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Pack one year celebration, not mandatory... but join! It'll be fun!! xD
The small flame burned at the end of the long match, flickering in the Sun’s dieing light. It danced over the wick, and refused to light the small stand of sting. The candle sat in the lantern, awkward and refusing to move. Anu twisted her hand, frowning at the effort but with another moment of hardship the candle blazed with the smallest illumination. The old lantern’s door creaked as she closed it, and the Dreamer stepped back and looked up.
The Manor stood in the distance, large and welcoming as it always was. The Sun touched the roof, descending after spending its day on a clear blue throne. It fell faster and faster at each given day, with the change of time and seasons. But it was the tree that Anu looked at, her blue eyes glowing with each soft light the decorated the wide tree. The lanterns dotted the branches, tied to with a heavy twine. She had only manage to fix one to the highest that would hold it’s weight, the soft flickering sitting alone at the very top. The rest filled the creature’s middle and lower limbs, making it glow. She smiled, softly with satisfaction and blew out the match.
Anu turned, to face the circle that had been created. The pumpkins of Haven’s patch decorated the corners, and the space did not lack the Horticulturists’ touch. She didn’t speak to the wolves that stood around, preparing as she was. The celebration seemed bittersweet, when she first thought of the event. Yet, as she watched the shadows grow longer and longer beyond her footpaws Anu began to feel the joy in the occasion. A year, a single year had passed and so much had occurred. She could not forget the hardships, and yet they disappeared as she thought of all that was to come. Fate was not always fair, and each had known such truth. And yet it could be sweet, loving, and compassionate. If it wasn’t they would have come this far.
She looked to her daughter, it had been some time since they had sat side by side, and now she was at her first year. A soft smile graced her maw as her eyes came to her Commander, but no words playing on her tongue. Without a spoken word Anu let her nose turn to the sky. Her lips parted and her voice rose to the air. A call for celebration rang through the early night. It filtered into the growing tendrils of dark and asked for those who wished to come and remember that it was one year ago that a few wolves had wanted this place as their home. A few wolves that forged a pack that lived for a basic principle of love and trust. They had earned this right, and for a moment in time they would celebrate the Dreamers that they were.
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OOC: Man, it's been a bit since I posted. *stretches* Here goes! =) 500+
Maldrid had enjoyed his recent comeback to the pack. He'd been sure to enjoy the creature comforts that the manor had to offer. He enjoyed the shelter that it provided and also how it echoed his music throughout it. It offered peace when he needed it. The air was still and quiet in his room when no one was around, when everyone was about the pack territory. He loved those moments, he loved how it let him be alone to his thoughts.
The room that he'd picked out this time was similar to the last one. It was an open space that wouldn't cause anyone to get claustrophobic. It had two windows, in case Maldrid needed to let in any light, that were evenly spaced along the wall that overlooked the back portion of the manor. There were plenty of places that Maldrid could store any item he so desired. There were a few bookshelves that were empty and made Maldrid consider getting some books of his own. It was comforting to have this space to himself that he could retreat to if he wanted time alone.
Maldrid played a tune softly to himself on his lute. Images in his mind then were reflected to his fingers which then strummed out the notes that were translated from his mental picture. Often did he do this, but not so often did he write the notes down. If he had something that truly touched him he'd play it as much as he could so he could get it memorized. Only recently did Maldrid start to record his songs on paper. This was due to the fact that he was able to focus on other things than his next meal out in the wilderness.
It surprised Maldrid at how much of a song library he had in his head. The first thing that he needed to consider was which one to write down first. This frustrated him quite a bit as he was impatient to write them down. He then finally decided to write the first one that came to mind. After that he went by that method on his recording.
Maldrid played for just over fifteen minutes when he heard a howl. This howl wasn't an ordinary howl, it was a howl to call the members of the pack together in celebration. This perked up Maldrid's ears in excitement. This would be a great night indeed. He got up from where he was sitting and grabbed his instruments. If there was to be a celebration Maldrid was sure that music would be appreciated. He went out of his room and went in the direction of the howl. After a brief period of briskly walking Maldrid saw Anu in an area that was decorated with the horticulturalist's skill. Maldrid smiled to her and said, "If there's going to be a celebration there'd better be music." After which Maldrid sat down and started to play on his recorder an exciting song that would be sure to excite anyone that heard it.
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I was going to make this post short, ha XD 500+
It was a time of celebration, the Commander just wished she felt more like celebrating. It was hard to be happy about this momentous occasion with all the things that weighed on her mind. Ehno was gone for now, off awaiting the birth of his children. She hated that she wasn't all that happy about that fact. She hated even more that she would not be there to witness the births of her future nieces and nephews. The woman had always imagined being there as her brother had been there when she had given birth. It was not to be though, but it was not her fault. A little bitterness leaked into her heart at the thought. She honestly didn't know who she should be more upset with, Ehno or her. It was probably her, but she was very much angry at him as well. Though that anger mixed with her pain and her fear of him leaving, a dangerous cocktail that left the fey feeling hollow and lost. Such moods were not ideal for celebrations or for being around people in general. It wouldn't be right for her to be absent though. Savina was the leader now and was expected to be present. Thank the gods for Anu though. Without her this wouldn't have been possible.
