Stone Circle Your brother has returned

Set right after this thread. @Clay

Valette looked at her son with worry. She would not leave Easthollow she would fight for her lands. However, if she was out of Easthollow grounds and ran into one she would make sure not to stay around and chitchat with someone from that pack. "I will remember," she just said to her son. If she would start about fighting them Clay would probably disagree. She was not a fighter, but she would do anything for Easthollow, for her family. Then she paused. "We..?," she repeated when he said that. She knew he didn't want to talk about it. "I'm sorry, you don't need to talk about it. Just I hope you don't think yourself as one of them," she ended in a soft whisper.

The mother was quick to support her son when he said that he couldn't walk that far. "We are close to one," she assured. As she walked, as slow as Clay needed to go, to a cache she continued. "Yes, Newt left. Only one howl, that was all. It--" Was this wise to say? "Your brother was very worried about you when you left. He became a bit of a recluse. Especially after your father... Well, Greyback evicted Vespera after a conflict. After that I think it was too much for him. Arlette told me that Newt was struggling with your Dad's decision," she tried to explain. Hell, even she had been mad about it at the time. "Its a long story. There were just several things that made him want to go, I think," she sighed. Then the mother offered a soft smile at Clay. "I am so happy and relieved that you returned."

Valette stopped at the closest cache and started to dig up a meal for Clay. It was only a day old. She took some older things out of it as well. It were mere scraps. "Here," she pushed the meat towards him. "I will be right back." The mother rushed off to another cache and returned within minutes with a whole Deer hind that had been further away. She placed it down by Clay. "Some extra,' she offered. Then she howled for @Leta and @West Tyree they would probably want to see Clay. She also called for Arlette. Maybe it would be good for her to check Clay for any wounds or illnesses.

They walked, their pace slow and drawling. Clay felt bad his mother had to do such a thing—hinder herself to his speed as if he was once again a whelp tumbling on heavy paws. They shared small bits and pieces of conversation, and when his mother echoed his words he turned to look at her with furrowed brows. An expression that was similar to that his father often made.

"I appreciate the sentiment but I am one of them." He said sharply. His pointed ears were now turned back, cocked at an angle that made them seem as if they were horns; a mannerism he picked up from the warlord and never quite shook. "I was trained. I killed, I hunted, I ate the flesh of others." he whispered.

He fell silent after that, listening to her with a firm line at his mouth and an eerie gaze from his slanted eyes. He was surprised that so much had happened after he left. As a child he always assumed Easthollow would stay the same: his kin wouldn't leave. His father would be with his mother. Everyone would still be around. Oh how he was wrong.

He watched as his mother brought him various carrion, and he stared at it with a blank expression. He was thankful for the meal.

But somehow, after staring at the meat he no longer felt hungry. In fact—he felt like he might vomit.

I lost my post halfway through typing this :'^) sorry it's half the effort now

West had been watching the herds when his mother's call echoed, for what he had no idea. Part of him debated not going feeling rather lazy at the moment, but he'd haul his ass up preferring that to getting an earful later if it was important. His long legs easily carried him across the plains until his mother came into view alongside some spindly girl.

She didn't look familiar, and he was sure he would remember someone with scaring the way she had along her sides. The woodland boy squinted as he showed up, why was a stranger so far into their territory? A newcomer? Youuu need me? The underlying question was easy to read in his voice, surely his mom could take care of this girl by herself, why was he here?

got permission from monther to skip! :')

He didn't hear the sound of pawsteps, only the heavy base-boosted voice that ripped his attention away from scraps of meat that laid before his paws. Clay contemplated not turning and giving attention to the man with the weird drawling tone— he seemed quite content with continuing his death glare on the meat like it had insulted him. But of course of that wouldn't be polite. Dear old dad had really drilled that into him as a pup.

So reluctantly, Clay gave his attention to the man with one swift look. He had forgotten to drop his glare before doing so, however. And thus this poor chum had to put up with seeing his bitter scowl; ears tipped back and brows furrowed above him large, gemstone like eyes. He continued like that for a few seconds, taking the- gosh, what the hell was this guy? Was he even a wolf with how exaggerated his form was?

Clay was unaware of just who this was. He has assumed it was just another pack member and NOT his brother. They had changed so much from childhood, after all. What used to be a fat, round and dark colored cub was now a fucking boulder cast in browns. But clay, under the impression that this was just some subordinate, looked at the dude silently, and then went back to his telekinesis attack on the carrion.

West stood unphased as he waited for an answer. The girl seemed keen on glaring at her food which felt like a huge waste to him, maybe that's why he was called. The meat seemed older so it was possible it was an offering, maybe for shelter. If that was the case though, she should really be eating it to get some meat on her bones.

