Riddle Heights appetite of the new moon

Claim thread! @Hypatia @Aponi @Celandine @Evy @Ace @Tannis @Nova @Camio @Desdemona
Round 1 will end November 9th.

He had returned to the Glen, feeling no warmth of welcome from the lands itself as he had strode past the borders. Instead, his heart flickered with adoration at the sight of his three pups greeting him – now, all of them growing to a point they could be mistaken as lanky adults. Calling for everyone (everyone being the spare few adults that remained), he had informed them of their new home – he could not tell whether or not they were excited, for only Takis had rumbled his contentment at this plan.. but they knew to be prepared for early morning to leave.

They feasted upon remaining caches – using the resources to the best of their ability. As each fell to dreams, including his children, only then did Phineas get up, his eyes searching the dark as he rounded the terrain that had once seemed to beautiful to him. It still was, even when fall had come and stolen the grand blossoms of the magnolias. Even after the death and betrayal that had happened to the wolves amongst the lands.

More importantly, he went past the usual hauntings of @Zia, his eyes roving over the areas as he recalled the silver lady. His heart felt a pang – perhaps far greater than his realization that Borlla had left him. He never should have turned her away – both of their pride had gotten in the way, and now, the one wolf who had truly been with him from the start of this now closing chapter was gone.. and she would not be at the next.

But it had been done, and there was no turning back now. He did not have the time to seek her out.. to make amends. He had to live with the mistake of his stubbornness, and move his family to a land they would better thrive in.

Sleep had not found him that night, even after he curled his large ivory form protectively against his youths. Instead, when the sun began to grace the morning sky with the barest flicker of purple and pink, he had nudged his comrades awake, allowing them time to gorge once more upon the remains of food the Glen had provided.

Then, their travel had begun. Day would turn to night, and he would allow them rest. The pups were exhausted.. possibly even more emotionally, than physically, but as morning came once more, he continued them forward. And he did so for another day. When The Mountain of Dire finally fully ascended before them, he broke forward to take the full lead to the foothills of the mountain – he felt a knot of worry twist at his stomach for the potential that they would not approve.

As they moved up, they would reach the beginning of their new territory (once they started marking it) come late noon. With a gleam in his bright orange eyes, the regal male swept his eyes across the group, giving a nod to ascertain that this was it – this was home. As he allowed them a few stolen moments to look closely around, it was then he cleared his throat – a touch of his old regal pride fluttered in his chest once more, and he could feel the ache of his heart subside. “We will reign here – the mountain is a force to be reckoned with, and once we rebuild, we will be too. This will be ours – Silent Moon Plateau.”

With a tilt of his head, the alabaster wolf sung his claim through the air – echoing across the mountains for any to hear – this was their new chapter.

Talked to Rachel and she said it was okay to use this as a join thread for Seraphina so here it goes:)