Bejeweled orbs took in the sight that her second-in-command had created. Even in her melancholy she could appreciate the beauty of the scene. Anu had put a great deal of work in preparing the area and it really had paid off. Savina didn't think she could have done better even if she had been in a mood to organize the occasion. The lanterns, the pumpkins, it all looked so wonderful and the feeling was that of warmth. That warmth couldn't penetrate her chest, but she could feel the soft glow of it around her. As Anu looked at her she managed a small smile, but wandered off a short distance as the call to gather the pack was given. She didn't stray far, but she needed a moment to collect herself. She didn't want the pack to see her in this turmoil, so as she did with the pups, she would paint on a plastic smile and act as if everything were fine. It wasn't an easy task, but she would do it. Some knew of her anguish, but not all, and she wanted to keep it that way.
Leaning down she picked a solitary wildflower that lay in the grass. Soon all of the flowers would be gone, the weather turning cold and desolate to match her mood. But for now she was able to look at the small bud and gather a little energy from it. She turned to return to where Anu and Mati stood to see the orange figure of Maldrid joining them. The femme hadn't seen the male since she had accepted him into the pack and had thought he had moved on. Apparently he had not though and he began to play on one of his instruments as she rejoined the trio. That soft smile was on her face and she nodded to him, though said nothing, content to let his music be the only sound.
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The past couple of weeks had been more eventful then any other week in his almost 2 years of living. Laying in his bed a month ago he had simply been a member of the pack with some amount of talent in various fields. He had his friends and that was it. Life was not overly complicated then he had simply breathed, lived, spent every day the way he pleased and that was it. Now he lay in his room staring at the blood red walls, as he had done many times this month, thinking about everything that had changed. Fate, or mistakes, had lead him into the role of soon to be father. It was just one drink, then a couple more and it had lead to this big mess. He had planned so long on becoming a father and now all his planning turned out to be worth nothing. Fate had made him a father the one night he decided not to plan himself.
The howl broke into his room and he sighed. He could use Anu's support right now but he really didn't feel like being around Savina. She hadn't been to impressed with him when she found out he got her sister knocked up. Still, he stood up a grabbed his backpack only to fill it with bottles of assorted alcoholic drinks. He wasn't going to be able to drink for awhile after tonight so he might as well enjoy it. Heading down the stairs and out the door he hardly took a breath hoping Ghita wouldn't see the drinks. She had indeed started to show the emotional side that came with being pregnant. Some nights she'd stay in the mansion with him and be perfectly affectionate while others she would just yell at him for the stupidest things all night and day.
Approaching the lighted circle he smiled sheepishly to Savina as he took the drinks out of his bag, placing then on the cool ground for anyone to take. He walked up to her and even though his body stood tall and massive in front of the girl his tail dropped between his legs and his ears folded back shyly. “Good night for a celebration.” He mumbled with a tiny smile. Was she still upset? Instantly he decided on a strategy. Leaning forward he took his new sister-in-law in a bear hug and lifting her off the ground. He knew she was upset with the Naniko and Ehno situation and more recently with himself and Ghita but she was going to have to fake a smile through trough the drama if he had to force her. He looked at her, her green eyes at his eye level, with a devilish smile “You listen to me Savina Marino,” He chuckled teasingly, “I'm going to be your brother and your going to love me.” He started laughing as he winked at her, not quite ready to place her down, knowing she could probably punch fairly hard and not caring if he was getting weird looks from the others around him.
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OOC: ::Word Count:: 600+
The day had been quiet and uneventful for the pearl femme, as she had spent most of it within her den, comfortably relishing the liberties of her Optime form. She had busied herself with ordering her few belongings, hoping she would be able to think of a way in which to arrange them so as to bring a bit of colour to the bare space. The few items that she most prized sat neatly in a hollow in the den's wall, where she had tirelessly caked the soil so as to form three small shelves. The topmost one was home to the few books she owned, as well as a couple of copies she had bought from Halifax on one of her journeys there, most of which were volumes on stories and Icelandic folk tales. The middle shelf held an array of human objects she had stumbled upon both in Greenland, as well as here. At the heart of the row of possessions lay an old music box, whose tune had long since faded, but which had an ingenious switch which caused the ballerina in the centre to slowly spin, as if pirouetting. The drawer beneath the platform on which the ballerina stood, the paint on her dress and ballet shoes chipped to reveal the plastic beneath, held the few items of jewelry she possessed: her starfish-shaped earring, the colourful beads she wore in her hair and a leather string tied around a wolf claw: Mörker's. The bottom shelf held only a few pieces of paper and blunt pencils, as well as yellowing envelopes she had found in the shops in the city and which she used to practice her writing.
