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+---- Thread: Fallen Tree Cove The Future Is Now (/showthread.php?tid=10087)
Tucked peacefully within the personal sanctuary of her humble and isolated domain, stained teeth worked feverishly at the tender bundle of fresh rabbit meat trapped beneath arctic paws. Tuft after tuft of patchy beige fur was torn away, a taunting task that had to be done before the true reward was granted. Lady Luck was on Hexamora's side for once as the symbolized woman granted the ivory clad wolf her first kill in months since both joining the pack and her incident with Aponi. A feat she dared not question considering her newly acquired condition. Instead, jaws sank contently into the tender meat that would soon quell her hunger. Metallic tang of blood on her coral tongue enough to silence the demon within.
But, paradise could nor would last long for Hexamora as a piercing cry of that damned siren, Namid, beckoned the presence of those under her rule. Disgruntled by having her meal interrupted, there was no choice but to abandon her chew toy for now. If the Beauvau woman wished to continue getting by unnoticed her presence would unfortunately need to be accounted for at this wretched meeting. Heaving her weight onto all four limbs, a quick shake of her pelt freed the loose bits of rabbit fur from her pelt before padding out into the open world. Single optic narrowing to a slit from the sudden bombardment of light.
Ivory pads made quick, yet silent steps across the land towards the arranged meeting arena. Nerves well hidden beneath a constant disguise gnawing at her every fiber. This would be the first time the pack would come to see the fate that had befallen the white devil. A side attraction to come in comparison to whatever news the leaders wished to discuss. It didn't take long for her to reach the collected gathering, phantasmal silhouette opting to keep to the shadows near the back. Her presence enough to be noted, but by no means would she openly engage with her peers. The sooner this ended, the sooner she could return to eating.
He was patrolling the border, padding along beside the pack scent. He’d taken to doing so more and more often. Sometimes he ran into another member of the pack. They never seemed to mind him patrolling. He wasn’t sure what else to do, and he wanted to do something that would be useful to the pack. He wanted to prove that he was a good member.
Today Tagg was enjoying the mild weather. It was warm, but a chilled breeze cooled the air until it was about the perfect temperature. He loved the sound of the leaves rubbing against each other above, and the smell of the lake on the air. He loved living here. He was so glad Vespertio let him stay, and he would do anything to remain.
Namid’s cry pierced the peace, and Tagg’s head swiveled, ears pricking to pick up any message about what was happening. It was a summons, that much was clear, but he was unsure of the rest. Shrugging as he cast a last glance at the border behind him, Tagg began trotting towards Namid’s location. If the nabob wanted him to come and join the rest of the pack, who was he to argue? He would get to meet some of the new members he knew had joined since the last meeting. Maybe he could make a new friend. He desperately wanted one. Since Rift had left, Tagg had felt very lonely. He’d latched onto Anthem, but then his sister had shown up. Desideria could hardly be found, and Tagg wasn’t even sure where to look for the healers. He figured they had each other, anyway, so why would they want to be friends with him?
Tagg finally reached the birthing den, and was surprised. He hadn’t expected so many wolves to have arrived already. How long had it taken him to get there? He noticed a new wolf between Angele and Anthem and absently wondered who he might be. Desideria was sitting with another male Tagg didn’t recognize, and he felt too sheepish to join them. His attention was diverted by Primrose. He was so shocked he sat where he was without greeting his alphas or packmates.
What happened to her face?
He scolded himself. Everyone else would be thinking that. His second thought, however, was better considered.
{i}She’s like me.[/i]
Though the white woman intimidated Tagg, he decided to try talking to her. He slowly approached her, not wanting to seem rude. “Hi.” He said, wagging his tail a bit. “I’m Tagg.” He didn’t stare at her obviously recent injuries, instead going around to sit on her good side which, coincidentally, also placed her on Tagg’s good side. That way they could both keep an eye on each other. He didn’t sit too close, wanting to give her his space, but was just close enough to let her know he was a friend. He knew what it was like to have other stare and ask questions best left unanswered. The loss of one’s eye was a private thing, so Tagg didn’t press.
But what would Vespertio think of having two half-blind wolves in his pack?
I will pp the pups until they can join respectively c: Round ends 8/3(next Monday) or when everyone posts!
