Kaina

Such a very tense place, that pack. I mean... it's not their fault really, it seems like a lots happening there right now. Very like her father, Kaina was much given to introspection, when she had a lot on her mind, and in the early hours of this morning when the mist still rose from the calm waters like vapid smoke, she had sought the peaceful stillness of the lake. It had often been a sanctuary for her, now that her homeland had been taken over and even renamed by other creatures - and in these early hours, it was very quiet and peaceful... the perfect place where one could go and think, without being disturbed. By why wouldn't he say anything? I mean the flirting... yeah, some males are like that. Mate and pups, and they still flirt; it's like a game to them. Usually, they've got no intentions of letting it go further than that, though apparently it did with that other female... Tay, was it? She shook her head, and paused in her meditative stroll beside the water, to bend and drink - but even that made her think of Starscream, under the circumstances in which they'd met yesterday, and after only a couple of laps, she lifted her head and turned away. Continuing her walk, she went on to herself, That'll cause a big upset; if he stays alpha there, that suddenly makes Tay alpha female, if she wants to be - she's certainly determined to make sure he's involved in her pup's lives, and I don't blame her... what better way than to guilt him into being her mate with those pups of his? And that's to say nothing of his sister maybe ousting him. Then what? Pausing beneath a tree, where the shadow of the early morning very nearly hid her pale silver coat from sight, she seated herself neatly and tilted her head, pondering over the precarious position that Starscream had found himself in, both personally and politically. He'd invited her to be part of their pack, a place where her unique gifts would be understood and appreciated, where she was often demeaned for her size and lack of keen hunting skills... but what of all this? Would she even be welcome anymore, and if she was... would she want to stay, in such upheaval? Sylar had been very kind to her, and so had Cortinarri, and despite what things had looked like in her 'spending the night' with Starscream, she hadn't been chased out of the terra. But did she want to remain, in the middle of the turmoil? She'd been alone before, it wasn't that bad. "No... no, I don't want to go back." Her thinking aloud a little there might sound negative, but it went further in her mind. I don't want to go back to wandering the valley alone, waiting for small game to wander by. It's been two years. She sighed heavily, and rested her head daintily upon her paws, staring off into the grayish-blue depths of the lake, which were dark until the sun could break fully past the horizon to make them sparkle.

Starscream

After yesterday's pack meeting, Starscream was feeling more mentally worn out that ever. Sylar's return left a bad taste in his mouth, and a sense of wariness in his mind. Sure, he was happy to see his sister again, but he worried that there would be an upheaval in the pack and she could very well challenge his leadership, and he did not want to lose his coveted title as alpha. Then there was the added issue of the two-leggers, and the hasty decision to leave Kiku to his fate with them; it wasn't an easy decision, and Starscream knew he'd made it in haste, but he felt it was the best decision to save the pack from potential human conflict. These things and more hounded the wolf, until he felt the need to step out of the packland borders get away from it all... even if it was just for an hour or few.

Never one to stray too far from his home unless the need was great, Starscream headed a few miles east of their hilly cadre to reach the Valley's largest lake. This early in the morning, the waters were so still that the surface appeared as smooth as glass, and the air chilled enough by the encroaching autumn that fog hung like a thick blanket over the lake. It was peaceful and serene, and just the place where Star hoped to clear his mind and let some of his tension unwind. He padded to the lake's edge and sat back on his pale, grizzled haunches, prepared to do nothing but sit there and enjoy the calmness. And he did just that, until he heard the steps of another wolf approaching from a different direction than he'd come. His auds perked alertly and he stood, swiveling his head in the direction of the sound. With the dense mist and the cluster of young juniper trees around this particular stretch of shore, he couldn't see the other wolf, and the air was too still to carry the other's scent, but his ears told him the individual was now lapping at the water, and a few moments later, quiet words reached his ears. Kaina? That was his first thought, followed instantly by a twist of regret for what she'd said. 'Should have figured. That meeting was a great first impression for her.' Sighing mentally, Star's ego bade him to at least try and change the fae's mind, without realizing that he had taken her statement the wrong way, and that she wasn't talking about leaving the pack. "Kaina." He woofed softly, then waited.

Kaina

It just seems like they've got so much going on... he was saying they had plenty of people to protect them, and yet... what about that female? If they hadn't found her, she'd have died for sure. But... She shook her head, trying to remove those negative thoughts. After all, to their credit, they'd found Liseli. They care about her... all of them were tending to her. And- what's that?! Her ears swiveled and her body followed, only a half-second before Starscream spoke her name - she had half-sunk into a crouch by the time she picked up on his voice, and realized that it was a familiar one. Her claims as to the accuracy of her ears were obviously not exaggerated; even with the fog to dampen the sound and a bit of distance between them, she'd apparently picked up on some small noise; perhaps his claws had clicked softly against a pebble, or his fur had brushed against a tree. At any rate, she relaxed visibly when she figured out who it was. "Starscream..." Her tone was a little breathless with surprise, but despite herself, her tail waved shyly. "...you scared me. I rarely see other wolves here, especially at this hour."

Starscream

Identities revealed, Starscream moved through the dense, pungent branches of the junipers and approached Kaina so that they wouldn't have to talk to through the fog. With as pale as his coat was, it blended in nicely with the thick mist, while his grizzled markings of black and tan mixed with the similarly colored branches and crisscrossing shadows. The alpha stopped a few feet short of the female, and unlike yesterday, there was no proud display of his handsome ruff or regal posture to show off his size and strength. "I didn't exactly expect to find you here, either." Star was not in a mood to flirt; he was too drained to do that. "I overheard what you said just now. I'm not surprise, honestly.. and I'm not going to try and stop you, but I'll ask you to reconsider. It's been a difficult week, to say the least, and the pack is usually not like this." Starscream didn't want to explain what 'difficulties' there had been in the last week of course, and was hoping beyond hope that he wouldn't have to explain a key few of those issues with her.

