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Like a river, lead you home
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Played by Mimi who has 313 posts.
Inactive Deceased
Maksim Baranski
@Lachesis @Karpos @Naia @Bastet @Anastasia @Amisun @Jynx @Orren @Karina

After much discussion between @Kisla and Maksim, they've come to the agreement that CRR is no longer a safe place to raise a family; it is time to go.
PPing just a bit with this opener, Rach. I figured it was something that they would summon the pack for together. Let me know if you want that changed!

Kisla to post first, please!

"What do we do now?"
"Cedarwood forest is no longer safe for us. With battle threatening us from all sides, it would be foolish to remain here. We have to leave."

Hell-fire rain down upon the Lyall's, for their return to the Lore had brought the Baranski clan nought but woe and trouble. Willow Ridge would become aggressors if the pack remained here any longer, and Grizzly Hollow themselves would prove to be competition for prey and resources. Perhaps it was scorn that left Maksim praying that war broke out when both he and his family were far away from these tension riddled lands.

The River lord was not forced from this territory. No, he had made the choice to put the safety of his family above all else. A battle for honour was secondary to their health. But he would leave this forest with his heart heavy. His first children had been born here, and forever would that remain on his mind. He could not protect the first home they had ever had--the one that he had hoped they would only ever know. His vibrant gaze drifted to his mate, stood by his side through thick and thin. Thank the stars he had found her, and that she had found him. "I fear how they will take the news," he uttered, leaning into her side and brushing his nose through the fur of her neck, inhaling her rich scent. "But we have put this off for too long. For that, love, I am sorry."

For a moment, Maksim simply soaked in Kisla's very being, gaining strength from her presence. Pulling away from her for a moment, studying her expression before placing a tender kiss to her crown, the father of three--soon to be more--slowly took a deep breath. He tilted his head back, parted his charcoal lips and released a howl for their family, both those of blood and those not, to gather them. His chorus rang out several times, a haunting cry that echoed among the cedars.

It is time to discuss our fate.

(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2015, 01:10 PM by Maksim.)
Played by Rachel who has 462 posts.
Inactive Deceased
Kisla Baranski

Rook’s news had weighed heavily on her, and while her heart ached at the thought of leaving the forest, she knew her mate’s words to be true. She had offered him her agreement, albeit silently, and upon their walk and quiet discussion on what their next step was, her shoulder would gently brush against his side every so often – her muzzle tipping up to steal a kiss.

Her sides were beginning to swell now with her pregnancy. It would come of no surprise that the Baranski’s would once more bring children to the world, but it would be a surprise to their pack mates that it would not be within Cut Rock River. Kisla had grown accustom to moving when necessity dictated it, and so while morose at the thought of leaving their home behind, she knew it to be for the better – Whisper Caverns had been problematic enough, and now tying in the potential threat of Willow Ridge and now Grizzly Hollow? It would not do.

We cannot ask them to bare scars from potential onslaught – and our children are not safe here, she reassured him, as he outwardly questioned how the River wolves would take the news. They will understand this.  Our family are our pack mates – not where we live. And so he summoned them. Offering him a small smile, the Baranski lady made to sit down upon her honeyed haunches – fatigue beginning to creep at her, given her state. Her bright eyes would drift form the River king to scan the trees before them.



sparking up my heart



Played by Staff who has 4,811 posts.
A lynx has left behind the remains of a deer. +5 Health
Played by Trix who has 331 posts.
Inactive No Rank
Jynx Myrddin
Still waters run deep

For weeks on end, for reasons she could not pinpoint, Jynx had been restless. A sense of unease, of disharmony had seeped into the atmosphere of the great forest. What all the tension was about, she did not know. She was aware the Cut Rock River and the Cavern wolves and the wolves of the Ridge never had a good relationship. That much she knew by word of mouth from Karpos, who had filled her in on such facts when they first met. But the full severity of the situation, that war was nearly upon them, that she had turned a blind eye to.

While she may not have been present when one of their lesser known members, Rook Lyall had tried to gain the blessing of an alliance from the Baranski Alpha's, she certainly had heard  the commotion as a result of Maksim's outrage. She had been too far away to really latch on to any specific words or phrases, but those horrendous snarls that had filled the air were more than enough to alert her, that something had happened. Respectfully, she kept out of the way, giving the parents to be a wide berth. If this was a personal matter that should not concern any other wolf in the pack, then she would not risk stepping on anyone's toes.

