Casted out {Jason}

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Connie moved towards the lake, bundled up in a coat to hide from the cool winter wind. The cold didn't bother her much, but the snow was a little annoying. At least it wasn't too deep anywhere. Her heart ached softly, at the betrayal from her Uncle, and at the fact that, just before he left, they had had an argument. She paused by a tree on the edge of the lake and looked out over it, fighting back tears. Her Uncle, her pack, and her life had left Converse to go somewhere where without another pack to fight with about territory.

She had asked Jason to meet her out here. She had no idea what he would think about her crawling back to Orion. Would he be mad? Cast her out as her Uncle had, and call her a good for nothing stray? Her heart ached more at that phrase, and a tear slid down one pale cheek. She shook her head and wiped it away, not ashamed of her tears but not wanting Jason to see it either.

She opened her eyes and looked out over the lake, finding him. Slowly, she made her way over to where he was, head down low in a show of submission. She paused, a few feet away, and tilted her head a bit so she could see his face. "Hello, Jason," She said softly. She wondered if she should kneel before him? No, she couldn't bring herself to do that. She liked Jason, but couldn't bring herself to put herself that low before someone else just then.

Good for nothing stray, Circled again and again in her head. She had no idea if her Uncle had meant that or not, but she was tired of it hurting her. She stood, silently next to Jason, waiting to see what he would do.

[Deleted]

Jason had already been here for a while now. With all the turmoil and stress on his shoulders for the last few weeks, he really needed some time to himself. The last thing he wanted to do was lose his well-guarded cool and snap at some poor, unsuspecting pup.

Getting the news that Angel and Andy had been driven completely out of Converse, that most of the second pack had followed suit soon after, well, that news had been a shock. Even after everything that happened, Jason found it hard to comprehend that those wolves that had been family to him for so long, that he had protected and cared for and ran beside for decades, could act this way. The fact that they could so easily run off and abandon the only home any of them had really ever known...well, it was incomprehensible. He thought that the bonds had been stronger. He thought that loyalties meant more. As much as he would try not to show it, having his former pack mates completely gone from his life was devastating.

Maybe that had been why he was so agreeable to meeting Connie when she had first called and asked to speak to him. Some part of J had always been hoping that all the members of the second pack would eventually come to their senses and join back together with Orion. Of course, J knew that was a pipe dream but it was a hope of his just the same. Hopefully Connie would only be the first to come forward.

Of course, J did have his reservations about trusting his former pack mates again. They would all have to prove themselves to him and especially the rest of the pack to truly be accepted again, completely. Trust and loyalty were paramount to J. Having to watch all the kids' reactions to the split of the pack had been the only thing he had held against those that had left. How they could have done that to the kids, he'll never understand. But that was theirs to hash out and J would make sure that they did. They would all have a lot to make up for, if and when he accepted them back.

Connie's scent hit J first. "Hi Connie." His back remained to her for just a moment before he took a breath and turned slowly to face her. It was obvious that she was submitting. It was clear in her posture and the look on her face. But there was something else there, too. There was sadness and loss and pain deep in the woman's eyes. It was no secret that J had never been a fan of Connie's uncle and part of J was glad the man was gone but the look on Connie's face was heartbreaking. Connie, for her part, had only left because of Greg. She was still responsible for her own choices but Jason understood that her loyalties were divided. "You're alone?" Of course she was, right now, but that wasn't what he was asking. He wanted to know if she was the only one that stayed. He casually shoved his hands in his pockets to appear more relaxed but this meeting was going to be awkward either way. He knew what she wanted but they would need to talk first.

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tagged: Connie
words: a lot
notes: nope
lyrics: we are one from the lion king II
credit: LAVIEBOHEME @ caution 2.o

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Connie watched Jason for a moment, assessing, waiting for him to turn and look at her. She didn't know what he was feeling, the wind wasn't favoring her then and his body language was closed off to her. She felt her heart twist a little, but when he finally turned it relaxed some. She watched his face for a moment, before lowering her eyes again.

"You're alone?"