Kaina

Once she had figured out that it was only Starscream, and not someone who might be an actual, physical threat to her, Kaina let out a breath she'd been holding, in a gentle sigh. "Now that my homeland no longer belongs to my family, I've been forced to find other places to work out my thoughts. This is one of the quietest, most peaceful places in the valley... especially so early as this." Here was a place where he got a wistful, nearly sad smile from her, like the one he'd gotten yesterday when she'd admitted her name was derived from her father's. It wasn't a 'woe-is-me', sympathy-seeking thing; this was genuine, and tempered by how she tried to keep a firm lid on it. And her focus shifted quickly, when he pointed out that he'd heard her talking to herself - her eyes narrowed for a second or two as she tried to figure out what he could possibly be talking about, but when finally she understood, she smiled quietly. "I'm afraid you heard me speaking in the middle of a silent talk with myself... I admit I had considered declining the offer to join your pack, after all the chaos yesterday... but I haven't come to a definite decision yet." She shrugged one shoulder a little, and let her tail wave a bit to indicate that she wasn't just saying this to make him feel better. "Everyone was very kind to me, once that little misunderstanding was cleared up. And... wandering the valley alone, as I have done, is... a very lonely existence. I would like to be part of a pack again, but- truly, it was not Sylar's arrival and the injuries dealt to your beta that disturbed me so much." That was a diplomatic way of sliding onto the topic that had her deepest concern - his mate was dead, his pups motherless... and he did not seem upset by that. He was stressed, and she saw it, but she did not think Nachi's death had anything to do with it. Still, she was too polite to bring it up directly, and so she sidled the subject that way in a diplomatic fashion.

Starscream

Starscream couldn't agree more with her comment on the serenity of this particular place. It was one reason he loved the Aspen Grove so much, being as close as it was to the lack, and backed into the corner of the Valley where they weren't surrounded by other packs. "On most days, you'll find our own packland as quiet as this. There's a number of large ponds, and the early morning mist is just as thick in between the hills." For a second time, he noticed the less than happy smile, and quickly pegged it to the loss of her homeland. The Green Haven, wasn't it? He contemplated asking about it, but the sharpness that developed in her expression now made him hold off, a little apprehensive until that expression softened and she explained. "Well like I said, it's unusual for the pack to be this... stirred up. If you'd give it a little more time, I promise things will settle down." Starscream sounded confident about that, even if he himself wasn't entirely sure of it. "Oh, you must have overheard about the humans?" And of course, Star was not keen about talking of Nachi and Tayzeka's pups, so he was quick to draw up another potential concern, "Don't worry about that, I've got it under control. My mom is actually very knowledgeable about humans."

Kaina

"I would venture to say that the peaceful days of your pack are limited," the female ventured quietly, her voice respectful and careful, but clearly indicating that she knew what she was talking about. "There is tension between yourself and your sister, between you and your mother, between you and the mother of your pups. Your position is precarious... I fear that, even with the misunderstanding straightened out between us, my presence may cause more harm than good. Especially if the mother of your pups chooses to make her presence more prevalent. I'm sure sharing your power would be an attractive idea, to a female in her position." Clearly, Kaina had a keen political mind, knowing where the stressors in the pack lay, and whom among them could potentially be a problem... she had her mind settled somewhere between Sylar and Tayzeka, figuring that either of them could quickly become difficult, if they wanted to. She wasn't quite so willing to let him guide her off onto a tangent about other topics though; she had something on her mind, and though she was careful and polite, she was single-minded. "And if your sister displaces you, and you are no longer alpha? What then? Is that still under control? And if that were to be the case... where would that leave me? As I said, I am very small and unimportant; I have little value to be had in the traditional way of a wolf. Not a fighter, not a hunter... would Sylar want such a wolf, if she took the pack? And would you stand down so easily?" She turned her eyes away from him then, casting them out across the lake as if they could pierce the fog and see the trees on the other side.

Starscream

Amber eyes narrowed slightly against Kaina, "Well aren't you just the cheerful vote of confidence this morning?" Starscream's thick sarcasm and hint of irritation covered the fear he felt. The social fuax pas on his part were one thing, but Nachi's death, and Liseli's attack... his pack hadn't been attacked since he was born, and to have to vicious assaults within a week of each other was frightening. As defensive as he was already, the stressed alpha did not want to be reminded of his shortcomings and the very real threats against his pack, and he made it clear with his pointed expression and the way his tail went from wagging to stone-still. "There is always tension between me and my sister. And my brother, for that matter, but who doesn't have siblings they don't fight with? And as for my mother, you know now what kind of personality she has." Those two things were easy for him to cover up, but Tay was a rather bold name to brig up, and that's what really earned the male's defensive ire, "What happened with Tay was.. not planned. She's not my mate, and she's not going to be alpha, and neither is Sylar." If Kaina had any size on him, Starscream might have been bristling a little now, but the she wolf was so petite and nonthreatening, and respectful enough in tone that Star neither bristled nor showed a fang. It was his tones that warned her to watch what she said, and how she said it, "You don't have to worry about that, Kaina. I've got things under control, and no one is going to usurp me. Your place in the pack is already assured."

