Sex: FemaleThe mother moved easily through her thickets, her single eye taking in the land she could now happily call her own to all of those around her. When she moved, it was almost as if the land and her claim moved with her. She was the queen and had always been the queen of the thickets, but in the years to come she would need a successor, and she had no daughters to follow in her footsteps, so in the end she would result to the next best thing. That, however, was not what today was going to be about, she needed her family there and there was no time for any mistakes.
When she got to the area where the tree had fallen many months prior, she easily made her way to stand on top of the broken, dead bark, allowing her to survey everything in the clearing. When she was officially pleased with her position, she tilted her head back and released and long, low howl for her members. She knew that they were not as numerous as they had been in the past, but they were still a family and they would always be a family. The quicker her pack got here, the faster and easier this meeting would go by. She remained still and waited for them to gather, keeping a special eye out for her children, as they were the most important aspect of her life right then, and she needed to know that they were safe and had not befallen to same fate of Tacoma.
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These days the path back from hunting was decidedly more elliptical. As usual she stopped at the cache, making her dependable deposit and taking inventory. She kept it well marked, ensuring the thieving weasels and fox stayed clear. Where she would have headed den-ward in the past, she now she swung by the den. Keeping the rapidly growing pups entertained, and more frequently than not, contained to the safest, innermost part of the thicket.
That is what she was doing just moments before Nina called for all of them. Making her lazy way toward the den, smoothing her maroon tongue down her chest to clear the last remnants of deer blood. Bits of rabbit fur and an antler (now where had they found that?) littered the area, but a swift glance did not reveal the pups themselves. Nina's call sounded low and clear and Iopah's own muzzle lifted in answer, emitting the briefest of howls in acknowledgement. Giving a brisk shake, Iopah chuffed loudly, certainly loud enough to catch the attention of a nearby pup. Peering into the den and among the brackens that lined the clearing Iopah made her slow way toward Nina's voice.
The route was very familiar and she huffed in amusement to see Nina perched on her sleeping tree. Ears held back loosely in respect and headed held down in deference she approached. Along with all her signs of submission her tail swayed freely, broadcasting her happiness at seeing Nina. In the long parade of wolves Iopah had known, Nina had never left her. She headed to a bare patch in front of her den and settled down. Perfectly content to wait, she stretched out languorously.
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note to all, io's den is at the base of the fallen tree, the whole area would probably smell like her
speech Miccah was at the borders when Nina's call rang through the territory. He wasn't surprised, for they had discussed this all beforehand, and now all that was left to do was inform the rest of the pack. His large bulk moved swiftly in the shadows of the thickets. He had long grown accustomed to the thorns and traveled his territory on the daily that he didnt even have trouble moving around anymore. He knew what was to be spoken about in today's pack meeting, though he couldn't help but wonder the pack's reaction to everything. Only time would tell. When he finally found Nina, he opened his maw. "Nina," he greeted in a kind rumble, nodding to her. They rarely ever got along really, but having Secret Woodlands as their #1 priority to succeed as a shared goal made it all the more bearable. He stood beside her, his shiny black fur constricting completely with her tawny coat. What a mixed-matched pair they made. Mentally chuckling, his gaze ran over the area until his deep blue eyes landed on Iopah, the female second and huntress of the pack. He greeted her by name, in an equally kind rumble. They were lucky to have her, she was a talented huntress. Though he had only truly seen her in action once. Moving his gaze from Iopah, they roved around the thickets. He could never truly relax since the whole Anouke incident. Hell, since he became alpha. Anouke was just another worry on his already burdened shoulders. He hoped his worry lifted somewhat as the meeting progressed. |
Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief |
The boy had been out exploring as he dared to venture farther away from the den and closer to the borders when he heard the howl. It was a voice that he was familiar and comfortable with... it was the voice of his mother and so he ran to it. He was soon to arrive to the place they were meeting to see the Guardian he had already met had arrived as well as a woman he had never really talked to. He had seen her around the pack den though, so that was something. "Mama!" He called out with a grin on his muzzle as he took a seat right in front of her, and in that he meant right in front of her. He was sitting at her paws and facing her.
"Mama, why did you call for every wolf?" The question made itself known as he looked up to her curiously. His eyes had not yet begun to change so they held denim blue in appearance. Soon... less then a month until they would start to form into golden eyes. The devious boy was known for sneaking off in the dead of night to go exploring even more. He had an innocent smile on his face and he waited to hear about why they were meeting. The boy ran off of curiosity and determination to be better then Silentium and Unitas at everything, especially the physical stuff like fighting or hunting. Soon... oh so very soon could he start learning these skills.
When the call came through to her she knew she would have to face them all. She took a deep breathe and closed her eyes for a few moments. Her breathing labored slightly as she rose from laying down in the den she knew to be her own and pushed out of it into the thicket that held her past and her mysteries. She did not run to the scene for it was not far and she preferred to not be around the wolves who knew her as crazy and insane for any longer then she had to be. She was highly insecure about the matter and it could even be a sensitive subject to anyone that wasn't herself. She liked to talk to herself and it made her wonder. Was she still insane?
She stopped hesitantly towards the back of where they were supposed to meet. Did she really have to be there? Of course she did, it was a pack meeting, but a feeling of dread pushed it's way into her heart and so she stayed at the back, on the borderline. There was a little child there, one she assumed to be Nina's son. Ashanti didn't know if the father was Miccah or another but from the way it sounded when she joined, it was the latter of the two options. She gulped as she remained just in site of the meeting, offering a small and hesitant smile to both Nina and Miccah before looking at her paws. She'd look up once the meeting was to start.