Connie knew he didn't mean just right then. He meant, was she the only one left from Lupis Virtus. She paused, then nodded slowly. "Yeah," She said softly. "I'm alone." The fact had her fighting tears again. She'd never been fully alone before, not really. Not even when she'd gone off to college had she been alone, because she knew she could just go back home and there would be her pack, waiting to welcome her back again. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and stood, silent for a little while, letting the win blow strands of her hair over her face to hide it from Jason. She wanted to just lean against him like she did her Uncle to be comforted, but she couldn't do that.

Jason wasn't her uncle. Or her alpha. Not yet, anyway. But maybe... Maybe.

"I'm sorry, Jason," She said softly, finally looking back up. Her face was blank, but she knew he'd read her body language before her face anyway. Hurt and betrayed, Connie felt as if she was crawling back to her former pack because she had no where else to go. But she didn't have anywhere else to go now, did she? Her uncle had abandoned her and Converse both, and now Connie was alone.

She lowered her head again, and closed her eyes. She sucked in a deep breath before she looked back up at him. "I want... I want to come back to the pack... If you'll have me back." If she was a wolf, she would have rolled over on her back and bared her throat to him. The wolf knew what needed to be done. It was convincing the human half that was harder.

Would he accept her back? For that matter, would the rest of the pack accept her back? She wished she knew more about what the Orion wolves thought. Most of them hadn't spoken to her since she had gone to be with her Uncle when the pack split. She glanced up, looking no higher than his chin, afraid to meet Jason's eyes and waited for his judgement.

[Deleted]

Connie was very much alone. That stricken, heartbroken look in her eyes told him that before her words even reached his ears. She was trying desperately to hide her pain but there was no hiding anguish that deep. "I'm sorry." His voice was soft but his words were heartfelt. This woman had been his friend. He had watched as she cared for all the pups as if each one were her own. Jason probably knew better than anyone that Connie had a big heart. It only made him angrier that her uncle, her biological family could run off on her and leave her here, alone, so easily. And the big guy just couldn't help that he moved just a little closer to her when he saw her tears.

"I know you do." Still, his voice was soft and gentle. There was no reason to be an angry ass about this. Not to Connie, anyway. She's suffered enough. It wasn't in the Alpha to inflict even more pain on an already suffering person. That was just cruel. Jason was anything but cruel. "But if he came back...would you stay?" Would she run off again? Would she abandon the pups, the pack, the way she had before, if Greg dared show his face in town again? As much as Jason hated to ask, he needed to know where she stood. He needed her word, an oath of loyalty. He wouldn't...couldn't do that to the rest of the pack. He needed assurance that, no matter what, Connie would stay if he allowed her back into the fold.

Her eyes were glued to just barely chin level on J. He reached out, only using one finger to curl around her chin and gently and slowly lift it higher. "It's not just me you'll have to face here, Connie. Do you understand?" Again, he was trying to be firm but gentle. Breaking this shattered woman wasn't what he was intending to do. "I need you to understand, the pups...they're heartbroken and angry. They're hurt. Are you ready for that?" He wouldn't just throw her into that. That wouldn't be fair. She needed to understand what she was asking, what she would be stepping into. He needed to know she wouldn't run when...and it was definitely when...the tough part came.

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tagged: person you're writing to
words: word count
notes: notes
lyrics: we are one from the lion king II
credit: LAVIEBOHEME @ caution 2.o

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

"I'm sorry." Just those words wounded Connie, and helped her find a bit of hope, too. She closed her eyes, but opened them almost as soon as she realized she had closed them. She didn't want him to see her so broken, but she had nothing else to show. She squashed her hope, not wanting it to be crashed back down on her should he deny her entry back into the pack. She didn't know what she would do if he said no, but hoping only to have that hope crushed, it would probably kill her.

"But if he came back...would you stay?"

Connie's head jerked up at that. She knew he had to ask, had to know. He couldn't let her back if she were to only leave again as soon as her uncle showed back up. The fire that had come into her eyes at the question winked out. She understood where he was coming from. Knew why he would ask.

