properly. He spoke true words, as he had once faced her, now she must face him and hope he would be kinder than she.

The mountain wolf raised her head, golden eyes meeting a pair just as bright, although her usual strong demeanor had vanished with the last rays of day. I have wronged you so, yet your endless kindness bears down on me. All I have ever given in return must sting with venom. Ira paused, a breath needed to steady herself as her eyes were cast down once more. She was never one to beat around the bush, and today was not the day she would start. I owe you an apology...I can only hope to properly make amends-- amends before I take my leave.

Her eyes flicked up once more. She would not cower away from his gaze. She had to prove her words worth.

Greyback looked at his daughter with a studious frown, his eyes meeting hers like a reflection of himself. She was nearly the same height as him, but he still had to angle his head down to look at her.

The words she spoke meant much to him, and while he had to disagree he knew she would never budge from her placement. Ira would not take his coddling. He could yell poetry about how much he loved her and everything she did was forgiven, but he knew she wouldn't let go. So he only nodded, continuing to look at her. "What is all of this about?"

Her frown was met with one alike and as Greyback gave a short reply she could feel her hope fleeing. She was not expecting a profuse joyful reaction, but with what she knew of the man before her she thought he would have taken to her words better. Perhaps it was too late to make amends after all...

He questioned her reasoning for bringing this all up now, and it made sense. Perhaps she would have taken those words to the grave had she not already made up her mind. She was leaving Easthollow. Evergreen returned not long ago. He had a request for me, but before I follow through I wished to mend loose ends.

"Evergreen returned not long ago. He had a request for me, but before I follow through I wished to mend loose ends."

Greyback's brows raised once more at her statement. So it was true; Evergreen did have some kindle of feelings towards his daughter. He remembered the talk they shared, and while he knew it was there Greyback never imagined that Ira would have feelings for The Bear as well. The Patriarch didn't know what to think, he wasn't too pleased that his daughter was getting stolen away. Their relationship had only just begun to get towards the neutral territory.

No more stares. No more scornful looks or snarling. He hadn't even gotten the chance to see her smile at him.

Greyback shook his head at her. "There is no loose ends, my star. Go. Go to him and be happy." After all, he had done the same thing many summers ago with Venicy. Greyback had no place to judge her.

He just hoped she would be well.

It was clear by the look of surprise on her father's face that this was one of the last things he expected her to say. She was about to continue when Greyback shook his head at her.

"There is no loose ends, my star. Go. Go to him and be happy."

The stone wolf's legs moved for her heart before her mind could even register what was happening. Ira pressed her face into her father's shoulder, soon leaning against him in a wolf-like hug. You did not let me finish. Her voice was much softer this time.

We will be running a new pack together, northwest of the mountains. The name is Kaistleoki, i'm formally requesting an alliance to Valette tomorrow morning before I go. Pausing the mountain wolf stepped back to try and gauge his reaction. You should visit sometime... Maybe when the pups are older they too can come? It still pained her that she was leaving when they were so young, but her family would always be here. Hopefully, Valette would not deny her visitation to see them.

Greyback's ears perked as Ira talked about running a pack. He never imagined that she could want such a thing. She was strong and powerful, tall and intimidating. A warrior above all else. Though he knew she would make a good leader in time.

The thought of a pack in the mountains made his heart ache. It only reminded him of Venicy. Of past memories that should be long forgotten and buried and laid to rest. "Kaistleoki, huh?" He tested the name on his lips and hummed to her. It was an odd name, a mouthful to the man. But he sure they had good reason for it.

"I will visit when I can. The mountains is an awful long trip away, and i'd hate to leave Valette and the little ones at such a crucial time in their development. They'll miss you." He responded, his voice still soft and saddened despite having a smile plastered to his face. He didn't want to leave Valette, even for a short trip. Not with what she had gone through before. Not so soon after the birth. What if he got hurt during the trip? What if he had to stay away longer than anticipated.

"We will all visit, you'll always be family to us. Just make you don't forget about Easthollow when you're in the clouds, my star." He chuckled.

This can be last post if u want

He promised to visit, but she knew his duties lay elsewhere for the time being. She knew not when she would see her family again. Her siblings were so young, she was truly sad she was leaving without getting to see them grow. Not every day at least, she would visit when her duties let her. I will miss them too, but time will not push us apart. I can make my own journeys across the mountains to visit. It just might take some time for us to set up.

She knew she would always be seen as family, even when she had disowned her own father he continued to love her from afar, but the words were still comforting. She did not deserve him, not after how she treated him for so long. You can not control who you fall in love with. I could never. You are all my family too.

A deep breath shook her frame as she stepped back from Greyback, she shouldn't make it hard for either side by delaying her leave. Goodbye, Father.

"Goodbye, Father."

. . .

"Goodbye, Ira."

. . .