But as it just so happened, the issue at hand involved the very fate of Cut Rock River itself, and all the wolves who called the forest their home. When Maksim's voice boomed through the forest, with a distinct note of urgency, the russet tinted female stopped what she was doing. She had been in the middle of enjoying a late morning snack, a freshly caught gray squirrel who had been a little too slow to reach the safety of the trees in time. Licking her lips clean of any blood, she quickly covered the leftovers with a few hearty scrapes of her back feet. With an energy typical of a young wolf, she bounded off towards the main den, although not without a sense of purpose. She was eager to find out what was going on, and to get some answers. She was surprised when only Maksim and Kisla came into view, making her the first pack member to arrive. They looked tense...uneasy. Tucking herself low, she brushed past each them, offering a fleeting lick to their chins in submission. Maksim she did not know well yet, but his presence instilled confidence in her. Kisla, she had grown to form a budding bond with, as they had much in common. She looked up to her like an older sister. Taking a seat by the pregnant Alpha's side, Jynx silently showed that they both had her moral support. Yellow eyes flicked towards them in questioning apprehension, but otherwise remained silent until others arrived so the meeting could begin.
(This post was last modified: Apr 22, 2015, 08:12 PM by Jynx.)
Played by Namara who has 402 posts.
Inactive No Rank
Karpos Slayer

The young boy had been trying to wrap his head around everything that had happened. There had been a lot of things for him to reflect on but the main focus had been on Aponi's attempt to seduce him. He did not understand why she had tried because, as he recalled, she was the one to cut off their relationship (which had apparently been one-sided) and cut their friendship off as well with a petty grudge over something he had said to, what he thought was, himself. When the call was raised, the boy who had moved around from place to place his entire life would answer the call. His well toned legs moved across the land he had come to call home. His eyes were filled with a certain curiosity as he wondered what the pack was being called for. When he arrived, he found that only Maksim, Kisla, and Jynx had arrived. He took his seat next to his friend, nerves filling him.

The chocolate coated boy looked to his leaders, not saying a word but giving a rather curious look to them both that said everything that needed to be said. What were they doing here? Karpos would not be sure how he would take the news when he learned that he was being uprooted from a home once more. Perhaps this time it would be better, since everyone was moving instead of just him and they were moving as a group. But, the idea of leaving his third home and going to a forth would not sit too well with him. What fate was there left to decide?

(This post was last modified: Apr 22, 2015, 09:13 PM by Karpos.)
Played by PuppyThief who has 157 posts.
Inactive No Rank
Orren Baranski
"now I see the world through diamond eyes"
ORREN BARANSKI

The youngest Baranski son was restless - not that that was a specifically new feeling to him, but this time it was different. His life was changing, soon he would no longer be a pup, but have to grow up as his brother would put it, stepping into yearling ranks. And he would be a big brother too, his mother's pregnancy had not escaped the boy, however flighty and distant he could be. He'd also notice the change in his parents - at first he had simply attributed it to the coming pups, he knew very little of reproduction and parenthood, but he figured it would be, at least somewhat, unsettling - yet as time passed he started to doubt that assessment; Having children should make you happy, right? But Kisla and Maksim had seemed upset, the already diligent leading pair becoming even more reserved, and prone to quiet discussions. It never occurred to Orren to fear for his parents' relationship though, the idea of them separate rather than together so alien, that it could never enter, even the imaginative son's mind. But something was a foot, and it made him uneasy.

Ever since his meeting with Greer in the marsh, Orren had felt even more discontent. Learning of Deacon's departure awakening the same yearning in the young wolf, there was so much world he hadn't seen, so many things to discover and explore; And HUNT! He'd been contemplating, remaining in Cut Rock River made him feel trapped, stuck in the lands under his parents rule, so should he leave? So far he hadn't been able to gather enough guts, after all, his family was here, his parents whom, though they could be strict, were a beacon of warmth and love in his life, and Karina and Aleksei, both of whom he seemed to be bettering his relationship with. And the rest of the pack, all of them part of the only life he'd ever known; But I can't stay here forever..!