"Yes, I would stay." Pain filled her again, and this time she let a tear slide down before she brushed it away. "I have no family anymore." Saying that made the pressure in her chest lessen greatly, something she hadn't been expecting. She took a deep breath, surprised at how much easier it was to breathe without the weight of that announcement on her chest. Her eyelids lowered slightly, and she shifted, just slightly. "He disowned me. In front of the pack." Her posture was defensive now, arms over her chest as she refused to think about that day again. "Then he-" She cut off, voice shaking. She couldn't say the last part. Couldn't tell Jason that her uncle had said she was a good for nothing stray.

She just couldn't say it.

Instead, she stood in front of him, waiting, gaze fixed on his chin. When he reached out, she didn't know what to expect. She wasn't expecting a gentle touch on her own chin, raising her face so she could look him in the eye.

"It's not just me you'll have to face here, Connie. Do you understand? I need you to understand, the pups...they're heartbroken and angry. They're hurt. Are you ready for that?"

She took a deep breath. She knew they would have been hurt when she had left. She had loved those pups so much, as if they were her own. She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again they were wolf-bright gold. "I'm ready for it. I can do it," She said softly. "I know... I know they're upset. But I can handle it. They can't do any worse to me than my uncle did."

[Deleted]

The fire that came into Connie's eyes at his question didn't surprise Jason in the least but he instinctively stood taller, straighter. The wolf inside ready just in case he was challenged. The moment that Connie recognized that it wasn't a challenge, her posture changed. She said she would stay and J believed her...for now. Only time would tell him the ultimate truth. His former pack mate was being as honest as she could be in this very moment, though. That much was clear.

Greg had publicly betrayed her, disowned her and the rage that idea caused in J was something he couldn't completely hide. He did manage to bite back a growl but his chin twitched, his muscles tensed. If that wolf had still been on his land he would have driven him out himself. Only a heartless coward could have done such a thing, especially to someone as loyal to him as Connie. Of course, this news wasn't a surprise. J had never trusted Greg. Greg only really took care of himself, always looking for his chance to overthrow whichever leader was above him at the time and take his place at the top. Greg didn't have a pack mindset. He was too selfish. Connie didn't need to tell J what Greg had said to her. He could already well guess.

And the pain he had caused his only living relative was obvious but as much as Jason wanted to, he couldn't fully let himself react to her tears and it killed him. His first reaction normally would be to reach out to her, put a gentle hand on her shoulder or pull her into a hug but he needed to be in Alpha-mode right now, not Jason-mode. He had more to think about in this moment than himself and Connie.

He watched her eyes, holding her chin gently against his finger, staring deep into their topaz depths. That fire was back but it wasn't in anger. This was the fire of determination. Even her posture had changed again. This woman was a strong one, a fighter. This, too, didn't surprise J. He remembered that fire from before she left, before they had been forced into the position they were in now. "This will take time, Connie. They won't readily trust you." But then he was betting that she knew that. Before speaking again, Jason took a deep breath, his own posture, again, getting straighter and more ridged. "You'll have a lot to prove to me, as well. Connie, I have to care for everyone in this pack. I need to know that everyone is a unit, willing to sacrifice, defend and protect not just this land but each other. Only time will prove your loyalty. I think we both know that." After a pause, he finally, slowly, let go of her chin. His eyes still held a measure of warmth. Even at his angriest, Jason wasn't cold. He was simply being honest. Connie had to understand the position she was in. After watching her for a long moment, not blinking, but taking in the wolf before him, Jason finally nodded slowly. "Follow me." And he headed back in the direction of the pack house.

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tagged: person you're writing to
words: word count
notes: notes
lyrics: we are one from the lion king II
credit: LAVIEBOHEME @ caution 2.o

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Connie saw Jason tense when her eyes lit up, but she didn't react to it. She knew he wasn't going to attack her unless she did something stupid first, and she wouldn't be up to that ever. They stood, silent for a while with his hand tilting her chin up, him assessing, and her waiting. Her posture was relaxing, but still determined. She didn't think that he believed her fully when she said she would stay, even if Greg came back. He didn't understand, though, that she wouldn't let herself go back to her Uncle now. Not ever again. She knew she'd made a mistake leaving Orion, but to be with the one, living memory of her Mother... She had to go. As much as it had pained her to do so.

