Secret Woodlands It's Time

          Since the formation of the Secret Woodlands, Ecco’s presence amongst her pack members had been largely nonexistent. Some might have questioned whether the straggling lone female still had enough motivation for her to start anew, or if Ecco withered away quietly without having the opportunity to embrace pack life once again. Alas, the D’Oliva had been tucked away in her den since. Whether it had been a combination of settling back into the social life amongst a hierarchy again, or due to the fact she was on her last straw of effort to even function for the sake of her survival, Ecco had taken the time to recuperate herself fully. This meant sleep, lots of sleep. Ecco took to becoming a homebody in the confines of her den, spending both the cold winter days and frigid nights curled up by herself, catching up on sleep and strength after the so many months of going without. With finally a place to rest her head and call home, Ecco’s mentality and physicality could finally rest at ease for a time being. Sleep had become something of a luxury, an obsession for her. Not to say Ecco hadn’t been willing to get reconnected with new members of her family again, but how was Ecco supposed to support healthy bonds with her pack mates if she was no where near her own best potential herself?

          The substance of muscle slowly began to take its form back upon her again since initiation into the Secret Woodland. Her coat wasn’t as coarse, actually gained slight tufts and a bushy mane to her shoulders, neck, and tail. The amber in her eyes was a little more vibrant, a little more calculative, and alive with energy. Ecco’s shoulders didn’t slump anymore; gravity didn’t feel like it was threatening to pull her six feet under with every step she took. The Subordinate was slowly blooming into a young female again, but at the same time of this miracle also came a hefty price. Ecco had been obviously out of the loop with pack affairs, so when Nina’s call did not reach her ears the first time (due to the fact she was sound asleep), the deep bellow of Sloane’s own howl woke her with a start. There was a sense of urgency in this one, to which Ecco automatically rose to her paws and slunk out of her den with a quick shake and an instant sprint to the direction of the howl. In the manner of which a human adolescent was late for class, Ecco dashed to the call with half lid eyes of slumber yet. She knew herself her absence amongst those who should and were her family was uncalled for, but then again Ecco hoped they were patient with her healing process.

          Fully awake now, Ecco slowed to a trot once she arrived in the gathering. Immediately her stature took that of her title as Subordinate, and even more so because there was a hint of shame for not coming around as a responsible member should. Yet, Ecco casted glances to those she knew before in the gathering: Nina, with an apologetic gleam but a respectful nod, Hollow, with a wistful muzzle motion of acknowledgment, and Sloane, to which there was something blatantly off about him and for a large male like Sloane who was approachable and affectionate by nature, there was something all too serious about him in this moment. There was also another male, the scent of Nina and the Woodlands strong on him, much stronger than Ecco anticipated. There was a regal stance about him that suggested his superiority amongst the group, although Ecco did not recall him being one of the original founders of the Woodland nor even seeing him from before. The situation at paw here was much more serious than Ecco assumed, and quietly she sat down not too far from Hollow, a silent questioning beckoning toward Nina. As if she didn't feel guilty enough for being missing in action, Ecco mentally kicked herself in the tail for missing out on whatever was going on here, because the vibes she was picking up from this gathering was heavy and uncertain.

Next round due 3/15/13. NO POSTING ORDER.

She watched her subordinates carefully gauging their reactions. Considering by the blank looks she was getting from a few of her family members it did not seem as if it was truly the present. Hollow was the first one who clicked into action, the boy slowly coming forward, no look of challenge in his eyes. Though, what Nina did see almost shocked her: evaluation. It proved that the boy truly was devoted to the pack and that gained some respect in the alpha’s eye. She watched as Hollow some what submitted to Koda, and it brought true happiness to her. When nothing else rang clear she finally spoke once more, "Then with all of you as witnesses, I proclaim Koda alpha male of the Secret Woodlands pack." Nodding towards her mate, her ears flickered as Ecco and Ashanti had obviously responded to Sloane’s call. It was good to see that the female was still around the area, for Nina had not seen the woman around since the founding, she only thing reminding the alpha that the lady was still around was the lingering scent of her within the territory. It took everyone awhile to get use to new surroundings. It was also good to see Ashanti again, she had not seen much of the girl around either, but she was happy to see one of her loyalist once again.