Now, after finishing her redecorating, she sat down in the centre of her circular den, on top of a frayed old woolen blanket she had carried with her from Greenland. She was keeping herself occupied with tying the beads in her hair and putting the starfish-shaped earring in her ear. She felt a strange kind of peace wash over her-- as uneventful as the day had been, she almost felt something upon the air that beckoned this tranquility that her body accepted without comment, almost uncharacteristically relishing the slow passing of time. It was in this lazy silence that she picked up the howl and finally understood the whispers she had heard upon the wind. Exactly one year ago, Crimson Dreams had been formed. The strangeness of the thought enveloped her as she crawled out of her den and stood on two legs, letting the soft breeze caress her short hair. Her pace was steady and assured as she took towards the Manor, a vague sense of panic reaching her at the thought that she would greet her pack mates in something other than her usual Lupus form. The thought got slowly pushed away, however, as the dim lights of the candles Anu had lit formed small, shaky specks against the canopy of the horizon. As she approached the small gathering, she registered the presence of the two leaders, as well as that of Jazper. There was also another wolf with them, which she did not know. Entering the small circle formed by the few Crimson Dreamers that had arrived up until now, she heard Jazper's words to Savina and smiled, wondering idly how many more children would be forming the new generations of the pack. The scene was quiet, the flickering light of the candles reminding her of her ancestor's rituals. It seemed someone had brought drinks, and she felt a bit embarrassed for not bringing something of her own. The only thing she had to share were the stories she knew. Feeling a bit put out by this, not knowing whether this was the time, or the place for them, she sat down on the cool grass, her feet bent under her, and hoped the small assembly would gain in numbers shortly. It didn't feel right to interrupt the steady, tranquil silence just yet.
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500+ words.
######The call came as a surprise to her, but it seemed like a happy song, indeed. A call for a celebration was upon the air, but of what, Princess didn't have the faintest idea. Regardless, she would go to where the call came from, excited at the prospect of meeting new members of her pack for the first time. Though she had met a few, she knew there were plenty of them that she had yet to meet. Maybe she would even get the chance to meet Savina's other two puppies, Cambria and Gotham! That would be a very good thing, since she had already met Amata on her own. Someday, she would meet all of them, and any other puppies that might be born into the pack. Along with hoping to meet those two youngsters, she wanted to meet the other leader, Anu, and she really hoped that her brother might hear the call and attend, since she hadn't seen him in such a long time. It had been almost a month, in fact, since she had even seen him in passing, and she hoped that would never become the norm. She'd moved here for him.
######She had been moving towards the source of the sound without much thought, and as she approached, she took in the sight of the area with wide, vibrant eyes. Whoever had put this together really knew how to make things look nice! Looking from face to face of those already gathered here, Princess only recognized two of them as people she knew; Mati, Haven's sister who probably still hated her, and Savina, who she hadn't seen in a while, either. The other four gathered were unknown to her, but she was sure that she would get to know them soon enough. However, to curb the awkwardness that she was afraid would blossom, Princess walked quietly, hoping to keep the peace, towards Savina and the large black man that held her tightly. When all else fails, go for familiarity, right? It wasn't as if she was worried about those that she had yet to meet, but she did so hate to feel out of place. The option of going to Mati was also available, but she was afraid that it may not end well, given the circumstances.
######It was okay with her that she did not know many of those in the small circle, because she assumed she would know them soon after this celebration was over. But what was this celebration for? It was beyond her realm of knowledge, of course. "Hi, Savina. . . What's going on?" She was new to the pack, so she couldn't expect to know exactly why they had been called together. As an after thought, she added, "Oh, and I met someone a while ago, when he saved me, and he told me to tell you he said hi. I think his name was Anselm?" Actually, she knew his name was Anselm, but she wanted to make sure Savina would be happy to hear from him before she gave any confirmation. On the bizarre chance that Savina would not want to hear from Anselm, she could always say that she had the name wrong, and make one up or something. Maybe a member of Dahlia that she knew and that Savina had mentioned, although Cercelee and Anselm were far too different for her to actually confused. Hopefully, it would not come to that.
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rawr, cannot miss fun pack thread! 444 words.
Ares sat cross-legged in his favorite nook, nestled between the roots of a giant tree along the northern Lenape River. His tatty green spiral-bound notebook was open on his lap, and the pen in his right hand carefully etched word after word along the page. He wrote very deliberately, gripping the pen too tightly, and often the words bled through to the page behind, resulting in near half the pages in the notebook having to be skipped over. Every few minutes he would pause, sometimes gnaw a little on the pen, and then continue when the correct word came to him.
A howl rang out, and the words he intended to write were crowded out by his mind scrambling after other facts: that was Anu who had called, and it was.. the pack's birthday? Or something.. Gah, what was it he was going to write?! He couldn't remember, ugh. Welll... He should probably go. Like, really. He couldn't avoid Mati forever. Ares hadn't even been back to the Manor since he had punched Haven in the face, so afraid he was of seeing her. Or anyone. He just hadn't been feeling particularly.. social. And while that was great for his poetry, it was not so much for his general mood or well-being. He hadn't even been eating enough, really. He was a skilled enough hunter, just hadn't felt... motivated, to hunt, or to do anything.
With a great, exaggerated, dramatic sigh, Ares moved his pen to the top of the page, scrawling a make-shift title for his half-finished poem. "From the Depths of My Deep Soul". He sort of liked it. It clearly expressed the emotionally charged nature of the words he had chosen. Yeah, this poem was shaping up to be one of the better ones. Lost words or not, that cheered him, some. Closing the notebook, he tucked it into his gray backpack, swung that up onto his shoulders, and trotted off towards the Manor.
