Cut Rock River singing to tiny dancer

Pip felt at peace for the first time in a while. She had everything she could ever need. @Kjell was back and consistently visiting with her and teaching her all kinds of things she never thought she would learn being as meek as she was. The pair would hunt together and spend what felt like hours doing nothing more important than snuggling and enjoying each others' company. And life in the pack had settled as well. Since that time with Kjell, the frightful feeling under her skin had dissipated and the small female now knew it to be a heat cycle. She honestly never thought she would experience one considering the history of females in Bella Coola. Those who were in the lower ranks were always suppressed by the more dominant females to prevent an excess of puppies that the pack could not support. But, Pip realized, the ranks within the Hollow had been changing so much lately there was no true consistency on the female leadership of late.

Understanding it now made her feel even more silly for not having known what was happening at the time. But Kjell had been kind as ever and gentle in his teachings. Her thoughts strayed to him now even as she stood waist deep in Cut Rock River. Her tail floated behind her on the surface of the river, waving from side to side as she smiled absently. Though several fish had come within striking range, it took a focused effort to leave her thoughts behind and pay attention to her fishing.

Despite the snow still falling, the first of the chum salmon were starting to migrate back out to sea. It occurred to her in that moment that if her siblings wished to return back to Bella Coola, they need only follow the migrations. The revelation was too little, too late, and it wasn't like she could have told them so anyway. Putting that to rest, she plunged forward to grab one of the larger smolts and dealt with its trashing like a champ. Lifting her head high to keep the fish out of the water, Pip trudged towards the river bank and lay in the snow eat her catch.

Upon hearing approaching pawsteps, the little wolf paused and looked over to spot @Veho. Sweetly, she wagged her tail and smiled in welcoming before nudging her recent catch towards him in open invitation for him to take it before she waddled back into the shallows to try her teeth at catching another for herself.

Something had changed.

Well, no. Back that up a bit. Many things had changed – most notably, all the females of age residing in Grizzly Hollow. That season had come, resulting in mood swings for some, and simply a far more alluring scent in others. Without Oula about, however, Veho found himself decidedly untempted by spring at large; he spent most of his time patrolling, and keeping an eye on the younger males, lest they get any funny ideas. There was no need to terrorize his packmates – he did trust them, after all – but spring did strange things to the youths, and he’d be foolish to think he could turn a blind eye altogether.

Pip, however, was one of the last wolves he expected foolishness from.

It was with a great deal of concern that he tracked his dear friend down, for her heat had ended abruptly, and without much fanfare. There was only two reasons he could think of: Pip had gotten dreadfully ill, or-- No. No, he was not going to consider the second option at all. Not her. Not his family in all but name.

“Pip,” he called out, not wishing to surprise his packmate. “I—“ Before he could continue any further, she nudged a fish towards him. Oh, sweet Ancestors. She was not going to make this easy for him, was she. “Thank you, Pip. I had just come to check on you. Are you feeling alright?”

There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the mud. Hunt Opportunity

Unaware of @Veho's turmoil, the sweet sea wolf looked to her Alpha with a curious expression, head tilted as her tail paused in its wagging. Feeling alright? Perplexed, the girl nodded quickly before thinking back. Well, she had been feeling pretty ill as if fever had overtaken her. Itchy as if she'd been stung by bees and left with the lingering welts without any of the inciting cause. But she was better now and she was surprised he had even noticed at all! It wasn't as if she had been broadcasting her illness to anyone but herself, right? Again, she was reminded of her Alpha's kindness and compassionate nature. Always so worried about everyone but himself! A better Alpha did not exist.

Turning her attention back to the fish, she drove her head below the water and pulled back with a smaller smolt for herself. Her tail had since resumed its wagging, further proof to Veho that she really was doing just fine. Wading back to the bank, she carried her meal right over to him and brushed shoulders with him before sitting.

Noticing that he had not started eating, Pip frowned and tilted her head again in question as if to ask if he was alright?

Hmm.