Nodding towards the female, she glanced towards Iopah, giving her a silent message to catch the other woman up on the events that they had discussed, while listening to what their female alpha had to say in the same moment. After several more moments of waiting for @Kashikoi and @Durai she once again started discussing more of the many matters at paw. Clearing her throat she continued on, "There has also been an alliance between our pack and that of Willow Ridge. I please ask that you become acquainted with some of their members." She then paused her eye searching the gathered once again, letting the information sink into their brains. Nina owed Elettra much and an alliance had been the only way the Healer would be able to return the favor. "There are also other packs. Poison Path, up near Lost Lake, is a pack I believe we will become close to, as I have a sibling in the pack and the alpha is a friend of mine. There is also Grizzly Hollow in the Cedarwood Forest. I suggest being wary when near their borders, for I am unsure of how they take strangers for the time being. I also believe there is another pack formed up in the mountains, as an injured female spoke of them, and last is Swift River. I am not familiar with them, as I have not traveled near the area for quite awhile, but last time I was there, their pack was within the Sacred Grove. If there are any other packs that you know of please speak now," she went on, her voice carrying over the clearing as she sat high on her perch.

After several more moments of silence she turned her head to look over at Sloane, a serious glint in her emerald eye. "I also have a concern for all of you to pay close attention to. A loner has recently come to our borders carrying a disease. When you scent an animal that smells of death and is still walking stay as far away from the wolf as possible. The disease can be transmitted by contact and I don‘t know any of you to pick up the disease, as there is no cure for the morbus. I can not stress the importance of this enough," her voice rang stern and clear, her ears pricked forward and a small scowl planted on her lips. She did not want anyone within her new family becoming ill because they did not heed her warning of the death wolves. "I also ask that if you have any information of these kind of wolves that you come and report it to me immediately," she then shut her mouth, letting all the facts Nina had just stringed out to them all sink in before she started on with their meeting.

(This post was last modified: Mar 09, 2013, 04:00 AM by Nina.)

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

Two more wolves arrived, a tawny and a golden female, and Koda made sure to carefully note their faces and scents so he might remember his packmates later. He couldn't help but notice the curious, confused glances that the pack cast not only his way but to the situation in general. It hadn't been his intent to send the pack into any sort of upheaval with his arrival. He would have to work carefully to fill the voids that the departure of the current alpha male would leave. Koda did cast a curious glance of his own to Sloane, suddenly curious that he had to wonder what voids the russet wolf was filling towards Nina, and also ashamed that such a thought had crossed his mind. He himself had been leading besides Elettra, and at the moment he couldn't even answer for himself what he had meant to the woman. Sure, he felt nothing for the coal pelted woman now, but he could not tell for sure with parts of his memory missing.

Nina spoke up, alerting them to the foremost issue that stood before the pack, the change in leadership. At her question for any objections, no one spoke up, but the timid black wolf did step before him. For how unsure the young man looked, he looked to have a spark of courage to him and that he would have his silent say in this matters of his pack. Koda stared back, loose in posture but with tail held out as the young wolf appraised him. Whatever the yearling was looking for he seemed to find, as he tucked his tail and tilted his head to expose his delicate neck in submission. Koda would not use violence to assert himself, but rather flicked his muzzle upward and waved his tail aloft, indicating the wolf to step away and back to his seat.

Sloane called again for more of the pack which had apparently not yet arrived. Another dark female hurriedly rushed in, quickly settling before Nina continued on with other issues. He had not been aware of the alliance between his new and old pack, though he supposed it would make sense. He was glad for some way to stay connected with the pack which he had to leave behind. He listened carefully to the descriptions of the other packs, and whether he knew them or not before hitting his head, they would surely be important to note now. Nina's warning of disease as well was filed carefully into his growing list of important things to know. Having nothing of importance to add himself, he kept quiet.

(This post was last modified: Mar 09, 2013, 03:02 AM by Koda.)

Arla and Emma are the ish and made my pretties!
Koda will most likely always be accompanied by Chiron unless otherwise stated, or requested.