Kaina

"Reflections are often ugly... and have unkind news to bear. And they cannot change reality." She gazed into the lake then, where her own frame rippled gently in the dark, calm waters. "I can look at myself as long as I like, from any angle... and I am no taller, no stronger, no matter what the water shows me. As soon as I look away, I am just as small of body and defenseless as ever I was. To allow myself to become convinced of my safety, while I stare at the illusion that makes me large, is both foolish and dangerous. Just as refusing to discuss your troubles with your family does not make them disappear." She closed her eyes against the reflection, and then turned her face away from the lake, raising her lids again so she could meet Star's gaze. "Perhaps it is rather presumptuous of me to take up that subject with you - after all, I met you only yesterday. But it is clear to me that you will not discuss it with your family, and at least if you are angry at me, you're getting out some of that frustration. That's all I meant by that." Her ears had laced back appropriately, and she kept her voice soft and smooth to help iron out some of the wrinkles dealt to their subject by her choice of words. "I admit I have a talent for stirring up unhappy things in others; it is not deliberate, but I seem to be very good at it. The ugly reflection." One half of her face smiled, but again it was not happy, and after a long pause, she ventured, "Well then... Tayzeka is not your mate, and is not going to be... then why do you smell of no one but me?"

Starscream

He was not use to the philosophical sort, so it took Starscream a bit by surprise when Kaina approached from a different angle like this. The stiffness that had started to set into his body, ready to deal with yet another confrontation about his lack of leadership skills, loosened faintly as his brain shifted gears. He turned a glance down to the water where her own eyes had gone to, and looked briefly over his own proud physique before focusing on her again, "Presumptuous, yeah. I can't fault you for your concerns, stepping into what you did yesterday, though." The lack of forcefulness and attitude on Kaina's part allowed Starscream to relax a little, and to take her point a bit easier. "Listen, a lot of things have happened quickly, and I haven't had the time to address everything with the pack. I'm an alpha for a reason, and I've led my pack successfully up till this point, and I will continue to do so." A little bit of the bite came back with that, if only because Star did have an ego needing defended, and it had taken quite a beating lately. Cortinarri had been one of the primary aggressors, and Tay was the reason for it - or rather, Starscream's horrible lack of judgement and inability to deal with stress well. "If you must know, I had a moment of poor judgement." He spat that out a little quickly to explain what had happened with Tay, and why she was not his mate even though they had a litter of pups together. "And Nachi... we did not always get on well. She was not a very social wolf, to make a long story short."

Kaina

She'd confused him, derailed the anger building in him for her stark reality check... that was good. Still, she estimated that the only reason he hadn't yet moved to forcefully correct her for her boldness was the sheer size difference; standing beside him, as she'd done yesterday, the top of her head came to the middle of one of his sides, and it was little wonder that he didn't see her as the prominent threat that he would have thought others to be. "I'm not questioning your ability to lead your pack successfully; with my own home pack disbanded with the death of my family and our lands taken over, I'm hardly in a position to be questioning authority. I'm merely pointing out that there are issues to be dealt with, and coming out here to discuss it with the lake - or even with me - won't get you far." She shook her head, and then abruptly lay down on the edge of the lake, propping her head neatly on her paws. Thus positioned, she looked even less powerful than she did on her feet, taking up a very small space on the ground and looking at him through those clear amber eyes with both innocence and wisdom. "So... you and Nachi... were not close." Very carefully, she slid onto that subject, even averting her gaze as she did so and allowing it to rest upon her own paws. "You have children though, presumably hers... there is one female in particular that I scented on you when I first encountered you. The smell has faded now, but I remember it... it was similar enough to yours that I thought she must be your daughter, rather than your mate or anyone else. And surely there must be others; it is very rare to have a one-pup litter." She smiled faintly there, and shook her head. "That's such a foreign idea to me... my parents, rest their souls, were... so close. I am almost glad that they died together, for... one without the other, I shudder to think what would have befallen them. My father, in particular, was rather prone to melancholy; Ma straightened that out in him right quick. She had something of my gift for blunt truth."

Starscream

Kaina was entirely right in her wordless speculation, and it was a good thing too. The slightest threat, ill remark, or perceived insubordination was taken as a challenge against his authority, and something to be dealt with quickly and fiercely to ensure it didn't happen again. But this fae was so small of build and so far from aggressive or anything remotely insulting in tone that Starscream felt no need to chastise her. The only thing he had done was offer her an expression and tenure that said he was not happy to discuss these things right now, especially with a female he didn't rightly know, "Your concern is appreciated, but I get enough lecture from my mother to last me my whole life, and then some. Besides, I came here to clear my mind, not get it wound up any further." He watched her lay down, taking up a defenseless posture that was even more disarming against his aggression, though more on a subconscious level than anything. Starscream responded by sitting back on his haunches and tilting his muzzle down, continuing to stare back at Kaina past his whitened muzzle, as most alphas would. "You could say that." The brute didn't so much as flinch when she cautiously trawled for more information about his late mate, though he didn't not speak so easily about her as Cortinarri did. Star had loved her in the beginning, after all, despite how bitter and confused he was about her towards the end. "I do have three children with her, Darling is the one you scented. She and Keap are in the pack, but were on an errand yesterday; Railu has dispersed already." It was easier for him to talk about his children than his late mate, and when she brought up her family again, he took his turn with a question, "You have fond memories of your parents I take it?"

Kaina

As frightening as it could have been, to get that defensive answer from him when he was already clearly in an unhappy mood, Kaina actually smiled a little, but refrained from giggling, in fear he might take it wrong. Instead, she allowed her tone to warm as she replied, "Point taken. I admit, that's what I came here for, too. There's something about this place that always helps me to clear out my head and get my thoughts in order." Her tail patted, indicating her willingness to shift back into a bit more cheerful conversation, and as he seated himself and began to relax a little more in response, she shifted to something a little easier to deal with. "Ahhhh Darling... yes, she is one you love. I can hear it, the way you say her name. She is one you protect, one you are proud of. You love the others too... but you have special affection for her." She smiled then, patting her tail more heartily. "Now there's someone I would like to meet. She must be a very sweet soul." The matter of her parents was not quite as happy a subject though, if only because they were deceased, and she missed them very much. Her smile and voice both softened accordingly, but she addressed his question unabashedly. "Yes... I do. I miss them, a lot. I was already grown, when they died, but... it's one of those things you don't get over, I guess. You just learn to keep going."

