Swift River after the storm

POSTING ROUND ENDS: 13th September

Hello! Please try to prioritize this thread to the top of your list of replies as with the amount of people attending this thread could make it drag on forever, and no one wants that! A conclusion as quick as possible so the thread doesn't get boring and never-ending would be great. Also, attendance is mandatory! Besides posts by Indru and Corinna for each round their is no posting order - just post once per round before the deadline. Hopefully this will speed things up!

Within the boundaries of the pack the land was awash with scents — new and old — and it spoke volumes of the strength the pack had gained over such a short period. The food caches had not been as full in a long time and the borders were never so protected and patrolled; a fact that only was a positive for the three young pups that spent most their days safe and snug in the heart of the territory. The sun beamed down in bursts through the clouds in a soft glow as the day steadily drifted towards the afternoon and a quiet hush had settled around the river once the early morning activity had finally dissipated with the members dispersing to deal with their duties. Only the heart of the pack, Indru, Corinna and the pups, remained near the dens now that the others had drifted.

The lead pair knew that it with all the recent flurry and changes within the pack it was time to call them all together more formally, a pack was never as strong as when the bonds between the members were strong. With all the new wolves to their ranks the hierarchy was tenuous, it was situations like group rallies that the true social order was constructed and the rightful places of each member found and with such an influx such a situation seemed necessary. Corinna? He turned his fiery eyes towards hers, contentment blossoming in him each time he was near her, relieved that the newly found strength of the pack had benefited her too. Are you ready? Indru asked of his mate softly as he turned to brush his muzzle against hers and rest it against her back, his tongue and teeth grooming her fur with affectionate nibbles. Tension had not been as calm as it could be, as strong as Swift River now was, and it was about time that they helped it to settle, reassuring the pack of their future with a strong bond between the leading pair and the health of the pups.

When she was ready they rose to their feet together, fur intermingling as they shared their scents, and raised their muzzles to sky as their entwining howls beckoned their pack towards them.

Gone Tomorrow

It was almost comical just how quickly they had forgotten. Nobody ever remembered the times of trouble, only the times of prosperity. The change that had taken place in the pack since Indru had arrived two weeks ago, and the preceeding days when Ruiko had pledged to help her was remarkable. Out of the cracks they had come, one by one. Triell and Ruiko had come first - in truth, all she expected to return. But then out of nowhere, Indru in his matted and tangled glory had come home. With him came his accompanying companions. Shortly after that, Marsh had come home, his excuse for being gone was that he had gone to find Indru. More surprising was Borlla's return, though the lead female had actually to see her sister-in-law. She could have sworn that Borlla had left before Indru, but she had gone into labor and everything else had been a blur. But like Triell and Marsh before her, the young Tainn's excuse had been to find Indru.

Green eyes met his fiery ones as they stood outside the den, dangerous thoughts swirling about behind hers. Cori hadn't voiced her concerns to Indru, or to anyone else, and she probably never would. Her pack had declared its loyalty. Her ties were to Rihael, Kisla, and Fenru, without whom, she would no doubt still be on her own. So she would put on the perfect picture, but in the three months that she had watched her pack dwindle, and the two weeks that it had taken for it to flourish, she realized what was the draw here. And as she raised her voice to howl for the pack she barely knew, Corinna recognized the irony of what she was doing.

Lowering her slim muzzle, the gray lady settled down on her haunches outside the entrance of the den. Foreign scents of new pack members had surrounded the entrance, and what upset her more than anything was that with all these new wolves about, her young ones needed more protection than ever. If that was all she was here to provide, then so be it, but she would never abandon that post. Casting her green eyes about, she waited for the so called Swift River wolves to show themselves.

<blockquote>He had not been far. A gathering seemed imminent, appropriate, and when his leaders called Marsh came. It was his duty now, more than ever, to prove himself worthy of this family - both to his superiors and to himself. Too much of his life had been spent drifting, if not alone then from group to group, and he didn't want that anymore. To serve Corinna, and then her children, to his death, was the role in life that Marsh desired.

