Fallen Tree Cove The Tides Are Shifting

@Moonshadow @Kajika @Namid @Neha @Cernan @Draven @Ismena @Lunette
This is a pack meeting that is being held directly after this thread with Moonshadow. They will be discussing Namid's action of stepping down and filling them in about Moon taking her place for the time being. Hopefully this should be a quick thread and not interfere with timelines.

The journey with Moonshadow back into the heart of Fallen Tree Cove after their heavy discussion along the lakeside territory's outskirts was relatively quiet for the most part. Here and there his newly anointed equal was able to get in a couple minor questions in regards to her new rank as Lead Female, questions in which Vespertio was more than happy to answer for her. The rest of her questions that he didn't doubt bubbled and overspilled within her mind, though, would have to put on the back burner for the time being now that the duo had reached the communal den where all pack meetings were held. The time to inform the pack on this major shift was better now than later.

Turning his gaze toward Moon, he gave a small nudge of his shoulder against hers in an attempt to relax the uptight female, assuming she would be nervous about the whole ordeal and conducting her first official meeting as the new alpha female. Creamy paws halted their movement and molten gold eyes came to a close while Vesper's skull tilted skyward, inky lips parting to allow a beckoning howl to erupt from behind them. His song held no sense of great urgency behind each baritone note that lofted into the air and danced around the barren pines, each note simply stating that everyone's presence was required. As the last notes began to fade his head lowered back down and lids lifted, settling his gaze once more upon his companion. "You'll do great." He encouraged, a reassuring smile adorning his leathery lips while the duo waited for the others to start arriving.

The chill of the morning had made Kajika reluctant to leave the den but he knew that there were responsibilities that needed to be taken care of. Without wasting much time he set into his daily routine hoping for some time to himself later in the afternoon. The frost was cold on his paw pads as he made his way to the lake for his morning drink. Once that had been taken care of he set off to check and refresh the borders. When the sound of Vespertio’s call reached his ears he hadn't gotten completely through all of the borders but he knew he had to answer his alpha's call.

As quick as he could he made his way through the forest to the communal den for the meeting. Kajika wondered what the meeting would be about but he didn't think about it too much as he would find out soon enough. When he finally reached the meeting place Vespertio and Moonshadow were already there, he greeted them both before taking up his usual place to wait for the others. Kajika did find it a little odd that Namid wasn't there yet and he hoped that she was okay. However he was glad to see that Moonshadow was back and that she was in good health.

(This post was last modified: Nov 14, 2016, 04:24 PM by Kajika.)

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OOC! Out of character comments here

The walk back to the communal den is relatively short umder normal circumstances. However due to the flurry of emotions and questions that preoccupied the newly appointed lead female the walk felt like it was virtually nonexistent. It felt as if the pair had teleported to the den. Stepping up was extremely overwhelming for the dark woman but she knew her pack needed her. Despite the raging storm in her head Moon was able to ask a couple basic questions regarding how to hold herself as an alpha and how to act around packmates. After receiving her answers the midnight pelted woman practiced a bit - holding her head high and curling her tail over her back. Both were foregin feelings but she especially didnt like curling her tail for once she lifted it the cool breeze reached places it hadnt ever before and she quickly put it back to a neutral placement.

The duo made it quickly to the den and Moon tried to calm her nerves. Vespertio's reassuring shoulder bump and words of encouragement did in fact help calm her a bit. As he called for the rest of the pack she couldnt help but over look the clearing and remember her first night in the cove. In remembering she realized just how far she had come in such a short time - going from a nearly unsocialized yearling to now lead female. It was overwhelming even if her current position was only temporary.

She took deep breaths as she waited for her packmatets to arrive. It wasnt long until Kajika arrive which didnt suprise the midnight she-wolf. Her teacher was always an early riser and one to be punctual. A smile broke on her nerve racked face as the student returned her teachers greeting. She couldnt help her tail from wagging as well. The dark man was the closest wolf to Moonshadow. He had basically saved her last winter by bringing her to the cove and then he taught her how to function within the pack. It was weird for Moon to be sitting by Vespertio instead of Kajika during a meeting. Since joining she had always hovered near her color mate but now that she was lead she guessed she wouldnt be doing that anymore. Not until Namid reclaimed her throne. After greeting her teacher the ebony woman continued to take deep breaths until the rest of the pack arrived.

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

Neha had known with all certainty, that this meeting was coming. It was only logical, especially after her chat with her father, upon her arrival back home. Namid had stepped down, leaving Moonshadow to take her place, temporarily. The nearly fully grown Vuesain female was still too young, too inexperienced to lead. That was not her focus in life right now. Her goals were to further her experiences as a healer, to seek out potential additions to her pack, and in the very near future, re-affirm the withstanding alliance with Oak Tree Bend. Leadership could come later. Some day.

