Nomads Pass Beating of the Drum

Hello!
Sorry for adding the welcome to this topic but our tools are a bit broken. xD

Welcome to our first of many pack activity threads! We thought it a good idea to start with a hunt before we do a meet and greet/giving job threads so that everyone can see how well they work together and where their strengths are. So, we're off to hunt and once that is over we'll start a new thread to give out the ranks and do some bonding. We're hoping to give you pack activities often to keep all of the group bonded as well as offering side lessons like fighting, medicinal training etc but we're completely open to suggestions for new things to do!

First Round Ends: 14th Jan 13
I'm assuming they have only been here a few days and have been exploring so they would be on first name basis but probably no closer than that unless they have outside ties, however feel free to play them as distant/close as you wish. :)

It was quiet in the pass. Used to the sound of the forest or the lake, the hole in which they found themselves was silent except for the wind which howled, no, hummed it's way across his flesh. It felt good against his skin. Against his handsome face and as his long winter coat ruffled in the breeze, he looked down upon his new kingdom.
Though they had not been here long, he felt he was home. Truly this time. The beauty of the lake was good, but they selected it only for it's secrets; its hidden doorways to guard them from the outside world. Now they didn't have to hide. He would no longer live in the shadows, but in the belly of the mountain, the highest living pack in the lore; where he belonged.
Standing standing tall upon a rocky path close to the den he had selected. He wasn't with his Naira. She had a den elsewhere with his son, the son who had yet to know who he was, though he had his suspicions that he knew; the boy wasn't stupid. Hell, he was the spitting image of him, it was only right he would have his brains as well. Poor kid, didn't stand a chance in life if he was to grow up to be like his dear old Dad.
Looking down at the forest below him, he observed the small stream as it cascaded down the rocks and into the heart of the forest. It was winter, but the water hadn't frozen, a constant supply coming from the mountain peaks, falling to fast to freeze. It was the perfect tool to attract prey- all year round.

Never one to waste time, once he was satisfied he had explored and marked the borders they had to stock up on food. After all, he promised Mapplethorpe a good meal and he would give it to them. Now was as good a time as ever to bring in some food and test everyone's ability. Whilst they didn't have to hunt mountain goat as they might of at the lake for the ground here was better adapted, it was still going to be a challenge navigating not only the dark of the forest, but the rugged landscape in it's belly.

His made his way down the slope quickly- though not as well practiced as he had been months before, he found his feet did not forget the feel of stone beneath his paws and it was not long before he stood at the foot of a small waterfall which fed the stream into the forest. The area was flat, but large boulders were littered here and there, a perfect meeting place it would see.
With little effort, he leaped atop one of the tallest boulders, threw his head back and called to his pack to come. It was dinner time.

(This post was last modified: Jan 07, 2013, 10:54 PM by Rhysis.)

The week had been a blur. A whirl of decisions and consequences all rolled into one. From the barrenness of Desra’s grave she had arrived in a virtual oasis surrounded by more wolves than she cared to count. It was change in the most literal form. Still, her nerves lingered in a heavy sort of way so for the most part Romanis had remained somewhat sequestered. Lingering in Valiant’s back pocket for as long as he could bear her company –the necessities of life were the only thing capable of drawing her away.

Doing her limited sightseeing in these brief periods of time, Rome had gathered a generally swell impression of the place. Of course it was no Hawkspur Steppe, but then again nothing was and it was in this sense that she allowed herself to find some measure of peace in the good that had come back into her life. Baggers simply could not be choosers –especially not in the dead or winter –and furthermore within the company of such a handsome male.

Growing cozy in the new life already, Romanis found little need to bother herself with her usual worries. Of course sometimes they still came on without warning and there was nothing that she could do but sulk; however the bulk of her time was spent spacing out into the unknown or simply enjoying the warmth of Val’s proximity.