His inner discussion was interrupted by the beckoning voice of his father, and Orren jumped to his feet, well accustomed to answering that tone instantly. A swift trot brought him through the forest, to the place where the pack was gathering. Without slowing, the confident boy entered the space, grinning at Karpos and waving his tail at Jynx as he passed them, before walking up to his parents. Stopping before Kisla, the lad stretched to give his mother a small nip of affection under on ear, noting how he was now, definitely taller than she. Then he turned to Maksim, this time having to look up to meet the green gaze. His strong sire got a light, warm smile and a nudge of his muzzle, before Orren stepped back, tail wagging behind him. "What's up?" He asked in a light tone, masking his nervousness as best he could; Are they finally gonna tell us? Whatever it was that had plagued them. The boy couldn't spare a concerned look at his mother, her pregnancy was clearly visible and her kind eyes looked tired. The middle child felt a surge of protectiveness, wanting to shield her and his coming siblings from any possible harm that might be coming their way.

Eyes serious, he looked back to his father, anxious to get whatever was going on out in the open, but he knew they had to wait for the rest of the pack before their king would speak.

Word count: 577

Thoughts ”Speech”
Played by Riley who has 16 posts.
Inactive V. Subordinate
Amisun Echo

She heard the king's call bellow through the tops of the cedar trees, vibrating, from the branches to the trunks and even into the very roots of the trees, so that its urgency would spread like fire beneath the familiar trails of Cut Rock River. A curious frown etched into her typically gentle features, and remained on her face as she turned away from her duties and continued toward the source of the call. She did not speed, but a certain urgency was present in her legs as she arrived upon the scene.

Aware of the tensions that had been settling in the air like a thick fog, even since before her arrival, Amisun was both curious and worried. The mixture of emotions was present in her pale blue eyes for a moment as she came upon the small gathering, disappearing with a purposeful blink. Buckling at the knees she lowered herself to approach the Baranski pair, allowing her tail to curl beneath herself as she whined a note of allegiance. She did not know them well yet, and neither did they know her, but her soft tone assured her loyalties were strong as they could hope.

Ami spared a polite smile and a glance toward the yearling at her Leaders' side, a prince who she had not yet met. Retreating from them, she assigned herself a seat not far from the others. The tawny female briefly glanced toward the two young wolves, one dark and one agouti, a sliver of a smile hanging on her jaw as a way of greeting. She did not keep the expression up for long. The atmosphere hanging over them didn't quite warrant a grin.

Played by Arla who has 1,399 posts.
Inactive No Rank
Lachesis "XIX" Stark
I'm technically on absence due to finals but I needed to get a post in -- eeeee so excited! :)

Something was happening – there was change in the air. An unsettling feeling had made itself home in Cut Rock, leaving the young healer with a sour taste in his mouth. He did not know what was causing the feeling; things had drastically improved in the recent weeks. Anastasia had returned home, filling the deep hole that had made itself home in his heart. As far as he was concerned, things with Bastet were going swimmingly (though he was not sure how the blue-eyed dove felt about this). Due to Lachesis’ unwavering loyalty to his leader, he had made the reluctant choice to not mate with the fiery raven this season. Perhaps, if XIX approached the green-eyed leader prior to the beginning of the season, he would allow his second to have a litter of his own.

Although he would never admit it aloud to Bastet, this also allowed Lachesis some time to think about whether he was truly ready to be a father. His lessons with Karina had been picking up, and there was a new healer in the pack. With everything going so well, why did it feel as though something was off?

His thoughts, however, were answered as Maksim’s call rang through the River. Instinctively, he bolted toward the origin of the sound, as XIX had a horrible habit of being late. Luckily, the alabaster male was not far from the gathering place; he had been searching for plants to aid with Kisla’s birth, as it was fast approaching. As he neared his packmates he made a mental note to remind himself to explain the plants that would help Kisla to Karina – he wondered if the River princess would want to present them to her mother after the birth…

Fortunately, the normally tardy wolf had arrived quicker than he had anticipated – and was not the last to appear. Nodding at his packmates in silent greeting he realized that neither Ana or Bastet had arrived yet. His lips pursed slightly as the slender male approached his leaders; his head bowed respectively as he addressed them before takin his place at Maksim’s side. He was curious as to why the pair had called upon the meeting – what was happening? Would this explain the knot that had formed in his stomach? 

