Thicket of Secrets Don't Dream It's Over

Since apparently tagging has not been working for everyone, I will PM the link to people! There is no posting order! <33 This is a MANDATORY meeting for the pack! <3 First round due 07/12/13.

It had finally come time for her children to leave their birthing den and it was time for them to move into the family den, with the wolves who decided to stay there when they rested. She also knew that she had much to attend to. It had been awhile since there had been a pack gathering and she knew that it was time for another pack meeting. Happily, she let her children follow her, but ordered them to remain where they were as she took her time in climbing up her rocky throne. Vines with thorns on them had clung its way up to where she was standing, but the alpha of the woodlands pack had enough sense not to step on any of them. She flicked her tail as her muzzle raised to the sky and called for her pack mates, making it clear that what she had to say was mandatory.

She would allow Ashanti to bring her son, as he was part of their family and Nina had tried very hard to make that point clear to the single mother. She hoped that her friend would be doing alright and she would want nothing to come between her and what she wanted. Many had left since their last pack meeting and she was sad to have to admit that to herself, but she also knew she could not do anything to let them down. Settling down, she gazed upon her children, watching them with happiness. The pack was family and she knew that united they would be able to accomplish anything.

(This post was last modified: Aug 11, 2013, 06:28 PM by Nina.)

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

[Small PP of Bane being a little bit behind her?] <3

Ashanti heard the call, and she responded to it as she always had, just walking instead of running like she normally did. She had to make sure that her son could keep up with her, and she hoped it was alright that he be brought along, after all he did carry the Woodland’s scent and he was a family member. She had found herself in a sense of security, knowing that she was safe, and her mind had calmed down as if she was almost back to normal. The only difference was the child she held onto and called her own. She would let no one that she didn’t know near him, and she found that he was a smarter one, she pondered what to tell him of his father more than once in her life, most recently was that moment in time.

She knew that she would not tell Bane that she had been raped, or that he was an accident. If anything, with his daring personality, he was a blessing, letting her know that not all bad ended in worse case; she made the best out of her situation. She had stuck to the den that Bane called home more often instead of sneaking off to the herb stores. Her priorities changing, though she still loved healing, to be at Bane’s side and raise him right, that was her priority. "Nina, great to see you again!" She said as she reached the clearing, knowing her son was behind her, and not far off. She could never leave him out to the dust. It was Nina who had changed her views on how much time she snuck off and if it was alright, she had pointed out it wasn’t Bane’s thought, and he needed the love that most mothers gave to their children. She was, as usual, correct in the matter.

Hollow had been on patrol at the time of Nina's call, he had been nearing the end of it luckily and finished the last length of border just before turning to the thickets and heading back to the den. The dark male moved silently,comfortable in his territory, a place that he had thus far been successful at keeping free of dangers. He happily made his way towards Nina's call and wondered what the meeting would be for. No doubt it would consist of pup related announcements, but deep down he hoped there was more. Though Hollow would not say it aloud he hoped that he was to be made guardian soon. Maybe an official announcement about his rank in the pack. For though Nina had willingly sent Kashikoi to find himself, Hollow could not help but feel the pull of ambition.

When he arrived he lowered himself to Nina and gave a few wags of his tail. No words needed be spoken for he had reported very often to the she wolf about affairs on the border. Hollow also trusted that by now Nina had become accustomed to the way he would bow instead of lick her chin. It felt as though at last the alpha's were beginning to function with he and Iopah as proper leads and seconds did. The need for many words lessened at length and they learned each others habits. As he turned around he stepped far enough back to speak low and quiet into Ashanti's ear. "I must speak with you about Bane soon." The matter was certainly urgent but not so urgent that it should postpone this meeting. He took a place close to Nina and her young. A kind smile offered to the Renier Siblings and his gaze then fixed itself upon the she wolf.

Life for the single child had increasingly been exciting and overwhelming for him. Since he was able to leave the den for the first time, visiting Nina in that first venture, he had been out on several occasions. He had met Hollow, a dark colored man who told him of his father, a father that he may likely never come to know. And although he had been sick and possibly mad in that sickness to the point of death, the child secretly had a confidence in his father that through it all, he had survived and he was in fact, still out there in recovery, awaiting the time to be reunited with his mate and his new son. Alas, Bane had also a brief encounter with the children of this pack, the children who had a father AND a mother and not to mention, each other. The time spent with them was brief and unsavory, bringing Bane to keep tighter to his distance from strangers and closer to the side of his mother. She was with him more often now and having been fearful of the other children and their snappy demands of him, Bane was content to be with his mother and mother only.