She would have been happy to waste away her day in this comfortable rhythm were it not for the sound sent forth by her masculine leader. Picking up her head from her resting place as her front paws came together, it was in absolute quiet that Rome listened to his every implied word. Food –it was time for food. Casting her gaze around her to see if she might spot Valiant, it was with slight disdain that she noted his current absence. Perhaps he had wandered away during her latest bout of wondering –ah well the hunt would be the perfect time and excuse to hook up with him again.

Lifting herself from the ground and refreshing with a simple shake, after that Rome was off towards the direction of the darker male. Careful not to lose herself on the yet unknown course, she was eventually more than surprised to find that she was the first to make the scene. Collecting herself a ways away from the dominant male, it was eventually with great reverence in mind that she closed the gap between him. Surfing up to him with head and tail tucked –a pitiful whine was her ultimate greeting followed by a swift lick on the left side of his cheek. Perhaps as the weeks wore on she would abandon the need to feel so low beside him, but for now she was his absolute lesser. For the male offered her a home and protection within his proximity while she had done zilch for his cause –yet.

Hopeful that she would very soon receive the chance to prove herself, Romanis slunk a few steps away –leaving room for those naturally closer to him- before drifting off into lighting thought again. Maybe –just maybe- she could really make things work this time.

(This post was last modified: Jan 08, 2013, 11:05 PM by Romanis.)

“Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.”

As soon as they all arrived and spread out to explore, Ten's mind was set on the money. Food. If Naira and Rhysis planned on having a large pack, then hunting would be the key to their health. He knew it. As his cracked pawpads led him around the mountain range. His senses raged with a familiar sense of ownership. This land was theirs. If there was a danger in these mountain forests, Ten would surely find them and eliminate them to assure a safe home for the pack. His fur ruffled in a crisp, phantom-like wind. It came from their hollow rock home.
But as he man journeyed around the territory, a voice rang his ears. It took him a minute. After a few moments of analyzing the tone of voice, he knew it was undoubtedly Rhysis. His paws changed direction, and everything swiveled towards the area of where his leader's dark voice rang. His alpha seemed far away, but the brute was willing to go the distance. While Tenzin moved, he realized that his muscles and bones throbbed from the journey. It throbbed as he moved, but burned with every pressured pawstep. That was the pain that didn't kick in during or after the travel.
Finally, the lanky shape of Rhysis appeared in the distance. On a rock. By a waterfall. His paws tingled. He hated water. Despised it to the point where he actually thought of turning back and ditching his alpha. But, loyally and obediently, Tenzin walked towards the sickening sound of rushing water. His large shape appeared, and he leaned up to lick the royalty's chin respectfully. He kept his tail pointed to the ground, and his orange eyes did not make any contact with Rhysis and his steel orbs of power. A tiny whine emerged out of his partially opened maw.

As he backed away, Tenzin couldn't help but notice and acknowledge a medium-sized female. She must have been the female who seemed glued to Valiant. He gave her an aggressive look. This female wasn't much to him. She actually seemed like a female who couldn't fight off a fly. But Ten hid his emotions. "Tenzin Laylani." The brute introduced himself to the girl, standing neutrally to her.

(This post was last modified: Jan 08, 2013, 03:50 AM by Tenzin.)

Avoidance. She kept telling herself it wasn’t on purpose. If she ignored the fact that Rhysis had gone mad, tried to kill both her and her son, had somehow lost her daughter things could almost be back to normal. Except that she couldn’t bring herself to remain alone in his presence for long. They did not speak, they didn’t even share a den together at the moment (although the space at her back felt no less pained for his absence). The tension between them had been palatable. They couldn’t thrive like this for long. They needed to present a united front. Yet when he called, her eyes narrowed for a moment. As if questioning what right he had to call her pack to him. The feeling was soon to settle though - after all, he was her mate, and he did lead at her side. So suffocated had she been in her lowest position that the thought of any commanding her, even her love, set her hackles on edge. Stiffly, with tail arched high, she leisurely made the walk to where he had seated himself atop an apparent Throne, surprised at the smallness of the gathering. She did not join him there. But sat herself on the ground regally at its base. Her eyes resting on the two who had gathered already, Romanis, and Tenzin. A small smile lit her face as they settled on the tawny male before she added her own more urgent call to follow up the one of her mate. They would meet here, and now. Or they would feel her wrath.