It was then that he became the target of what seemed like unbridled rage. The boy raised a brow questioning what he did to receive such hostility before even addressing her. One thing was certain if she was picking fights, he wasn't about to back down just because she was small or had some badass scars. Before West could question it though, she went back to acting like the meat just pissed on her. Green orbs found his mother's still visibly confused. No longer able to contain his curiosity he'd address the elephant in the room, What's with the girl?

Valette heard West approach as she was not engrossed in food or anything. Valette turned to look over her shoulder, her tail wagging. "West!," she greeted and then stepped aside for him to look better at Clay. The boy asked if he needed her, and seemed to show little interest in his brother. Valette was confused for a moment. Then Clay seemed to look up and just... glare. Valette frowned. What had been going on between them. The mother was baffled.

Her mouth dropped open further when West asked what was up with the girl. "This is NOT a girl. It is your brother. Clay returned! It's Clay," she commented and then looked between the two. From West to Clay, then back to West. How come they didn't recognize each other? "I thought you two would be happy to see each other again," she spoke, her voice sounding confused. "Don't you recognize each other?" Valette couldn't understand. How couldn't they recognize each other? Or worse they did, and the two didn't want to acknowledge each other. Her excitement dwindling a bit. She thought they would be just as excited as her.

"What's with the girl?"

Clay snapped his head back up and glared at the male. Girl? GIRL? He knew he looked pretty feminine but it was still rare that he was mistaken as one. Nonetheless, it stung his pride, and Clay puffed up his chest to stalk towards the other Easthollian with an ever deeper scowl than before. He had raised his chin and extended his neck to seem tall, but despite this he still barely came up to this himbo's height. He had half the mind to raise his paw and slap the other across the mug, but just as he lifted a leg his mother's voice rang out.

West? WEST? Clay blinked in confusion and turned back to his mother with a complete and utter look of shock. THIS was his brother? "This—This...OAF is my brother?" he yelled, tipping his ears forward and turning back to look at his kin.

"You mistook me as a girl?" Clay decided to not answer his mother's second question. He instead just continued to raised his paw and press it to his brother's chest and push in, marveling at how much fur he had and how far his paw sunk in. "What are they feeding you? You look pregnant."

He heard the words, but they didn't quite fully set in. Brother? How was a scrawny girl his brother? Besides he knew what Clay looked like, time has passed, but surely he couldn't look this different. The truth was West wasn't quite aware of just how much he himself had changed in the past months aside from size. He likely would have called his mother's bluff if it weren't for Clay's sharp voice that cut through the air before the woodland boy had the chance to respond.

Green eyes flicked to apparently Clay who had advanced into his personal space. There was no denying it once he spoke, that it was a male, but he still found it hard to believe Clay returned. He looked so...so different. For a moment West looked stupidly dumbfounded, but his shock was quickly cut as his brother prodded at him. Hey, who're you calling an oaf?! West's ears tipped back as the paw was shoved into his chest, a pout quickly forming on his own features as he lightly swatted the touch away. It's not my fault you look like a girl. Seriously, he looked nothing like Greyback in stature or any of the other males in the pack for that matter.

I don't even know what Pergant is—

God these two were bickering like pups. Valette watched as Clay pushed against West chest, luckily West didn't seem to attack Clay but pouted instead. The mother let out a low growl. "Enough," she spoke, getting in between them. They did sound like brothers. There was a stark difference between the two. Where West was big, Clay was smaller. West had lots of fur almost a bear of a wolf, and then Clay... Valette liked to think that Clay would have been bigger as well if he had not been taken.

"You have to stop calling each other names. West is not pregnant because he is a boy and Clay clearly isn't a Girl," Valette stated and looked between the two. They had been apart for a long time. West clearly had more of Greyback's genes. Valette eyes at West, he did say something interesting which was that he didn't know what was pregnant was. So she would need to talk to him soon about that it seemed. Valette looked at West. "Clay went through a lot while he was kidnapped from us. Please keep your comments to yourself next time," she gently stated. "Maybe you can show Clay what you eat so he can become just as buff as you," she offered.

Clay decided after West's few words that, frankly, he didn't have the energy to argue with his brother. So thus he ignored him the boy, turning his head and ears away to look at his mother, who was now lightly scolding them. To be honest, Clay didn't know how he felt about being scolded by his mother when (he thought) he was an adult, and looked down at the ground with his pooled gem eyes. Everything was weird to him.