Silence rang out loudly in the clearing, at least it did in the yearlings head. It was pounding, until he saw Koda's head flick for him to move away and his tail wave. He relaxed further and raised his head enough to look ahead as he backed away, a few paces from Koda he stopped. "My name is Hollow, treat us well sir." He spoke so that only Koda would hear, it was spoken without malice, more of a request than a demand. The dark yearling paced back across the clearing to settle himself beside Azariah once more and pressed into her side as she had his. Taking comfort from the feel of her next to him. Hollow gazed around and suspected from the curiosity in everyone's gazes that they were not nearly as upset as he.

Once again as he felt Azariah by his side his insides stilled and his heartbeat became regular. From the outside he looked calm once more, however inside he was still feeling torn in two. Once Sloane's howl rang deeply through the air an almost instantaneous response came from the bushes, and Ecco came sweeping in. She had a look upon her face as if she was caught doing something very wrong, and the dark yearling almost let out a laugh as she came to settle herself in his vicinity and gazed up questioningly with Nina, as everyone else was. A sigh escaped him and his momentary pain was able to be shoved away towards the back of his mind while Nina spoke.

The news seemed casual at first, at mention of the alliance with Willow Ridge, the young male made himself a note to travel that way when he had the chance to do so. Hollow had no clue that there were any other packs besides the one in the Cedarwood Forest, though now it had a name. That must have been the border he had scented when he first met Iopah. No real note was taken there until she spoke of the illness that had pressed their borders. There came the flash of his anger and the sounds of Anne's voice, madness etching its way into the words that had spilled from her muzzle. He shivered visibly yet he could not offer anything useful to the meeting yet so he kept himself silent. Waiting for the rules, and knowing with a slight burn on his neck that mating would once again be mentioned, though secretly he hoped the only ones that knew of his true feelings were Sloane Azariah and Nina, he was not sure that the looks he would get wouldn't kill him.

(This post was last modified: Mar 09, 2013, 04:08 AM by Hollow.)

Iopah had known Sloane was only a temporary resident. His honesty from the beginning had earned him respect from Iopah. It had taken guts to do what he had. Still, she had not known him well and her fear of the unknown had swirled just under her surface. Though she sat calmly watching her companions her past whispered a warning. She had been through a similar scene. Iopah had sworn herself to a pair of wolves she did not know. Her blind faith had been spit on. Months later she was holding the mangled end of her promise. Her shame and anger of Kaya and Kavik's betrayl still stung. But this not an unfamiliar pair of wolves before her. This was <i>Nina.</i> There was no hesitation when it came to Nina. Iopah would lay down in front of death it if could spare Nina. Iopah would serve her pack to the end, and the pack <i>needed</i> Nina.

This new wolf, Koda. Nina clearly trusted him and that went quite far with Iopah, but she firmly believed trust needed to be earned. This new face had not earned Iopah's trust yet. Only time and actions could bring about that level of trust. For the time being Iopah would be polite and respectful to Koda, but her stubborn nature would not let her promise anything to him yet. If Nina trusted him so implicitly it would not take long. It was not Iopah's intention to cause any discord so she would keep this to herself. She smiled briefly as Hollow retook his place nostalgic for the days when she could trust so easily. The arrival of another wolf was a welcome distraction. Her pale form half-turned to see Ecco arrive. If it weren't for her guilty expression Iopah might have felt irritation with her lateness. From the look on Ecco's face it wasn't needed. Iopah caught Nina's meaningful glance and with a graceful movement rose to her feet stepping closer to Ecco. Her eyes held a sparkle of amusement and her chin dipped slightly in greeting. She glanced around. There was a still a lull as Nina waited for the remaining members so she turned back to Ecco. "Sloane will be leaving to start his own pack. Koda," At this she pointed her muzzle to the silver male, "is Nina's mate and will take his place. Our pack will be alliances with Sloane's. Nina's voice interrupted them and Iopah sat near Ecco to listen. She was surprised to hear the list of pack. She didn't realize there were so many.

