Stone Circle My Mother Standing In The Doorway

Vague after Leta's attack @Valette and @Greyback in case one wants to be in range

Things had been weird lately. Or at least everyone was acting weird, especially mom and dad. Everyone was on edge or aggressive and he seemed to get nipped far more often. He was never let out of sight or allowed to travel as far...even weirder he had seen his sister even less.

There were other pups now too, but they couldn't really hold a conversation...or speak. At all. He wasn't allowed near them anyways. The usually sunny boy now wore a frown as he sat a little ways away from the den mouth. He didn't understand, but things just didn't seem as fun as they used to. But why? No one told him anything, but something was definitely different.

I have come for the round boi

Vespera's health was declining, she was losing her steam and her mental health left her hanging. The Mercenary felt she had nothing left going for her, she had failed everyone, and no matter where she turned, it was always the same. The young female couldn't grasp why everything was going wrong for her, she began to question herself, what has happened, has everything that has been done to her happen for a reason? Was she there to be punished for the crimes of others? What was her purpose? Was this the destiny of her? Her family? The questions were buzzing in her head, she couldn't comprehend why or how. Was she bad luck? Made sense to her, it seemed everywhere she went, something always went wrong. It was, in her mind, because of her existence, her living at Easthollow, Leta had to suffer, the one she cared for most, Valette, had to suffer. The Matriarch had already been through so much, and now that Vespera had arrived in her life, her suffering had started to escalate. The young female had to begin to question what she should do about it, she wanted the wolf who had taken her in like a mother, to continue her kindness, she wanted Valette to continue to provide for others.

The young wolf needed to do something, but she found nothing, nothing had seemed to work for her. At this point, she was a lost cause, perhaps she was to take in all the beatings to then die and release every one of their sins. Vespera had been so focused on questioning herself, that she didn't notice that West, one of Valette's cubs, was outside of the den, alone. The female's violet gaze rested upon the small one, she debated on if she should approach him, but she restrained. The last time she tried, she was met with consequences that she didn't understand. The female kept her distance, she sat away from him, her weak frame was starting to show, and she averted her tired eyes from him.

He was bored. Everything was gloomy look even that girl looked sad. When she looked at him she just glanced away, but how?! Usually other pack members seemed excited to see him? Was it him?

He pouted and quickly trotted over intending to get an answer. As the round boy approached he barked trying to get vespera’s attention. He hadn’t seen her before, but she had to be with Easthollow right? She didn’t look quite right, not very Wolf like... weird. Hey!

The young female's stomach was starting to eat at her, causing internal pain, but she refused to show that feeling. She was too focused on channeling the pain that she didn't notice that West had waddled up to her and demanded her attention with a solid hey. She jolted just a little since her nerves didn't have enough strength to make her leap of her feet, she blinked, her vision was spotted and fuzzy for a moment. The young female slowly looked down at the little round boy with her ears forward, the young boy was pouting at her. The Easthollow wolf didn't know how to handle children, she was a child herself, she just looked at him with her dull violet orbs blinking. She wasn't sure why he was upset, did he want attention? To be noticed? Oh Val... If only you can tell me what to do! But Valette wasn't there, she was alone with the round boy, and she didn't want to mess up with him.

Vespera didn't want to leave this awkward so she forced herself to speak, but she was finding it difficult to muster up her voice, her vocal cords felt tired and worn. "uhm..." She began, "Hi?" It was all she could say, the female blinked and her pupils zoomed from side to side before looking down at his gaze, what do you want from me? Does this young soul want to beat on me too? If so you might as well get on with it... She felt glummer the more she thought about it, but she still looked at him with curious eyes.

It seemed like he surprised her, that’s odd seeing how she was just looking at him. Hesitating to meet his gaze she gave a shy response, but at least she didn’t ignore him! His tail wagged as a grin quickly replaced his unfitting look.