Veho’s mouth twisted sideways as his packmate affirmed her well-being – in her defense, he had never known the little mute to lie. Furthermore, he could not scent anything on her that he found particularly alarming; there was no sickly sweet stench of infection, nor the alarming tickle of an illness. The only thing that did worry him was that the young woman did not smell like a female in season any loner, whereas the rest of the wolves of age most certainly did. Perhaps she had a very quick season? But he’d never heard of such a thing.

The alpha sighed, finally glancing down at the fish once Pip indicated to it a second time. His shoulders slumped. “I apologize.” How rude of him, not to appreciate the gift fully. “A heavy mind often makes it hard to remember to eat.” Before he did anything else, though, he could not ignore it any longer. Veho leaned down, teeth picking away at the tender flesh of spring’s first fish, and ate in silence, for a few moments, at least. Eventually, he glanced back up, studying the young female, and—

There was another scent on her. Veho prowled forward, pushing his muzzle into her ruff. “Pip? What happened?”

Who was this he smelled? And there was something else. But that certainly couldn’t be-- “Your heat, Pip. Did it already end? You’re certain you aren’t sick? Or injured? Have any old wounds been aggravated?”

A heavy mind? Her eyes softened in understanding, though she knew she could never fully understand what he went through as Alpha. How many stressors he must have in his day to day life! From worrying about where everyone was at all times to keeping them safe to making sure everyone was fed and uninjured. Pip could never imagine having so much responsibility for the lives of others. It was why she respected him so much. Veho didn't take his job as Alpha as being me, me, me. To Pip's observation, Veho only lived for others. For his pups, his mate, and the rest of them.

When he bent down to begin eating, the agouti female thumped her tail against the ground and returned to her meal. When the pair had nearly finished their meals, there was sudden movement that had the mute looking up with concern. Had he spotted something? Smelled something? Her head turned behind her as if to find whatever had caused his alarm when she felt his muzzle buried in the fur at her neck. Immediately, the omega reacted by rolling without fight to her back, orange eyes questioning and a little nervous. She had never seen him regard her so intensely before.

His question seemed out of the blue and left her even more confused than before. What happened when? He'd been watching her. She'd only just eaten her fish. Had she done something offensive? This was why she normally chose not to eat with anyone else. There always seemed to be some imagined sleight each time.

The more he questioned, the more confused she became. She knew so little about heats to begin with that she found her thoughts were floundering for answers she couldn't possibly know. If it was that weird, hot, itchy feeling under her skin, then she supposed it had ended. But to her knowledge, she wasn't sick, her injuries were healing well, and nothing had torn open the wound on her shoulder as he could plainly see. So what was making him so...not like Veho?

Pip's tail tucked anxiously as she hoped he would go back to his normal self soon.

The more he asked, the worse he made it. This was not helping. He knew better than to drill someone about a sensitive topic! Where had his brain gone?

Veho inhaled deeply, closing moonstone eyes as he tried to center himself. Where had his inner peace gone these days? He was truly awash, adrift, a leaf on the breeze. So he exhaled, and inhaled again, taking a few moments to clear his mind and settle his thoughts before he made this any more painful that it had to be. Evidently, Pip was not sick, or injured, nor in any other sort of pain. This was a good sign.

That her estrus had ended so soon, that her scent had taken on a very different smell, that? That was not a good sign. He knew there was a loner skirting around the borders somewhere – the same loner had been here before, had been on Pip’s fur before. Generally, he allowed it. Perhaps he was too lenient – just because Pip was a very good wolf, was as dear to him as any sister, did not mean the stranger had the same sort of decorum and respect. Oh, how he loathed to ask this next question.

“I apologize, Pip. I did not mean to worry you, I just-- Don’t quite understand. Did you-- Did you mate with someone? With him?”

The coward who won’t come forward?

“You know – that’s how pups are made, yes?”

(This post was last modified: Mar 22, 2017, 06:14 PM by Veho.)

Veho's questions persisted until finally some semblance of understanding dawned. Mating. She'd heard that word before. A coupling between two wolves. That's what she'd done, right? She and @Kjell had been together and he taught her all kinds of new things she'd never known before. And then... 'With him.' Why with that connotation? What was wrong with Kjell? He was kind and protective and oh so gentle. What could Veho possibly have against him?