Her head rose when Nina asked for information about the illness. She knew she had to speak up. "I met that loner before she became sick. We were on the mountain. She had been raised by humans and they had abandoned her. She was looking for a pack I knew of in the mountains. I continued and she stay to search for them. Iopah wanted to add that she had seen nothing alarming herself, but it had happened. Whatever had found poor Anne had just barely missed Iopah.

She was pleased to see that Iopah instantly went with her requests and filled in both Ecco and Ashanti to what had happened. Hollow had little to say towards Koda and Iopah quickly filled her in on the information she had of the loner that had come to their borders.. Pleased with the information she was given, she continued on, her voice ringing powerfully over the silence, "Thank you. Iopah, on a more positive note, I think it is time that you receive the official title of Huntress within our ranks, I have observed your skills during the pack hunt and I see that you have kept our caches filled, along with many others. Congratulations." A small smile graced her features as she said this, nodding her head towards Iopah, her good eye moving over to her yearling briefly. In time, they would receive their own rankings, and Nina still needed to spend more time with the female she had healed by the lagoon to know what she wished to specialize in. There would be another time for that however.

Waiting to see if anyone had anything to add on, she then continued, "As for rankings, it was probably noticeable enough, but Iopah is below me, as Ecco below her, then Ashanti, Azariah. The male rankings have now been quite different, as it seems Koda shall be alpha and Hollow…you will be third ranking wolf from now, onwards." Her tone was finalized. Kashikoi would soon be going on a task of his own and Durai had already taken off. With a small sigh, she continued on to the last part of their meeting, the part that Nina wished to remain the freshest. Clearing her throat, she spoke once again, "I would also like to make it clear of some of the rules within the pack so that there is no confusion." She paused quickly, making sure that the pack’s attention was on her.

"Within our pack, each and every one of you are allowed to have your own mate…however the leading pair, are the only ones allowed to breed," she paused again, letting this piece of information seep in. "If there are any loners or other pack wolves within our land without Koda or my own marking on them clear, then you are to immediately chase them off…no questions asked." This rule made her think back to the time she had done the exact opposite when Durai had crept too far into the Creek territory, but Nina had saved him quite quickly and he had turned out then to be a faithful member. "And of course, last but not least, let me make it clear that this pack is built on trust, devotion, and respect. If I find that you have gone behind any of our backs and gone against the Woodland‘s laws…then I am afraid there will be dire consequences for unwanted misbehavior. Does anyone have any questions?" Her emerald gaze traveled over her pack mates, making sure to look each of them in the eye.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

"As for rankings, it was probably noticeable enough, but Iopah is below me, as Ecco below her, then Ashanti, Azariah. The male rankings have now been quite different, as it seems Koda shall be alpha and Hollow…you will be third ranking wolf from now, onward. Now that she knew what the rankings were, she raised her tail above Azariah, but below everyone else. For those were the words and laws of the pack and she would happily oblige to the laws of the pack, she had sworn to do so.

Everyone of you are allowed to have your own mate…however the leading pair, are the only ones allowed to breed. Let me make it clear that this pack is built on trust, devotion, and respect. If I find that you have gone behind any of our backs and gone against the Woodland‘s laws…then I am afraid there will be dire consequences for unwanted misbehavior. Ashanti listened as Nina spoke of relationships and who was and was not allowed to do things and have things. Ashanti smiled, she didn't have to worry about that, she had no love of her life and she probably never would have one. She knew that she was loyal to Nina and Sloane, or Koda or whoever the alphas were, she was loyal to Secret Woodlands and a lover, a mate, which would be a distraction towards that loyalty. Ashanti’s tail remained in a submissive tone, but above Azariah’s. She naturally took dominance, no matter the amount that was small or large, her mother had taught her, at least that back in her old pack that the healers deserved respect that was earned. Now was her chance to prove that she earned respect, if not with dominance.

Does anyone have any questions?” Ashanti thought, she should let Nina know that she was going out to get herbs, but that could be said later so she did not bring it up. She had no questions about it, other then maybe if there were more than one pair of mates within the pack, but that was disrespectful so she held her tongue.