[dohtml]
I HAVE LOVED THE STARS TOO FONDLY
TO BE FEARFUL OF THE NIGHT
She waited patiently for her members to come to first, the first of any to join her, to her surprise, being their newest member Kajika. She offered him a smile and a dip of her head, before her mismatched gaze was drawn to the she-wolf she had not yet met. She suspected this was Angele, the sibling to Anthem and Nathaniel. She’d yet to have a formal meeting with her, but that would change hopefully soon. She greeted the woman with a nod of her head, auds swiveling forward to catch her words. “Please pardon me for resting, my shoulder is still bothering me,” she explained, and the queen’s expression softened. “Of course, do whatever you need,” she replied. She remembered being briefly told about the hunt, and though it had happened successfully she had not been able to go and feast with the others. Of course, some of the hunt had been brought to her but it hadn’t been quite the same. Desideria was the next to join them, and she gave her a likewise nod. They hadn’t quite had the chance to speak since the loner Noble had tried to steal from them, and their relationship had been partially strained it seemed because of it. It had left the woman a bit sad, but she had other business to attend to. All would be cleared as soon as she could manage.
Vespertio joined not long after, trailing to her side and placing a kiss on her cheek. She smiled brightly, tail giving a wag as her husband joined her. She allowed herself to nuzzle his neck and give him a bump of her shoulder before her attention was turned back to the pack. The children had arrived from wherever it was they had chosen to spend the day, questioning looks being given not only from them but it seemed the whole pack. It wouldn’t be long before their questions would be assuaged and they could all go back to their business. Next to come were Anthem, followed by his brother as well as, surprisingly, Primrose. Her brows raised at the startling loss of one of her eyes, something she had not been made aware of. Of course, the woman had been so scarce if not for the still fresh scent of her on their caches she might have thought she’d left their lands all together. Finally, Tagg managed in and she cleared her throat to quiet the chatter that had begun.
“Hello! I am happy to see you all here and thriving in front of me today. If you look around you may see many unfamiliar and new faces, which only proves our strength is ever growing. I thank you all, old and new, for allowing these lands to prosper and for calling Fallen Tree Cove your home. This meeting is for the new, in fact. You all know of the birth of the three new heir’s to this kingdom, many of you were there for their travel into the world. It is time to formally introduce them all.” she said, pride beaming from her mismatched gaze. “They are called as such; Neha, Aleister, and Cernan,” the queen labeled, waiting for each of them to step forward. When they had, she allowed her attention to travel back to their pack. “This meeting today is, of course, for all of you to meet them as well as your new pack mates. But, more importantly it is a passage for these three to take. They have reached the age of two months and have made wonderful progress, and I believe their next step will be to join all of you in the communal den. We will all make this trip together, as one family to welcome them into our lives officially. Please, follow me!” she said excitedly, moving to her paws. Once she had rounded the pups up, she began to move in the direction of the communal den a bit slower than normal to ensure they all stayed together.
OOC: Sorry, short one, just to get the ball rolling
[dohtml]
As Namid spoke, Angele paid rapt attention. She glanced at the puppies, who she hadn’t yet actually met. She’d been avoiding them, to be honest with herself. She disliked puppies; they were too energetic for her, not to mention their unpredictability. She also disliked the relationship that Desideria and Kajika seemed to have. Romance in the lower ranks of the pack always caused trouble.
Namid’s proud statement that the pups were ready to move drew Angele’s gaze again. The Queen was standing and beginning the walk. Angele sighed again. Walking. Always more walking. She shot a look at her brothers and hauled herself to her feet to follow the alpha to the communal den.
They had wandered to the East, the direction their mothers clues had pointed as to her whereabouts. If she wasn’t going to come to them then they would simply have to seek her out. The path from the Lake was narrow, steep and winding. It was a chance gust of breeze that carried the leaders call to them and the yearling cursed under his breath. Always when they were verging on the outer limit of acceptability. His nose reached to touch @Asphodel’s hip, the twist of his lip conveying enough of his annoyance as he spun about and began to lope back up the path they so precariously traversed on their way down. He paused only to snatch a weed that dared to jut out from the cliff. It held no purpose whatsoever, but no other wolf among them would know that, and even if they did he could simply claim some sacred property specific to the woods from which they came. How would they know any better.
He could feel his sisters annoyance, which in turn lit an angry fire in his chest. So many demands, and for what? The security of a pack? If they ever managed to get away they would need to discuss their options. Their mother was against them travelling to the West but there seemed to be so many more opportunities in the lower lands. From what they had managed to glean to date, the East had long since been abandoned by any who dared to try and eek out a living there.
His breath was coming in heavy pants by the time they reached the more level ground of the lake and his spindly yearling legs screamed in protest to the torture they had been forced to endure since their departure from the Bloodwood. One thing that could be said for this particular area he supposed was that the constant traversing was quickly transforming their soft curves into hardened muscle. He had a feeling when the time was right they would need every advantage they could gain.