However, this day he was being pulled away. Away from the area which he had been born and towards the sound and smell of others as he desperately tried to keep up with his large, snowy hued mother. Long limbs tripped and stumbled in the thick brush, a curse now but to one day work to maneuver within this lush landscape with ease and grace. Keeping himself close to his mother's side, he is defensive in his position, willing only to watch and learn what he may from the events of the day. Everyone here as of yet he had met prior - Nina, Hollow, the cluster of prize children... His attention shifted between them all, keeping silent as he was led to wonder what was going on with a since of sureness his question would be answered soon.

Mother led them, like always. She always led them, everywhere they went either mother or father were always in the lead no matter what. Ashton merely followed, though he always tried to lead Danica and Tacoma. Luckily they always seemed pleased to have him at the lead, the first to charge in to any dangers or new adventures. Of course once he was there and had charged in Tacoma did more of the complicated decision making. Ashton was not one for exceedingly deep thought and it seemed as though Tacoma always thought out what he was about to do before he did it, and usually he asked Ashton too.

But something was different today, his mother walked straight and tall, something he had recently begun to recognize as "with pride". He followed and lifted himself as high as he could, mimicking the stance his mother had. Though he did not know that he was nowhere near a leader, and his stance would be taken as a threat in the future, there was still time for the young Renier to learn. Ashton kept silent and watched as familiar faces materialized. He tried his very hardest to give Bane a kind look but was unsure if he even saw. The white she wolf that the other pup was with was a stranger to Ashton, he could not remember seeing her before and waited patiently to find out just what was going on.

As of late their little den had been more a mess of limps and fur than the cavernous home he once thought it to be. Every time the growing cub stretched out his limbs he would find it connecting with another body. The growing problem was yet another reason he tried to spend as much time outside of the den as possible. He was hitting an awkward stage in his life where his head seemed too big for his body, and his limbs were growing a little too fast for everything. Guard hairs were appearing across the top of his nose, and a murky golden blue had replaced the previously denim color of his eyes. All of this collectively succeeded in making him feel even more gawky than he had before. The young prince even found himself tripping over his own feet, much to his chagrin, but there was no helping it.

Already, Tacoma had proved a knack for reading those around him. Today was no different and he could tell that something was up. His mother who usually seemed very laid back around them had held herself differently. When she stood to leave the den her tail was higher than usual, and her posture was much more stiff. She walked with purpose, and it was something Tacoma envied. One day he wanted to walk that way; he wanted to feel the confidence in himself exuded by his parents. They were 'proud' and strong, and compared to Ashton, he was weak. The cub took notice of the change in his brother's stance, but his own gait fell. A small tail hung limp against his backside, and his head bobbled lower than usual. He was the older brother, shouldn't he have been the one walking as his mother did?

Once in the sunlight he watched as his mother began climbing the rocky steps upward to her thrown. She told them to stay put, and so he did. With his dimming mood, he preferred to stay below any way. He listened as her voice rang out, and watched as the wolves began gathering underneath her. It was the very first time he had ever realized the power she held over those around her. They all waited for her to speak, hanging on her every word, and it fascinated him. Murky eyes traveled over the crowd, and he had to ask himself if she had even done it. Finally his eyes landed on the dark pup that he and Aston had discovered just days prior. He had a burning desire to go to him, and ask if he would like to sit with them throughout the meeting, but he couldn't. Once again his thoughts plagued him with the fear of rejection, and so instead he decided to turn back to look at his mother and wait to hear what she had to say.

Koda was busily peeing on every bush in sight like any other dominant wild animal would do when presented with copious amounts of unmarked bushes. Nina's howl pulled him from this task, calling for a meeting, and although there were still many shrubs in the vicinity yet to be graced with his scent he turned towards the heart of the territory. A brisk trot brought him to the rocky cave that made the pack's den. His tail waved above his back and his head was held high over his shoulders, seeming more put together and in his own skin since becoming leader of the woodlands pack. He truly knew himself and who he was now, though Nina was the only one he'd told that he had regained his memories. Any of the shame that he held from breaking his vow with Elettra and leaving Willow Ridge was held secret and close to his heart.

Already Ashanti, Bane, and Hollow were there. Even if it was slightly surprising, he was glad the young mother and cub had stayed with the pack. They were family, and he would hate to see any of them go. His own children were clustered nearby the den, and he gave each one a quick lick on the head before making the few quick bounds up the rocks to sit close at his mate's side. A few had yet to arrive, and he waited to give them some more time before they could begin the meeting.

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

Iopah crouched sphinx-like outside of the burrow, pale fore legs stretched out elegantly before her. Only her bright eyes moved, following the soft shuffling sound coming from within the burrow. She had been waiting for the greater part of an hour. Iopah knew the woodchuck was inside, after all she had chased him there, and sooner or later he would come back out. It was simply a matter of staying silent and letting the chuck think she had left. Iopah was engaged in this waiting game when Nina called. Iopah's head snapped up in surprise. Eyes narrowed, she looked back to the burrow in irritation. Inside the woodchuck listened, knowing it's tormentor had been called away. It leaned close to the entrance and Iopah flashed forward. Her teeth sank into it's shoulder and it screamed.