Starscream

The tension rode in him for a few moments, before beginning to drain away as he realized she'd moved on to less touchy issues. At least one thing had become very clear to him; Kaina was a very perceptive individual, and had a keen mind not only for scents and sounds and noises, but for individuals as well. "I guess you're not use to all of this hubbub and excitement, eh? Fortunately for us both, the Lake is close enough to our territory that it's a short trek to reach this place for some relaxation." It was easy for the alpha to slip back into a casual attitude once he felt he wasn't being confronted, and bringing Darling up was a surefire way to brighten his mood. Well, for the most part, "She's a good daughter. Quiet and a bit too submissive, but she's got a good heart, and she's as sincere as they come." That part he said with praise and a smile, while the next bit he broke his gaze from Kaina and allowed his eyes to settle somewhere in the direction of their packlands, "Her mom was hard on her though. I never understood why, but she did need protecting, more than the others." That had always confused Starscream, for he'd never learned of Nachi's past, or that she at one point had planned to kill Arcadia. Shaking his head as if to clear those thoughts, Star shifted his amber sights back to the wolfess, "You'll be able to meet her today, along with Keap. She is a sweet one, you'll get on well with her." The big brute's expression had softened by this point, to slowly reveal a side to Star that hadn't often been seen of late. When he wasn't neck deep in stress or turning his thoughts to flirtation and showing off what a handsome, charming fellow he was - or so he envisioned himself - Star was pleasant to be around, as his daughter could attest to. "If you miss them so much, it must mean they were good parents and a happy pair." Starscream quirked his head a little to the side, and now it was his turn to be cautious, "Do you ever talk about them much? I mean, does it bother you to do so?"

Kaina

"Not exactly," she answered with a chuckle, thinking over how very quiet her existence had been in the last two years. "Traveling the valley without companions does rather get one accustomed to peace and lack of the sort of drama that sometimes arises in a pack. With no one to please but myself, I have become rather used to doing as I pleased... and to being a little lonely. It's a give and take situation." Again, she let a little bit of amusement creep onto her features, and she adjusted her position a little til she could keep eye contact, not in a challenging way, but simply in an effort to connect somewhat, especially as she'd now found a little treasure trove in speaking of Darling. "Yes, I imagine I would like her quite a lot. She sounds like someone I would get on with quite well. Contrary to what you probably believe, I'm really quite a gentle person myself, when I'm not challenging everything about your way of life." She made that a soft joke against herself, proving that she wasn't always so prodding and invasive to everyone else - she would poke fun at herself as well, just as easily. Except where her parents were concerned - she missed them enough that it made her a little more solemn. "I don't know... it varies. I loved them both... and they were very close. I guess... it's kind of strange to me, to think that someone might not be that way with their mate. No fault to you of course; I'm in no place to pass judgement there. But... it feels odd. It... doesn't bother me to talk about them, so much as it bothers me at random moments when I'm not expecting it. When I think to myself, 'Oh - I've got to tell Da about that'... and then realize that he isn't there to tell. Things like that."

Starscream

Starscream scrunched up his nose and snorted softly, "That's why I could never be a loner, and why I strive to be alpha. I can still do as I please for the most part, and I have all the company I need." When he saw something close to amusement work into Kaina's features, one of Star's hueless brows lifted a little. He even grinned when she made a tease against herself, "That latter aspect of yours would win points with my mother and sister, no doubt." That, of course, was a mild slight against his relatives and how they'd both turned criticism against him yesterday, deserving of it thought he was. Once he got that out of his system, Star spoke more sincerely on the other topic, "But Darling, I honestly do think you two would get on well. In fact, she should be back this morning. We might even catch her when we return." Not so subtly, Starscream had already implied that Kaina was staying with the pack, even if she hadn't officially spoken her mind about it. And as if he hadn't done that, the wolf carried on listening to the fae as if the matter was done and settled, first assuring her that he hadn't been upset by her words, "No offense taken. I'd always figured it would be better to talk about your loved ones than to let their memories and accomplishments die with them." For all of the stressors in Starscream's life, he hadn't really lost anyone close to him, so he couldn't easily relate to Kaina right now. And part of him was wondering why his own mother wouldn't speak of Vestige, when surely their relationship had been a loving one?

Kaina

"Well I certainly surprised them yesterday," she replied, thinking back on the reaction she'd gotten from Cortinarri when she'd spoken up in Starscream's defense. She hadn't had so much in mind defending her own character really, even though it had been implied on a small scale that she was another female like Tayzeka, a little too loose with her breeding habits and not really caring that Star had a mate. No, she'd really had in mind that it seemed like the male was being pressured from several angles, and she wanted to eliminate one of them; after all, he'd been kind to her, during her fright with the thunder and lightning, and she felt that it was only fair to defend him, at least where his relationship with her was concerned. "I don't think they were expecting my answer." She lowered her eyes modestly there, indicating that she wasn't laughing at his family over this - simply making a statement. But she smiled a few moments later, thinking of Darling, and the way that her father was describing her. "So apparently I'm coming back with you, then?" One delicate silver brow raised a little, considering him curiously to indicate that she hadn't missed how he'd indicated that she was going to be accompanying him back to the packlands; it wasn't an objection on her part, but simply a way of getting him to elaborate on those words - inviting him to explain himself, rather. "My whole family is dead, Starscream... if I do not remember them, who does?"

Starscream

"You handled them well enough. My mom didn't snap your head off or anything, so that's a plus." She'd handled them very well in fact, saving her own skin and a bit of Starscream's without getting into a fight with the old matriarch. It was an accomplishment Star was impressed by, "They believed you at least, and that's good enough. I'm sure you heard enough from my mom to have a great picture of me painted in your head. I can assure you I'm not as bad as they'd have you believe." The brute resisted rolling his eyes again and picked up on the way she lifted her brow next, using that to skip to a new subject, "You want to meet Darling, don't you?" Starscreamed grinned a little before giving his coat a good shake and directing his gaze in the direction of the Aspen Grove, "It'd cure two of your problems as well; boredom, and someone to talk about your family with. What have you to lose?"