Of course, Mati was there. So were a bunch of other people. Ugh, he didn't want to have to talk to anyoneeee. The tree was really pretty, though. Ares wondered who did that, was it Savina or Anu? It was the latter that made the call. Had Mati helped? God, a glance at her brought back the rush of confusion, and an intense emotion that flooded his already poetry-attuned mind with lines of verse. Princess was there, and Ares half-considered wandering over there, but then he'd have to talk to Jaz and Savina too... Nah. Instead he just sat down near the beautiful tree, whipping out his poetry book again, jotting down some of the words before he lost them.
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Pack fun! =3 Wc: 500+
To say what Ghita looked like at this time accurately, you would have to compare her to a hot air balloon. Usually, the brown fae was slender in form, bordering on skinny if not for the muscles rippling under her skin, but recently she had expanded to become more than herself. Thanks to one certain night with a certain male in her pack, a celebration of new life had occurred without the consent of either party. However, neither of them were complaining in the least.
If this event had occurred with anyone else in her pack, there would be endless amounts of shame on Ghita's end. How stupid could she be, getting drunk like that and finding herself in bed with a male? Although she trusted Jazper with her life, it still gave worrying testimony to the fact that she had let herself make that choice, and now was bearing the consequence because of it. The silver-tipped fae was largely an independent soul - something she had proven time and time again as she wandered alone, without company. Sure, for a short time she joined a group of nomads, which had left her with metal in her face, but she had managed to survive her losses on her own.
Slender legs brought her into the gathering, noting with twin turquoises the turnout of her pack members. There were a few faces she didn't recognize, but some that she knew all too well. For instance, her sister's ebony face was silhouetted by the miniature flames that danced in the branches above the assembly. As well, golden orbs caught her attention, one with a sun painted around it in an elegant swirling form. Jazper, her now mate, was meeting with Ghita's sister, and it was clear to see that he was hoping he would be forgiven.
Turning away from the pair of black banes, the lupus gave a sort of waddling gait towards the large tree, lowering her haunches until her side was pressed into the earth. Legs extended beyond her, the fae let out a small sigh, 'eyebrows' furrowed towards her relations. Not possessing the best of moods on this day, she only had made the journey because she felt obligated to; After all, her sister ran the pack, and needed all the support she could muster at this time. However, that didn't help Ghita find a smile to put on her face.
Grimacing as one of the pups inside her launched an attack on her body, the Italian desired to distract herself by searching the faces around her. Ehno's wasn't among them, which gave a small pang of worry to the pregnant femme, but, she had to reason that it was early in any case. He still could show - there was time. Finding the crowd-searching quickly boring, her cranium found it's way onto her forepaws, her hind legs still extended to give her stomach the room it needed. Half-closing her optics, she studied the rapidly rising stars, remembering a less complicated time where she navigated using the celestial companions. Now, the passion became merely a hobby, one she hoped she could pass on to her pups when the time came. If the time came.
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[html] 300+
There were shiny pretty things in the trees, and funny orange pumpkin things all around, as well. Gotham had spotted all the glowy things from a distance, and his attention had been snared. He liked shiny pretty glowy things, especially when there were so many. They reminded him of fireflies and their funny fluorescent bodies, and fireflies reminded him of the pretty dragonflies he loved so much. There seemed to be quite an event going on around the shiny pretty things, with a whole bunch of adults talking and doing weird things. What was Jazper-the-wolf-with-the-sword doing to mamma? And there was Urma, too, and a wolf playing a thing that made music. Maybe later Gotham could show off his singing voice! Ever since he'd spoken to Jazper he had been practicing.
Like a moth, the boy drew closer to the tree, moving around to the side a little as he walked. It looked very nice indeed! The way the lanterns hung from the tree and flickered was quite intriguing, and the ebony pup stared for a moment, his blue eyes reflecting the diffused orange flames. It seemed that other wolves liked the tree, too, and Gotham jumped a little when he realized that there were other wolves sitting close to it. He eyed one of them for a moment, curious as to what he was doing with the book or whatever in his lap, before he saw someone he was pretty sure was his aunt. Gotham had aunts all over the place! Rather interested by her condition, the boy wandered up to Ghita. Studying her giant belly for just a second, the boy tipped his head and asked, "What did you eat?" It didn't look very comfortable, and Gotham intended to stay away from whatever his aunt had done to get all puffed up like that.
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XD I couldn't help grinning at that. ^^ Wc: 500+
Turquoise optics studied the budding stars above, celestial bodies just beginning to show themselves to the mortals below. Sighing, the silver-tipped fae mused silently to herself, taking some emotion from the fact that they lasted on, unchanging, even when worlds shattered around her. There would still be Orion and his belt, and Sirius looming close to the moon. The ivory pinholes would still dance against the sky above, retracing their dance around her yet always remain close by. It wasn't necessarily comfort she gathered; To her, this merely meant that the stars would endure, unchanging, on, not caring whether those around her lived or died. But there also was the element that not everything in her life would turn to ruins. The stars would still remain.