mapplethorpe

epulis accumbere divum

Since arriving to the Pass, Mapplethorpe had occupied himself foraging for food, digging up the snow in odd places, and running to different areas at random. To a stranger who barely knew him, Thorpe might have looked like an old man actually searching for his marbles. On the other hand, to a more trained eye, the grizzled man was putting his strategies and methods to the test, memorizing the land as he went. On several occasions over the past few days, he stomped past Naira's isolated den. Truth be told, he was calculating, measuring, timing... Determining if the location was wholly a good one.

Today, was no different. Given free reign to investigate every inch of the new territory within Rhysis' markers, Mapplethorpe was engrossed with checking over his own small spatters that served as his own network of trails. Having been elbow-deep in the snow at the base of a regal tree not too far from the treeline, digging and fashioning a sort of resting place for himself, the top of Mapplethorpe's head managed to lift above the edge of the pit. He gave a sort of snort as his ears registered his master's call. He pulled himself up to his full height, sitting at first before standing, then rid his mottled pelt of the dirt and frost.

Another voice - undoubtedly belonging to the Queen - broke through the winter air and he was quick to make haste. Sauntering forward, he searched through the trees, his pair of gleaming golden eyes eager to pinpoint the dark king's figure against the darkness of the forest. Tenzin's trail eventually fell before his and he followed it to some extent until the congregation of wolves appeared at the base of a fast-falling cascade. From the instant he laid eyes on them, he dared to boldly step forward, his spindly frame moving with heavily set steps. Though careful to not keep eye contact for long, he nodded to Rhysis before striding to Naira's side. A small dip of his muzzle and he lightly touched the bridge of his nose to her chin. Once he had withdrawn from her, he took a few steps back, his ragged tail wagging in anticipation and soaring expectations. No more rabbits, mice, or frozen, unearthed corpses. His stomach grumbled in his gut. The deal - the first of many, he had now determined - that had been struck with Rhysis was going to be brought to fruition; and, tonight, he would see to it that he and the wolves of Nomad's Pass would set before themselves a most resplendent feast.

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The low howl signaling of a hunt beckoned Rais away from the exploration of his new home. He wasn't one to dally when there was promise of food, and as quick as his little legs could carry him he worked down into the pass and followed the stream along it's course. When Naira's voice echoed after the first, Rais really picked up his heels, kicking up snow in his wake as he almost haphazardly ran.A little more caution was taken as he forced his aching legs down the rocky ledges alongside the falls, rounding away from the icy patches spray had frozen onto the stone. It wouldn't do any good to hurry if he cracked his head with a slip.

Rais slowed only when he was nearly upon the group, his panting face ducked low and gaze aimed at the ground. Excited whimpers squeaked from his throat and his stomach gurgled at the prospect of what mighty beast the pack might soon take down for a meal. He offered a brush of his snout to Naira's chin, and a low crawl past Rhysis's rocky throne, the wolf too high up for Rais to even bother to touch. With a dubious glance to Tenzin, or "Scrooge" or whatever his name was, Rais walked past him and sat down next to Mapplethorpe.

