Hearthwood River slaying a dragon

Pack meeting to announce Kjors' banishment. Set for around mid-August.. sorry for needing to backdate but I think it makes most sense for timelines! @Lachesis  @Karina @Lilya @Inna @Atropos @Kyrios

While there was a sense of relief that flooded her once the deed had been done, there was now a pulling sense of uncertainty from the woman. She stood now in the land they had always gathered the pack before – but now she did so without her husband. Lachesis was a solid presence beside her, and as thought of the ivory wolf, she would try to intake her breath slowly, to compose herself, and to keep her nervousness from revealing itself to the members they were about to gather. Their numbers were becoming dangerously low – and dark cloud that hung over the River pack since the death of their loved ones seemed as thick as ever.

Her muzzle tipped upward, calling to her pack mates – she and Lachesis had agreed to call the pack together and announce Kjors’ banishment from the lands. Settling down to her haunches, the slender she-wolf attempted to maintain herself – ignoring the thinning of her frame as it had become apparent that she had not looked after herself in weeks. This was about to change.

She waited in silence, firm upon her decision and the belief that this was a fresh beginning for their pack.. and that from this day forward, they would be moving on for the better.

Since her father's death Inna hadn't felt like doing much of anything, she missed him so much. There were still so many emotions that weighed heavy on her heart leaving her wanting to spend most of her days alone. There were days when she didn't even come back to the den at night to sleep. Most of her days were now spent by the river watching the minnows swim through the shallows. That was where she was watching one minnow chase another when the sound of her mother's voice reached her ears. Inna had been very worried about her mother since her father had left them. When Inna reached the place they always had their pack meetings she saw her mother there waiting. She went to her, head and tail held low, to greet her by running her muzzle against the underside of her mother's. Then she took a place not far from where her mother stood. There she sat back on her haunches to wait for the rest of the pack to arrive. Inna worried about what needed to be said in the meeting. If it would bring more bad news to the pack. It was starting to seem that the pack was going through a rough time and that worried her for the future of the pack.

(This post was last modified: Sep 30, 2016, 08:50 PM by Inna.)

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Kisla and Lachesis's summons echoing across Kingsfall was a relief for Karina, who had a lot of questions.  It had been far too long since Kjors had checked in with his little covert family, and Karina couldn’t help but suspect her mother or Lachesis had something to do with it. The Baranski princess had seen a subtle shift in Kjors since the birth of his daughter; he seemed more intense somehow, more desperate.  If Lachesis was going through something similar, it would not surprise Karina if the two males were clashing more than usual. Perhaps the leads had sent Kjors on a long mission outside Kingsfall, hoping time and distance would calm the waters. It was a weak hope, because Kjors would have certainly said something before he left, but it was the only explanation that would make any sense to Karina.

 Karina had done her best to disguise her concerns from Bennet, who was likely to march right up to Lachesis or Kisla and demand answers.   Every day @Bennet looked more and more like her father, especially since her eyes were now a bright, glowing yellow, and her nervous mother hoped to keep the growing Kjorson hidden away—out of sight, out of mind.  Karina might have inquired after Kjors herself, but she had a paranoid, anxious worry that if she even spoke Kjors’s name to her mother, she would know.
 
“Hear that, darling?”  Karina said, directing Bennet’s attention to the howl.  “Kjors will be at the meeting,”  she assured her daughter, who had been inquiring relentlessly after her beloved “uncle.”  After a brief pause she added,  “..Or if he isn’t, we will find out why.”  With no time wasted, Karina led the way toward her mother’s call.  
 
Although she had yet to experience one, Bennet had been taught about pack meeting procedure and etiquette.  Karina was certain that Bennet would do fine; she was a very attentive student.  As they walked, Karina recalled a few of the pack meetings she had attended when she was a pup herself… they had not been her finer moments, for sure. 