D’ya wanna play? his parents seemed too on edge to indulge him right now. Newt had itchy legs and clay was a stick in the mud... if only Leta was around. He wondered where she’s hiding. Ooh! Maybe we can explore together! I’ve only seen the uh— the big stones n the big food what were they called again? Beeson? That wasn’t right— bison! The bison!

The young boy seemed pleased that she gave him her attention, going good so far, let's see how far I can get before fucking up somehow... The young female was still cautious, this wasn't her sibling, this was Valette's child., and with what recently happened, she doesn't want to upset the Matriarch. The dark female stayed in her place, the young West asked if she wanted to play with him. This question triggered something within the female, emotions swirled in her chest, and her head felt light, and her eyes only showed a bit of sadness. She hasn't been asked to play for a long time, not ever since her family got split up, and she was very young when it happened. Vespera had forgotten how to play, she only knew how to spar and that was it. The young female blinked, fighting back the tears that were slowly filling in her eyes, she had to use her paw to stop the tears by placing it on her muzzle and whipping them.

Vespera cleared her throat, she didn't want to appear like something was wrong. She looked back at him with her fixed dull gaze, "play?" Was all that she could say. West had also mentioned going to the stone circle and eating bison, which raised alarm in the female with her ears spiking up and her eyes flashed a bit, "trust me on this, you don't want to get near bison, they are very dangerous and they can hurt you." The dark female remembered her first Easthollow pack hunt where she got injured by one of them, "I know from experience." She murmured, remembering the feeling of embarrassment in front of the whole pack.

Too young to understand the woman’s internal struggle, West just stared on waiting for an answer. Too innocent to pick up on the empty look in her eyes, his tail wagged when he finally received one. Yeah, play! was that a weird request? Didn’t everyone know how to play? Everyone he interacted with did at least. You know how to, right?

When he mentioned the big food something seemed to change with Vespera. She was suddenly much more awake as she lectured him not to mess with bisons. The boys ears folded back as he shied his gaze, knowing full well they could be really scary. He had no intention of playing with them, not after what happened or the stern scolding he received from his father. I know... Ma was hurt cus of me n the bison. Pa already yelled at me.

The young female felt a little ashamed when the boy asked if she knew how to play, but she couldn't blame him for assuming so. Her gaze dropped a little, should she be honest with him? Would he understand? The questions were buzzing in her head again, but Vespera knew she couldn't leave him hanging, she had to say something. "Well, it's been so long, I don't... Remember, how to play," it sounded like an excuse to her, she didn't want to give him the details since explaining would feel like a hell hole. But there was still something tugging at her, pulling at her soul to drag her deeper into the hell hole that she is in. 

But the young pup snapped her out of it, when she told him about steering clear of bison, he ducked away, which made Vespera panic. West told her that he already got a scolding from both Greyback and Valette, Vespera's gaze softened, "I'm sure they were just trying to protect you." Vespera swallowed, she didn't want to mention the growing protectiveness from both parents because of the Leta accident. "They are just trying to teach you not to do it again for your safety," the young female didn't like defending anything Greyback does, but she had to reassure him of their scolding.

Vespera tried reassuring him that his parents had their reasons for his scolding, but he already knew that. He was scolded often because he ran off before thinking sometimes, but looking back he understood. That being said he still felt bad that his mother was hurt trying to protect him from his own stupidity. Yeah, I know. Pa said that too his pout sat a moment longer before he refocused on the original topic.

The other seemed to avoid his gaze before admitting that she didn’t remember how to play. He couldn’t help but feel bad, why did no one play with her? With a new determination he puffed out his chest, I can show you! It’s easy!

The young pup seemed oblivious with the current situation at hand, which was fine with her, the more that people knew less, the better that she would be soon forgotten. But she felt bad that Greyback had to scold this young one, he seemed so full of life and energy, but she didn't want him to feel more guilty so she just let the topic drop. The young boy had a sudden change of heart and mood as he puffed out his chest with dignity as he boldly claimed that he will teach her how to play. The young female recoiled her head a bit in surprise, teach me? What is there to teach? Should be simple right? So simple that a young pup doesn't have to teach me. However, she didn't let those thoughts get to her and decided to go along with what the little one was planning.