carry on, oh, little lonely prince

Adonis Aquila

Gah, that was cold! As quickly as he could, the black prince retracted his paw from the iced puddle at the bottom of some rocks. He didn't realise the top was so flimsy and upon investigation the strange puddle, which he now believed had formed due to the small, almost invisible rivers that ran down the mountain side and into their pass, pooling as if from no where, he had tested the surface with a little too much forced and found his pads smashed right through the glassy surface until he was almost elbow deep in ice cold water.
Grumbling to himself, he shook the now soaked limb to free it of any droplets, before he lowered himself carefully to the ground, his icy eyes watching the water in the puddle settle again until the surface was almost pristine. Cautiously now, he moved closer until his nose hovered above the edge of the crack he had now created, until he could smell the fresh scent of the water; it was so clean, filtered, pure. The water here was the best he had ever tasted- right from the source; that was from the stream though, not from this strange mystery puddle and with a deep breath, he allowed his tongue to skim the water, hoping it was not poisonous. He was rewarded for his interest with the taste of heaven- the water was magical and danced upon his warm tongue. It felt good as it slid down his gullet and into his belly, which as if on cue rumbled.

A call reached his ears as he stood back from drinking his fill. They were being summoned- by that freaky ass black wolf no less, why his mother thought it a good idea to select him to lead alongside her was beyond him, but he did not question her. He had thrown his tantrums over living at the lake and he had won that battle, he wasn't going to stir up anymore trouble... just yet anyway. So for now, he kept quiet and let his mother carry on. After all, they didn't seem to spend much time together anyway, she and the dark man, so he could only assume there was method to her madness. He was more than certain now that the guy was the one who wanted to eat him and he had been terrified, perhaps that was why he was here, to strike fear into their enemies... It was something he would no doubt ponder over for a long while. His mothers voice sang out- he quickened his pace.

He didn't waste time as he made his way through their thicket of forest and towards the base of the falls that sat in the middle of their home. He had done a lot of exploring already, unable to sit still and not wanting to spend too much time with his butt head brother. He had thought it best to give him and his mother some space whilst they got to know each other. Not because he wanted them to bond, oh no, but because he wanted his mother to see what an ass he was. The thought brought a smirk to his face, which only grew as he exited the forest and found the golden boy wasn't there. He didn't dawdle at the edges as he had at his first pack meeting, no, he waltzed right up to his mother, ignoring the dark male upon the rock as eye contact just gave him the creeps, his tail tucked low, ears pinned to his head as he approached her, but a smile plastered to his blackened lips before he butted her chin with his head and licked her muzzle in greeting. Unlike before however, he did not sit by her side. No, he wasn't a little kid anymore, not that he had ever really experienced much of a childhood, he was one of the pack and so he would sit with the pack. His head held high in what little dominance he had, he walked smoothly to sit near the others.

(This post was last modified: Jan 09, 2013, 12:19 PM by Adonis.)

He didn't have to wait very long until the first of the pack arrived, the female who clung to Valiant like a rash he most likely didn't want, and Tenzin, the wolf who had got himself trapped in some vines. He knew them only by first name basis of course, but it would be situations like these that would strengthen their bonds and allow them to get to know each other better. His face remained static as they showed their respect but he approved of how they conduct themselves- they were nothing like the poisoned wolves, these were real wolves, with real values and behavior. He thought they were going to get on very well... but his thoughts changed when the female he worshiped came into vision. She made a point to sit at the foot of the throne he had found for them and add her own impatience to the call. Funny, if he had known she had wanted to gather them for a hunt then maybe she should have spoken to him. The strain between them he hoped wasn't evident but he could not help but feel not only a little pissed, but a little gutted too. He didn't lose face in front of the troops, but it was lucky he didn't wear his soul on the outside in fear that might see just what she did to him.

Mapplethrope showed up next and he could not shake the feeling that the wolf was a little strange. Their first meeting had been pretty creepy, what with him whispering in his ear and laughing like a mad man a lot. He hoped that if he was able to keep him sweet, he would take his crazed antics elsewhere, say, to the enemies.
Rais was next, the young wolf who had defaulted from the Poisoned wolves to join them. Sneaky little thing. He felt they would have good use for him later on; his ability to remain faithful might be tested however as time dragged on. He would not let him betray the Nomad's as he had Athena, but he would give the youngster the benefit of the doubt.
Finally his son arrived. The spitting image of him except for the eyes he took from his Aunt Volkan- the sister he would quiet happily hang with her own intestines. He was little disappointed that he had yet to build a bond with him, but they had time and one day they would walk together as father and son should.