(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2015, 04:29 AM by Lachesis.)
[Image: ds_by_a_yellow_bird-dc337jk.png]
stick with those who stick with you
Played by Alace who has 250 posts.
Inactive No Rank
Karina Baranski

Her father’s call echoed through the trees, reaching the girl who had known for some time it was coming. Though Maksim summoned from nearby, Karina took her time responding to the call and continued to arrange her lavender sprigs in neat rows out in the sun to dry. Perhaps the child dallied because she simply hated whole-pack affairs, feeling as if all eyes were on her when everyone was sitting in a circle. Or maybe it was the whispers of war she heard from her packmates in the den late at night, when they thought she was far off in happy-puppy-dreamland. Whatever the reason, Karina took her time in making her way to the meeting, grabbing a lavender sprig to-go before meandering off to join her family.

Karina approached the meeting area slowly, making sure she attracted as little attention as possible. She squirmed in between her parents—her favorite spot, though truly she was much too large for it—and with Maksim and Kisla on either side of her she felt confident enough to look out over the rest of the pack. Orren was here, though oddly Aleksei was still missing. Karina was all too aware of the presence of her siblings yet-to-come, pressed up against her mother’s swollen side. Cloudy blue eyes slid over Ami, the new healer, and Lachesis the original. She smiled under the green gaze of her tutor. There was also Jynx and Karpos. Karina blinked a few times as she watched the midnight-pelted yearling, realizing that for the first time since she could remember the sight of him did not set her heart fluttering. Thank the gods, the crush business was finally through.

“I love you, Mom.” Karina whispered, pressing her muzzle into Kisla’s bulging side in a gesture of comfort. She sensed her mother’s distress, and of course Kisla worried—whether it was to be war or relocation, the most likely alternatives she had overheard in whispers -- either option would be difficult with new pups on the way. The princess was also feeling guilty for her conversation with Kjors, an older, handsome, dark-coated stranger with a troubled past. Karina had stumbled upon the man during a moment of diffidence, and she had spoken her doubts aloud leaving the man with a poor impression of her family. A bigger family meant more love for everyone, not less for her. She had been silly to think otherwise, even for a moment. She leaned into her father in wordless affection, just to make sure Maksim knew that he as well had his daughter's love.

(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2015, 05:03 AM by Karina.)
   
 [Image: KjorinaB.png]   
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Played by Alace who has 323 posts.
Inactive Deceased
Naia Aegina

 ♦♦♦♦♦

The River second was standing sentry at the southern edge of the Cedarwoods when she heard Maksim’s call. Her vantage point at the limestone bluff enabled her to watch over the marsh while remaining stationary, allowing her mind to tumble into her vortex of churning, racing thoughts. Brooding was not an activity that was typical for the Timber lady, but recent events were enough to worry even this carefree wolf.

They had been lucky that the Ridge wolves and the Caverns had stalled in joining forces to drive away the River, but once their enemies realized there was another pack settling in the Cedars… How long would it take them to enlist this fledgling pack as well? As if all these southern enemies weren’t enough, there was also the tension between the Downs and their neighboring pack to consider. What if Minka needed help in the north? Cut Rock River would not be able to spare any warriors in the present situation.

As a scout, Naia was probably more knowledgeable of pack politics than the rest of the subordinates, and she had known for some time that relocation was the only answer to this problem. The River would be crushed beneath at last two, probably three different packs if war broke out, and even a leader whose words  were “If you do not fight, you cannot win,” would realize that this fight was over before it began. It was not a question of if they were leaving so much as when, and where to.

Naia’s paws were flying over the leafy forest floor as soon as her leader’s call penetrated her ruminations. Fortunately for her, a scout arriving a little later than the rest would raise few eyebrows. It was a known fact he spent her days outside the territory markers surveying the entirety of the Cedarwood Forest.  She arrived at the meeting breathing hard, slowing her pace to a walk as she joined her family’s gathering.

Her usual explosive entrance was very much subdued, partially because of the occasion and partially because of her own abject mood. Her recent conversation with Inali was never far from her thoughts, no matter how hard she tried to push away the pain. She paid her respects to her leaders with a low, fluttering tail and submissive licks to their faces. The rest of the wolves she greeted with a nod, her stance leaving no room to question who was the Second among the females. She gave the lilac-eyed newcomer a welcoming smile before settling next to @Orren . The boy looked so serious that Naia bumped him with her shoulder and began to chew lightly on his ear, just to annoy him.

Gods above, her entire family was in a bad mood.

♦♦♦♦♦  
(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2015, 04:09 PM by Naia.)
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