Stone Circle am i pragernant

His heart was beating too fast.

Thump
Thump

Thump
Thump

He walked briskly through Easthollow frantically, his head turning every so often to look behind him, around him, above him to see if others were following. He didn't need anyone to see him in his ragged mess. His fur was strewn this way and that, twisted from an endless night of tossing and turning, bags under his eyes, and tailed tucked deep between his legs. "Where do I go..." he muttered to himself.

He couldn't go to mom. Not his father either seeing as he wasn't here. Not that he would. It would be too weird. Leta and West were a definite no—they were his siblings after all. And he certainly couldn't talk to others he didn't know. And then it hit him. @Nanook was older, she would know!

The female was older and far experienced than him, and best of all—she was rather quiet and didn't seem like the one to blabber to others. And with that, he set off in the direction of her smell.

"Nanook?" He called, slowing down to a trot and glancing around as he neared the fresh scent of her. 'Where is she?' "Auntie Nanook I need your help. I think im... I THINK IM PREGNANT!"

As it so happened, Nanook would be quite easy for anyone to find, for she was simply chilling on one of the taller outliers of Stone Circle -- one of those rocks that just hadn't rolled quite far enough to be considered "part of the system", but close enough that it always looked like it was trying just a bit too hard to be a part of things. In its own mind (if rocks had minds) it probably thought it was the hottest of the hots, the shottest of the shots, and that the Circle would be quite lost and broken without it there. But everyone else could tell that this was not true, and that all the others rocks likely just shook their heads, hitched their britches, and carried on with their stately duties.

Yes, indeed, though the Circle reject it, this rock was Nanook's absolute favourite (namely because it stood well enough outside the Circle that no shadow draped across it, and so provided a sunning spot, as well as a place to watch the stars and the weather when the days so called). And yes, indeed, these were Nanook's thoughts as she lay there trying to warm her belly, which so kindly asked her to keep herself away from anything that remotely looked like food, lest she lose herself to the meal -- and, in this way, not by eating everything, but rather by losing everything she tried to eat all over the cache. Wretched nausea, that seemed to take her with every piece of prey she thought of or passed by, in even the most iota of a sense!

At first she did not recognize Clay's voice, and she flicked her tail with an inch of irritability that he would so steal her from her profound assessment of the nature of these stones, and the unfortunate state of her stomach. But lucky for him he coupled her name with the moniker she bore to each of Valette's children, and a warm affection overtook her, quite quickly replaced with a tickling curiosity.

Mmm sukkaituk tauna, she murmured through a yawn, and rolled over on the top of the rock until she could gaze upon her nephew below. Pregnant. she restated, and in honest mulled over the thought. She had half a mind to keep her smile tucked neatly away in the back of her mind, where only she could lay eyes upon it. Poor boy seemed distressed enough. Tell me why you think so.

Nanook knew he was not pregnant, of course. He could not be, for nature could not bend like this. But she was an aunt, not a mother (well, not his mother -- cue anxious trill), and she did herself and all aunts everywhere a great disservice not to meddle, if even just a little. So Nanook dangled her paws over the edge of the stone and lay her head upon her forelegs, copper eyes turned upon Clay in their ever inquisitive way. Quite intrigued by the answer he might give.

In knowing her own ignorance to all things... "that" after spending her own life on the run, she really expected just about anything.

He had found Nanook near Stone Circle (thankfully alone), and he wearily trotted up with her with his head bowed low and tail slightly wagging at his hocks. She was resting on an upturned rock, something that looked comfortable and warm, and for a second he wondered how nice it would be. He had half the mind to join her, but he wasn't sure if she would appreciate that. So instead, he watched as she rolled over to greet him. Her paws dangling on the edge of her throne as she looked upon him as one would to their followers.

Clay swallowed as she repeated him.

"Well uh..As you know it's spring. And weird um, things tend to happen." He twitched his nose and lifted his front foreleg to rub as his chin awkwardly, a habit he found himself doing when he was particularly uncomfortable. "I recently met someone and we touched. But it wasn't long! You know? It was quick. Very quick! Theyre handsome...PRETTY—I mean pretty!" Shit. He couldn't let his Aunt know about his shameful desires. How weird would she think he is for having feelings for a male. He wouldn't want her to think any less of him. AND he was babbling! This is terrible."I think I like uh...her. And I think I might be pregnant." He lied, laughing nervously.

Nanook listened in languid silence, her face that seamless mask of studious composure that had long adorned her, though time and experience had chipped the ice in her stare to one of a kindling warmth, compassionate even in her strength. And all the better, to retain her composure now. She struggled not to straight out bark a laugh at her nephew's fumbled explanation. Valette was certainly the more experienced in matters of relationships!

"Mmm, the weird things of spring," a thin smile curved her lips, and she lengthened one of her forelegs in a long stretch, "indeed, I know of these things." Clay seemed to be learning them quicker than she ever had, but even still, Nanook imagined he remained just as innocent to the weirdest things as she had been, until a couple weeks back. But... then again, this was her sister's son. Nanook herself had not liked a wolf until she had met Siarut, and she had been much older than her nephew was now -- and much older than Valette, when she had brought forth her very first children. Perhaps this apple fell closer to his maternal tree in more than simply looks and stature.

With a flick of her tail, and without hesitation, Nanook thumped the open rock face at her side. "Come up here and join me," she offered her nephew, "the warmth will calm you. And then I will explain you a little more of the weirdness of spring."

He was unnerved by the silence, of the gaze his aunt wore, of her laid back air that made it nearly impossible for the boy to read her. It was almost as if she was a statue, or.. no. Perhaps she was more of a noble—calm and composed. Either way, Clay fidgeted slightly and stopped his nervous laughter to stare at her with a gaze that was torn away at random to blink. His heart was beating way too fast. Why couldn't he look at her?

'slow down. slow down'

However, a smile poked though the woman's composure and he let out a deep breath of relief. It was good to know Nanook wasn't as facaded at his father, but he still had no clue why she was smiling. Weird things did happen in spring! There was nothing funny about it. But she luckily read his mind (something he didn't want to think about, what if she had magic powers too!) tentatively took her up on the offer with a weary gaze.

He was careful not to disturb her, to keep his distance and not encroach as he sat on the far, far side and sighed into the sun all the while side-eyeing her and waiting for her wisdom.