keep your feet on the ground
when your head 's
in the clouds.

She wanted Raigo to be home. She wanted spring to really show it's work. She wanted Kiche to be well, she wasn't sure. Relaxed. Happy. Chin tilted to the side, and she blinked her eyes

against the blue sky pondering. Okay? Silently she thought, paws falling and rising against the damp earth. She wanted it to rain. She wanted to go swimming. The list grew in her mind, as she slowly

made way back to the den. She wanted to be a mom. And she wanted to be a good one. She wanted Borden to be happy. If that wasn't enough very,mostly right now wanted to be not a good, but a great

leader. The kind Ruiko had spoken of.

Sun high and bright, these things were not depressing to the gray-stroked wolf. Only something to think about as she tried to live her life to the full. They were a little tiring, andshe couldn't focus on one or the

other. They were rampant in her head, shuffing together so much she had a headache. Right now she wanted nothing more than to soak up the sun, quietly rest.

A heedy pheasant in her teeth, the noll

they had chosen for home eventually came into view. Nothing moved round the enclosure and it appeared undisturbed. The further her legs ambled, she saw the white shadings of another wolf. She did not have

to look closer to know who it was. Vlarindara. Paw weakened, and she mistepped, but she collected herself from her mental surprise. She had no reason to be alarmed. The female held her head proudly,

tail lazy wagging behind her haunches as she approached the Beta of Grizzly Hollow.

"Ehhro,"she mumbled with feathers in her teeth. Oops! She might want to speak without being inhibited, and she dropped the dead bird to the ground spitting out some

fluff. "Eh hello, Vlar. Taking a well deserved rest?" Tail was higher now, but friendly cutting through the air, as she smiled upon her. Deciding she might have an oppertunity

she took a seat. "Hungry by chance? " Gray brow raised, and she gazed from wolf to the dead bird inclining she wouldn't mind sharing. It was the least she could do, she knew Vlar had been hard at work these days. She deserved a free meal.

go get a shovel
and we'll dig a deep hole
to bury the castle.

Jayse was becoming accustomed to the submission of others. She tried

to remember words of advice, and understood this was her life now. She

was the leader, and like she had admited to wolves before it, now it was

the other way. It would never go to her head as it might another. She

took it as an acknowledgement of things. It was the order in which

there needed to be. There couldn't be five different wolves trying to

lead. It defiated the purpose, the order which ranks made, and how

things got done. Just like how in her head whether meeting or not

Vlarindara was the second of the pack. There were more wolves, but

Vlar had earned the spot with her loyality, work, and skills. Jaysyek

didn't know Vlar didn't feel that way at all. Hopefully the future might

clear it up. She wasn't thinking of it, she was thinking of the

differences, and similiarites between them. Quiet frankly wasn't a huge

list either way.


Ears drooped and rose at Vlar's polite declining of the meal. This was

one of those times Jaysyek felt like she could inist till her face went

blue. She might be a leader of Grizzly Hollow, but she was learning

some things were not worth speaking about. She could already picture

her poor belly stuffed full of food, and round with puppies further

squishing against it. (she would least hope) Then here came the faithful

Borden and Vlarindara begging her to take another bite. She struggling

to get them to understand she could not. A grin flickered on her lips for

a brief moment at these thoughts. It would be awhile till she knew if it

would come true.

She fell onto her stomach, placing the catch in her paws.
color="white">"Okay," she breathed with her falling motion.

Slowly she started pulling more feathers from the carcass when high

pitched sound brought her ears and eyes to gently seek back to Vlar's white face. The pale wolf listened fully understanding, and wanting all the more for Raigo to be here.

"No need to feel bad. I can't say I haven't

wandered away, or kept to myself lately. As for numbers, well counting as of late there is six of us. I hope with warmer weather more will come." With a thoughtful smile, eyes lingered on Vlar wishing she could have some kind of peace. Jaysyek hadn't strictly stuck the woods, and she didn't think it was bad Vlar had not. Vlar if anyone had good reason after all. She couldn't help but realize she knew so little more than the bond between her and Ragio. Again she remembered she wanted that to change, she wanted to know more of the white female who called the woods home too. For a bit she concentrated on her work of pulling feathers from meat. It was almost like she couldn't eat after the effort. Tongue coaxed over her lips, and she looked up. "Vlar, is this your first pack apart from home?"

it's all about the exposure
the lense
i told her.