  “Sweetheart, I know you remember how to behave at a pack meeting, but I want to add one more rule.”  Karina stopped in order to look her daughter in the eyes. “Only speak if you are directly spoken to.  No matter what you hear or how you feel... don’t say anything.   If there is something you don’t like, or don’t understand, we can discuss later.”  She licked her daughter lovingly behind her ear. "Just pretend you are a rock, like we do in hunting lessons.”
 
Mother and daughter continued toward the meeting, their arrival proceeded only by Karina’s sister.  Karina greeted her packmates and watched appraisingly out of the corner of her eye as her daughter did the same.  Kisla was looking especially wan, so Karina gave her an extra little nudge of comfort, offering a small smile.  She knew as well as Kisla that when you were grieving, some days were better than others.  After greetings were finished, the newcomers settled in, Karina strategically placing herself in front of Bennet in order to shield her from the view of the River wolves. Out of sight, out of mind, always. 

(This post was last modified: Oct 03, 2016, 04:53 PM by Karina.)

   

    
 

A young deer has been separated from the rest of its herd. Hunt Opportunity

Banishing the dragon from Hearthwood had been an unexpectedly difficult decision. While the ghost no longer trusted the one-eyed wolf, he worried their numbers were dipping dangerously low. However, with Kjors among them, Lachesis would be constantly looking over his shoulder, waiting for the next challenge to arise. He also worried that if Kjors was not removed from the pack, and failed to take the throne a second time, he would try to recruit members of Hearthwood to join him outside their boundaries. He could afford to lose one wolf — not a pawful. And now he and Kisla could recruit without fear that Kjors would be whispering into their ears, luring them away with his preposterous  fables.

Lachesis stood beside Kisla as he initiated the call, her slender maw pointed to the sky has her song filled the clearing. Without hesitation, he joined her, beckoning the Hearthwood wolves forward. This meeting was certainly long overdue, although it would have been better with a larger audience… No, they would worry about numbers later. Recruiting was on the horizon; the arrival of winter always sent the loners crawling for packs once they realized they could not survive the cold without one. This would mean for scouting, from the leading pair and both Lilya and Inna. Hopefully they were able to attract the right individuals…

A soft smile unfolded across his maw as the inky Baranski arrived, followed closely by Karina and her daughter. Which meant the twins wouldn’t be too far behind… 

stick with those who stick with you

Kyrios might have done well with his foster mother's admonition too. Bennet was not the only one who'd been asking about Kjors; The dragon had been a fixture in the pups' early life, and while the real reason had been kept under wraps, the children had all bonded with him. The young Aegina especially, felt drawn to the one eyed man, his thick accent and unusual stories surrounding him with an air of adventure that resonated deeply in the captain. Ky had yet to go adventuring for real and start travelling the world, but his uncle had made him believe he could do it. Without his visits, the boy was left to make up his own stories and try exploring the River on his own, especially since his little sister had been even more affected by the absence. If there was one thing Kyrios hated more than being bored, it was seeing his sister sad. He'd tried to cheer her up, but she made it clear that it was not him that she wanted. So he went out on his own, trailing along the river looking at the fish and trying to imagine what it would be like to catch them, or perhaps something bigger, lurking in the dark depths. This was where the beckoning call reached him, dragging his eyes from the teal stream and towards the, achingly dry, center of the territory. But he knew to obey that voice no matter what, and as he hesitantly started moving inland, it was joined by his father's, adding a little more spring in the steps. A small group was already gathered in the clearing and Kyrios approached them with a low wag of his tail. A small whine was offered as greeting to Kisla, and a quick lick for Lachesis' chin, paired with a lazy smile. Then the boy turned, instantly zeroing in on Karina who sat a little away from the others, the hint of black fur peeking out from behind her. With a grin, Ky trotted over to his mom, rubbing affectionately against her side as he went around to Bennet, sitting down next to his sister so their hips bumped. He smiled briefly at her, but then turned his head forwards, knowing that they'd been called together for a reason, and his father no doubt would be watching to make sure he paid attention; Hopefully it won't be too long..! Word count: 403 ”Speech” Thoughts

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

Lilya had just been crossing into pack territory from a small scouting trip around some of the neighboring landscapes when she heard the call for them all. Her ears perked up and she took off, her icy blue eyes alert to her surroundings as she carefully made her way through the land she’d come to know very well… but that was another thing entirely, and something to ponder at a different time. What really caught her attention and her curiosity was the subject of the meeting. Had something happened during her short venture? She’d been gone about a day, maybe a day and a half, but most of that was nighttime hours.