"This will take time, Connie. They won't readily trust you."

She gave him her first real smile since she had come out here. It was a sad smile, but still a smile. "I know that," She said softly. "I don't expect them to welcome me arms extended, Jason." She tilted her head up so she could see him better, and leaned a little more into his hand. Pack. This was pack, not what her uncle had taken away from Converse. Pack was family, comfort when you needed it. What her uncle had taken over was just a group of wolves, waiting to strike when Greg's back was turned.

When he told her that she had a lot to prove to him, she only nodded. She knew that. And she wasn't going to back down from it. When he straightened though, and dropped his hand, there was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Follow me." He started to walk off, and a faint fear filtered in. He was heading towards the pack house.

Connie didn't hesitate. She squashed the fear and was right behind him as he walked towards the pack house. She wouldn't be afraid of something she already knew she had to do, and she wanted, needed to prove to Jason and to the pack that she could be trusted. She couldn't live outside the pack. So she killed her fear, and filled herself with determination instead.

[Deleted]

Jason started in the general direction of the pack house but changed course about half a mile from the lake. Given that this part of Converse had been his territory even after the pack split, he was pretty sure that Connie wasn't up on all the changes in this particular part of the land. "A lot has changed while you were gone." He deliberately was making it sound like she had just been away for a while, trying to keep things light and amicable. "There's something I need you to see."

Jason believed very strongly in utilizing each pack member's strengths. Connie, being so big hearted and naturally good with kids and strays, had been a kind of ambassador between the pack and the strays before the split. Since she was looking to come back into the group, well, J would be a fool if he didn't take advantage of her skills and put her back into the job that she held before. The fact that giving her this responsibility would also help her to prove her worth and loyalty to the pack was just an added bonus.

As the two of them walked further into the woods, the lingering scent of another wolf started to intensify. A cave came into view and J stopped about five hundred feet away. Now that they were so close, they could also make out a sweet, sugary scent under that of the wolf. A light smile graced the alpha's lips but there was a touch of sadness in his eyes. "I remember how well you always had dealt with the strays in our territory. I'd like to trust you with that job again." His attention turned to Connie. "There are some new strays that found their way here while you were gone. You'll have to introduce yourself to them, of course and I'll leave you to do that in your own way." Taking a deep breath, Jason's eyes wandered to look at the mouth of the cave. "There was one, however, that I felt I should be here for. She's such a skittish little thing." And J took a couple of steps closer to the cave.

The soft sounds of someone's breathing could now be heard. It was clear that this person was obviously asleep. The rhythm of their breath was shallow and slow. J instinctively lowered his voice before gesturing towards the cave, indicating that Connie should take a look. "She's been here for about six months, as far as I know. I really just stumbled across her one day on patrol. God only knows how she ended up here." Inside the cave, curled up on a dried pile of leaves, was a small, blond little girl. The child was tiny. It appeared that she couldn't be any older than about twelve, if she was even that. She didn't stir. It would appear that the child was so tired that the presence of the two older wolves didn't even register to her. "I don't even know her name. Honestly, I've been afraid I would frighten her off." A sad little chuckle accompanied that comment. "I've tried to help her out, as best I could, leaving a fox or rabbit for her, here and there. I was thinking that maybe you might do better." Maybe this one might require a woman's touch.

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tagged: person you're writing to
words: word count
notes: notes
lyrics: we are one from the lion king II
credit: LAVIEBOHEME @ caution 2.o

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Connie followed, obedient, behind the man she was starting to consider her alpha, at least inside her head. She might not have gone to the Orion pack house in awhile, but while following behind Jason, she realized quickly he wasn't walking towards the pack house anymore.

"A lot has changed while you were gone. There's something I need you to see."