His eyes narrowed a little at the missing figure of Valiant. The guy had a tendency of showing up when he needed him most, but then vanishing when the drama had settled. He would seek him out later for whilst they were tentative allies, he was his king now in the pack together so tardiness was no excuse. Still, everyone else had shown and they could move on.

"Thank you for coming so swiftly." he began and kept his eyes off Naira as he spoke to the group as a whole, ensuring to make eye contact with each as he spoke the way his father used to when he wanted full attention. "I hope you've all had a chance to get a feel for the pass by now. We're moving out to hunt and I don't want anyone to fall behind. There has been a herd moving through here, not too long ago now and if we're lucky we might be able to catch them before the clear the mountains. I want us to bring back as many as we can to build up the beginnings of our cache so that we can all eat like kings this winter." he added, a particular glace at Mapplethorpe upon the words.

"We will split into two parties, flank the group either side and I want one wolf to lead each side. Do we have any volunteers?" he asked, expecting wolves to quickly put their name forward and prove their worth. Before, he and Naira had led the hunt but with their current situation he couldn't see them working very well as a team right now. It was better, in his mind, for them to be on different teams and following the same orders; besides, he was a better fighter than a hunter anyway.

Round Ends: 19th Jan 12 <3

(This post was last modified: Jan 12, 2013, 12:43 PM by Rhysis.)

Shit he was late. He was so fucking late. It was just his luck to possess such a blunt nose, and although he had been working on using it more often of late, it didn’t help him when the snow was so thick and the air was so cold. His ears swiveled, seeking the tiniest indication of where the fuck Rhysis might be on this godforsaken mountain. The walls of the pass had made his call echo and the silvery wolf was completely lost. Grumbling to himself, Valiant trudged along with a huff. What was the point? He’d never fucking find them anyway... Until he came across the tracks of Rais, plowing through the snow. Well it was as good a shot as any. It took him several minutes to realise he was following the trail in the wrong direction before he turned about in a huff. His large form plowed onwards though and reached the gathering just in time to hear Rhysis’s instructions. He kept his head low as he slunk forward to stick his nose in Romanis’s side. Perhaps he would be best to keep the younger wolf with him for a while, well, at least until the snow melted anyway. She hadn’t appeared to have any trouble reaching the gathering. While Valiant was less than willing to volunteer, he knew who he wanted to stick close to. Giving the tawny woman a wide berth he slunk to the other side of Rhysis’s throne, a clear indication he would be going with the dark male. He was hardly sharp enough to find them, they would be lost if he tried to lead them to food.

code by bryony

Rais was relieved to see he hadn't been the last to show. First was the little dark prince, it wasn't hard to tell where the kid thought he stood, followed by Valiant a bit afterwards. Rais' ears perked up towards Rhysis, eyes trained on the man's paws as he listened to the proposition. Rais' brushy tail started flopping against the ground at the words "eat like kings" and there was a nearly audible gurgle of his stomach. Food, and lots of it, hopefully. Maybe he'd never go hungry again?

Rais glanced about the wolves assembled, then shuffled in place as Rhysis asked who would lead each team. The last time Rais had been on a pack hunt was months ago, when he was still in his birth pack. It had never been him to lead the charge, Trenzi had always had the honors to run along side their father leaving Rais to shuffle dejectedly behind them. A sour memory, but it was neither here nor now and nothing worth crying over. In theory Rais knew how a hunt should be lead, but he'd never gotten a chance to put the knowledge to practice. Catching hares alone didn't really require much strategy.

If Rais had hands he would have raised one tentatively into the air, but having none he instead looked up until his eyes rested on Rhysis's sternum. "I could," he offered. The young wolf's voice was eager, but not too much so. If someone else wanted to command a team, that was fine by him. But someone would have to do it.