She arrived and glanced around, slowing herself down from the run she’d been at to a steady trot, dipping her head to both Kisla and Lachesis, her tail lowered to a respectful level before she promptly took a seat. She didn’t appear to be late, which was definitely a good thing. She spotted Karina and Kyrios, offering the mother a soft smile, before noting Inna’s presence. She’d never talked to her, but she knew enough to put a name to the face – another one of Kisla’s daughters. Where were the others? She vaguely remembered at least one or two more… one name had stuck in her head because he’d been brought up when she’d first met Karina and then was there when the snake was in the den – Kjors. He’d seemed loyal, dedicated… so where was he?

Next round.

Inna was first to arrive before the pair of regals – prior to her daughter’s entrance, Kisla’s gaze would shift to the ivory wolf, reflecting her own concern at the events that would unfold. She believed those that held love for Kjors to primarily be the children – the one kind thing she could say of the dragon was that he was attentive to children.

Now, with his personality showing its true darkness, she could only briefly wonder in what ways.

Inna greeted her, and Kisla would tip her nose to her swarthy daughter’s cheek with affection. Karina came next – followed closely by Bennet, who captured the honeyed woman’s attention instantly. The girl was a stranger to her – much by the fault of her own, and she felt a stab of regret, though one she hoped to remedy after all of this. Karina greeted her as well, and the Baranski matriarch murmured her love for her daughters, and would even tilt her muzzle down to try to give her own gentle greeting to her granddaughter.

Lachesis’ brood was not far behind – the two were clearly taken with Karina, and Kisla once more felt a pang – Naia should have been there with them this day. What she wouldn’t have given for the sage words of her friend now.

Lilya was next, and when Kisla gave a nod to the she-wolf as she settled, the regal felt there was no longer a need to keep her pack mates waiting – the news would need to be delivered before they realized the absence of the one-eyed wolf. “Thank you for coming,” she murmured, her voice soft, though she attempted to raise it to be heard. “Lachesis and I have made a complicated decision – but one we felt was best for the pack, given recent events.“ She paused then, her eyes falling upon her daughter – the one who had idolized the dark wolf as she had grown. Kisla held no doubt the ties her daughter felt – but little did she know how deep the two were connected now. “Kjors has made it clear he could no longer be trusted. He has taken advantage of the mourning Hearthwood River has been in for its fallen comrades – and in turn, encountered Lachesis with the intent of stripping him of his rank.” She did not feel the need to tag on the ending – that the dragon had done so swiftly after the death of Maksim and Naia – only a month. “His ambitions have come before the pack once more – and this time too far. I have protected him in the past from the wrath of Round Stone Crest and in turn, severed an alliance. But we will protect him no longer – not when his decisions have proven again and again to be solely for the purpose of his own gain.” She paused, her eyes drifting to Lachesis, wondering if he added anything to add.

Coding and image by becuffin

(This post was last modified: Oct 12, 2016, 05:38 PM by Kisla.)

sparking up my heart

@Atropos @Karina @Bennet @Kyrios @Lilya

The ghost remained quiet as the rest of the pack trickled in, Karina and Bennet followed closely by the twins before their newest addition, Lilya, arrived. He did not regret the decision they had come to; instead, he relished in it. It had been apparent, from the moment Kjors had begun to make himself at home in Hearthwood, that the healer was not fond of him. The dragon, almost immediately, had rubbed XIX the wrong way, but he was never able to voice his feelings to any of his packets — aside from Karpos. However, after his nephew left in pursuit of his sister and new adventures, Lachesis was alone in his silent resentment. He was thankful to the dragon, for being daft enough to challenge him so soon after the death of two founding members. Prior to his death, Maksim had trusted the healer with his pack time and time again as his health fluctuated. By challenging Lachesis while the wounds were still fresh was a great dishonour to his memory. It did not surprise him that Kisla instantly wanted to remove the threat from their pack.