Especially now she took this in as comfort. Her second litter of pups was reaching full term, and the fae was now overwhelmed with terror and fear that her past would repeat itself in a horrid fashion, making her a failed mate for the second time. Unable to keep a litter alive within herself even the second time around, when everything seemed to be going right. Ghita saw terror and danger everywhere she went - preferring her Lupus form, as she always had, especially since there was added stability, not to mention familiarity. This time, however, she was surrounded by packmates in a foreign country - almost a fresh start. A whole new way to succeed, or fail.
Quickly her musings were sending her into a worse and worse mood. Anxiety outed itself in snappiness, which unfortunately left her ebony mate in the doghouse on more than one occasion. In fact, if it wasn't for Jazper, she wouldn't have even come to the gathering tonight. That, and the feeling of obligation that nagged at her, but that little voice had gone to bother someone else now. She was here, and didn't see that she needed to do any more than rest. So she was a little more than surprised when Gotham's young voice crept into her eardrums. Closed turquoises locked on his eyes, and a small smile warmed the icy tendrils that had coiled around her heart. "Hi, Gotham." The aunt and soon-to-be-mother checked her nephew from head to tail, which didn't take long, before the question sunk in. A bell-like laugh rippled from her chest, and it took a few moments before she could answer. "It was nothing I ate, Gotham. It's..."
Panic set in just as Ghita was pondering how to describe this to her hued nephew. Letting out a larger sigh that would have made a drastic effect, if not for the large stomach, she rolled many ideas around, none of them containing the truth in any small bit. For once, she was tempted to tell her nephew to ask Jazper, just for kicks (or so she told herself), but whether it was kindness, pity, or laziness she took the answer upon herself. "Sometimes it happens to girls, but only when they're older. Like my age, not your sisters'. It's normal, but if you want more details, you should Savina ask." Closing it at that, Ghita felt she had contributed her Auntly duties to the pup, and rolled over a little bit. "Tell me about your day, though. How was it?"
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Sky blue eyes of the white female looked out into the fields of flowers as she began to think about her life. She remembered back to when she was a pup, to now. She had a good life so far, apart from when Haku verbally, almost physically abused her. That really scarred her, making her think that her friends, the only people in Dahlia she trusted, betrayed her. Haku was the real monster here. He doesn't even have a good reason to exist in this world. Why would nature let him live?
Her scarred arm remained the same, but she doesn't let it interfere in her life. She was making friends well. She was also maturing normally. She was starting to think about the normal things that women would think about if they were her age now. Having intimate relations with someone was this thing that she was thinking about. It would have been normal to actually think about these kind of things, but she was nervous and embarrassed to say it to someone. She was nervous even thinking about it.
Her thoughts were halted by the sound of a howl that sounded out through the wind. Finding that this voice was actually Anu, Flayra stood up and began to make the direction to where Anu was. Following the path she took back to the Manor, she found a group of wolves were gathered around. Must have been a celebration going on. Flayra thought to attend, maybe to make more friends. Approaching the group, she sorted blended in among them.
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Mati had wandered through the open area her mother had chosen. Taking the direction from the two leading women Mati assisted with the preparation. It wasn’t just placing a few pumpkins; her mother would have nothing so simple. It was finding every last lantern. All the candles, picking the right shaped pumpkins, and only the best. Mati lifted the bushel of apples that the Lt General insisted on having in case anyone wanted to try one. The red and green fruit sat beside the bottles that Savina had arranged. When the call was sent she continued to work as the pack gathered. A small part with to avoid such a large crowd, to avoid the Chance siblings. She didn’t want to face Ares, not after having spoken to his sister in the tone she had. Knowing it was wrong had not stopped her from saying the things she did, and even now it was not easy for her to even want to take them back as she knew she should.
Violet eyes noticed as both arrived, and she walked through the growing group with a false smile. She was happy to be part of the pack’s anniversary. The rest of her blood relatives were not in attendance, and she longed for her brother. But, as she glanced to the young female Princess, perhaps it was best he was at a distance. Not knowing what to do in order to avoid the two wolves Mati found the one pup that seemed to be talking to Savina’s sister. She had yet to introduce herself to the Marino woman, and now seemed to be the best of times. Strolling up to the pair the earthen hued fey smiled and teased the pup.
“That isn’t a polite question to ask Gotham.” Though it was true Mati spoke lightly and smiled at him.
The Nanny looked at the pregnant female, wondering how she got in such a state and when the pups were due. She hadn’t known that there would be a littler soon in the Dreaming pack, but she did not show her surprise.
“I’m Mati.” was all she said as her attention was brought back to the ink colored youngster.
”Yeah, Gotham… what did you do today?” She smiled, looking back at the older female and hoping she didn’t mind taking a seat beside her.
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As her song drifted into nothing Anu looked to Savina. She would always look to the Commander, and though times had become uneasy for the two of them Anu was content knowing that nothing would come between them. Their teamwork was unlike any relationship that Anu had ever had in the past. It was a meek smile that she gave, knowing all to well the reasons that Savina was colder then her normal radiating sunshine. The words would not be said and the topic not discussed. The occasion was something they had fought for, and for one night they deserved to celebrate it.