Backing out of the tight burrow Iopah shook it roughly and it fell limp. Lifting her head high she trotted off. Every few steps would dislodge a droplet of blood that stained Iopah's chest. Coming to the cache she swiftly set it down before picking up her rapid trot. The woodchuck had cost her precious time. The others came into sight and she slowed. Koda and Nina were both present and she approached them to lick their muzzles and sweep the ground with her tail. Finished she stepped away to find an out of the way place to listen.

Anyone who has not yet showed up is still allowed to join. I do need to get this thread moving though.

It was not long before some of her family members arrived. She was pleased to see the first ones to arrive were Ashanti and her son, and with a small smile she nodded to the woman, looking down upon her children and offering up a proposition to them. "Darlings, why don’t you go sit with your brother?" She mentioned towards the little black pup that looked a little bit lonely next to his mother. She knew that in their minds they would somehow connect that they were not blood, but she knew that she would not have to worry that they would treat him like a brother. The pups were all born at around the same time and Nina did not wish any harm to become of any of her family members. Wagging her tail, she raised an eyebrow as Hollow approached them, leaning over to whisper something in her subordinate’s ear. Not being able to help herself, she raised her voice slightly, her green eye glimmering with mischief. "If I wouldn’t have known any better, I would think you were whispering secrets, my dears." She flicked her tail high above her back and stared at the two wolves before the rustling of bushes caught her attention. Looking towards where the sound had progressed, she was pleased to see that her mate had finally arrived.

The alpha watched as her mate slowly made his way towards her, ending up at a stop near her shoulder. Licking his cheek in affection, she leaned slightly into his side, relishing in the comfort of his warmth. The sight of Iopah arriving brought a small smile upon her lips, bumping her muzzle lightly on the woman’s forehead before waiting a tad bit longer. @Danica, Tacoma, and Ashton seemed to be doing just fine, and Nina was happy with that, but as time wore on, she knew that her children would not be able to stay awake if she waited for @Azariah and @Eva to come to the meeting. She could always find out where the ladies were later. Flicking her tail behind her, slightly irritated by the fact that the two women were late, she started the meeting. Clearing her throat to get everyone’s attention, she spoke clearly and strongly, "As you may or may not know, we have formed an alliance with Poison Path. Many of you may not know of our ties with the pack, but I am pleased to inform you that my half brother leads the pack, along with a close friend of mine. I believe we can accomplish much with our alliance with Poison Path. There is also Whisper Caverns, Sloane and Narimé’s pack. We have close ties with them and it will most likely remain as so, same with Willow Ridge."

Looking over her subordinates and children, she made sure she had every one of their attention. Pleased that she had it, she continued, "Over the past months we have had a few new members come into our ranks. There was Liam, who is now considered Hostile. Any who encounter him are to find out why he left and if his answer in invalid, then immediately chase him off. There is also Eva, who is my sister, though she had not arrived yet, I have smelled her within the territory recently. And most pleasing, we have our four newest miracles in the world: Ashton, Bane, Danica, and Tacoma. It is great to know that four new lives have been created and that the pack as a whole will do anything to keep all four of them healthy and strong." She then waits, letting her words set in before she continues, "Are there any questions before we move on?"

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

His eyes turned away from the crowd, falling back upon his mother. Words fell from her mouth containing a fluidity that he had yet to accomplish. In that moment he felt a mix of emotions course through him. The first was envy. The cub didn't want to take his mother's position, but rather feel the power that coursed into her speech. He hoped that someday other wolves could look to him for guidance, or come to him in their times of need. Would he ever stand before a cluster such as this, and speak on behalf of the group. The second was pride, as his mother was commanding the whole pack. There she was, at the center of the group, acting as a glue and keeping them together.

Tacoma immersed himself in her words which poured over him, and he did his best to understand everything she said. He didn't know what a Sloane, or Poison Path, or any of those other strange words were. It was all foreign to him, and so he ignored it. The answer might have been obvious, and if he were to ask, those around him might laugh. He definitely didn't have the confidence to be stared at, or giggled at. Sinking down a little bit he shook his head, allowing his mother to continue on in her speech. Murky blue eyes strayed away toward the faces of his pack mates. Did they know what she meant by that, or were they too afaid to ask as well? All of them seemed rather content, and his heart fell slightly. It was just one more thing he couldn't understand, but he had a feeling it was going to drive him nuts.

(This post was last modified: Jul 18, 2013, 12:12 PM by Tacoma.)