With the cold and the snow here to stay, the window for foraging for medicinal plants had closed. But that was of no concern to Neha now. She had felt she had gathered a substantial supply and assortment of herbs already through the summer and fall. Tucked safely away within a private infirmary den, they would be safe from the harsh winter elements. She could focus her attention elsewhere, such as honing her hunting skills, or quietly observing Moonshadow in her new role. When her father's notes filled the air, she was not in the least bit surprised. With a soft huff that blew forth wispy tendrils of air past her nose, she turned in the direction of the communal den. With her winter pelage fully grown in, she was looking particularly striking. More mature. Seeing that she was among the first to arrive, besides Kajika and Moonshadow herself, who was at her father's side, she stepped into the meeting area. Her soft brown eyes connected with those of the dark female, not in challenge, but in a sign of assurance. Moonshadow was a friend; a reliable packmate whom she had tended to once. Neha was certain she would do just fine, once she got over her uncertainty.

 

Neha can often be found close to Aleister's side and therefore may appear in any of his threads.

Rounded ears that no longer felt too big for her head perked upward when the call of her father rang out; and awfully loud considering the lack of distance between little Ismena and where he stood, mismatched eyes now void of their childhood blue hue for good brightening with a never ending supply of curiosity and excitement. Would could papa want with everyone in the pack? Surely this had to be good since never ever ever since the day she was born; at least as far back as her mind could remember, had they all been called at once.

Gnawing bone; that was actually one of her father's hidden treasures she just so happened to snag when he wasn't looking, thinking his toy safe and digging it up after he left, was abandoned between her outstretched limbs as she clambered onto all fours and made haste to zip out of her hiding spot believing her trinket to be safe from unwanted eyes until her return, blinking at the shift in light before finding herself smack dab in the center of the ring formed by those already gathered. Kajika, Moonshadow and her older sister Neha had already arrived, her tail wagging in greeting to everyone before back stepping to take a spot next to her sister. Once dark tinted haunches touched the ground, Ismena leans over to whisper just loud enough for Neha to hear. "What's going on?" She'd done this sort of stuff before right? So she could help a sister out and fill her in on what all the hubbub was about.

A tiny yip escapes from behind inky lips as the thunderous howl of Lunette's sire roared like a lion throughout the communal den, surely to wake up any soul that had been trying to catch a few hours of sleep. It surely had her, shaking the poor frighten girl right down to her bones from hearing such an unexpected sound as her body immediately woke with a jerk, eyes now a chocolate brown instead of blue wide like saucers. "Wh-wh-what was that?!" It had sounded  like her father, but the way the cave transmogrified the sound it didn't necessarily feel like him. If anything it sounded more like a monster ready to devour those lingering in the communal den.

Heartbeat racing a million miles an hour, the usual mindset of the silvery girl was quick to go to work conjuring up different scenarios, each one more nightmarish than the last. That's it! She couldn't stay in here anymore! Wide eyed and looking right to left, seeing nobody else beside her, not even her sister Ismena, she was determined that thing had gotten to them all. Run, run! Her mind screamed at her, ever the easily frightened child despite her body now looking less and less distinguishable from the adults. So ran she did like a bolt of lightening outside of the communal den, eyes clamped tight until smack. Right dab into her father's rump.

A single sealed lid slowly opened to peer up into the world around her, a sheepish grin and apologetic thump of her tail following suit once she calmed down enough to notice the different members of the pack gathered together. So, maybe it was father I heard! A single glance was stolen back toward the entrance to the den then back to her family, a wave of relief washing over the girl. She was safe, deciding to saddle up next to her fathers side for extra protection, but now she was faced with a new dilemma. Why was everyone here? Well, almost everyone. One look around revealed Mama, Cernan and Draven weren't to be seen. Gasp! Maybe there really was a monster and it gobbled them up! Oh how she hoped father would come to prove her wrong, or they showed up soon.

Note: since this is back-dated it is within the dates that Draven was extremely depressed over the anniversary of his mother's death

Draven was exhausted from his constant journey's outside of the pack lands in search of plants to fill the infirmary with. Still, the memory of his mother's body pushed him harder and harder every day. He couldn't just give up because he was tired, what if something happened to someone else and he could have stopped it but didn't because he wanted to take a nap? That just wasn't acceptable. Even though he wanted nothing more than to be out searching the yearling had resigned to spending a day or so within the territory cataloguing what he had found and performing border patrols.

While in the warmth of the infirmary surrounded by the herbs the dark lad must have fallen asleep because he awoke to the ending notes of Vespertio's song. Groggy Draven blinked his mossy eyes, trying to gain his bearings after the unexpected slumber. Realizing that he had been summoned the yearling stood, duty pushing his limbs into motion even if his heart wasn't in it. The thought of facing everyone, the whole pack was the opposite of what he wanted to do. He wanted to be alone so he could work, wanted to avoid everyone and their prying gaze about why he was being so distant. He didn't care much about what they thought of him, at least not currently, but he didn't want his mother's death to be public knowledge. It was private, it was his.