Maldrid was the first to arrive, and with him he brought his music. In moments the circle beneath the lit tree was filled with the wolves that she was oh so willing to call family. For a few moments she strayed to and fro between the bottles of alcohol and the pumpkins that still weren’t set right and passing a few words to her daughter. She knew most personally, and yet others were still just names. She smiled at the sight of the pregnant female that was no doubt Jazpers new mate. Though Anu kept to herself until she felt that the members that wanted to celebrate were in attendance.
They milled around, talking amongst each other while others sat to enjoy the music, or the drink, or the glow of the laterned tree. Anu watched with a growing excitement, and suddenly she heard a voice. “Ok everyone!” it piped, and Anu noticed that she was the one that called to the pack once again. The Lt General stood among the wolves, her smile wide and her voice confessing the excitement of the celebration. Once she had everyone’s attention she cleared her throat and spoke once more. “Well,” She began, not having prepared much of a speech and yet still wished to say something. “We wanted to have everyone together to celebrate a very special occasion.”. Anu smiled as she looked around at those that had gathered. Resting her gaze on Savina for a moment before she looked back to the crowd her voice rose once more, “One year ago, one pack dismantled and another formed. That pack is what we are today, one year later. We’re thriving, growing and each of us should be proud to call ourselves Dreamers.” The woman rose the closest bottle in a toast, “To many more wonderful years!”
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OOC: Oops! Didn't see it was my turn. 300+
Maldrid saw all of the pack coming towards this area. Some had decided to let the speechless moment last and to bask in the music. Maldrid didn't let the music end, he was playing his lute now and playing a song that told a story this time. To the listener they'd first be aware of their surroundings, but eventually they'd see images floating around in their vision. They'd see the story that Maldrid was now creating and telling through the sound of music.
This story was about his wanderings. A story that was filled with both sad and happy times. A song for all to enjoy. It started off on a light note that told of Maldrid's decision to leave his own pack and go out into the world to see what it has to offer. It told of Maldrid's excitement to view the world and its mysteries. To find out firsthand at what wonders lay in the vast beyond. Then the music hit a more ominous note. It told of the trials that he had faced. It told of sadness and hardship and the struggle to survive as a loner where he had lived with the fear of dying or being killed by another hostile wolf. In the end it told of his happiness when he finally joined up with the Crimson Dreams and how through every trial you undergo, there is always something better waiting for you in the end.
Maldrid stopped playing for a moment to listen to what the Lieutenant-General had to say. She talked of how the pack that everyone was now in started and how it had grown considerably in the one year that it has been in existence. She rose her bottle in a toast to the pack, Maldrid would have joined but he had nothing to toast with. Maldrid decided to stop playing for a moment and go socialize. He needed to get to know who was in the pack. it seemed to him as though he was almost a complete stranger to the others in the pack. He still was adjusting to pack life. He rose from his seated position and walked towards the group saying cheerfully, "Hello there!"
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500+
The next to appear was Jazper and he wasn't the only one feeling uncomfortable. Savina had snapped that day. All the pressure and all the emotional strain had finally been too much for her and the Colonel had been the target of all her anger and frustration, even that which wasn't attributed to him or his actions. She felt bad that she had gotten as angry as she had, but at the same time he needed to know what a precarious situation he had put Ghita in and the Marino family as a whole. They were already reeling from what Ehno had done and if something bad happened to this litter...well it could be the end of things. When he approached her her eyes fell to the ground and her fingers held the small flower much tighter than was necessary. At his mumbled comment she nodded her head silently, uncertain as to what to say or do. It was certainly a surprise when she felt his large arms encircle her and lift her off the ground. Stunned, she looked at him as he spoke. His words made her defenses fall momentarily and the tears pricked at her eyes. Savina pressed her face against his broad chest, one hand clutching his fur. "I know, and I do love you. Just...take care of her. I can't bear to lose her..." she whispered so softly that only he would be able to hear.
She gave the protector a quick kiss on the cheek and then he set her down. The Italian fey wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, hoping to erase the evidence of her brief breakdown. The Commander turned as Princess came over and asked her a question. "Oh, it's a celebration. A year ago the pack was formed and we thought it'd be nice to have everyone come together." The same announcement would be made in only a few moments, but she figured she might as well answer the Chance girl's question. A look of concern crossed the mother's face at Princess' next words. "Saved you? What happened? Are you alright?" She certainly looked fine, but some hurts weren't visible. "Yes, Anselm's a good friend of mine. I guess I'll have to thank him for looking out for my members when I see him next." It warmed her heart to know that the Inferni male had done something to help the girl. She knew he could be rough around the edges, but deep down he really was a good guy and she valued their friendship highly.
Looking around she spotted Urma, Ares, her sister, her son, and the young girl named Flayra. Many weren't here, but that was no matter. Plenty of time had been spent waiting for people to come and they might as well get things started. Anu, thankfully, was one step ahead of her and already making the announcement. She smiled back at her dear friend, so grateful that she had her in these moments. As the toast was raised Savina nodded her head. "Cheers," she said softly. She turned back to Jazper and Princess and bowed slightly. "Excuse me." She wanted to go over and see how her sister was faring and check in on her son. Daintily she walked over to the trio gathered by the tree and managed the most powerful smile she could. The woman leaned over and gave her son a kiss on the top of his head. "How is my brave little prince?" Her gaze quickly traveled over to her sibling. "And how are you? Everything feeling okay?"
