Broken Timber Pines Beneath this bold and brilliant sun

@Koda @Inkheart @Camio @Nova @Silentium @Valeria @Arion @Ember @Nalda @Bracken
sorry for the wait! my summer hours are always kinda random... 
this marks the start of the next round which will end in two weeks on 8/21 (or something like that). Camio and Zia should post into the meeting once they get a chance

"Yes, we do." Iopah murmured back, dipping her muzzle to brush it affectionately against Koda's chest. Her curiosity was no different than it had been in the Thickets and sometimes she wondered what kept her mate away for so many hours. The mother drew back with a contented exhale; eyes flicking up in a familiar, curious gesture. She shifted, taking her own spot by his side with a last searching glance. They were both strong-willed wolves and Iopah knew a blunt question was the wrong way to get an answer. Koda would have to tell her on his own and she would wait till then.

The first members started arriving. It was strange to be the one catching everyone's eyes and accepting their greetings. They were all the same wolves she trusted and loved, but it was a little different with them all at once. Once she started to look for Nina -ready to offer her own greeting to the emerald-eyed woman- before remembering. The steady trickle of Pines wolves pulled her back into the present. Her eyes were drawn to Arion and Nalda, lips quirking at their developing personalities. Silentium's clear surprise was met with a lifted brow and an open smile. The rabbit fell by her feet and her muzzle dropped to offer a brief nudge. He didn't have to be ashamed, Iopah wanted Silentium here. She dipped her head to the ever-respectful Valeria, appreciatively murmuring the young woman's name back. Nearly everyone had arrived by now and Iopah lifted her head to watch for the last few wolves, most notably her own daughters. When they finally appeared, Iopah didn't know whether to laugh aloud or groan with embarrassment. She reached out for the eldest, trying to subtly remove the twig and greet her daughter at the same time. There was nothing to do with Bracken but try to contain her. With the younger firmly between her and Koda, she started the meeting.

First things first. "In case anyone hasn't met them, there are four pups." In turn, her muzzle indicated to each while the name spilled from her jaws. "Arion, Nalda," Her gaze rested only momentarily on the Zamora, having an idea of how the shy girl would feel about this attention. "and Ember and Bracken." She glanced to the side, making sure Bracken was, in fact, still there and had not snuck away. "My girls are too big for our old den. To make pup-sitting and guarding easier, we should find a larger place to keep them together." It was an idea she had only briefly discussed with @Zia, her gaze flicked quietly to Nova and Inkheart for a moment. It was not a command and she wanted to know what they thought of the idea. If they had no objections, then the pups could all be moved later.

"Probably you are all aware of the fight at the borders." Those that had thrown into the fray had likely told the others. Her eyes scanned them, making sure there was not a question before continuing. "I don't know what they wanted or their names."A large part of her didn't care, so long as they didn't try it again. "We will be respected on our own borders, chase off any you see fit." She trusted the judgement of all her Pines wolves and wanted no repeat of the incident with @Kjors and @Naia.

Her eyes flicked to Koda, a tell-tale for the discussion to come. Iopah was a politically blunt wolf and was not the right one to make tactful decisions regarding potential allies. "We have neighbors and will have to meet them eventually." If only to establish how unfriendly they were, but Iopah would leave the actually planning up to Koda. He would be far better at it than her.

He didn’t really understand what the big hoopla about having everyone gathered together was, nor was he particularly interested in why Iopah had gathered her troops. The little smudge knew he should pay attention and show interest, but the blue-eyed prince just wanted to plaaaaay and there were so many possible playmates here! It wasn’t fair!

Arion did his best to restrain the frown that desperately wanted to form against his dark lips; instead, he focused his attention on the different wolves that made up the circle. His current playmates, Bracken and Ember, had arrived, which had caused his body to wriggle with excitement. Perhaps they would want to play after the meeting? He glanced up at his father with a curious gaze as their leader began to speak… wait, she was introducing him?! And the other pups?! Suddenly becoming uncharacteristically bashful at the rush of attention, the boy bowed his head as Iopah introduced him along with another pup… someone that Arion had not had a chance to play with just yet. Curious, the boy focused his denim gaze on the newcomer; R would have to introduce himself soon. His attention snapped back to the pale female as she continued speaking, suggesting that all the puppies be grouped together in a larger den area to make pup-sitting easier. He was game! That would mean… endless playdates!!!!! Perhaps this meeting was not so bad after all… His head soon swelled with thoughts as he considered all the possibilities – he was no longer interested in anything else that was happening in the meeting.