Connie's brows knit together, but she followed him, silent, wondering. What was he taking her to see? She wasn't scared, Jason wasn't going to take her out somewhere quiet and kill her like some Alpha's might have for betraying the pack, then having the gall to come back and beg forgiveness.

No, that wasn't Jason. So where were they going?

It didn't take long. "Another stray?" She questioned as she started to smell another werewolf besides herself and Jason. There was something under it, a strange, sugary smell that made her sneeze to clear her nose so she could smell again.

Connie turned to Jason as he spoke, and something inside Connie started to really take notice. The wolf inside Connie had noticed something that Connie herself hadn't about the scent, or maybe by the tone in Jason's voice. But when he said She's such a skittish little thing, Connie's heart seemed to stop.

"Jason..." Her whisper was horrified. Little thing? As in... "A child?" Her whispered voice hitched with panic as she scrambled behind Jason, then beyond him as he kept speaking and gestured to Connie to look.

Connie did look. Inside the cave was such a tiny child, so small. She couldn't have been much more than ten. Maybe a little older, but not much. The fact that Connie wanted to rush in and scoop her up, just hold her close made Connie do the opposite, step back until she stumbled into Jason, eyes wide. She whirled on him, fury coming in to cover over shock. She wasn't mad at Jason, but at whoever left such a tiny child to fend for herself.

Before she could say anything, though, control snapped back into place. She sucked in a shuddering breath, trying to breathe past her rage. As she breathed back out, she closed her wolf-gold eyes and calmed herself. "She's been out here for six months?" She asked, eyes still closed. When she did open them again, her eyes were brown, though there were streaks of gold running through the brown, flecking them. "I... Jason I had no idea she was here."

She started to shake, just a little. Fear for the girl, and anger that she was defending for herself made an uneasy mix in her stomach. "Do you really think I could help her?" She asked softly. She wanted to do nothing more than that. But she didn't know where to start. "I can't just walk in there... She would panic and run and we'd probably never see her again. Jason, I don't know what to do here..."

[Deleted]

The Alpha watched Connie as she took in what he was telling her. He was deliberately being vague, letting the news come to her slowly to lessen the shock. Jason knew the rage he saw flash in Connie's eyes. He had felt the same thing when he had first come across the little girl. For a while, Jason had just observed her, keeping his distance so as to not scare her away. Each and every time he's run into her, though, she's been alone. There were no other scents mingled with that of the child's in the cave itself. There was no one else that came and went from the area. Judging from the state of the little girl's clothes and her strong scent, it was clear that no one else was tending to her needs.

It seemed that Connie was taking this revelation a lot harder than Jason had been prepared for. He couldn't help reaching out and grasping her shoulders, firmly but gently, watching her closely as she gained control of herself again. Of course, he wasn't worried that the woman would do anything stupid. He was more just trying to anchor her, ground her reaction and help her control her shaking. "No one brought her to my attention. Maybe the others didn't realize she was alone." A small, wry smile touched his lips. "Or she could just be that good at hiding. Kids do have a way of disappearing when they want to." Part of him hoped that was the explanation. The idea that anyone in the pack knew this little child was here and didn't do anything about it...it would be too much for Jason to comprehend.

Connie began to shake again and he could see the panic and uncertainty in her eyes. He brought both hands up to lightly cup her face. "Yes. You can help her." Of that he was sure. It was more than obvious that Connie cared for the child already. If she got to know the girl, J was sure that those feelings would only grow. His eyes traveled back to the sleeping child and he frowned in thought for a moment. This was going to be tricky. Connie was right and the last thing Jason wanted to do was scare the poor kid and have her bolt. "My scent might be familiar to her now. I've wandered by enough times. Maybe she would be willing to talk to me...if she has made a connection between my scent and the food that I've left for her." Maybe that would be enough to at least give the two adults a starting point.

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tagged: person you're writing to
words: word count
notes: notes
lyrics: we are one from the lion king II
credit: LAVIEBOHEME @ caution 2.o

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Jason's touch helped to steady Connie when her own fight for control didn't. She let out a sigh. She still felt a little ragged around the edges, but the gentle touch on her shoulders helped. It was the help from pack. She needed that help just then.