Her voice tore him away from his thoughts as she began to address the river wolves, her voice calm and firm as she began to explain the Kjors situation. He remained silent, patiently waiting for the tawny queen to finish her piece, before he would add his own voice. “Kisla and I have already removed Kjors from Hearthwood; he is not welcome on these lands any longer. If seen, he is to be treated as a threat.” He paused, his chartreusee gaze scanning the few wolves before him. “We feel as though this decision will make us stronger and more unified as we look to increase our numbers.” There would be no more dragon to whisper sweet nothings in the ears of Hearthwood wolves. They would not tolerate wolves who were only looking out for themselves; they were a family and would look out for each other, always.

stick with those who stick with you

Kjors will be at the meeting.

The simple promise had settled a growing anxiety which had been planted some time ago. It was not that her faith in the wolf was wavering, or his purpose, or the Mother's intentions, but it still felt wrong that he had not come to see her for quite so long. To be distant was not in his nature - not when it came to Bennet and her siblings, anyway. Definitely not Bennet. She had only ever needed to request his presence and he obliged, and now she couldn't find him to ask.

There would be a reason, a good one, one which didn't imply abandonment, she trusted that without hesitation. He would never do that. They belonged together, she and her mother and their dragon, that much had been made clear without needing to say a word. The young dark girl just felt it, from her nose to the tip of her tail. Everything would be fine... but this waiting, this uncertainty, it wavered a girl who was ordinarily steadfast.

Bennet had finally found something which truly unsettled her.

Or if he isn’t, we will find out why.

Instantly the calm was shaken again, but this new promise - a promise of discovery - was enough to solidify her resolve once again.

I want to add one more rule... don’t say anything.

Bennet had just smiled and nodded in response, slipping easily into a silence which felt very familiar. She knew how to hold her tongue; it had taken her a highly unusual amount of time to start speaking, but it had not been through dim wits but rather a curious determination, a patience. It was as though she had wanted to wait to use words until she could use them properly, and as a result had spent all that time listening and learning - and skipped almost entirely over the baby-babbling phase which the majority of infants did.

But of course, Bennet had never been an ordinary child.

As her grandmother and Lachesis came into view, alongside her other dark-pelted aunt, Bennet followed her mother's example always. Though she ultimately allowed herself to be tucked away behind Karina, she had welcomed Kisla's greeting with an almost distant intrigue, for though she understood the woman's significance she had always felt kept at arm's length from the matriarch. She was still ignorant as to any reason why, and yet to truly question it; besides, any query of 'but why?' was increasingly able to be answered by 'because She wills it'. It was enough.

Kyrios' arrival was the only one to extract a smile and wave of the tail in happy greeting from Bennet, who shifted herself to accommodate his presence next to her, but only after reaching up to nip at his ear, a throwback to bitey days which she refused to grow out of when it came to her pale siblings. Then Lilya arrived and apparently that was enough, for Kisla began to speak, her tone of voice serious yet soft.

Kjors wasn't there. So they would find out why.

The announcement which followed was not complex, but Bennet digested it slowly nonetheless. The fact of it settled in almost immediately, but accepting it and its reasons was not so simple. Outwardly she reacted not at all, a perfect rock in every way, even though the news affected her greatly - perhaps most of all. She found it difficult to accept what they said about him, both of them, for it clashed so strongly with her own perceptions, her own view on reality. It could not be so, she did not accept it.

But it did not change the cold, hard facts.

"Kjors is gone?" she breathed, perhaps only loud enough for her mother and Kyrios to hear, and her yellow eyes went straight to her mother's face, because she might not have understood why, or how, but she knew this was the most important moment in her life, and she needed to see that reflected in Karina, to know that she was right.

Everything was different now.