There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the mud. Hunt Opportunity

Nalda is a tiny ball of anxiety, please pay no attention to her overreacting ^^;

So many eyes, way too many eyes! And more were still coming. Nalda pressed her belly down flat against the ground, trying desperately to disappear among the short grass. She didn't understand why they all had to be here, why couldn't she just have gone home if her mother absolutely had to come to this meeting? Being surrounded by so many other wolves was not only foreign to the shy pup, it was terrifying. At least most of them kept a good distance, but when the other pups began to arrive, the girl pulled even further back, hiding her dark grey back in her mother's shadow. But it was not to last. In a tone that left no room for anyone else, Iopah began to speak, addressing her pack mates, and while Nalda was not happy about being in this crowd, her ears perked in interest; She was curious about why they had been summoned. Her head lifted slightly, to peak up at the leader, only to cringe back as she realized that the first matter on the agenda was gonna be introductions, specifically the introduction of the four pups, herself included. First was Arion, and Nalda dutifully followed the pointing muzzle to the raven lad, pressed against the leg of an equally dark adult, probably his father. Then attention was cast on her though, and she had to fight the impulse so shrink back down, knowing that the others would need to see her to learn who she was, even if she would rather they didn't. She was nevertheless relieved when Iopah swiftly moved on, mentioning the names of her own daughters, which Nalda committed to mind, along with Arion's. Then she slowly crept forwards again, pressing herself against her mother's front leg as she peaked back out at the others. As time passed, the timid lass found herself getting more and more accustomed to the group, they were a quite civil bunch, staying quiet and seeming to listen as intently as herself. She still looked forwards to going back to her own solitary den though, so when the next thing out of her auntie's mouth were about moving all the pups together, a low whine escaped the russet tipped girl, and she pressed her nose against her mother's leg. "Nooooo!" She cried lowly into the dark fur, eyes closed and ears flattened in puppy-despair as he world threatened to change yet again. The rest of the meeting was totally lost on her as she clung to her dam, trying to remain mostly calm and think of a way she could keep things the way they were. Maybe, if she just held on tightly enough, it would all stay. Yes, she just had to hold on, to her moma and her dad, but where was her dad anyways, why wasn't he here to hold onto her as well? Where was @Camio?! Word count: 482 ”Speech”

Starna @DA & Dawnthieves.de

Because of work, my activity will fluctuate every other week. For more information and OOC preferrences check out my profile

Nova waited with patient anticipation as the rest of the pack trickled in. Her eyes settled on each wolf, one by one, as she tried to hide her disappointment that none of them were Camio. It was only when even the puppies had finally made their own slow way in that Nova realized he was probably wasn't coming. She stifled a whine as she imagined some horrible thing or another having happened to him. Perhaps he'd fallen into a river, or bitten by a snake, or attacked by a cougar. As Iopah began to speak, Nova sighed, trying to forget about all of it long enough to listen to her leader speak.

Nova was quite familiar with the puppies, their dens all being so close and keeping an eye out for eachother's now and then. As Iopah mentioned moving the cubs into a bigger, communal den, Nova met Iopah's glance with a smile. It sounded good to her, it would be much easier to keep an eye on all of the kids and perhaps Nalda would find it easier to make friends if they all lived in the same place. When Nalda wasn't with her, Nova noticed the girl was either out on her own, or tagging along in her father's footsteps. Which was all well and good, but it seemed a rather lonely existence to Nova.

However, the tiny cry if disapproval to Iopah's plan that erupted from under Nova's belly had Nova second guessing herself. "Hush, darling," Nova cooed, ducking her head down and licking against the grain on the top of her daughter's fuzzy red head. She wouldn't press the issue, she could talk it over with Nalda later and find out exactly what the problem was. They just had to get through the rest of the meeting and Nova wanted to make sure they could do so without interruption.

 

She was late. By gods, she was late. Groggily, Zia pulled herself up off the floor of the den, the sound of Iopah's voice just beginning to fade. Her leader, and now, the wolf who she considered well on the way to becoming her best friend, was calling the pack together for it's very first meeting. And oh, what an impression Zia would make by being late! Perfect, just perfect. The silver woman had been quite busy lately; being a new mother with such a rambunctious child such as Arion, she had her paws full. She constantly had to keep an eye on her son, making sure he never strayed too terribly far from the den. Making sure he was fed on a daily basis, with his growing appetite and providing him with ample love and affection.  On top of all that, Zia also had to juggle her normal pack duties, making sure the borders were watched and everyone had enough to eat. It was no wonder she was exhausted.