It felt right, a declaration of this dedication, that he was the first to arrive and so promptly. He automatically cast about for sight of the pups, but assumed that they would be within the den; with their mother and father so near, he doubted that they would be permitted much out of their immediate presence. With a huff of greeting, the River's Second lowered himself appropriately for his superiors, approaching each in turn to offer a lick of affection and loyalty before retreating to take his place in what would likely be a sizeable crowd.</blockquote>

when i look at the stars i feel like myself

he past two weeks had been an insane haze to the ink cloaked yearling. First there was nobody, but Ruiko, he, Cori, and the youngest generation of Tainns. They were the ones trying to hold together, wondering what would be. Suddnely almost like the first drops of a flash flood they came trickling in one by one. First there was Indru who come home at last, next was the elder chestnut male Marsh, Triell had came to respect, and even Borlla had returned to his own surprise. It wasn't just the old members coming back, there were new ones too, and it was hard for him to accept the strangers running around. It was weird. He had felt on edge before, but now he was slipping into the crevice. He'd only met two wolves who he had not liked in the past, and it wasn't like him to judge. He did not want to trust anyone. He should be happy Swift River was so chichi, but he wasn't.

Yet wasn't it surprising Cori was the first member of the pack he'd met who was not family, and now she was his sister. He kept this on his mind when he wanted to glare at a newcomer, or his hair wanted to bristle in agitation. It helped sometimes, and other times he merely departed to be alone not to snap at them in his own annoyance. So when he heard the duo called of his leaders, he already felt his bones stiffen. Everyone would be there, and he wasn't sure if he was ready for such a suffocating experience. He would go. He was a Swift River wolf, and he needed to show his own loyalty. The yearling needed to know where everyone stood, himself included. He took a moment to stretch his thick muscles, and try to ease his mind. Than in two heartbeats like he always did he ran. He ran to the call, as fast as his paws would take him.

When he arrived his bright eyes glanced around the familiar setting. He looked upon Indru, Marsh, and Cori trying to look indifferent, and yet checking on each one making sure they were well. Slowly he breaths in their scent, and with a respectful lowered frame he lingers first to Cori giving a respectful lick to the chin. Next he licked Indru's, and even Marsh's knowing he deserved his respect too. And quietly he took a seat next to the red male's side, and waited to see who would be next to answer the call.

are you with me through it all?

<blockquote>Oh, to be at a pack's beck and call again. Given how much the family had grown in the last few days alone, Kinis wasn't too surprised to hear Indru and Corinna's duet demanding their presence. It felt natural, a habit easily fallen into, and without complaint Kinis turned on his toes and trotted towards the den. He had met Corinna when he first arrived, and found her very amicable, but it would be nice to see the whole pack together and watch how she and Indru behaved as a leading pair. From what Kinis understood, the pack had just gone through a very rough patch, and Corinna had suffered the worst of it. He wished he could have been closer to the River to be useful, but how could he have known? He had had his own troubles to deal with.

When he arrived, the group was still small. Indru, Corinna, Triell, Marsh - he knew the last by scent mostly. Feeling most obligated to his brother and his mate, Kinis' approached them only, placing his muzzle briefly below their own before retreating to sit beside his brother. Would it be strange to sit amongst such a large number of wolves again?</blockquote>

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<i>at least... that's where I'm supposed to be...</i></center>

<blockquote>Clambering out of the den sleepily, Rihael had been roused by the howls of his parents. Of course, he wasn't sure what was going on— whether or not Kisla and Fen were even awake, he wasn't sure, but wasn't about to wait to find out. The sunlight felt warm on his back as he squinted and blinked, the scene coming into focus. Mom and Dad were there; the pup quickly trotted over to them, unsure of what was going on. Whatever it was, it seemed like a big deal. Lots of wolves were here, a fact which gradually excited him as he became more awake: Uncle Triell and Marsh were both there, which wasn't unusual, but the way everyone was seated was a little odd. Also, a wolf he hadn't met before who was sitting next to Uncle Triell...