"Kids do have a way of hiding," She said softly. So very few others had known about the child's existence. Connie wondered what her name was. She was bemused to realize she already saw the child as her own. No, not in the way a mother would her own child, but in the way she felt about all the pups of the pack. She wanted to help her, but she didn't want to scare the child. "Do you know anything about her? Anything at all?"

Connie looked up at Jason when he said that she could help the child, his hands cupping the sides of her face gently. She couldn't help but smile at the obvious sound of certainty in his voice. He trusted her to help the child, and that soothed the anger inside her, at least mostly. Being angry or upset wasn't going to help, and now that she had calmed she realized that. She needed to stay calm, even if part of her mind was screaming at her to go scoop the child up and take her to safety. They'd have to go about this very carefully.

"If she would recognize your scent, then maybe she'd trust you, at least to an extent. Maybe especially if you brought more food." Connie tilted her head, then smiled as she sniffed the air again. "Do you have anything sugary?" She asked curiously. "We might not be able to lure her out with sugar, but we could maybe get her to talk to us with it. That's what that smell is, under the smell of werewolf, isn't it? It's candy. She must really like it if this whole area smells of a candy shop." She glanced back at the cave as Jason did and sighed. "That poor child... It breaks your heart just to think about it..."

[Deleted]

The sad truth was that J knew absolutely nothing about the little girl asleep in front of them. How could this child's presence have escaped his notice? He wasn't even sure how long the girl has been here and that tore at him. While the pack had been pickering, as all the wolves that should have been caring for the territory had their backs turned, someone so small and helpless had been right under their noses and no one had noticed. "No." The pain and guilt in just that one word was obvious.

His eyes lifted to Connie's at her suggestion and the light seemed to return to them again at her idea. He chuckled with a bit more humor than before. "Yes. Actually, that is the one thing I do know. The little sneak does seem to get her hands on a lot of sweets." His observation was made with humor in his voice. Kids will be kids. It wasn't like snatching a small piece of candy now and then was all that big of an offense. But Connie was onto something. The only thing was that Jason wasn't that big into candy, himself. He didn't normally carry such things on him. Well, except for one thing. "I do have some gum..." His words were cut short by a soft, light whimper. When the alpha turned his head in the direction of the noise, his blue eyes caught onto another pair of almost the same color. It would seem that while the two had been talking, the child in the cave had stirred and now was looking between the two of them like a deer in headlights.

Slowly, the giant man lowered himself cautiously to her level, afraid that his massive height might make her run. The child didn't seem inclined to move, at the moment. She was busy huddling against one of the massive boulders that fronted her small home. Still, J kept his focus on her as he reached out and placed a hand on Connie's arm, pulling gently, indicating for her to get down, too. "Hello, little one." His voice was low and gentle and his soft smile grew. He was trying his damnedest not to frighten the girl but judging by her expression, he wasn't doing so well.

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tagged: Connie
words: word count
notes: I'll post as Everleigh tonight. J just had to get this in first. lol
lyrics: we are one from the lion king II
credit: LAVIEBOHEME @ caution 2.o

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Connie watched the pain come into Jason's eyes and face, and it was her turn to reach out to comfort him. She hadn't meant to hurt him with her question, and she rested one hand gently on the side of his face and gave him a faint smile. "Don't feel bad," She said softly. "You've already done more than most anyone else has." She didn't want him to feel bad over something he couldn't help. The small girl probably wasn't inclined to trust anyone, let alone a large man all by himself.

Was this why Jason brought her here? Not just because she was good with strays, everyone knew that. But, was it something else? Connie wondered if it wasn't something more simple than that, because she was a woman and Ever was a young girl.

When Jason said that the girl stole candy and sweets, Connie wasn't surprised. If she lived out here in a cave, she probably wouldn't have any money and would have to steal. But as Jason found a pack of gum he had on him, there was a soft whimper from the cave.