Kaina

"Your mother is critical of your performance, both as an adult creature and as as alpha." The female nodded sagely, closing her eyes in a very relaxed posture as her mind roved intently over his relationship with Cortinarri, something which she'd become very attuned to, even in the short conversation they'd had. "Part of that is her personality... she is very dominant, and will deal harshly with any attempt to question her authority. But I do believe there's love behind it; she believes that her offspring are capable of great things. She doesn't express it well, but... I really think that it's her effort to try to motivate you to the things she thinks you are capable of. She just isn't going to say it, and she doesn't know how else to get through to you." She smiled a little to herself, and it was a little happier than some of her smiles; perhaps she was remembering some fond time with her own mother. Admittedly, Moon Phase was no where near as prickly as the ex-alpha of Aspen Grove, but her mother had a willful side, and could get a certain set to her that even her mate wouldn't mess with. And perhaps she was smiling a little at Starscream's reasoning too; she couldn't really object to that point, and he knew it. "Nothing... I have nothing to lose now. A well-targeted point." So saying, she got to her paws again, and waved her tail a little. "And I admit... I would like to meet this child of yours that has captured your heart so."

Starscream

"You've got that right." Starscream all but muttered. His mother was supportive of him and his role as the pack's leader, but he'd always suspected she viewed Sylar as the better alpha, and his sister's return had more than ruffled his feathers. When it came to Cortinarri though, he did fully believe Kaina's interpretation, "Don't get me wrong, she is a good mother. A great mother. She's just... very opinionated." And ready to stick her nose into business where it doesn't belong. Star kept that little remark to himself, not wanting Kaina's view of Cortinarri to get too harsh, as it could easily develop for one who didn't truly know the old wolfess. The alpha began to walk now, taking several slow, meandering steps away from the lake with his head turned back to watch Kaina, "I think you'll find her quieter company than what you witnessed yesterday." Star parted his white jaws as he was about to add something else to that comment, only to close them just as quickly and drop the comment. "But like I said, the pack usually isn't this... boisterous."

Kaina

The smile she'd gotten, wistful and reminiscent, grew firmer and fonder, and she shook her head a little, laughing lightly at Starscream's muttering. "My mother used to tell me that we spend the first part of our lives glued to our parents, the middle part trying for all we're worth to pull away from them, and the latter part drawing back close to them again. It's the way of things, she told me... nothing to be ashamed of. Every creature must learn that in his own time. It doesn't mean that we necessarily agree with everything they say and do... but we learn to tolerate their opinions and caprices, and weigh them against the value of having them. And I will swear to you, Starscream... I'd gladly listen a hundred times to my mother's lecture on how thunder can't hurt you and how I'm silly to fear it, if I could get my mother back. I could lecture myself on it, and it always used to annoy me... but to hear her again..." She paused, and shook herself there, all her fur flying out about her and causing a momentary light show as shafts of growing sunshine falling through the leaves of the trees caught her soft silver fur here and there. At least, he might get from her that she could understand how annoyed he could get with his mother's interference... and yet could value that interference too, as the love of a mother - something she wanted back for herself. Rather than continue that topic though, she allowed her shake to be a tool to change the subject, which he fortunately did as she fell into step beside him. "I have a spirit for activity and frivolity, on occasion... but I am equally as content - perhaps moreso - in quiet conversation with someone. I daresay your Darling and I will get on handsomely."

Starscream

The white and grizzled wolf was moving with slow, carefree steps away from the lake. He was in no big hurry to get back to the packlands after all, and a quiet chat with Kaina sounded like a great way to continue the morning. As Starscream plodded along, he swiveled his head to the side and quirked an inquisitive look at the female, "What was her name?" Being the homebody he was, Star doubted he'd be familiar with the name of Kaina's mother, but that's not exactly why he was asking anyway. "And what about your father? Sounds like you got on well with both of them." A lack of relationship with his own sire was part of the drive behind these questions, with the other half being a curiosity with someone who so openly spoke about their late loved ones, when his own mother very rarely did. Star flashed a broad grin at Kaina next, "Ahh, is that so? That's good, because our pack isn't entirely mundane and boring either. We do have fun around here, when we aren't up to our ears in conflict. Darling and Liseli had an adventure out in the Canyon just the other day, in fact." It wasn't so much an 'adventure' really, but it was at least a trip out of the packlands.

Kaina

She could have stayed put, when he began to stroll back toward the packlands - as she'd pointed out, there was enough chaos back in Aspen Grove to make anyone think twice about going back there - but Kaina had resolved to give it another go; after all, there had been so much chaos that she hadn't had much time to actually get to know anybody. So she allowed her steps to turn, guiding her slowly alongside him, but like Starscream, her steps were unhurried. They would have time to discuss things on the way back. "Moon Phase," she replied quietly, her warm yellow eyes turning aside from him and looking down into the water, but she wasn't upset... just thinking heavily about things. "Da always said that I looked like her. Well... except these freckles." She wrinkled her half-pink nose to indicate it, showing of the beginning of a series of spatters that extended up over one eye and even splashed across the very tip of the ear. "That's all Da. Da's name was Kain... Ma never called him that though. She called him Darkeyes. I never really understood why, and which I asked Ma about it, she basically said that was his business. There were so few subjects that she refused to discuss with me... I never asked again." She shrugged then - it didn't really bother her that her father had two names; she'd always just figured that Darkeyes was a nickname that her mother used, and knew her parents too well to believe there was anything sinister behind it. Still, she would have liked to know. As for the pack though, she had to smile. "I don't know... I'm a bit of a homebody, I guess. I like to explore as much as the next wolf, I suppose, but it's nice to come home to bed down. I haven't had that privilege in awhile - I admit I'm looking forward to having a steady place to return to, and company."