He had been about to ask Mom and Dad what was going on, but recognized a pattern here, and instead plodded dutifully over to the stranger male, forgoing the usual attack-sniff maneuver for a simpler action: plopping to a seat beside him in the circle, as a loyal member of the pack, just like Marsh, Uncle Triell, and this guy. Through a toothy grin, he turned and introduced himself quietly. <b>"Hi, my name is Rihael, nice to meet you."</b> Kids say the darndest things. This being done, he sat as patiently as he could manage (of course with tail thumping against the ground quickly), waiting obediently for whatever was going on to go on. </blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Sep 12, 2011, 01:51 AM by Rihael.)

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<blockquote>In the depths of the Swift River den, Fenru's ears drew forward at the sound of Indru and Corinna's howls. His eyes quickly opened as he felt the cool afternoon air press up against him where Rihael had been only moments before. His muzzle wrinkled and his usual expression of <i>"wherever you're going, I'm going too"</i> put his senses into full throttle. He turned and crawled up the short tunnel then poked his nose out to spot his parents and a gathering of wolves: Marsh, Uncle Triell, and an unfamiliar face with amber eyes and a dark auburn coat.

Certain that his sister would probably wake up in a matter of seconds now that he and Rihael had moved, he rose to his feet and stepped away from the opening of the burrow. He wasn't sure why but the stranger seated next to his brother had him on edge. <i>Who was he? Where did he come from? And, most importantly, why exactly was he here?</i> Fenru suppressed his worry and all the possible sounds of anxiety he could produce down into his chest and crept to his brother's side. He had considered squeezing into the space between Mum and Dad but, like Rihael, realized that this was no ordinary gathering. Everyone was calmly sitting... as if they were waiting for something. <i>Hmm.</i> Following suit he slowly took a seat but, instead of turning his attention to the foreign male his sibling had taken interest in, he attentively turned his gaze to Corinna and Indru.</blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Sep 12, 2011, 04:58 AM by Fenru.)

Taekwondo (M, W, F) | Rapid-Response Day (Tu) | WoW Nights (F, Sat, Sun)

A howl sung through the wind, a beautiful melody to the young male’s ears as he paused for a moment to listen. A rallying howl, or so he presumed, it took Faolán by surprise and immediately caused his tail to start swaying at dizzying speed. A small leap was in his step as he suddenly sprinted into action, jumping up from his stomach and swiftly onto all four paws. He trotted contentedly as he made his way towards were the calling had erupted: the dens. He wasn’t really sure why he was so excited, perhaps he simply felt more upbeat that day or maybe he could sense the change and excitement in the air. However as he neared the main den area his stomach suddenly turned, remembering Marsh. That male would surely turn up. Salmon pink tongue tugged nervously as his upper-lip as he continued forwards. Hopefully Kinis would also be there, which comforted him a little.

As he entered the main gathering, a quick glance was given to all individuals present, all the while doing his best to avoid anyone’s gaze directly. Slowly he made his way immediately up towards where Indru and his mate, Corinna, were settled. He crept up to them both quietly, his body low to the ground and his tail hugging tightly around his hind leg. A small kiss was offered to both of them, his tongue lightly fluttering against their chins before he retreated and quickly shuffled backward towards back of the gathering, doing his best to give a wide birth around Marsh. As he settled down quietly, his amber eyes flickered towards the youngest members present. His ears perked up in interest, but he said nothing - afraid that Marsh would intervene should he even attempt a friendly greeting towards the two male pups.