Vespera blinked, she really didn't know what to do next, "so... How will you teach me? What games are there for us to do?" She began, she really felt stupid that she had to ask that and she felt even more stupid that she just admitted to a pup that she doesn't know how to do the simplest thing as play. Then again, it was the truth, she stood up slowly, she didn't show him that she was in pain or at least tried to, as she stood on her weak paws and looked down on West signaling that she was ready.

Vespera was right, the young boy had no concept of how dark the mind could be nor the knowledge to spot someone in decline. The black pelted woman was odd looking to him though, boney and tired looking, but he thought nothing more of it. After all, he had a job now!

She asked what games they could start with and his mind raced for the best one, especially for someone who hasn’t played in so long. Fighting seemed unfair, he was pretty good at that and he wasn’t sure how to teach it anyways. His brother Newt played something called stone, or at least he assumed that’s what he called it since he was always singing about it. He wasn’t sure how that one went though other then looking for rocks. Leta tugged around a pelt sometimes, Oh! How about hide n find? It’s pretty simple, just like the name!

He had played the game with his siblings before and it could waste hours if they were good hiders, although they sometimes lost things they couldn’t find.We take turns hiding or hiding objects, up to you, and then the other players look for them! The one who finds the hider or hidden item wins and becomes hider.

The young female wasn't particularly picky when it came to the game that they were going to play as long as it didn't make her look silly. The game that the boy had suggested made her tilt her head a bit, she figured she knew the concept but it would be better for her for West to explain. The young boy did and he sounded very excited to do so, even suggesting two different versions of the game, but Vespera found the one where they would hide would be a bit complicated since they were out in the wilderness and everything looked the same. But she wasn't going to suggest her opinion, she really wouldn't know which one would be better for them to play and since West seemed to be an export, she decided to let him choose which one, "hmmm... Both of them sound good, which one would you suggest?" She tried sounding more enthusiastic but she was finding it hard, but to further the effect, she squinted her eye and looked up to the sky as if she was in deep thought then looked down at him again with an interested gaze.

However, she had to wonder though, does the boy get played with a lot? He sounds as though his siblings don't play with him much and Vespera felt more down the more she thought about it. West was very innocent and kind, she couldn't grasp why he wouldn't be played with much, but yet again she could just be assuming the worst like she always does.

Vespera asked which version he wanted to play which stumped him at first. He didn't really have an object to hide, so hiding would just be easier really. Besides he was confident he would win, how exactly? Don't ask, he's a kid he's just going to win everything by default. Hide n find doesn't really leave room for a true winner unless...you just can't find someone...ever. But that won't happen surely, as long as Vespera didn't get bored and walk away. We can jus hide, it's the easy version! You can hide first, lookin's harder. He grinned waiting for the girl's response, tail wagging so fast he had to shake his rump to keep up before he froze.

OH! I should probably close my eyes. I'm gon count to uhhh 10, then I'll start finding! Turning around and laying on the ground, West closed his eyes and put his paws over his head starting to count, not even really giving Vespera the chance to say otherwise.

The teenager admired the little boy's energy when he suggested that they should play the version where they have to hide. The pup's tail wagged so much that she thought that it was going to fall off, he is so oblivious she wanted to laugh to herself. But before she even got to answer the young boy had thrown her a curveball and whirled around, placing his paws over his eyes, saying that he will count to 10. Vespera didn't even get a chance to object, she stood there frozen like an antelope in headlights, but the boy was beginning to count down already and her time was running out. Her mind had yet to catch up to her body, and without thinking, she bounded in the opposite direction of the pup and sought a hiding spot as soon as possible. However, her low energy prevented her from climbing up into high places so she had to stay low, but she didn't know where to hide. The boy was counting down, and Vespera's dull gaze searched, but this searching made her tired, she had to settle for something.