Starscream

Slight uncertainty remained in the back of Starscream's mind as he begun to stroll away from the lake. He'd more or less implied that Kaina was coming back to the Aspen Grove with him, but he couldn't very well force her if her reservations against the pack were strong enough and her mind wasn't yet decided. To Star's fortune, the little fae picked up her paws and began to trail after him, and he played off his worry as if it had never been there to begin with. "Moon Phase... Moon Phase... Hmmmm, doesn't sound familiar to me. But then again, I've mostly stayed on the western side of the Valley. Haven't really traveled around much." Starscream also failed to keep tabs on his neighbors or the other packs in the Valley, as a good alpha ought to do. The wolf's amber eyes lit up next and a grin unfolded across his muzzle, "So, that's where you get that nose from? I like it - it's cute." Where he could have gone on and turned that into a bigger flirt, the alpha was a little worn out from the trouble that had gotten him into, so he sobered rather quickly and let his gaze train forward at the path ahead of them. "Who knows. Mates tend to have nicknames for each other, just the same way as Darling cause me dad instead of Starscream, you know?" Star ducked his head and lowered his back to clear a long-hanging branch, then turned another look back at Kaina, "We've got two main dens in the packlands I could show you. ...well, as long as the mothers are done using them." What started off as another added incentive for her sticking around, one that recalled her fear of storms and offered a safe, cozy place to bed down whenever she wanted, hit an awkward roadblock.

Kaina

Seemingly ignorant of her companion's suppressed anxiety - or perhaps not so ignorant, since she'd proven very keen in the department of perception - Kaina strolled alongside him almost lazily, enjoying the few quiet moments they had for casual, friendly conversation. He really is almost sweet, when he's not flirting so much. I wonder what gives him the idea that he has to do that. If he'd take that down a notch or two, he'd be a very charming fellow.' "We were a somewhat quiet pack - just my family and I, and a couple of others. But we were a big enough family to fill the lands; there were seven in my litter altogether, and four in the older litter... and one of my older sisters had eight of her own. Big litters, in my family." She shook her head a little, remembering the hodge podge, crazy group of them when they all got together. "So yes, there's not much reason for you to remember my parents, really... as a matter of fact, Ma was known more as a companion to other, more notable wolves than she was for herself. But it gave her time to stay with the family." Next though, she was giggling, a quiet, almost shy sound - but a pleased one, as she again wrinkled her nose, and flipped her tail sharply against his side. It was akin to the way that a human might blush and smack a friend playfully; she was secretly pleased by the compliment, and since this one was not as heavy-handed as some of his flirting, she accepted it at face value. "Yes, that's my Da's nose, for sure. He says it's a family thing, but only Taipa and I ended up with it. Ma used to say that Da was positively besotted when he saw that I had his nose." She wriggled the feature again, and then sobered some, plodding more evenly over the curious mix of sand and clay below them that marked the edge of the lake. And perhaps some progress into a more friendly relationship between them could be seen that she wasn't keeping a huge distance between them anymore, as she had done when they'd met and she didn't know him at all; she was offering him the trust of walking beside him like a friend, with enough space between them to be respectable, but not so much that it indicated the tension of strangers between them. Still, her voice was very light and applying no pressure at all as she responded, "Well, what else should she call her father? Isn't that what you called yours? I mean, I called my father 'Da', but that's just what they do where he's from." She shrugged a little, not realizing that she had potentially just stumbled on a sore topic with him, and went on, "I know better than to irritate new mothers and their little ones. But if one is vacant... I admit, I'd be glad for a... slightly more protected place to sleep. One that offers protection from the storms."

Starscream

Starscream was content to carry on at a slow pace and enjoy the rest of the trek back to the Aspen Grove. It was nice, after all the turmoil going on lately - most of it being of his unintentional creation - to put it all aside and simply talk to someone without there being any tension or drama. "Seven? Yeah, I'd say big litter. Mine was only a litter of four, two sisters and a brother. Darling's litter had three, and Sylar's had three as well." He might have mentioned that his latest litter had only four, and that a previous unknown litter with a stray fae had produced three as well, but Star didn't want to bring that whole issue up again. He was surely going to hear more about it from his mother and Tayzeka, after all. "Personally, I like a quieter pack like that. There's enough mayhem going on in the Valley, not to mention the humans, that I'd prefer to keep the Aspen Grove out of the mix. I've done a good job of that so far." The wolf had to duck past another low branch and alter his course slightly to avoid a tire laying in his path. His nose wrinkled slightly in silent disdain at the stench of the rotting, cracked rubber, but transformed into a smirk just a moment later when his compliment brought a giggle out of Kaina. The smirk broadened further when she thumped him with her tail, and to his credit, Starscream didn't pull out a flirty comment. He left it at an amused smirk, and perked his ears at her next line of words. And that's when the grin faded some. "Didn't really know my father." Whether the wolf was upset about this or not, he passed it off as a casual comment that couldn't possibly upset such a strong, alpha figure like him, "Died in a battle before I was born."