By now the weed in his mouth was well and truly mangled, a saliva covered glob barely recognisable as any sort of plant but the yearlings maintained their pace, rounding on the gathering and abruptly came to a halt and Asphodel moved to his flank as he processed the end of Namid’s speech. The whelps. They had run, all this way, up the mountain, across the lake… to walk the whelps to the communal den… His face was blank, well concealing his frustration, although a brush of his tail against her hip should be enough to convey that they needed to keep their cool. The mangled weed was dropped at his paws with a sigh as though it had once been something of value, dirt kicked to absorb some of the moisture, effectively burying the pitiful thing. ”Mori in igni.” He whispered in his sisters ear, hoping it would be enough to help her keep her cool for now. They moved to take up a place at the back of the procession. They were here. If that wasn’t enough for rest of them, well the yearling wasn’t quite convinced it was worth their time to stay.
Soon his other sibling appeared and made his way over to Anthem. After that Angele came up to sit by them as well. He gave them each a grin before catching Primrose moving form out of hte corner of his eye. Instanly his face was a mask as he noticed the new addition of scars to her face and the empty socket that stared out at them. He wasn't sure how to feel about the sight that greeted him. What had she been doing? Did she gain thos marks from going after some prey that was too much for her to handle. No those scars weren't quite right. His focus remained on her. He noted that Tagg moved closer to her pale form and Anthem's blue eyes narrowed. Who would have done that to her? He wouldn't believe that Vespertio or Namid would have done that. So it must have been someone else and that wouldn't do. Primrose might be one of the least liked member in the pack, at least to Anthem's knowledge, but she was still a fellow pack-mate.
He didn't get much time to think past that point as Namid told began the meeting and telling them that they were going to be walking to the main den. Standing he flicked an ear at Angele noting her annoyance, but his gaze was still on Primrose. The talk that he had been postponing needed to be had. Moving so that he was near the pale woman he spoke. We need to talk. He told her his voice saying that they would talk even if she didn't want to. Then before she could respond he moved back to his siblings to follow their King and Queen. Even though this was supposed to be an exciting time Anthem found that his had faded and been replaced with a need to protect. Questions flared in his mind. Had Primrose fought with a loner or a pack wolf? Did they consider her to be the threat or the whole pack? He was going to have to hear the story in order to find out.
An affectionate gesture was offered by his wife as her silvered face buried into the scruff of his neck before the queen's attention returned to the expanding mass before them. One by one the rest of the pack filtered in to join in the next of many milestones the rapidly growing pups would come to complete. Liquid golden optics swept constantly over the sea of familiar faces, a contortion of facial muscles when they spot that of Primrose lurking in the backdrop. Something about her face screaming 'off' to the agouti patriarch, but what he couldn't quite pinpoint at first. Gradually he took in each individual feature until it dawned on him when he reached where a pair of marbles at odds with one another should be. A missing eye. In an instant his gut dropped, the attention for a moment quickly drawn away from the joyous occasion that was to be his children merging into the pack and settled on the harm that had befallen his subordinate.
For now he would have to let it be until the meeting was over. Then he could confront her on what had happened. So many possibilities swam within his mind at the causes, each one raising the fur along his hackles more and more. But there was nothing he could do for now. The last thing he needed was to cause alarm within the pack. Instead, his tawny skull lowered to adorn each of his announced children with a lick to their crowns, creamy limbs set into motion to follow just behind his trio of children as they marched diligently behind their mother. A smile tugging at the corner of his ebony lips as he watched them before giving an occasional glance towards his subordinates. Absorbing the various emotions etched onto their features. Some seemed annoyed, others joyous as they should be.
His mother's request startled the boy out of his thoughts. Cernan's quiet, peaceful foray into the woods could not have lasted forever. However much the boy wanted to explore, the beckoning of his dam promised something far more exciting. He could practically sense it in her call. The younger prince wasn't one to rush, however, and settled for an even trot as he made his way back through the foliage. Soft, velveteen ears swiveled, fighting to keep forward as the forest sounds begged for his attention. It would all have to wait. This realm was much more expansive than the boy had first thought. Today marked the furthest the cautious child had ever ventured from the safety of the den. And without his siblings too! Sadly, there was nothing much to report to his mom; though there were a few things he wanted to ask about. Whether or not he would remember to mention them was another matter entirely, though. Little did he know, the next few minutes were to be quite overwhelming.
Cernan located the clearing mainly by scent once the queen's call had rung out for the final time. Delight in his navigational skills was quickly swallowed by an overpowering sense of fear. It was not just his mother. The prince's face and demeanor changed in an instant as the first of their eyes began following him. Some, he recognized, but many were alien. Dull, worried eyes flickered between a few of them before seeking the refuge of his mother's contrasted gaze. His previously slowed pace kicked up some as the boy slid quickly toward her; ears and tail downcast. This was much too much attention. What were they all here for anyway? Some relief came at the sight of his father; and the Vuesain youth wasted no time in sandwiching himself securely between the two rulers. His fuzzy pelt brushed hastily against his mom's leg as he shuffled behind its protection.