Connie's hand dropped from Jason, and she turned, slowly, to look at the tiny girl. Her eyes were brilliant blue, almost as bright as Jason's. She felt her alpha's hand on her arm, but didn't need encouragement as he knelt and gently tugged on her to kneel too, going down to the girl's level. Jason spoke first, his voice as gentle as Connie had ever heard it, as if he were talking to a spooked, wild animal.

"Hi," Connie said in the same, softly gentle tone. "Hello there. I'm Connie. Can you tell us your name?" She was smiling, but the smile wasn't forced. The girl touched Connie's heart and made speaking, smiling, an easier task than she had first thought. She didn't know if the girl would even reply, or if she would duck deeper into the cave and simply hide from them. Sure, it would be a simple matter to follow her in, but if they did that, she wouldn't trust them. They needed to gain her trust before they could convince her they were safe for her to follow.

[Everleigh Anne Mason]

It was the scents that woke her. Usually when the child would pick up the scent of another wolf near her home, it was a lingering smell, like someone had been there then left quickly. The scents that startled her out of her slumber were fresh and close. They were closer than any scents that had lingered before. Those scents were quickly accompanied by the sounds of hushed voices. It didn't take long for the girl to realize that, whoever was stalking her home, was also discussing her, as well.

From the bits and pieces of the conversation that the child could hear, it sounded like they were talking about trying to get her out of her cave. Had she done something wrong? Had the humans finally found her as she slept in her human form and they thought she was just some runaway or orphan human, as well? Then the scents got even closer and Ever finally could distinguish one of them. It was the strong, masculine scent that was familiar. That was when her eyes popped open and she took in the pair standing at the mouth of her cave.

Their attention suddenly snapped to her and she cowered back, not understanding what they wanted or why they would want to lure her out. Her eyes flickered between them, first to the man then slowly to take in the woman. The lady was definitely a total stranger. Everleigh would have remembered the scent of her. Her scent definitely had never been picked up by the child before. The man spoke first and another whimper escaped her. Though his scent was familiar, he was still huge and smelled of the pack. That made him intimidating, even after he got down and tried to make himself small.

The woman soon followed suit and Ever's attention slowly moved back in the female's direction. Her smile was kind, her voice as gentle and calm as the man's had been. But there was something in the lady's eyes, something almost motherly that made the child relax if only slightly. In a voice barely above a whisper, the little girl muttered a single word, "Everleigh." That was as much as she could manage through her fear.

W O R D S * noofwords ;;
T H O U G H T S * stuffyouwannasay ;;
M U S I C * yourmuse ;;
T A G G E D * whofor ;;
W E A R I N G * clothes ;;
C R E D I T S * adele's chasing pavements ;;

template by RoyaLe of Caution 2.0

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Connie kept on her smile and refused to let the small pang of sympathy she felt for the child register in her face or eyes or her voice when she spoke again. She watched the girl as the girl watched them, obviously scared even if her and Jason were trying to make themselves as small as possible. When the girl finally spoke, her voice was almost too quiet to hear, but it was obviously her name.

"Everleigh? That's a lovely name. Everleigh, would you like a piece of gum? Jason as some he'd like to share with you." Connie kept her gentle expression as she reached up to gently nudged Jason to extend the gum. It was probably unnecessary, but when it came to Strays and pups, Connie was used to taking control. And Everleigh was both a stray and a pup. And the smell of her fear was making Connie's nose tickle with the urge to sneeze and clear it. It also upset Connie's wolf, who wanted to help the child.

"Are you hungry?" Connie asked. How well was this girl able to hunt? She was tiny, yes, but how much of that was from youthful energy and how much of it was from hunger? "We can send Jason off to get you some food, and me and you could talk if you want. Would you like that, Everleigh?"

She wasn't sure if the girl would accept that, but she wondered if part of her fear wasn't because of Jason. He was obviously a caring man, but that was part of it. He was a man, and very large. He would be threatening to her because she was so tiny, so maybe getting Jason an excuse to leave for a little while would help little Ever relax.