Seraphina Faye had done it. She had run away from her tyrannical father and made it to a whole new world. She had never been outside the borders of her own territory but now she was very far from home in lands that looked very different from her own. Her land had been one of severely varying elevations with hills, mountains, gorges, and of course the treacherous Rapids from which her pack had derived its name. No, not mine, Seraphina thought bitterly. Her father had refused to give her the title of heir simply because she was a woman. After her cousin had left the pack, the first wolf to ever do so, she finally found the courage to stand up to her father and become the second wolf to ever desert Revelry Rapids. Now, she found herself in these lands which were much flatter and more level than her own. Subconsciously, she had sought the security of familiarity by making herself a den at the base of the only mountain she had come across since leaving home. She was at the base of this mountain, sleeping until midday as was her pack's costume, when she was awoken by a loud, long, masculine howl. Started up out of her sleep, Seraphina was alarmed to find that the scent of many wolves was permeating the air. Was she surrounded? Jumping to her paws, the brave heiress snarled and whipped around in circles, scouring the nearby area to make sure she was not in danger. Satisfied that she was in no immediate danger, Phina gave her fur a few quick licks to keep it neat and then trotted away from the rock formation which she had nestled against as a place to sleep. Her paws carried her toward the smell of wolves and the loud howl which had awoken her. It didn't take long for her to come across a rather intimidating scene. There were not many wolves, but more than she would have expected. She had been sleeping here for several nights and she was confident that this was not pack territory, which meant it was odd to see several wolves all gathered together here. Seraphina narrowed her chocolate brown eyes as her mind churned through all of the facts. The howl, the group of wolves which included yearlings and pups, her knowledge of the lack of pack presence on this side of the mountain, it all added up to one thing. These wolves were a pack, but this was not their territory, not yet. They were either a new pack or moving locations. Phina debated on revealing herself. She knew nothing about these wolves, and wasn't one to make an impulsive decision. But she was backed into a corner at this point. There were more than enough of them to chase her out of her new den and then she would have to find somewhere else to stay. In which case, she would either have to work her way around other pack territories or join a pack. With winter coming and her not knowing the land, she didn't have the luxury of taking her time to get to know the wolves around here and making a calculated decision about which pack to join. If she was going to join a pack, this one would be as good as any. It was clearly small and recently moved locations so they would need all the help they could get. That meant they would more readily accept her. Also, if she joined them she would be able to stay here on the mountains and Seraphina couldn't deny that she very badly wanted to stay near the mountain. With a deep breathe the princess carefully walked out from the rocky mountain terrain and approached the group of wolves. A large ivory male was in the lead and Seraphina guessed he had been the one to let loose the howl that had awoken her. Head and tail raised slightly to indicate confidence, but not aggression, Seraphina stopped several feet away from the ivory male. "Hello, my name is Seraphina. I have been staying here for the last several days but it seems that you all are here to claim this land." Seraphina's noble gaze landed on the ivory male's. Before anyone could object she quickly explained,"I am no threat to you or your claim. However, I am attached to my new home amid this mountain and I would rather not leave." Now Seraphina lowered her eyes respectfully and let her head and tail fall just enough to demonstrate her submission."If you will have me, I would like to join your ranks." "Speech"

Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

Leaving Magnolia Glen had not been as hard as it should have been, even if Tannis had enjoyed the barren trees from the start. While he found fanciful visions of what the glen had been like in the midst of summer, he also came to find and observe that perhaps it would not be as enjoyable as it should have been. The two yearlings under Phineas' keep were too young to bear young and, as such, have been considered as the Argyris' daughters. His Leader was parenting, fathering his brood, alone. As Ace did as he could, Tannis did the same but he kept his distance from the 'younglings' as not to openly test his boundaries within the pack structure. Without a female Leader and with Phineas being on his own in minding the pack, the russet man assumed there would be a period of healing - what had happened to Phineas' mate or the woman who had brought the Leader's three youngest children into the world was information Tannis did not feel obligated to and, thus, he did not dare to pry. Loneliness, he assumed, would come in the Spring; and, it was with an brief nod that the brute accepted the monarch's proposition to abandon their lands.

Taking up the back of the party and allowing Ace, his superior, to fall in line wherever he chose, Tannis' eyes minded the backs of each of his pack mate's heads and the tips of each of their tails. He might not have been apart of the pack for long but, already, he felt a sense of duty. One that was, perhaps, much stronger than the one he had harbored within his own birth pack. That being said, it was amazing just how easily impressions were made on the Andreas man. For Phineas to allow him entry on his lands, to allow Tannis to "hide" behind the markers of what was once a regal kingdom whose walls and markers kept the strays and the monsters at bay, made the man a just and protective Leader in Tannis' eyes. It was enough for the once-fearful man to "leap" into action as one of those rogues made herself known to the pack he so dutifully served.

She merely approached them and though there was little aggression in her stance and in her words and much reverence in the space she kept between herself and the reigning ivory king, Tannis still saw her as a threat. Head held low and tail held out straight behind him, his hackles rose up and he flashed his clenched teeth at her as he stalked close to Phineas - heavily stepping past the cubs and yearlings (whom he had constantly counted during their journey with a quick 1-2-3-4-5) and the Second, Ace - standing at the regal's left flank. Upon hearing her initial greeting he let loose a rather upset growl; it vibrated in the air as it rumbled in his chest and throat. Even if she claimed that she was no threat, Tannis was not going to take such a thing. The only words he now readily believed were those he had aligned himself with - Phineas', Ace's, and the young lord and ladies he personally swore to protect.