"Sorry mother," he replied with a muffled tone. He had expected Valette to then cart him off to explore the territory, but it seemed she had other plans in mind. He gawked as not only she advised his brother to show him around, but also spilled that he had been kidnapped. He winced at the words, and his face became hot as he turned even farther to look away from West.

"I think I can sniff it out, thank you." he hesitantly laughed.

Here it came. The inevitable lecture that he...probably deserved. Valette could say Clay didn't look like a girl, but that wouldn't change his looks. It was a mistake, West didn't really mean to criticize Clay's looks, he thought he was a stranger. Though for once it wasn't the scolding he focused on, but what came after. Clay was kidnapped? Wait, you didn't leave because of— me. Leta? The woodland boy couldn't bring himself to admit his thoughts out loud, but it was a relief even if the reasoning was worse.

West's ears fell flat against his skull as he held his tongue. Clay wouldn't even look at him now. Shoot...he felt like an ass now, not that he would admit it, but they had never really gotten along, not like he and Leta or Newt. Maybe he could fix that! Clay was back after all and he knew the land pretty well now. Clay had been gone for a long time, maybe he needed a reintroduction. Uh, well...we could go hunting if you want? Mom's been teaching me a lot and I've gotten pretty good. Maybe I could show you some stuff?

Valette looked between the two and was glad that it didn't escalate into a fight. The female dipped her head. She was grateful that her boys listened. They were technically adults but they would always be children in her eyes. "That is an excellent idea, West," Valette returned when the bigger boy offered to show Clay around and perhaps hunt together. The hunt was always a good thing to do. She liked the idea of them hanging out together and doing things together.

Valette didn't see that Clay was embarrassed. It was an important detail for Val that Clay was kidnapped and didn't run away from them. She had been afraid that Clay had not been wanting to be apart from this family. The female smiled at her two sons. "I will leave you two to catch up then," she offered. She would catch up with Clay later. Valette hoped that Leta would join them as well, since she would have probably missed her brother too. With that Valette walked off, glad to see the two brother's reconnecting, at least that was what she assumed.

He watched as his mother took off, his gaze following her till she was out of sight. It was only when she was that he finally turned around to face his brother, face still contorted into that of a scowl; same as before.

"I dont think I can hunt like you can," he said dryly, glancing down at his body and glancing at his brother, hoping he was follow. Clay was thin as a skeleton, his rips showing and body filled with fresh scrapes and nicks from his careless walking. If he wanted to hunt bison he might as well just stand in font of them so they can finish the job.

"But I can watch you, I guess. From a distance."

West also watched as their mother retreated. Silently the boy wished she hadn't left, but even if she was here the outcome of his reunion with Clay would remain the same...perhaps with more scolding. He didn't need to look to feel the scowl burning into his pelt, seriously why was he so pissed at him?

Much to the woodland boy's surprise, Clay didn't refuse. He claimed to not be able to hunt like him, but West never expected him to be able to. That's fine, I have a lot of practice. I'm sure you could catch something though. Other members of Easthollow had grown thin during the famine, but they were still able to put in the work to catch a meal when one appeared. West had no doubt Clay was just as capable, even if he had little experience. Like I said, I can teach you. What do you want to eat? It will have to be small since it's just us, but a meal's a meal.

His brother seemed likened to having them hunt together, and though Clay could possibly understand wanting to rebond with his family, his heart still ached with wounds had yet to heal. His stomach, empty as ever, protested and demanded itself to be known with the talk of food, but the prince willed it down with a thought of 'Shut up' before glancing at his brother.

"I don't feel up to it right now," he said firmly. Perhaps West would understand. Hopefully. He had just gotten back home not a quarter sun-raise today. He wanted to sleep. To rest. Not talk. Not hunt.

He looked down at the scrap of carrion his mother had left before fleeing. It would do, it was fine. It was nice. Nicer than what he had been eating for months—he didn't need something fresh. He would happily take it. So thats just what he did, pawing at it to shove it within his arms before licking at the exposed rotting cartilage.

"I... want to retire for tonight. May I leave?" He asked to his kin, his voice still firm despite the fear quelling up within him.

A rejection was given this time more firm as Clay looked away, down to the scraps left behind by their mother. In some way, he couldn't help but feel he had failed somehow. True, they had never gotten along, but he was still his brother. West had been waiting for this day for a long time now and it was safe to say his reunion was nothing like he imagined it to be. Uh...y-yeah, that's fine. He wished to leave, yet they had just reunited...it was fine though right? He was back! Clay's here to stay, there would be time later. We can always try another time? I'll— I'll catch you later. The woodland boy turned to leave, his gaze still locked on his skinny brother before he finally tore his eyes away to leave as well.