Eyes held steadily on her companion, listening attentively to the coming

answer. She took it in quietly, really not thinking oddly of it. Except for

maybe how she considered this the first pack of her adulthood.
color="white">"Awe, " she answered, not wanting to pry for

reasons, despite how she was trying to learn more about the other white

wolf. Baby steps. She told herself. There was no need to rush.

Sight drifted down to the pheasant, and she contiued to further bald it,

ears turned back listening to a nearby bird warn others of the foes

below. Or maybe it was singing, because it's chirp sounded rather

pleasant than alarmed. A moment she glanced over her shoulder

looking for the winged creature, but could not see where it's perch was.

A silently sigh drifted from her lips, she started ripping at the cuts of

meat feeling she was failing at this conversation.

Vlar was looking away she started sharing the story behind her. Jayse'

jaws closed and she softly looked to the she wolf, not staring so

directly at her. Voice sounded rather straight forward about it. Jayse

could only assume she didn't missed what she hadn't really known.

Something like that, it sounded like Raigo and her, and being here were

the strongest part of her life. And Jayse wondered if she missed that or

if this life in the pack was working. Either way it was sad how many

wolves here seemed to have seperated from their family at an early age.

It seemed most in life parted ways, like it was another unwritten law.

She had no reply, as she didn't feel there were proper words for it. She

hoped her face might convey her silent sorry for Raigo not being here

more than all else.

The question was turned on her, and she blinked for a second having to

move her train of thoughts. Face shifted like a blank slate, she was

always wanting to keep her story vauge."My siblings and I stayed in

our home pack till we were almost one. We joined another pack

together, but the Alpha's daughter didn't much care for me. I decided

it'd be better if I left not to cause further trouble," eyes studied on the path round the den, as

she shrugged her shoulders like it wasn't much. She missed her siblings, but her new life was giving her less time to think of such things. A calm, steady voice she continued, "I was by myself for awhile really, till I found this place, and Borden." Pair of eyes met Vlarindara's amber ones for a second, before she started taking nibbles from her meal. The quiet sunk in further, and Jaysyek looked around wondering where everyone else might be.

she lives in the fairy tales
somewhere to far
for us to find.

Tips of ears twitched at the change of voice. Seemed nice enough, like she

didn't mind the idea of the group. Made Jayse feel better, that just maybe

Vlar wanted to be here after all. She wasn't sure how to take her second

sentence. Only one of the things I thank you for, for accepting me.
If she had a pause button she would have hit it, and rewind over and over.

All the same it round her head, there was real gratitude there. A more

prominant smile slipped on her own lips, she had many reasons to be

thanking the white female as well. As for her next sentences, they was in

the form of a compliment, and Jaysyek did find some sort of peace.

Another wolf was amending her for doing this, leaving one clear future for

a harder one. It was far from changing her mind she could always be

better. It was very nice to hear, and the tip of her tail beat up and down.

"Thanks Vlar, it's good to hear that from you."

Jaysyek was far, in her head, from being a great leader. But she was trying

to be the best, and live her new role as expected.

Question had Jayse a little surprised, and some-what embarrased, ears

flitted back, and she had the uneasiest grin on her lips. There were flashes

of memory from last night, and she had to wonder if it'd been obvious or

something. This had her horrified and ashamed even though really what should she be ashamed about? But in two seconds she took a breath

knowing it was breeding season as any wolf would know that, and it was kinda

ta da that Borden and her were mates -who could be considering raising a

family. Once she realized this she recollected a warm, soft smile. She knew there was no way Vlar was being bumptious, only realizing she would be a primary care giver."No need to appoligize Vlar. Your family to me as part of this

pack, as that what it takes to raise youth. I hope there will be litte ones this spring, but to tell you the

truth, right now it's too soon to say."

but if it's not real
you can't hold it in your hands,
can't feel it with your heart.

The gray stroked female watched her body language carefully. She wasn't quite sure what was going on behind those amber eyes, and wished she did. She wasn't gifted as a mind reader. She wasn't surprised or alarmed by the request. She was not mocking Vlar, but a light laugh peeled from her lips, actually sorta hurt her stomach when she appoligized for her inquire. Shaking her head, her tail beat the ground a few more times. The lead female breathed in a breath stopping her laughter. Thoughtfully, eyes tried to met hers, and with an opened mouthed smile she said,"Vlar there is no one else I would trust but you to take care of my children." She was being honest. She like all the members of Grizzly Hollow, but Vlar was the only one at the moment she would leave the lives of her children in. She really was the most sane capable adult. Jaysyek wouldn't doubt that ever. Just knowing she wanted to watch possible pups made Jayse very, very happy.