He dared to creep closer so that the fur of his right shoulder just brushed against Phineas' left forearm and elbow; and, after letting his gaze briefly flit upward to the underside of his liege's face, he let out another wary bark in warning when the woman averted her eyes and appropriately showed her willingness to be submissive to a dominant male. Tannis might have been a dutiful historian in the lands of his origin but, here, he was a protector of a different kind. In fact, he was not just an upholder of words and traditions, within Relic Lore; he had fashioned himself as a keeper of the Argyris family and he was determined to make certain that not even the likes of someone like Seraphina would bring Phineas to "to his knees," belly up on the ground or duly defeated and torn from his throne.

This was it. They were moving. Leaving behind every trace of the white woman Celandine had loved so fiercely, and every spot the young girl claimed as her own. Maybe it was for the best, but some secret sentimental part of her wanted to hold on. Begged for the chance to dig her paws into the soil and never leave the beautiful magnolias behind. Sighing, she took this last opportunity to visit the creek. It was her throne. Located right beside the river, in a tangle of roots that seemed to fit her just right. It wouldn't be her's anymore though. Some other wolf would find it, and set their big stupid rear into the dip at the basin. The thought was too much to handle, and so she left, fleeing from`what could have been.

The next morning was a blur. The aches of losing her home turning her stomach. Tired paws fell into line behind everyone else, and she promised herself she wouldn't look back. She looked back. The flower's had fallen from the trees, Autumn settling into it's old routine. Somehow it seemed the flower's had fallen from her heart as well, but that was her own secret.

It was the longest trip she had ever been on, and it was terrible. By dusk she was sure that her paws would fall off, and her limbs would never work properly again. The next morning, she did not wake up in Magnolia Glen.

Years seemed to pass before the mountain was upon them, and finally a little excitement in the way of a new recruit. She had yet to become accustomed to the way one joined, and so she paid attention, moving through the members to get a better look. This would be her one day, admitting newcomers, and relying on the pack to keep their defenses up.

As excited as the youth had been to leave the Glen behind and explore, he did manage to take a stolen moment with his home, casting his eyes upon the magnolia trees he knew would bloom next spring even without the pack of wolves to look upon them. It was a morose thought in many ways – Magnolia Glen was the only home he ever knew, and yet the titillating thought of the adventure that awaited him would stir his paws eagerly after his father and siblings, anxious to see what lay beyond the pack borders.

The first few hours of their excursion left Takis breathless – he seen a porcupine hobbling in a direction opposite of the traveling wolves, and when he edged closer for inspection, was warned heavily by his father that it was one of the worse ideas he had. His attention was then captivated only moments after by a flock of late birds as they formed in the heavens above – a great V in shape with gentle cries as they bid farewell to the lands until winter had passed.

Takis laid his eyes upon meadows, and woods.. he caught his first scent of a cougar. Yet after the hours passed, fatigue began to wear heavily upon the youth’s mind, and the stimulation he had received was soon becoming too much to bare. With a large yawn that could challenge even a hippo, as the days past, it was everything Takis could do now to keep his eyes open.

When they finally came to the lands his father had praised, the boy stood firmer now, his ears perking forward as he padded to the side of Celandine. Giving his sister an affectionate nudge, the Argyris boy took in their new home with relief – he was simply thankful the travel was over, at this point.

And he was hungry. Sitting down to his haunches as his stomach gave a rather obnoxious rumble, it was the voice of a strange female that drew his attention, and curiously, he looked upon her, noting the way Tannis, a newcomer to the pack, seemed to move forward to protect his father. A lighthearted grin smoothed to the youth’s features then as he waited to see what would happen.

Next round ends the 12th.

He took in the sights about him, his eyes drifting to the tired pups. No sooner was he about to initiate the suggestion they divide amongst themselves and begin to mark their territory when a stranger emerged from within his new home, stirring a surprised lift of his wolfish brows. Tannis was quick to act, and the honeyed male skirted before him, as if protecting him from the female that had seemingly come from nowhere. Bemusement would grace his lips for only a moment as his eyes shifted over his companion with gentle fondness, and shifting his weight, he took a pace forward.

His eyes drifted back to the cubs, noting the fatigue that currently wore them down. The territories would need to be marked, but more importantly, his children would need to be fed. He could only hope the pack would find something of decent sustenance for the night – for the one downfall of changing territories meant the caches would need to be rebuilt.. and as it stood, his pack was made up mostly of youths and of the weary.