Oh.

Oh.

Tears immediately pricked at her eyes as a multitude of emotions played across her face. The first was joy. Puppies?! Her? She'd be a mother?? Never in her life did Pip think she would ever have a litter! She was far too...

Oh.

Oh no.

She recalled stories now of females in Bella Coola. Those who became impregnated outside the pack were banished, cast out from any protection, any family rights, and chance at all for redemption. And even if they were with child from within, it was only the Alpha female who may have a litter. That certainly was not Pip.

What had she done? While she couldn't find it in herself to regret laying with Kjell - it had been the most magical night - she certainly regretted the inadvertent pain she had obviously caused @Veho. He was a big brother, more loyal than her own blood. And now...she'd gone and betrayed him in some way. Was pack law universal? Was that specific law known by all wolves? Except obviously her. Stupid. Stupid, stupid!

Miserably, the omega folded in on herself and bowed her head to the ground, face buried between her paws as her shoulders shook with silent sobs. Had she just lost her family? The one who had accepted her without blood relation, but simply out of kindness? What should she do? Should she run? No. Veho wouldn't hurt her. Would he? For the first time since she'd been accepted into the pack, orange eyes lifted to regard the male with fear.

This was all her fault. All because her skin felt on fire and her fur threatened to melt right off. She deserved to be omega.

Oh. Oh.

Veho’s eyes grew into wide little moons as he watched the girl’s growing panic. He could only assume it meant he had just shared some sensitive information with her. “Shit,” he mumbled under his breath. Why hadn’t he thought to ask earlier? Pip hadn’t gone into heat last spring – with the constant turnover of female leadership, perhaps he should have stepped in. And apparently, whatever male his adopted sister chose to spent her time with did not find it relevant to inform her of possible consequences of their union, either.

“Shit.”

Dear, sweet Ancestors, what was he supposed to do!?

Note to Self: Have ‘the Talk’ with Nineva – and Felix. And Ophelia. Good grief. The male twitched uneasily, watching as Pip seemed to crumple into the earth. That hadn’t been his intention – even if she had broken pack law. “Pip…” His voice was ragged. “Pip, please. I am not going to hurt you.” No matter how upset he was. No matter how hurt he was, that she decided to do this – would she have decided the same thing, being more informed of potential consequences? “No one here is going to hurt you. You can stay. I…I am not sure what we will do, but you can stay. And so can your pups.”

(This post was last modified: Apr 14, 2017, 03:59 PM by Veho.)

Veho's muttered curses did little to calm the girl. Her Alpha so rarely was caught in a situation not in his control and this clearly was one of them with the way his voice ran away without him. As keenly as if they were her own emotions, she felt his betrayal through their shared bond and hated herself evermore for it. Had she known what this would do to him, she would have suffered a thousand burning heats to keep that look from his gaze and that hurt from his voice.

She tried to calm her own ragged, soundless hiccups as the male attempted fiercely to assure her that he had no intent to harm her. It wasn't for herself that she sought for peace, but for him. Pip was not blind to the effects her turmoil was causing him. If nothing else, it was her duty to assuage ripples that threatened the pack's peace. Currently, she was causing waves in her current state. She could not make right what she'd done without first controlling herself.

Though it soothed her heart to hear he did not intend to thrust her from the family she'd grown to love and trust above all others, she fought harder still for inner peace. Tears would help nothing and only panic her older brother further. She shared a secret internal smile with herself for that thought. She wondered just when it was that Blitz no longer entered her mind when she thought of the word brother, but @Veho did.

Pulling herself together, Pip shuddered one last sigh before bowing her head in contrition. His uncertainty in what to do would not change her outlook on it all. No matter what he decided, she would submit to whatever punishment he felt necessary without complaint. It was the very least she owed him. And to herself, she made a solemn vow. When the time came, she would not become a burden on the pack. If she had to seek solitude to birth her little ones on her own, she would do so, but she could not distract his attention away from others who deserved it more.