Whitestone Monadnock I'm just content with time well spent

For @Piety and @Wraith

Lenae wasn't one hundred percent sure she was ready for this, but it was about time she made herself useful. As things stood she was dead weight and even though the others didn't seem to mind all that much she couldn't help but feel awful. Like she was taking advantage of them, or worse yet manipulating them with puppy eyes and an unspoken sob story.

That's not who she was nor who she wanted to be. If this was ever going to be her home she had to start pulling her weight and proving that she was one of them, not just a guest had outstayed her welcome.She knew that this was what she had to do, what she wanted to do, but even so she was nervous as hell. Like hundreds of butterflies were fluttering around in the pit of her stomach.

Dragging in a deep breath, Lenae gathered- the tatters of- her courage and ambled up the goat track to the summit of the Monadnock. Letting out a little 'boof' in greeting, Lenae's tail swished behind her as she approached the leading pair. Okay, this wasn't so scary. She liked Piety and Wraith, they were good to her and had always been since the very instance she had met them.

"Hi...I don't want to be a bother but can we talk? It's nothing bad, I swear! I just- I am...Sorry, can I start again?" She rambled till her lungs tightened in her chest. Taking a steadying breath, she shook her head and tried once more.

Not so bad, they were good people.

"You see...The thing is...What I'm trying to say is... Ah heck, this sounded a lot better in my head. Sorry." Her lips curved down into a frown as she looked to her paws. Wasn't she doing great? Awful.

Wraith paused in the midst of grooming his wife's fur with loving affection to eye Everly as she approached. The female didn't look quite so haunted as when they first met. She'd filled out some, courtesy of living with a pack rather than struggling alone. As she stuttered out a request for talk, his brows winged up with interest. He hid his smile behind Piety's remaining ear as she halted herself and asked to begin again. With amusement, he nodded his assent, but dared not speak to pull her off course. As far as he could tell, she was making a lot of progress since she joined. Still nervous, but no longer flinching violently when he so much as looked her way.

Her second start went just as haltingly as the first and Wraith struggled to bite back his chuckle. "Feel free to speak your mind, Everly. You have my interest," he rumbled, smiling over Piety's back now. The length of his conversations with their newest addition was often limited to short greetings and curt reports that were not without affection despite his efforts to get her to open up a bit more. Again and again, Wraith reminded himself to have patience. He had no way of knowing what she suffered prior to being found and subsequently finding her way to the Monadnock. As much as he wanted to chase away any demons that plagued her, he knew the battle began inwardly first. She would open up when she was ready if she wanted and not before.

Hoping to encourage her to start talking again rather than stare at her own paws like a child being admonished, he said, "Are you feeling well? Settling in okay?"

She had her eyes closed as her husband groomed her pale coat, soaking up his affection with a soft smile placed on her features. It was moments like this that she felt the most at peace. Of course, something startled that peace as she felt Wraith cease his grooming. It was the tawny form of Everly. Piety found it nice to see the small female come to them for a change. Perhaps had it been anyone else she would have been slightly upset with their appearance but as far as the Kael mother was concerned, Everly got a free pass.

A pale brow raised for a moment as the tawny third seemed to struggle with her words. "Mine too." She tacked on softly at the end of her mate's first words. "There is no need to be sorry. I think we've all had those moments." Piety turned her head to look at Wraith's face with a sly smile. She knew full well he would understand even if she wasn't specifically calling him out. The pale leader had come to realize that even if he had a certain way with words, he didn't always seem so confident in using them.

She pushed aside gawking at her husband to turn her attention back to Everly. Now what was it the small female had wanted to share?

# C W T

"Oh yes, I mean to say... Thank you! I'm settling in well." She admitted, her tail wiggling behind her with an adorable sense of earnesty that only she had mastered.

They were so patient with her but her inability to talk straight was still frustrating, like she couldn't get the words out right no matter how many times she went over them in her head. Still, the fact they were so willing to hear her out truly did make her heart clench in her chest. In a good way, not like they were squeezing the life out of her, like so many other wolves had done so before.

"Ahem."This was important to her, but she had never been the sort to go on ceremony. The sooner she got it out there the better she would feel. Hopefully. "I was thinking...I want to help out around here. I'm not strong, or brave...But I like helping and I think Cyril is my friend... So maybe I could teach him a thing or two. I don't know how good at it I'll be but...I want to try!"

There she'd said it. Letting out a big puff of air, Lenae waited for her words to settle, for her alphas to take them in before she spoke once more.

"It's just an idea...If you don't want me around Cyril, or think I'm wrong for the job that's okay! I understand. You're in charge and I...I just want to help." She paused for a moment and her voice was whisper soft."Make you proud."

(This post was last modified: Sep 01, 2017, 11:08 PM by Lenae.)

Piety's teasing was not lost on him. Out of the side of his eyes, he could see her watching him with that damnable wry grin and he felt his own lips twitch in response. Brat! He'd pay her back later. Kiss her so soundly she couldn't think. See how she liked that...