“Attachment to a land means very little to this pack,” he murmured in return, finally allowing his pumpkin eyes to settle upon the she-wolf once more. For a rogue, she seemed well-kept – clearly, the true life of a lone wolf had not worn down on her yet, and if she had made herself cozy upon the land they were now laying claim to.. well, tough cookies. The only true benefit he saw to this was that she seemed in decent health – which meant his hunch that Silent Moon Plateau held enough resources was a good bet now.

“So you’ll forgive me when I say we have no interest in a member who seeks only to keep a paw in her old den.” He waited then – would she challenge him? Or would she simply walk away, and leave the new pack to begin settling their roots, so to speak.

Seraphina smarted at the ivory wolf's response, though she did not show it. She had not stopped to consider that such a small pack would actually refuse her. She couldn't decide if she was offended, or if this Alpha's refusal had actually glistened a little bit of respect from her. To be so selective of his members, even when his pack was small and made up mostly of youths, showed great confidence on his part. This man was not desperate and this intrigued Seraphina. With a graceful smile, Seraphina addressed his concerns. "I will not lie, attachment to a land does not mean so little to me, though I will point out that I was capable of leaving my birth lands." She hoped that this fact would prove that she was capable of leaving a home if it became necessary. "However, my request to join was not a one-sided offer." Her voice was laced with the confidence instilled in her as a princess, a confidence that bordered on regality. "Yes, I would like to stay in the mountains, but I have also been looking for a pack to join and would have been willing to leave this place if that became necessary. It is happy coincidence that you showed up here and now leaving is not necessary...yet." Seraphina added that last part in order to reassure him that should she be rejected, she was willing to leave without a fight. She wanted to belong to a pack that wanted her, not one that she forced herself upon. "It seems like your pack would be a fitting match. You see, the reason I want to stay here is because the rocky terrain reminds me of home and this would also work in your favor." Seraphina's brown eyes glided gracefully over the tired pups, the protective wolf who had quickly come to his alpha's aid, and the few others who followed the ivory wolf. However, they came back again to the pups. There were three of them and they all seemed exhausted. She couldn't help but be reminded of her sister who had just had three pups last spring and a bit of sympathy tugged at her heart. There was plenty to be done for a pack who was staking claim over this land, but these pups needed rest. Phina's tone become softer, more gentle, and though she still did not lose the traces of regality that were ever-present in her tone and posture, her eyes began to convey her sympathy. "I am very experienced in handling this terrain and have had no problem catching prey. I, of course, offer these services as a Hunter to you and would quickly be able to fill up a cache for you and your pack and you would be welcome to the one I already have." Seraphina paused for a moment, considering if she should add this next part, and hoped that it would not be taken offensively. "All due respect, your pups need to rest and one more able body to secure the land and gather food would only help them." Warm brown eyes again drifting over to the three pups, she noticed two of them watching her and the leader with keen interest. Were they his pups? Of course, she had been referring to them as his pups because he was the leader of the pack and there did not seem to be a mother hovering protectively over the young wolves. Seraphina had assumed that they simply belonged to the pack, but upon closer inspection she could certainly detect some resemblance to the ivory wolf standing before her. If they were his pups then surely he would let her help. She knew better than anyone that it was dangerous to bring young wolves to the treacherous mountain terrain, and more so if they were tired and the others were too busy to watch them! Now, Seraphina felt new resolve to be accepted to this pack. She knew that she could help. She only needed them to give her the chance. "Speech"

Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

Her placement in the pack was precarious, so she decided to hang back. Phineas didn't have much of a patience for her, and while she hoped to build that patience Desdemona knew there was a time for everything. She made as if she was making sure they were not followed by any wolf or creature, and also that none of the runts took wing for whatever reason on their longest adventure. With interest she watched Phineas' welps, half-way grown already. Desdemona never knew their mother, and decided that they were all very much like Phineas. Especially the pale boy. He was the reflection of his father. With mild interest, she entertained her whirring mind with contemplations of Phineas' son: just how much was he like his father, did they share similar traits beyond the surface, would his upbringing yield similar results at the end? Was there a capacity in him to kill, too?