His ears perked and body stiffened as he listened to her call, a howl that beckoned the whole pack to a meeting immediately. He huffed, hissing to himself as the rodent he'd been chasing--more for food than sport--slipped beneath the cover of fully grown trees and away from his green speckled vision. It was a fair loss, he wasn't hungry and it had been a while since the pack had a meeting, months actually, and he knew it was a smarter idea to attend then skip the meeting in case he missed anything important. His legs moved with a speed that would otherwise hide his age as he made it to the middle of the pack within minutes, panting slightly but hardly phased by the run--in attendance were some of the members but not all. He glanced around him slowly, ears pulling backward on his skull as he settled to his rump where his rank allowed, nestled next to Iopah, her body heat radiated on his hip.
As he waited for the others to come he stared at those who had come, first to Nina, with a dip of his head, then Iopah where a smile easily crossed his lips and next to Miccah, the male he hardly knew and saw very little of but he respected-for the moment- and dipped his head. The others his eyes lingered a moment or so longer, young Pacem and Ashanti, one who he had met previously and the other who was a fleeting memory but he smiled at them briefly before turning his attention back to Nina and Miccah wondering what this meeting was about.
Kite and @Mirren moved together in the woodlands. Kite sought a gift for the boys, very much so wanting to spoil them, and she had enlisted in the help of Mirren. He was a boy, after all, and would know better than she what an ideal gift might be. Bones were easy, but Kite wanted something of more sentiment and use. Something that Nina could look at herself and know that there was genuine thought put into it. Kite truly cared what the woman thought of her, and sought to be the very best. It was then that their leader called, and Kite glanced to Mirren with her ears perked. The dutiful subordinate licked her chops and moved to nudge his shoulder roughly, affectionately nipping him.We can get back to this hunt later,the Tainn thinks to say; the days where they were together were her favorite. Her Lead Guardian often patrolled, and she had taken to helping him; but she had her duty to attend to, too. It was not her role yet, but she hoped soon it would be.
The duo moved through the forest with ease. Kite had acclimated at long last, and she was relieved to no longer be tripping over the woodlands roots constantly. She had even gained some semblance of grace, but the woman would have months yet to earn the grace that forest-born dwellers maintained. It took no time at all for the duo to arrive, and Kite slipped up to her leaders and submissively placated them with licks to the chin before retreating and moving to a spot that suited her. She was beneath the women of the pack, last-ranked... but Kite would not sit there for long. Still, she addressed them, too, as was expected. Her ears flattened and her posture was suitable for her own place on the totem pole. It was nothing to be ashamed of; it was something she would change.
His eyes found hers. The call, as unexpected as it was, rang clear through the air as Mirren roved through the folds of the forest with his Kite. Time had been kind to them both; after they'd made their vows, traversed Relic Lore in a series of fortunate and memorable adventures, and returned home to the Thicket of Secrets, the budding Tainn and his mate had spent much of the summertime together. As a result, they were stronger than ever and things seemed to have really turned around. With a future so bright in store for he and the former L'Crowe, Mirren felt like a new man─and he was. Prowling through the shadows and paying little attention to the tangle of roots and vegetation underfoot, he didn't have to look for his mate to know she was at his side as they pressed closer to Nina's location. Though his stoical expression wouldn't betray the fact that his mind was racing over possible reasons for an unanticipated gathering, racing it was. What was the meaning of this? Was everyone alright? Already, some of the scents that had previously painted the territory had begun to fade, and, as compared with spring, the summer months had been less eventful. The boy shrugged it off, supposing that a meeting was probably overdue, anyway. Emerging on the scene with Kite by his side, Mirren's golden eyes roved over those who had beat the pair there. Pacem. Ashanti─still a mystery to him. Koda. Miccah. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that the amount of respect he held for the latter two was directly proportional to their histories with Nina. Koda's abandonment of her and his children would always stand out in the forefront of his mind, and thoughts of the event would always elicit the same sour taste in his mouth. As for Miccah, well...his ascension had been by default alone, and although he was a standing Leader to the Woodlands wolves, Mirren was sure that Nina deserved more, better, even. Nonetheless, the Tainn paid his respects appropriately alongside Kite, his gaze casting warmly, respectfully, endearingly to Nina before he took his rightful position─with his rear on the ground and his back to the fallen tree she was perched on. As her son and the realm's Guardian, the only place for him now was by the Queen's vacant side opposite, yet still below, her male counterpart. His eyes cast over Kite, who had taken a chosen seat of her own. Their honey-hued depths conveyed what unspoken words did not: she belonged at his side, but...she couldn't be until he told Nina, and that was that. Still, he shot his mate a reassuring wink before silently settling in wait for the others to arrive. |
They were strangers. Most of them at least, savor her Leaders, her brother and her brother's beautiful mate. As she came closer and closer to the gathering she took time to pause and sniff all the different scents of her pack mates who were coming, getting to know them by their smell so that she could finally meet it up with their faces. A warm expression moved over her features at the sight of Nina, a woman who had been a part of her father's pack and had taken care of her and her brothers when they were little. After a passing glance to the male Lead (which she had only really spoken too once) and a dip of her muzzle, her attention went to the rest of the group that had so far gathered.
Instantly her attention met with her brother, followed by Kite who never seemed to be without him. They were not together, as Mirren boldly took a position at the opposite side of Nina. He was the pack's Lead Guardian and yet, not the Leader, nor the Second. Still, Vaeta was certain that her brother belonged exactly where he was and so took it upon herself to make way towards Kite. Had Vaeta not up and vanished for a time in the hunt for her father, she would have been ranked above Kite, who only just recently turned two years old. Now, she fell low and it showed with the lowering of her frame and lick to Kite's chin in respect. "Heya Kite." She smiles and then sits down next to her.