When Iopah had called, it had only been by chance, that a few hours prior, Zia had found some time to herself, which she used to catch up on some much needed sleep. She had buried herself deep within the depths of her den, curled into a tight silver and charcoal ball. Sleep had taken the mother quickly, and she had been in such a deep, sound slumber, that the voice of her alpha had barely been enough to bring her around. Now with hurried strides, carefully trying to dodge the strewn logs, she rushed to the site of the meeting, where she knew the rest of the pack was already gathered. As she neared the congregation, she slowed her steps to appear more composed, and as she passed by Iopah and Koda, she dipped her head in a silent apology for her tardiness. Making a beeline for her mate, she sat by his side, giving him a nudge to the chin, and of course, a few gentle licks to Arion's crown. Patiently then, she listened to Iopah speak. The dens were indeed growing much to cramped for the parents and the children. But perhaps due to the close proximity of them, they could combine them to form a connecting underground communal den. She would wait until everyone else was done speaking to propose the idea. And then the topic of neighbors and the encounter with the two strangers was brought up. Her ears flicked back at the memory, eyes darkening at how brazenly they were disrespected. If they were smart, they wouldn't show their faces again anytime too soon. 

@Koda @Inkheart @Camio @Silentium @Valeria @Ember @Iopah

...a little bit of Io PP, cause I gave myself permission xD

Well this was familiar! Bracken was constantly being corralled and contained by her protective mother. The imp huffed, feeling Koda on her right side and Iopah on her left. She was trapped again! Didn't they understand how hard it was to not move?! Clearly not. A whine, meant to reinforce her opinion of the current seating arrangement, was cut short. Bracken glanced up apologetically to her mother, gave Koda one last imploring look, and settled to her paws to listen. The little pup was already bored.

There was no hint of shyness as she studied the unknown wolves. Iopah had not explained it in much depth, but her relation to each of them hardly seemed to matter now. These wolves that mother and father trusted were a veritable gold-mine to a pup with an endless supply of energy. All it would take was a random glance her way and Bracken would be all smiles for any potential playmate, plying them in the hopes of a game afterwards. Her head tilted at Iopah's words, then flung up at the suggestion. The girl couldn't help the excited yip and she was on her feet before mother's gentle touch guided her back down. She looked to her hopeful den-mates, Arion and Ember, clearly planning the shenanigans already. In her excitement, Nalda's reaction was overlooked.

Bracken heaved an enormous sigh as her mother started speaking. All at once, it was boring again. At least she had something to look forward to now! All they had to do was wait for this meeting to finish.

If there is no more information to react to feel free to pp Si walking away without a word xD

 

 

Of course the next wolf to arrive after him was Val and as he looked up he accidently caught her eye and couldn't help the flashback to wear he had almost run her over. Dropping his head even lower Silentium stared hard down at his paws only lifting his emerald orbs to watch the arrival of Ember and Bracken. While he was still afraid that he would break them or harm them in some way it was a relief that they were now present and not off in some unknown danger. The other pups he hoped stayed safe too but it was Iopah's children that he had become the self appointed guardian for. As Iopah began to speak his gaze lifted slightly so he could familiarize himself with the names of the other children, Arion and Nalda who he had only ever seen from a distance trailing after their parents. The move to the main den was little concern to him, he typically slept alone in a small den caused by an uprooted tree near the entrance to the den. It was close enough he could keep an eye out for everyone but it didn't involve any actual interactions with the other packmates which often made him feel awkward and out of place.

Again the blonde boy dropped his head low when Iopah had mentioned the fight at the borders. He should have been there to defend his pack but instead he had to hear about the altercation second hand because he had been on the opposite side of the territory. He wanted nothing more than to prove himself and be useful to the pack but so far he was failing miserably. His brothers would probably be thriving here but once again he was sinking down far below expectations and disappointing everyone. Oh how he wished this meeting would be over soon so he could slink away, maybe he could actually find something useful to do instead of wallowing here.

A low growl erupted deep from the confines of his throat as his wife brushed her skull against the rough hairs of his chest; having her at his side was a constant reminder of the promises he had made to her. This was to be their new haven, it would shelter and provide for them for as long as they were hard working and the timber male closed his eyes in thought of his budding girls and the young son he'd left behind in the tall grasses--he owed everything to them. Clearing his throat, he nudged his wife softly, as if assuring her that he was ready to discuss the laundry lists of updates and settled to his haunches in wait for the others. This meeting would not only prove their loyalty but build and strengthen what bond had already been created between the small band of Broken Timber Pine wolves.