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His leader seemed so tiny in his arms, so fragile. He had been told as a pup that males should be alphas, not females. The only exception being if the female happened to be abnormally large in size. Obviously he had grown use to having a smaller female in control with Naniko and now Savina, he couldn't think of better fitting females, the pack simply would not have progressed thus far without them. He was happy to be a little muscle behind the ladies that ran the pack, he couldn't imagine a better use for his skills then protecting his family. “Always.” He answered. It would be impossible not to look after the mother of his children, his mate, his leader's sister. The idea simply would never begin to form inside his mind. He chuckled lightly with as Savina gave him a peck on the cheek before he placed her down on the solid earth once more. His own attention being drawn to the girl in front of them.
As the conversation turned to that of a man named Anselm he looked around at his surroundings, the conversation obviously not including himself. Almost as if on cue his mate, who's stomach was now bulging noticeably, appeared and headed towards the lite up tree only to lay down. A few others followed after but really no one caught his attention. Anu's voice piped up through the jumble of words, to propose a toast. A smile crept on his lips, a reason to drink. Quickly the ebony male wandered over to the various drinks he had placed in to the side of the gathering and picked up a bottle of clear alcohol and raised it towards the gray wolfess only to take a quick drink and notice Savina join Gotham and Ghita. Walking over to Anu he smiled, “It's been a year and you don't look a day older. Myself on the other hand...” He chuckled. A year ago he had just become an adult, he was in a flirty relationship with a coyote mix and was quite confused on the subject of life. Now he stood confident in himself with friends and about to start a new family. Things had simply changed.
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OOC: ::Word Count:: 500+
Many of Crimson Dreams' members had gathered by now, driven by Anu's call and their curiosity in finding out what was to follow. She knew only a handful of the wolves present and felt a small pang of neglect as Gotham pelted right by her and sought the company of the visibly pregnant she-wolf. She allowed her glance to linger on the growing crowd around the stranger only for a moderate period of time, so as not to seem impolite in any way-- she then riveted her gaze to the other wolves spread around their gathering place, trying to memorize the unfamiliar faces so as to recognize them at a later date, should that need arise. Her absence seemed to be a growing, steadier presence in her pack life with the passing of each day-- she seemed to have been gone for such a long time that few of the faces present at the pack anniversary were at least familiar through chance glimpsing to the pale femme. She idly wondered whether she was the only one experiencing this rift between old and new wolves, while at the same time she envied Gotham for his youthful ability to socialize with any and everyone, regardless of the generation gap. Despite all these predicaments, she moved closer to Savina and Anu, allowing the former, however, the space she needed so as not to feel crowded by the alabaster female's presence. Jazper being around the leader also influenced the blanched Crimson Dreamer in her decision to maintain a polite distance-- the exchange that had taken place between the two had left Urma with the sad realization that Pilot was not held in such high esteem by the ebony male as Dierdre was, which automatically made the pearl femme feel like a slight outcast. It was not necessarily that the male had been especially hostile or even rude at that-- it was simply his lack of empathy with her loss that felt somewhat out of place, considering an orphan passed along from one adoptive family to another should be more sympathetic to losses of all kinds.
She caught fragments of the conversations taking place around her, all the while trying not to pay too much attention and seem as if she were purposefully eavesdropping. She felt somewhat out of sorts, drifting slightly away from all the wolves who knew one another, blending in with her surroundings surprisingly well despite her obvious pelt colour, so much that not even restless Gotham had noticed her yet. Hovering at the boundaries between one small gathering and another left the ivory female feeling quite lonely, but she tried not to let this dispirit her in any way. She decided that this would maybe make a good occasion to bring everyone sitting around in a circle, storytelling, something she only now fully realized she missed. The calming bonfires made by the elders of her pack in Greenland had been an essential part of her growing years-- enough to transform stories and the act of telling them into an art of its own making. She decided to approach Anu, who seemed to be in charge of the ceremony and less busy than Savina, with the proposition. "I'm sorry to bother... I had this suggestion, maybe, to bring the wolves together. Maybe sharing stories and tales of our own would help us find out more about one another? I'm sure I'm not the only one here who doesn't know everyone else, nor the only one to be curious to meet them."
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500+ words.
######As others began to arrive, Princess realized just how few of her pack mates she actually knew. Of everyone there, she recognized only Savina, Mati, and her very own brother, who seemed to be avoiding everyone else and had not said a single word to anyone upon his arrival. That would have been worrisome if she did not know that her brother was not the most outgoing member of the pack. However, it was shameful how few members of her own pack she actually knew! Of course, there were others in the pack that had not come to the celebration, such as Amata. Only one of the three known puppies had appeared, and he seemed to be interested in the pregnant female. Princess could only assume this was Gotham, but she had not heard of anyone else in the pack who was pregnant! She did not even know the woman's name, but that was very interesting.