Iopah heard herself speak, heard the few meager sentences she could offer regarding Anne and shrunk mentally. It seemed like so little. What Iopah knew about Anne could be said with one breath. It was a paltry amount of information. Nevertheless Nina thanked her and Iopah realized her previous assumption was not completely accurate. They knew she was unfamiliar with the area and that she had little ability to survive on her own. Slightly mollified by that thought, Iopah self-consciously arranged her smokey tail over her fore paws.

Nina moved on and Iopah's eyes widened as she realized the next topic pertained to her. Suddenly shy, she turned her head to swipe her coral tongue against her side. She had known this was coming, but Iopah had never been comfortable in the spotlight. Her head dipped low in gratitude. Nina paused meaningfully and Iopah glanced up sharply. She was beginning to learn that her alpha often paused before an important announcement.

Each and every one of you are allowed to have your own mate. The idea was foreign to her. Her parents were old-school in their law-making. Of course, some wolves were closer than others, but to have such an arrangement was an effective was to be evicted. Iopah was sure that had Kele survived to adulthood the two of them would have left the Barberi pack. It was an incredible temptation, one that Iopah wasn't sure many would be able to resist. There was a dull ache in her heart, time had done much to dampen her anger over her loss. Nina had not need to warn Iopah of the consequences. Iopah's ship had passed, figuratively.

Nina's second rule was commonplace and Iopah nodded in acceptance of both. There would be no opposition from her. Iopah turned to her companions, wondering at their reactions. Nina was being extremely generous, there shouldn't be any. Her attention turned back to Nina. She tilted her head curiously. Her posture seemed to asking, "What next?"

Closing up the pack meeting! If you'd like to post an exit, the deadline is May 7th. The thread will be archived after that.

Koda heeded Hollow's soft-spoken words, meeting the youth's odd eyes with an unfathomable gaze. Anything Koda could have said would have meant nothing yet, he would have to earn the woodlands pack's trust and devotion through action. He would show to them he was fair, kind, and everything else he'd ever idealized and looked up to.

A warm smile and wag of his plush tail was given in congratulations to Iopah's promotion to hunter. Though for the rest of the rules as Nina doled them out he stood still and silent, a little bit unsure of his place at the moment yet keeping his face a mostly unreadable mask. He was sure with time this would all feel natural, he would be able to fall into the rhythm of leading this pack, yet at the moment it was honestly overwhelming.

As Nine closed up her spiel on rules and etiquette, Koda had nothing to add. The most vital things had been covered, and while other unforeseeable things would surely come up over time, they would be addressed as they arose. The pack seemed to have no further questions, and Koda noticed Iopah looking towards Nina expectantly. Koda glanced towards his mate, making brief eye contact to make sure she truly was done, before stepping forward and lifting his head. "If there are no questions, this meeting is concluded. Of course you may seek us out if anything else arises, but that should be it for today." With a bob of his head, he dismissed the Woodlands wolves.

Arla and Emma are the ish and made my pretties!
Koda will most likely always be accompanied by Chiron unless otherwise stated, or requested.

Ashanti stayed calm as the entire pack was dismissed from the meeting, a sigh of relief as she started out into the thicket beyond. She had, before leaving, given a respectful nod to the alpha pair. She ran away towards the border, herbs were needed and the season was fast approaching. The wolf knew to be careful out there, but she needed herbs. She'd travel around towards Copper Rock Creek's old territory first, than she would drop over to Ghastly Woods, than Blackberry Fields and return. That was her plan at least and she would be back in at least a week or two.

As she ran, the slight winds of winter made her fur bellow. She was running against the wind and she passed over the border. She had been one of the last to arrive at the meeting and the first to leave. She felt kind of bad about her quick departure but there was nothing she could do about it now. Her icy, light blue eyes were clouded with wonder. She wondered if she could find the herbs in such a frost state like winter. She herself had never gone on such a long expedition so far from home for herbs and wondered what she could find where.

She would have asked Nina to come with her, but with the season approaching and her being an alpha, it was expected that her and her mate would elope and there would be pups. So it was probably best that she stayed. Then she would have asked Azariah, but felt it would be awkward because she didn’t know her too well. Oh well, she’d be fine.

(EXIT)