Kaina

"It seems to run in our family," she repeated, shaking her head a little to indicate her amazement. She was out of practice with pups in general, and frankly couldn't imagine how her parents had managed to raise all seven of them without losing their minds. But not only had they survived, they'd seemed to thrive, with so many little ones to look after - Moon Phase was very loving and nurturing, and Kain had been the one to single out the special needs of this pup or that one and ensure that they were dealt with in a constructive way. "Oh, I don't know that it was quiet," she replied after a moment, giggling some more at the thought of how very noisy and rambunctious she and her siblings had been, but still understanding Starscream's meaning; he was speaking of the isolation and gentle family atmosphere of her pack, not necessarily of their actual volume. "But yes, we remained out of most of the major drama that consumed most of the packs... right up til the end there. But... that's a story for another time." She shook her head, refusing to let those somber thoughts drag down their conversation, and sneezed at the stench of the tire; still, he might note that she did not have to duck as he did - yet another measurement of how small and frail-looking her frame was. She might have said something else, to bring a little life back into the conversation, but his reply to her question caught her up short, enough where she actually gave him a startled look, and lay her ears back. "Oh- oh, I'm sorry... I... geeze, I stumbled over that one, didn't I?" That comment was almost more to herself than to him, and the very end of her tail tucked under, indicating that she was uncomfortable with how she'd run across something that was understandably an unhappy subject. "It's not any of my business, I shouldn't have asked, only..." She shook her head again, but couldn't prevent the next words from coming out, "I was just thinking... maybe you missed him, like I miss mine."

Starscream

Starscream could not imagine that many little ones running under foot. On one side, he did delight in having pups about, and felt that unmistakable pride of being a father, but to have that many little paws and yapping jaws around... Star wondered whether his patience and sanity could handle it or not. "I would imagine you had enough mayhem and action in your own lands, you didn't need any more from your neighbors or anyone else in the Valley." Kaina seemed to have survived the puppy horde in any case, and with a delightful personality that Star was already in favor of. And even though there were bad times towards the end, as he was learning of now, and had picked up in previous comments, the pretty fae didn't let that drag her personality down. "That's another good thing about my pack, there's a lot of open ears to talk to, whenever you need to. Mine included, of course." The alpha didn't miss an opportunity to point out his positive traits again, even if Starscream wasn't always the best to go to, but he did mean it sincerely. When it came back to him and the late Vestige, he continued to play the stoic card, putting out the tough-guy impression, "Don't be sorry, I don't mind talking about it." Everything in his body language, from the relaxed but slightly elevated position of his tail, to the confident manner in which he held his head, said that the gray and white wolf had no qualms about the discussion. "I do think about him a lot, but it's different, not having met him. Vestige, that was his name."

Kaina

She couldn't help but giggle at his estimation of how busy a life in her home pack must have been; she had to admit, it had been chaotic at times, but in the last couple years where she'd traveled the valley mostly alone, she'd begun to miss the lively nature of her family. "It was never boring, that's for certain," she replied, her tail waving animatedly for a moment or two as her mind apparently roved over some fond memory or another. Certainly, her homeland had been not unlike Aspen Grove, before Starscream was born. Of course, she was getting a startling reality check about that subject just now, and feeling rather awkward for it; he was quick to reassure her that she hadn't trodden upon a majorly sore topic, but the easy atmosphere was subtly disrupted, anyway. "No, it's... I mean, I knew he'd died. Your beta, Liseli? She was an old friend of my father's, and through her, we kept pretty well up to speed on your pack. But... I didn't realize that... that he died before you were born." That kind of explained why she was suddenly feeling so awkward about it; she'd lost her own father, and missed him dreadfully... but at least she'd known him. "I suppose it is different, but- I don't know. I would still miss him, I think. Not that it's my business, I guess. Just-" She shook her head a little, and then paused in her steps to give her whole body a shake as if to physically dislodge the uncomfortable feeling that had come over her. Finally, she laughed very quietly again, and ventured, "I'm not usually this awkward and verbally clumsy, I promise."

Starscream

The further they moved from the shores of the lake, the patchier the fog became. Starscream swung his muzzle back around after a moment's glance at Kaina, and found himself stepping into another thick bank of it that obscured his vision and made it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of his eyes. He was forced to use his ears and step cautiously as he want, to avoid running into a tree, or getting a branch to the eye or nose. "You'll get the best of both worlds in the Aspen Grove." The wolf said with another look over his shoulder, squinting against the dense white atmosphere that hung between them. He could just make out the movements of her tail, and grinned at the enthusiasm he saw in it. The tooth baring grin relaxed back into a sturdier expression soon enough as Starscream set his eyes head of him once more and trailed his thoughts back towards the father he never knew. The pair were stepped out of the fog bank now, but Starscream's slow steps didn't pick back up their previous pace, "No really, it's okay. I wouldn't mind hearing more about him, if you do know anything. My mom's not exactly.. comfortable talking about it. And Liseli.." Star shook his head to express why he'd never questioned the beta about her good friend. "Anyway, there's few in the pack left that knew him well, and that are willing or able to talk about him. My sisters have never pushed the subject, and my brother is about as worthless as they come."

Kaina

Kaina didn't seem to be experiencing the same sort of difficulty with the fog that her companion was, but then she'd had plenty of practice finding her way around without having to use her eyes. Still, her fur brushed close to his as they moved - but perhaps he might write that up to some difficulty she was having with the fog... perhaps it would slip his mind? Surely, she herself didn't seem too concerned that he could likely feel the very tips of individual hairs brushing against the very tips of his own... or perhaps she wasn't aware of it? At any rate, her small body remained in the dim shadow of his larger frame as her laugh sounded again. "You do love your pack, don't you? For all that you complain about some of the tensions, you love them." Again her tail waved, as though she were pleased with that realization - before this, she hadn't been so sure of his feelings toward his pack, especially considering how chaotic things had been, but now she was assured that his warm feelings weren't reserved only for Darling. He could turn that affection to other things... maybe she'd judged him badly in thinking that it might have been partly his fault that his mate had distanced herself from him because of his flirting with other females. Maybe... maybe he'd turned his attention to others because she really hadn't been attentive to him. Without commenting on that at all, realizing fully that it wasn't her business, she returned her thoughts to Vestige, and what she knew of the pack, as she'd heard about it from before Star's birth. "I was too young at the time to visit Aspen Grove... just a pup at the time. My older sister came sometimes, and I know my Da had respect for your father, both as wolf and as fellow alpha. I don't know if they ever talked personally, but he knew of Vestige through Liseli... and I understand that she was not always as... poor of memory as she is now. Da always told me that her sister Sauda was very sensitive and sweet-natured, where Liseli was more iron-clad, at least until Sauda died. And that was when he found out that Liseli was more delicate than he'd have ever believed, or than her sister had ever been. Aside from her... I don't know anyone living who would know your father well enough to speak of him. If Da were here, he would tell you." That was her effort to be comforting, while again feeling regret for the lack of her father; she missed him herself, but now she couldn't ask him about Vestige so that Starscream could hear about him. "...still, if your Liseli is not the violent sort... I have found that gentle, quiet questions can easily steer one down paths of fond memory. Perhaps someday, I will speak to her for you, since she seems to know me. If I strike the right chord, she may speak about it."