The Easthollow wolf improvised with something, there was a large bush, but her dark pelt would give her away, I got to make the most of it. She didn't want to disappoint the boy, so she found something else, she looked up to see a bush on a higher up piece of land. This will have to do, she thought to herself, thankfully the journey wasn't too hard on her limbs as she scrambled up into the bush. She laid her body low with her paws tucking into her chest, she tried to look like a rock, she even recoiled her head into her neck as far as she could, looking like a turtle as she waited for the boy to find her.

The boy loudly counted down quickly reaching zero and raised his head glancing around. He had heard Vespera storm off so he wasn't surprised that she was no longer behind him now, but as to where she had gone he had no idea. That was the game though! He was so excited that she was getting it on her first try.

Technically speaking a wolf should be able to just use their nose and follow the scent especially when it was so fresh, but the little boy hadn't really learned to track things yet. So instead he wandered around blind, every now and then jumping behind a tree or bush expecting to see her standing there yelling some sort of line like "HAH" or "GOTTCHA" only to come up empty-handed.

Checking most of the places he thought were good hiding spots nearby, West stumbled upon the bush Vespera was hiding in and plopped in front with a long "hmmm" maybe he wasn't as good at this game as he thought, that or his siblings were just bad at hiding.

The young figured that she was going to be caught right away, her coat wasn't meant for blending in the day time and this bush wasn't much cover. She waited anxiously for him to find her, she took this as an intense game even though she shouldn't. Her ears shot up in alarm when she heard the boy cry out phrases like gotcha or hah, he was drawing closer to her. But she knew to stay in her place for as long as she could without being noticed but she wasn't sure how long she could, the tension was rising, would the boy find her. Her nerves spiked as he approached her spot, she knew she was in for it now, but what would she do when he found her, she found herself worry how she would react to him finding her by screaming that he found her. This was all knew but she was a fast learner to things like this, but Vespera was frozen as the boy was right in front of her, but what did surprise her was that he didn't jump on her or screamed his victory, he was just there.

This made her relaxed and a bit amused, her tensed body relaxed and her blood could return to normal function. She couldn't grasp why he couldn't find her, she was so obvious. This predicament was a little too funny to her as she let out a chuckling snort, she couldn't hold it in any longer, but she soon realized her mistake and froze, he had to have heard that. She readied her body for the boy, waiting for his next move.

There was a small rustling behind him followed by a laugh that was quickly cut off. Ears perked as he jumped to his feet, the young boy shoved his head into the bush now finding the rather obvious hiding spot of the larger girl. Blinking as he shook some leaves from his pelt the boy let out his own giggle as he bumped his nose against Vesperas in a boop like motion. Found you!

hnnng, he is a baby boi ;-;

Vespera knew her time had come, she had made a mistake, the young female stood frozen in her place, she figured if she didn't move, she would become invisible but she knew the boy was too smart for that. West weaved his way into her spot, he looked pleased that he had found her, he then moved to come closer to Vespera, to which she didn't know what to do, wast he going to bite her ear? But her expectations were not met as the boy moved his nose onto hers in a light touch, the female blinked, did this mean that he won? He had tagged her? Was it her turn? She gave him a small smile as she moved her body upward with the branches scrapping her body but she didn't mind this at all. She was on her all fours as she backed out of the bush and circled around to where the boy was, looking down at him with interest.

"Alright, it's my turn now!" She felt like a child again, the feelings were unknown to her and she didn't know what to do with them, West had seemed to take her mind off of things for a bit. Vespera sat on her haunches and closed her eyes, she reopened one eye to make sure that West got out alright, then she bolted her eyes down and began to could slowly to ten so that the boy had a chance to hide.

