Stone Circle áhyggjur

kvarsheim seemed small.

not that she worried about the numbers, but...

when had she last seen the face of taktuq? now only sanja stood as móðir — and some part of her worried for that too! the children were growing and even bjarna had hopes for her mother's attention. now nobody was there to help when her mother was needed elsewhere.

so she took these worries, clutching them close to her heart, and sought out @Gunnar.

feeling that she was much more of the age to have adult conversations about pack matters.

Gunnar was worried about the numbers, there was no ifs and or buts about it. They were losing members. He sighed, as he stared out over the broad expanse they had made home.

They had the numbers to get by, but he was one of the sole providers and it weighed heavily on him. He was used to small numbers before. Had them with his parents as he had grown, then again with Saena, and now here with Sanja.

His eyes caught onto the small white girl and he chuffed in greeting. When she came upon him, he'd nudge her in the circle of her forehead and hum fatherly. He felt her like his own.

her tail swayed behind her as they greeted one another.

near his chest she murmured her greeting softly. i missed you. as if they did not see one another every day! but it mattered not. any time apart from her family was often too long.

can i talk to you?

She was such a sweet girl. He wished her all the happiness in the world. I missed you too sweet girl.

Ears perked forward at her gentle question and he nudged her softly. Of course what has you bothered?

with gentle movements he worked himself into a seat and curled his tail along his paws with a sigh and as mile.

bothered.

was that what this was? she did not know, it was the first time this feeling had settled upon her with such...intensity.

i want to do more. she confessed in a small voice as she sat alongside him. i want to take care of kvarsheim.

and yet she felt so small! so unprepared for such a thing! only she knew that she must. her soul called to it.

Gunnar didn't know of the girls inner emotions or her turmoil. He didn't know what she thought or how she felt, but he could remember perhaps, though long ago. How it felt to reach her age. The want to do more to be more, perhaps that was where she was.

That's easy enough, what are things that interest you? Do you like to hunt? Take care of others? Guard the borders? Do you like to tell stories and teach? There are many things you can do to help Kvarsheim and frankly it is a better place with you in it. We just need to find what it is you like to do to help.

it was a lot for her to take in all at once.

suddenly she worried she was not good at anything! the heat had left her exhausted more often than not. she had never established very good hunter or guardian skills. nor did she have many stories to share.

she supposed she took care of others, but didn't everybody do that? what made her care so special?

nothing.

embarrassment settled on her features.

i...i don't know! she blurted suddenly in her overwhelmed state. i just...i know mama used to have taktuq to help and now i have not seen her in some time. i do not want mama to do everything alone!

Gunnar had seen how she had struggled in the heat. He knew she was not all wolf, that there was something else there, but what it was he didn't know and didn't need to know. She belonged to him and Sanja and Kvarsheim no matter where she came from, it was just that simple

She looked embarrassed and then she blurted out something so quickly. Gunnar swiftly pulled her closer and settled a paw around her shoulders and rubbed his muzzle along her head, trying to soothe.

Well you know what I see? Hrm?

He ran a paw along her back now kindly, like a grandfather rubbing ones back when you were trying not to cry.

I see a young lady who loves her family. Who is a quick learner and has a big heart. I see a young lady willing to give everything she has to her pack. I see someone who has good caretaking skills, can put other wolves at ease, you would make a fine ambassador. I see a wolf willing to learn all she can to help those she loves, and that makes you the absolute best in my opinion. I will teach you to hunt if you like? And fish? And how to mark the borders. Everything can be learned, lítil prinsessa

it was hard being consoled. as if somehow that made things worse. to know that her emotions hardly felt her own and that someone else must hold her hand at nearly all time.

can i be taught to give the best care? i-i don't want something to happen again and we have no one who knows and —

she sucked in a shivering deep breath of cold air.

Gunnar could remember well the sting of being young and unable to do what you wanted right away. He could remember the bitterness that rose in your chest about it, but their Bjarna. She was not like this. She was good, angelic even. Always willing to do whatever she needed for those she loved. It was both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Mostly because Gunnar knew he could not be here forever, he could not protect her, remind her that she was just as important as those she loved. That he wanted her to live happily, and even a little selfishly at times.

But he said none of this. Instead warm slate eyes, furrowed in the middle, laugh lines present at the edges and he smiled at her, running a muzzle along her head.

Yes you can. I will teach you all I know. Then perhaps we can take at rip to Sapphique, where you can learn from the healers there as well. I will make sure that you can give the best care. barnið mitt

she felt shy. embarrassed. a tangle of things blooming in her chest.

but there was a distraction in the mention of a trip.

how far are they? maybe i can... she trailed off softly. so eager that she continued to put the cart before the horse.

Gunnar chuckled. They are not far, perhaps only a day. They are by the cliffs near the seaside. I lived there for a time. If we have the time. I will take you to where I lived as a child and a young man, also near the shore.

Their Bjarna was such a sweet girl. And he could not discount her, her eagerness to share and learn. To be the best that she could be.

maybe a fade? and you know i'll always want an updated one heh <3

near the seaside.

she wondered what mama thought of the seaside. she had met gunnar there, but lived here now. perhaps she did not like the sea and only liked the people there.

i would like that. she answered softly as she yawned, nuzzling into father bear for a long while.

Certainly. Thank you for the thread. <3

Gunnar would allow the precious sweetling to curl against him. She would fall asleep and he wouldn't move a muscle. His bones may hate him for it later, but for now. It would be okay.

The simple things, were such small comforts and he would not take that away from her.