She was trying to throw herself back into things. Perhaps a bit harder than was necessary. Borlla just had to close her eyes and pretend that she'd never left. All the sights were still familiar and her nose was quickly reacquainted with the scents of her home. She was still limping slightly, but already looked like the wolf she was only a few months ago. Perhaps there was a bit more fire in her eyes, maybe she was a bit skinnier, but she was cleaner and larger, if she could say so herself.

The only thing that she hadn't thrown herself into was Corinna. Her stomach ached at the idea of confronting her sister-in-law after all of this. Thinking back on it now, she wished she'd never run off. This wasn't the first time Indru had wandered from his home, but she'd just gotten around to fixing everything and she instantly worried about him. Her stomach hurt a bit more when she thought about what she didn't worry about. Corinna and her children. Borlla's nieces and nephews. The girl groaned, shaking her head lightly, before glancing absently up at the sky as a howl rang out.

A meeting.

Grinding her teeth, she set off towards the stone pile that had once been her comfy den. She had no choice but to face her sister now. When she arrived, quite a large crowd had already amassed. Her honey-glazed eyes blinked in surprised, and she stepped carefully through the group, looking at every face as she did so. Admittedly, her eyes did wander when she saw Triell, and she was quite surprised to see Kinis. When had he gotten here? But the yearling held her tongue until she reached her brother and his mate. Indru was first to receive her respect, an act she hadn't committed in quite some time, then Corinna, and every muscle inside of her ached. As she retreated, she glanced towards the green-eyed leader, wishing that somehow Corinna could read her mind. <b style="color:#32527a">"speech."

Lurking until the end of July - Please PM/tag me to get my attention

Oops sorry, tl;dr ._.
<blockquote>The howl struck Volkan like a hit to the face. In it she had recognized Indru's voice, combined with what she could only presume what his mate's voice, and immediately recognized that the "pack meeting" he had spoken about was underway. And despite his blessing from their recent meeting, including the fact that he had given her the Swift River scent, she felt her heart pound incessantly in her chest, as though it choked the very breath from her. So, it was going to be like this, huh? She was just going to have to go stag to the meeting, just roll up and waltz in? <i>At least Ruiko could've been here,</i> she cursed inwardly, having left the shade of a tree to begin the <span class='word'>dilatory</span> journey to the sound of the howl. <i>Or Indru. Or Triell...</i>

Of course, she knew they would be at the meeting. Not like that was going to be a problem. And since she had the scent on her, it wouldn't be a big deal, right? So— why was she so anxious about this?

She found the location with relative ease, a mass of canine scents having betrayed the location of the Swift River den area. Concealed behind a bush, the colorless female waited silently, watching what looked to be another newcomer to the pack take his place among the ranks. Her pale eyes narrowed, zeroing in on face after face. There was Indru. Good. Her shoulders relaxed, and she realized just how tense she had become in the past few moments. What was she worrying about? Wasn't it just time to grow a pair already and stop being so pathetic?

Decisively, Volkan stepped out of the brush at last, silently parting the leaves with her tall yet slender frame. Her eyes were turned downward, head bent, as she slunk into the meeting. Only when she had reached Indru did she look up, issuing him a gentle lick to the underside of his chin, repeating the gesture that only so recently had tied her to him. With a small smile, she moved to the beautiful green-eyed female she presumed could only be Corinna, and repeated the gesture again.

Volkan assumed that the technicalities of introduction would be postponed for the time being, and so, retreated to the ranks of the others, only now surveying the attendees for the first time. She placed herself— really, <i>really</i> hoping that she had picked an appropriate spot— next to the light-colored female about her age... who, oh hey, she recognized. Quickly she turned her gaze elsewhere: and there sat two male pups, who she supposed were Indru's, and... then there was Triell. She smiled to herself, unsure if he'd noticed her, and took a brief moment to scan the other faces, noting that Ruiko was not yet present, before resolving to wait for the meeting to begin. In one way or another, this was going to be interesting.</blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Sep 13, 2011, 04:01 AM by Volkan.)

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