With fashionable lateness the white viper crested the plateau, only to find that some other wolf had joined them and Phineas was not so happy about it. The loner bravely gave a convincing argument, and Desdemona had to give hand it to her. This one was a real diplomat. Quietly, Desdemona took up a defensive stance beside her ex-mate, ready to show him that she was here whether he liked it or not and that he was going to have to depend on her. She hoped the kids weren't bone headed and that they would stay back until their father had passed his decision.

Hyp did not let herself look back upon her birth place. This won't be the last she saw it, she promised in silence. Instead her orange eyes took comfort in seeking the strong figure of Phineas, and flickering between Takis,Evy, and Celadine. Others had recently joined their pack, but except for Ace she was pretending they didn't exist. To claim they did would come with questions, and she only wanted to see this new place, start this new life. Then she could decide if they would still matter. She felt obligated to be less trouble for Phineas.

The journey itself, demanded a lot of her energy. It was vigorous, over the tall mountain with its rough stature, and the sun ahead. Nothing quite like Sierra Hills. But there was something she liked about the grey stone, and unknowing what would be on the other side. Excitement easily out won anxiety. This was the change she needed, and she understood better why they were doing this. The best change was, with father back, Hyp's security returned. It was with a steadfast beat she stuck with her siblings, admiring their own strength, and offering silent encouragement.

At the top of the mountain, already breathless, she could not take in enough of the land below them. There was such great stretches of forest, and bounds of empty field. There were river and streams snaking, and a huge lake? What awaited down there? Would this place be safer? Would winter not be so cruel?

They continued, she hoped her high view would not be far from her new home. The way of the Argyris seemed to be close. They halted on land Phineas had precisely picked for them by himself, and Hyp took a thoughtful look about. The rocks that rose and fell, the large ledge itself, and the great trees that sheltered it. Silent Moon Plateau. The name pleased her ears, but it was the pride that had returned to her sire that made her the most happy. This was his kingdom.

It would not take long for "trouble" to find them. A brown and tawny female confidently made way toward her father, and Hyp felt silver hairs rise, when the loner spoke. There were already too many new faces for her liking. Since it was not quite her say, she took up a stance beside Takis and Celadine, waiting for her father's judgement. It did not seem he was eager to accept. The loner tried again. The yearling didn't care for the way she kept looking to her siblings, and glared daggers at her. Hyp was not a hoyden any more, and after such a trip, all the other shit, she might just jump at the chance to chase off the first trespasser, should Phineas see fit.

Leaving Magnolia Glen behind in search of a new home was sad. He had lived among the valley of beautiful flowers and lush green grass for almost a year, and yet, excitement filled the Silver Male as he, along with his other pack members, set forth for the Mountain of Dire. He padded along dutifully behind Phineas, aware that the new male whom had joined not that long ago was keeping his distance from the boisterous yearlings, keeping near the back of the group. They travelled in silence for a day, before they rested for the night, and then once morning came around they continued their path until the mountain loomed menacingly before them. The small group scaled the steep incline until Phineas brought them to a halt, signaling that this would be their new home with a howl to all those who could hear. They were now the wolves of Silent Moon Plateau.

Before anything else could happen, a russet female approached the group, speaking of having made a home nestled among the foothills, and a plea to join their newly formed pack. The other male whom he did not yet have a name for stalked close to Phineas, standing by his side and showing slight hints of aggression, or in other words, protecting those he had sworn to look after. Ace warily scanned the female, noticing her submissive posture and demure stature, though he supposed that she could also be quite hoyden at times. He moved forward, standing close to the other male and between the russet female and the yearlings. Though he didn't openly show his aggression like Tannis, he still made sure that those he had sworn an oath to would not come under any harm.

Phineas responded quietly to the russet female, his words filled with neither open kindness or a cold tone, but rather a choice for her to choose. Would she speak back or walk away? Her words brought a slight smile to his face. She held her ground, bringing with it words of experience in the hunting department and a willingness to prove herself. Ace glanced at Phineas, wondering what he would say. She seemed able-bodied, and as she knew the terrain well that meant finding enough food to survive would be that much easier. But he didn't say anything. No, not yet, it wasn't his place to do so. Even so, he thought that she would be a good addition to their small pack. The Silver Male quietly awaited his Ivory Leader's verdict.

422 Words

When I listen to my heart,

Ace Caravello

It whispers your name...