Vespera pulled away now rounding back to the front of the bush as he stumbled back and shook his pelt clean of the forest debris. Without needing prompt, The black pelted woman started counting down leaving the woodland boy to scamper off looking for a good hiding spot.

At first, he thought hiding up high would be good, but as he scrambled up a rock he just ended up slipping and falling off. Oh well, something else will have to do! shaking the fall off he looked around trying to figure out what would be a good hiding spot with limited time left and ended up finding a tree with holes near the roots. It wasn't perfectly covered thanks to all the light seeping in, but it was good enough for him to wedge his body in and peek through the holes in waiting.

She kept her ears checking for the boy as he scampered off to find his hiding place, but her concern grew as she heard him fall to where she almost stopped counting. She continued on as nothing happened, but when she hit 10, the spun around as if she had already found the pup, but he excitement dropped as she remembered that he wouldn't be in front of her, she had a determined look on her face, now the game was real and she wasn't going to lose. Vespera started by using her nose to follow his scent, with her head lowered to the ground, she was determined to find him. She was following his scent so precise to the point where she looked like a robot or a cartoon animal. The young female had found the spot where he fell from and looked up to see if he had attempted to get back up to which she hoped the young boy didn't. But she didn't have time to dwell as his scent drifted into her nose, with a sly grin she followed the smell to a large tree with holes in its roots.

She almost walked past it when something caught her eye, a light blue gaze was sticking out and Vespera smiled playfully as she lowered her body and stuck her face into the roots only to be greeted by a small body. Vespera copied what West did when he found her and lightly booped his nose, her orbs found a new light, "I found you!" She chirped as she recoiled her head back out of the tree and waited for the boy to come out. The young female had forgotten what this feeling was like so her smile faded a bit as she wondered what they would do next.

The sun was now setting on the land, and with it brought the echo of West's father's voice calling for his children. It was harsh as always— demanding, not asking. Greyback made sure to show he expected haste from his whelps.

Thanks for the thread!

The boy waited in silence, but as the girl grew near he shrunk back into the roots with a gasp. She had found him so quick! He giggled at the small touch as Vespera mimicked his own boop from earlier. Right as he opened his mouth to speak Greyback's voice rang out causing the boy's ears to press back. Oh...I guess I gotta go now.

He wiggled his way out of the roots, almost getting stuck, but managed to squeeze his rear out as he stumbled forward. With a grin he looked back to Vespera, We should play again sometime! Waving his tail in a friendly matter, the sunny boy would turn to head home before his father got too mad.

np! Thanks for having me thread with the round boi

Vespera's tail wagged with excitement, she was finally having the time of her life, a gateway to happiness, there was a warm feeling when the boy giggled as she touched his nose in a friendly way. The small boy was about to speak when an eerie sound broke the sky, it was Greyback's howl. The young female froze, she just remembered that she had been near his whelp and she began to panic that he would come to just punish her for finding happiness for once. Her weak body began to slightly shake and she was starting to feel sick as unwanted memories came rushing into her head. Her feet were planted where they were, she stared right where the sound was coming from, she was expecting that monster to come rushing in and plow her down. The anticipation as killing, she couldn't stay, but the boy's youthful voice broke her out of her frozen state, he said that he had to leave. Vespera looked at him, her gaze started to sadden like she had forgotten what she was getting worked up about for a moment, "oh... I see." She said, that last thread of enjoyment was shriveled up and she was entering the darkness once more.

But he said one last thing before he was going to leave, he said that they should play again sometime, but Vespera wasn't sure, his father was still around and she figured with every power he had, he was going to use that to isolate her from the one thing that was going to show her happiness. She didn't want to disappoint the boy, "uh yeah, we should sometime," she couldn't sound excited, there was no emotion in her voice but she gave him a weak smile as the boy wandered off, she gave one last look at him. This look was of remorse like she had committed a crime, she turned away from the bright boy and stalked away into the dark of the woods.