######Savina's concern was appreciated, but unnecessary. Princess had no intentions of actually telling her what had happened, especially not in a celebratory setting. The attack had been her own fault, anyway, and she had simply gotten lucky when the Inferni member had jumped in to rescue her. She supposed that may have had something to do with the fact that she smelled of Crimson Dreams, and Anselm was friends with the Commander. Smiling, she nodded, hoping to deter her leader's concerns. "Yeah, I'm okay. He was really nice, too." Even though he had told her to look for him in his garage in Halifax, she was still entertaining the idea of going to Inferni to visit Anselm. She could easily make up a reason, like possibly to tell him that his words had helped and she had made up with her brother. In truth, however, she was simply intrigued about the pack he had told her was full of madmen and murderers. If she did not think it would have been a bad idea, she would have considered asking Savina about the pack, but she did not think it would have been taken well.
######Though Savina had answered her question, Princess allowed her attention to settle on the other leader of the pack as she spoke. It was nice to have a chance to meet the other leader of her pack, even if not in a personal setting. It was bad enough that she did not know many of her own pack mates, but to not know her own sub-leader was crazy. Maybe sometime soon she would seek out Anu alone and they could become acquainted then. Another spoke afterwards, and voices were beginning to be heard, but Princess remained quiet. Truthfully, she was actually nervous. What would everyone think of her? She had come from Dahlia de Mai, and she knew there was not an amazing bond between the two, and out of everyone she already knew, at least one of them really did not like her. Her brother looked lonely, she decided, so she made her way to him and sat next to him, offering him a smile. Their bond was not broken anymore, thanks to Anselm and their birthday, and for that she was glad.
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short, sorry!
One year. Wow, that was pretty long. Ares didn't really know too much about how long an average pack-life was, but he knew that a year was almost his entire life. Strange to think that when he was a whimpering, hurting little infant.. This pack was being formed. So strange, that such history and momentous events could be happening all throughout the world but the only part of it that was real to him was the dim cave and a mother's painful touch. Conversation swirled around him as Anu finished speaking, but Ares had only paused his writing in order to hear the announcement.
Princess came and sat beside him conveniently right as he was finishing the last line of verse hanging out on the edges of his brain. Glancing over at her, he returned her grin, trying to hold his heart tightly in the joy of writing, not wanting to let any of the doubt and unease that surrounded Mati to slip back into his emotions. "Hey! Wanna see what I just wrote?" Ares didn't really like showing people his work, especially when it was still raw and unpolished like this new poem was, but Princess didn't really.. count. She was his sister. He knew she had good taste, and would recognize and appreciate the angsty soul of the poem, even if it was still rough around the edges. She would see the good in it, and be impressed with his crazy poetry skills.
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[html] 500+
The state of his aunt both confused and concerned Gotham. He furrowed his brow a little at her explanation, but nodded his head at her suggestion to ask his mother. The boy would do that, but not right now, because there was a big party thing going on and surely his mother was very very busy! It was nice to see Ghita and to talk to her, and so he smiled at her question and plopped his bum on the ground in front of her. He was about to open his mouth to exclaim how happy he was he wasn't a girl and that he hoped it would never happen to his beloved sisters - they'd better figure out what had caused that and avoid it at all costs! - when Mati appeared. For a moment he grinned at her presence, but her statement made him feel even more confused. He liked to be very nice and polite, a nice little Cool Prince, so his inability to see the rudeness in what he had said flustered him a little. He would have to think that over later, when there wasn't so much going on around him.
Happy to have nice wolves to talk to, he recounted the events of the day with glee. "Well today I went to the lake and I saw lots of little spiders that float around on the top of the water but they don't fall in! And I wanted to try it but I'm not a real good swimmer en I was all alone so I just watched the spiders so that I'll know what to try first next time, en when I go I will go with somebody big so if I don't learn how to figure out how to walk on the water right away and I fall into the water and I'm still not a real good swimmer I can have someone that can, eh, rescue me! Maybe you can go with me, Mati? En you can try to float like the spiders too." He looked up at her then, wagging his tail warily. Perhaps she would forgive him for asking a rude question.
He heard Anu talking, so he turned his gaze towards her. He didn't know the Lieutenant General very well, but the boy quite liked the garden of flowers that she had. All his insect friends liked to hang out there, so Gotham found it to be a nice place indeed. It was strange to think that Crimson Dreams was older than he was, and he stared and smiled open-mouthed at her statement.
It wasn't long before he saw his mother making her way through the crowd, and the boy wagged his tail excitedly as she came towards him. He grinned and flung his tail back and forth with significant force as Savina acknowledged him, and exclaimed, "Good!" Casting a glance to Ghita before turning back to his mother, Gotham took the opportunity to ask, in a whisper that he didn't think his aunt could hear, "Is it bad what Auntie Ghita is like? She said I should ask you about the tails or something. Did it happen to you and that's why you know and that's why I should ask you?" He looked at the ebony female with concerned eyes, hoping there was nothing wrong with his enlarged aunt, and hoping that such an uncomfortable looking thing had never happened to his own mother.
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