There he sat, looking nervously at the others when not fixating entirely on the face of his mother. Mooooomm... His thoughts pestered, pressing against unwilling lips. Couldn't she see that he was unhappy amongst all these eyes? At least his siblings emerged just moments later. There was another shred of comfort to be found in their presence. Instead of acknowledging her son, however, the larger wolf began speaking in a much louder tone than she usually did. The words cascaded over his ears; their meanings largely unknown. The tawny child's gaze fought curiosity every now and then, resting on one new face after another when he could steal an unnoticed glance. Momma was seemingly fine with them being here, so they couldn't be bad right?
Time marched on this way until she turned back to the pups. He watched as the others were named, refusing to move from his parents' side as his own title rang in the air. Instead the boy cast a wary eye upon them all until his mother moved on. He was grateful for her renewed speech, and even more grateful for his dad's touch. Her talking drew at least some of their eyes away. After a moment, and more words, a final command came in clear. “Follow me.” The chubby pup watched his dam with interest, stuttering to his feet when prompted. Where? He wondered. As soon as she drew away, the timid child was right on her heels. To his dismay, the strangers were coming too. Lowering his head, the larger boy quickened his clumsy trot. He only wanted to be near momma.
Much to her dismay there was no avoiding the head turns and contortion of disgusted faces her sudden appearance provoked. This was highly expected from the phantasmal woman, but what was not expected was the confrontation that would soon be offered by two fellow subordinates. Not shortly after her colorless rump pressed into the bedding of pine needles did the first dare to slowly approach. Hushed snaps of splitting needles beneath pads were the first signals to alert the partially blind woman to Tagg's arrival, small rounded arctic audits pivoting towards the sound as her head twisted to put the ragged looking man in her single line of sight. Upon one of his ears a couple chunks of should be skin lay missing. His masked face scarred much like her own, but where an absent optic was on her face a clouded one remained on his. Apparently she wasn't the only half blinded wolf in the pack it would seem.
Narrowing her single eye cautiously Hexamora; Primrose to others, watched as this kind spirited male shifted about to take up the vacancy on her good side which just so happened to match up with his own after introducing himself. Silent, she kept her good eye focused on the tawny form beside her before parting jaws to utter her alias. "Primrose." Why was this stranger being friendly to her? Nobody in the pack offered her an ounce of kindness, why was he? There was little time to give it much thought before Namid spoke up with boring blabbering about the pups and how they would now be joining them in the communal den. With that the pack was on the move to march them over. If she wasn't in the presence of others a dramatic eye roll would have been issued.
With a hushed grunt and a silent glance towards her 'companion', the ivory woman rose to her feet and drifted towards the back of the group hoping to avoid any further attention to herself. Yet, that wold not be the case as a looming figure darkened the dirt upon her blind side. Quickly the hairs along her nape rose defensively in response to being approached on the wrong side, head swinging to catch a glimpse at who the fool was. Seeing storm tinted fur there was only one wolf she knew of that it could be. Anthem, the male second and guardian. Great. What could he possibly want? "We need to talk." He spoke, voice domineering as it filled her ears. Clearly by the tone there was no avoiding this conversation. Releasing a heavy sigh unbeknownst that Hexamora was holding she returned her gaze to the rears of her fellow pack pates, trusting(barely) the brute at her side wasn't about to try anything funny.
"What could you possibly want to talk to me about? This scorching summer heat surely couldn't make you want to discuss the weather, or don't tell me you've suddenly found yourself twitterpated over me. I'm unavailable." She jaunted with a snort at the thought, pearl tail swaying neutrally at her heels as the duo made their way towards the communal den. A place she had refused to sleep in since arriving and to this day still had not ventured into.
If there was ever a better reason for wolves to come together and share joy, Desideria could not think of it. Surely, the birth of Fallen Tree Cove's first litter was exciting for its own reasons, but there was something precious about the move from the natal den to join the group. They'd grown so much since they were but wee little fuzzballs tucked lovingly at their mother's side! It took a great deal to keep the timber wolf from crooning at the alphas' children, but her enthusiasm was instead displayed by a steady thump of her tail against the earth.
"I love puppies," she sighed to @Kajika as she watched the chubby puppies follow their dam. It was a lovely sight, and one the rogue was simply content to take part in from the sidelines. As much as she loved children, and loved her family, the subordinate was well aware that her place in the pack hierarchy would never allow her to have pups in her own. Truthfully, she was at peace with this, as well – leadership was not something the woman wanted, not in any polysemy.
The moment, unfortunately, was ruined by the presence of Primrose. Sensing the potential problem on the horizon, the female rose and shadowed the male beta as he approached the woman. Ears fell back as she studied the pair, but she came up behind Anthem's flank – their second interaction was much more positive than their first. In truth, she still held a grudge against the one-eyed woman, and if @Anthem needed support in this matter, she would be happy to provide what she could.