Coming upon the group of wolves the Lagina held pack, setting his rump down on the outskirts of the group. Close enough that he could hear and clearly be seen but far enough to avoid any kind of social interaction. The usually warm and eager to please eyes looked glazed and far away as they stared at the tawny feet of the alpha, he was physically present but it was obvious that mentally the teen was suffering.

The thud of pawsteps above the den alerted her to the presence of someone...and from the sound and scent of it, her husband. There was really only one reason he would be going up to that perch, and her suspicions were confirmed when he called to the Cove wolves. Lunette, tucked against her side as usual, sprung up in surprise at the sound and a tired smile rose on the woman’s lips. She watched as the meandered out of the den, amazed at how big she had gotten. Both the girls, really. Heck, they were both bigger than her now. Given Namid had always been rather small, but it still made her feel a little sad to see her children growing up. Neha and Cernan would be 2 before too long and the girls would have survived their first year. Did they wanted to have more children the next year? While Namid loved her children with every fiber of her being, she knew that it was hard to keep them up. And, with her current state if she didn’t pull out of it she certainly wouldn’t be in any place to try and raise more. They were lucky the twins were turning out the way they were.

She pulled herself to her paws wearily, rough looking by any means. As she stepped out of the den she squinted, assaulted by light. As her eyes adjusted, she was stunned to see Moonshadow back. And sitting next to Vespertio. Her heart stung, her pride shrinking and all at once she wanted to go hide back in the den. But, she gritted her teeth and bore it. Bore the shame that was her weakness, that was her inability to take care of the wolves she cared for most, that was breaking her promise to be there for them always. A lump formed in her throat and her ears cast back as she lowered her mismatched gaze and bowed to the duo. It felt strange, all too foreign and like a lashing. Turning she headed to the back, unable to meet the eyes of any who might try. She briefly noticed Draven and through the fog she was in came a soft flash of concern about how empty his normally vibrant green eyes looked. But, Neha was here now and the woman knew that her daughter would take care of the boy. What good could a depressed wolf do for another depressed wolf? She took a seat, eyes fixed on her alphas with a heavy heart.

Round 2! I'd like to try and get this wrapped up soonish so we can jump into the final round for exits. <3 @Moonshadow @Kajika @Namid @Neha @Draven @Ismena @Lunette

Gradually his subordinates answered his call and began to arrive, golden irises not surprised in the slightest when the first to arrive was Kajika; a member who was always punctual and probably the earliest riser of them all, whom was given a nod and a small in greeting from the man before his attention was drawn away from the ebony wolf by the arrival of another. A bit wider of a smile adorned Vesper's lips upon Neha's presence, his oldest daughter already pre-informed about the current situation at hand and whom surely was not surprised that this day had finally come. Speaking of his daughter it wasn't long after her arrival that his two youngest made their own appearance for their first pack meeting, Lunette's entrance less graceful than her twin's. 

Lowering his head, an affectionate lick was adorned to the frightened, silver girls forehead as she took up a spot against his formerly open side. There was no sign of Cernan yet, but the father didn't worry as heavily about his only remaining son as he did about the one lost somewhere in the world beyond their front yard. Soon the final remaining members arrived, taking note himself of the out of character behavior Draven displayed by residing along the outskirts of the meeting and the vacant expression that not only rested upon his young facial features, but within his normally bright green eyes as well. The dark coated boy was spared further examining by the lakeside patriarch, though, as Namid made her own appearance. Her frame the very definition of rough and worn down. Internally Vesper's heart was shattering witnessing the love of his life hold herself so lowly, the obviously displays of guilt so easily picked up by her husband. Not to mention how uncomfortable Vespertio now felt having to address the woman that had always been at his side during these events as his equal, as another subordinate.

The agouti male's throat tightened, but a hard swallow forced the lump down to settle into his stomach like a ton of bricks in the meantime so he could speak and inform them about this major shift that would undoubtedly conjure mix emotions. "Thank you all for coming in such a timely manor. It is with a both a heavy heart and a sense of relief that I stand before you now. As some of you may have come to figure out by your own devices, Namid has decided to step down from her role as Lead Female and in her stead Moonshadow has graciously accepted the responsibility until Namid is ready to take back the title." Why their former queen had stepped down he would not dare be thrasonical about, allowing his love at least the honor of keeping her dignity as to why she would make such a choice although Vesper knew most of them may have their own ideas as to why. "With that being said, I would like you all to look to Moonshadow as you would Namid, or myself." Shifting his gaze from those gathered, he settled his molten gold eyes upon the dark woman at his side. A reassuring smile and nod were offered, allowing the woman a chance to speak anything she may like to add.