But not for the first time, Wraith was grateful he'd stumbled upon Everly when he had back by the Thunder Bowl. What a waste it would have been for such a bright, kind wolf to throw her life away. While the male still did not know her circumstances, he could see plainly that she was rising above them. Whatever it was that had carried her to the edge of the cliff that day was no longer dogging her so determinedly. He was relieved to see it and hear - by her own admission - that she was settling in well.

When finally the agouti female was able to get out what she wanted, Wraith's smile broadened and he wagged his tail. "That is a wonderful idea!" The black brute pushed himself into a sitting position in his excitement. Just the idea that another wolf took so keen an interest in their son brought a thrill to his chest. This is what it was meant to be like! A pack wanting to work together, to encourage and teach the next generation!

Would Craw have realized this eventually? Or would he have remained fixated on owning, dominating, controlling? Thinking of his old comrade brought a stab of grief - he missed his brother, for all his flaws - and Wraith shook his head as if to dispel the troubling thoughts. This was a momentous occasion and by his own choice, Craw had no place in it.

"You're perfect for the job," Wraith praised sincerely. "Right, Piety?" he asked, belatedly realizing he should consult the boy's mother on it as well. Still, he saw no reason why she would disagree. It was clear she was as fond of their new packmate as he was.

piety kael

so witness me
Like fire weeping from a cedar tree

The pale leader keenly listened to the words of Everly. A warm smile spreading across her face as she nodded her head. "Oh absolutely!" She agreed with her mate and co-leader. Piety rose to her paws and move towards the tawny female in order to offer a gentle bump to her cheek (if it would be accepted was up to Everly). "I would love for you to help teach, Cyril. I do believe he's very fond of you too." The mother announced warmly as her head turned looking for @Wraith's agreeance on the matter. From what Piety knew their son was rather fond of everyone in the pack - from wolves like Odin to Everly who differed in both looks and personality.

She stepped back to allow her subordinate some personal room. It was good to have all these wolves flourishing and growing within the Monadnock. Piety wondered if it made Wraith feel as good as she did. Cheedo had certainly grown and changed from the first day here and now it seemed Everly was going to do the same. With Odin back, and a yearling no less, she was sure he'd be on a path soon enough. If not perhaps he'd find help in Wraith or even return back to his mother in Torbine.

Her gaze flickered between her mate and Everly. "And Everly," Piety's voice dropped softly. "You already make us proud." Muddy brown eyes switched from buzzing with excitement to a warm, gentle look.

# C W T

It was a relief to hear that Cyril was fond of her, for she felt the same way about him. It would have been awful if her feelings were one sided, if she saw him as a friend but he perceived her to be nothing more than a menace, someone who kept following him around trying to make him smile. It would have hurt too if his parents didn't approve, if they thought she'd be a bad influence on him.

But no, they were happy with the prospect and even went as far to encourage her to pursue her goals of being a teacher. It made her chest feel all warm-and a little tight- to know that they believed in her, trusted her with their most precious boy. What had she done to deserve such kindness? She was unworthy and yet she would do her best.

And then Piety had to go ahead and say that , the final nail in the coffin, so to speak.

"O-oh you guh-guh-guys."She sniffled, overcome with emotion.

It had been so long since someone had last treated her right, it was all a little overwhelming for the little Selwyn. Which wasn't to say she was upset or even distressed. No, she was endlessly happy. Both Piety and Wraith had been so kind to her from the start, and they showed no signs of stopping or slowing down.

Perhaps it was inappropriate, considering they were her alphas and all, but she couldn't help but toddle forward to give them an embrace, one after the other, as though she was dancing between the two. No one could make her happier than them, they were just the best!

That @Piety agreed wholeheartedly with him let Wraith know they were definitely making the right choice. Wolves in the past that had agreed to take on a certain role had disappointed them, but he had no doubts that Everly would serve them as well as Cheedo had thus far. It was high time they acknowledged her role officially, but he shook the thought away. Right now, his attention was meant for Everly.

The brute blinked in surprise, his shoulder stiffening a little in horror. Was she crying? Why was she crying?? What - why - ?

Wraith liked to think himself a level-headed male, but he found himself unraveling a little every time he came across a female crying. Give him a bear to fight alongside a prickly Rye wolf any day. Womanly tears? He'd rather not see them at all! But instead of finding an excuse to sneak away as another male might have to let the women bond, Wraith stood his ground and smiled kindly at her.

When Everly waddled forward for an embrace, he understood well enough the why of it. She was touched. And in seeing it, he was touched as well. The woman had a kind heart and a soul to be protected as fiercely as he would his own child. He'd seen the same that day when they first met on the lowlands when she'd been looking so down on herself. He refused to let her feel that way ever again. No, she was loved and adored and admired and respected and one day, she would see it, too. This day.

"You're very welcome, Everly. You have our trust and I know you'll do well with our son." He curled his head to drape it over her neck in a return hug before pulling back to lick gently at the tears in her eyes."