Starscream

The rising sun, just now beginning to flood the Valley with light and brightening colors, also began to work away at the mist. Within the hour, all but the lowest lying banks would be dissolved by the star's warmth. But by then, the pair would be back within the borders of the Aspen Grove, where Starscream could just about navigate the land with his eyes closed... though probably not as well as Kaina, still. "Love is a rather strong word." The sarcasm played out in his response was just the kind to confirm her suspicions, and back the idea that as much as he griped about them, Star really did love his pack and his family, and based his decisions on what he felt was best for them as a whole.

On that note of love, the alpha was very well aware of how close Kaina was walking by him right now. He hadn't missed the fleeting sensation of fur brushing against his own, and responded to this with a sly step closer to Kaina to bring their pelts into closer contact. As if this was no big deal, Starscream carried on without a change in expression and tilted an attentive ear towards the fae, "Sauda; my mom's mentioned her before, but she died before we were ever born. A battle of some sort, I don't really know." The distant look that came to his eyes reflected deep thought in the wolf, while a head-shake expressed frustration at all the unanswered questions that tumbled through his mind. "I've only ever known the post-Sauda Liseli. It's hard for me to picture her any other way, you can imagine. A shame it is too, because I'd reckon she would like to talk about Vestige, if only her mind wasn't so cluttered with the crazies." Kaina's offer spurred a quick, almost hopeful look from Starscream, one that was quickly overshadowed by another shake of his head and a dismissive laugh, "Ehh.. I appreciate the offer, and yeah, you're safe talking to her - she's not a dangerous sort - but I don't know how much you'll get out of her. Darling's been keeping to her quite a bit lately, but I don't know... she's pretty far out there."

Kaina

She giggled a little there, and dared offer him a light swat with her tail, the way a human might have given her companion a light smack in joking. "Yeeaah... sure," she teased, and flicked her ear away from him for a moment; she'd heard something a little ways off through the dissipating fog, but though she turned her head to sniff a little at the air, she didn't seem alarmed - only curious. And indeed, a moment later, she turned back, not seeming to notice how he'd drawn in a little closer yet; or perhaps not protesting for now. The thought of Liseli though... now there was a potential door for them. "Your mother might know, or if not, maybe one of the older members of your pack. Surely, Liseli was not always so difficult to communicate with; I find it hard to believe that a dominant personality like Cortinarri would have permitted the installation of an already-insane beta. So surely, she must have been more normal at some point. And maybe she knew Sauda, or perhaps knows about her." She shrugged some, and continued to keep pace with him, despite the fact that his legs were long and it would be very difficult for her to keep up if he weren't being so careful not to leave her behind. In fact, he seemed very determined to walk beside her, but she still seemed unaware of that. "I know that Da had a lot of respect for Sauda, and for Liseli as well, but... he always said that Sauda was easier to get close to, very genuine and gentle. He described Liseli as much more temperamental and bold."

Starscream

A playful growl, laughing in nature, rumbled from the depths of his throat. Her tail swat was an invitation for play as far as he saw it, and Starscream ducked his shoulder down and bumped it into the fae, giving her the equivalent of a light shove in return. It had been ages since he'd actually played a good game of chase or wrestle, and being that Kaina was a beautiful shewolf, Starscream didn't need much motivation to engage in a bit of fun. "Good luck talking to her about it." The big male said distractedly, "Namir would probably provide more insight into Liseli than my mom would. Ahh... I haven't introduced you to Namir yet, have I? With your nose, you've probably at least scented him." Starscream brought the cougar up as a side-thought, while his brightened eyes watched for any sign from Kaina to see if he could push this game of play any further. "There are a few others in the pack that were around at the time, but..." The edged of his black-gummed lips drew back in an uneasy look, "...we're not on the best of terms right now. Suffice it to say, I'd probably still get better insight from Namir."

Kaina

The flick of her tail wasn't initially intending to be a motion of play, so much as a little joking, but Starscream's returned, gentle shove made it clear that he had taken it that way. And though she'd been very careful up to now in ensuring that she didn't let him get too close, he'd been very gentlemanly to her so far, kind to her yesterday... and plus, this was innocent enough - no harm in having a little fun. So she giggled and let his shove move her a few steps to the side, but then swiveled her waist and rear legs so that she could turn and toss her nose briefly into his face, at the same time planting one forepaw beneath him to tangle up his footing. After that move, she regathered herself and turned her gaze away from him, clearly pretending that she'd done nothing at all, and continuing to speak to him in a calm, neutral voice. "The cougar, I'm guessing? Liseli smelled of one." The warm yellow eyes closed for a moment or two as she recalled the scent she'd picked up on, amidst the dozens of others that had clung to the white female's pelt, as well as the stench of blood that had clung to her despite Cortinarri's faithfulness in cleaning it away. "Well, you know your pack better than I. If you say Namir might be best, I will believe you."