He watched in silence as one by one each wolf filed into the clearing and if any dared to meet his gaze he gave a dip of his head as if to say "I see you" before they settled to their seats. There were plenty of young wolves in their ranks, youth meant that the pack could possibly endure a harsh winter but it youth also meant inexperience and lack of confidence in his eyes and as he watched each young wolf settle down he wondered who would be around next year. He studied Nova and young Nalda without a word, noting that Camio was nowhere in sight and hoped nothing serious had happened to the male to keep him from this meeting; he assumed that more pressing matters were keeping him busy. The only other seasoned wolves in the pack, Zia and Inkheart, had showed that thus far they were here to stay and he appreciated their hard work, it was rare to see such loyal elders in their midst and he wanted nothing more then to get to know them further, perhaps this meeting would be a great place to start.

A robust entrance from his daughter brought a slight smile to his lips, the girls had grown so much since that strained night of their birth and he was pleased to see that nothing worried their young little minds--seeing the smile on their faces was worth the sacrifices he had endured during winter. He shifted when Iopah stuck their younger daughter Bracken between them and licked the darker girls head lovingly, she was a stubborn and energetic one but he was certain that she understood that meetings meant sitting still long enough for her parents to address what important issues they needed to speak. He was sure this meeting wouldn't last longer than a few minutes at best. "It's a pleasure seeing you all on such short notice." he started, an ear flicked backward when he heard his wife address the crowd shortly after.

Iopah mentioned the pups and Koda found himself looking over the parents, he had accepted these cubs as a condition of both growing the pack to its full potential and giving favor to the wolves who vowed to provide for them in exchange for a home and the protection of a pack, he would love these pups like his own but knew that individually they were the responsibility of their parents. He remained silent on what came from her mouth next, it was not of his interest as a male to search and find a den that would occupy the four budding pups but he was sure that collectively the attending mothers could work things out so that the pups could easily interact with each other safely and without hassle--casting his gaze back over the members his attention peaked when she mentioned the altercation on their border. He had not been there but his wife had caught him up on immediately and his need to patrol the parameter of his home had increased since then. He was not familiar with the scent of either trespasser but was certain that if they wanted trouble they would be back soon, criminals often returned back to the scene of the crime. "we have worked hard to found Broken Timber Pines and we will not allow some trespassers to waltz past our borders without harm--if you see fit attack on sight, I will not hesitate to back up any one of you as long as their is probable cause." his voice was firm and his gaze serious; he knew that eventually someone from Secret Woodlands would attempt the long trek over the mountain range.

"that is actually a great idea Iopah, we should seek to venture out and meet the neighbors, get to know their pack and seek to form an alliance. We will need more wolves at our side in case this upcoming winter proves harsher then last year." he found Silentium finally, the golden boy who resembled his mother more in appearance then attitude but he liked him better that way. The move had made the young Hervok more reserved and he couldn't help wanting to pull the male from his funk--perhaps he was second guessing his decision. "Silentium, you and I will be making a trip to the deeper South in search of the pack Oak Tree Bend, it is time that I introduce myself personally to their leader." and what better way then by having his adopted son accompany him?

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

This is the last round, anyone is welcome to post an exit/reaction for their character. I will archive this thread on October 1st, regardless of who has or hasn't posted an exit. As it stands, I assume everyone just kind of drifted away and the mothers are having an off-screen discussion on moving the pups.

Her eyes followed them as Koda spoke. There was no expectation or dominance in the gaze. They studied each wolf quietly for a moment and then moved on to the next. She wanted to know how they felt about their leaders, how they felt about each other. A more verbally-suave individual would have asked, but that individual would never be Iopah. Very little was said by any of them, but she still picked up on a great deal. They were clearly loyal and determined. Iopah's eyes darkened with Zia's, lingering a moment on the silvered mother and remembering the incident. The pups were simple and easy to interpret, curious and surprised with all the attention. Silentium watched the pups with a protectiveness that she recognized, but she sighed at the isolation he placed himself in. It was distressing for her to see and it must be lonely for the youth.

Throughout it all her ears flicked lightly to the side as she listened to Koda. Iopah growled lightly, adding her own support of the way trespassers should be dealt with. With her opinionated and stubborn nature, watching the borders was a wiser decision than bringing her along to play diplomat. Naturally Koda did not suggest that idea (he knew her too well), but she was pleased with who he requested. Good, it was getting to the point where something needed to be done with him.

As the meeting came to close she rose to her feet, placing an affectionate kiss on Koda's shoulders before approaching the other mothers. Bracken tagged along eagerly, the plans for mayhem created and the pup excited for the games to start. She turned to look for Ember, making sure the girl with nearby. The mothers had much to discuss before the pups could be settled in for the night.

-Iopah's exit/Fade-