[html] http://sleepyglow.net/souls/gifts/jacquez.jpg); background-position:bottom center; background-repeat:no-repeat; background-position:fixed; padding-bottom:323px; padding-left:15px; padding-right:15px; padding-top:10px;">WC: 564 // See this thread for info on the conflict. Participating in this pack thread counts towards the Catacomb skull, and you're only required one post! If your character has information on either side, feel free to relay it to Jacquez when they arrive. No posting order. Failing to post once risks a demotion for your character! //
Jacquez Trouillefou paced along the cold stone floor of the Chien Hotel, the nails on his footpaws clicking with every step he took. It was otherwise silent in the lobby, the deafening stillness of winter having oppressed the area. The king had a lot on his mind, a lot to process. An energy was reverberating through him, an excitement to take action, racing through him and threatening to vibrate him apart. He flexed his claws into a fist, jabbing swift punches into the empty air, anything to keep him moving. This was what he was looking for, wasn't it? Talk about a chance to relive his glory days. Nothing said adrenaline quite like a pack war, and this was a big one.
His lips drew back in a wicked grin, feathered tail whipping a tight circle behind him. Why had no one invited him to the party? He wanted to visit the magnificent queen Kaena and pledge his allegiance to her officially, because his alliance lay with the clan. He had been waiting to take a crack at Haku forever, but he still had to tread carefully so as not to embroil his kingdom in the war. He would be fighting as a favor to a friend, not as the leader of a pack. He didn't want to risk bringing Haku to their borders for his third time, high on darkness and eating their puppies, raping their women, whatever impulses the psychotic freak gave into.
The one-armed man strode brusquely to the doors, throwing them open and bellowing a howl. The deep foghorn call spoke of his underlying excitement, but was still a fierce summoning command. He needed to share what he had discovered, for it was oh so incredible! He had found traces of Svara's orphan leaving their pack, and on a whim had followed her trail to the borders of Dahlia de Mai. There he found traps... Huge metal jaws that stank of blood and death, and they were set at regular intervals all around their territory.
It was clearly some sort of warning, a clever defense mechanism against invaders. He had gone back today after storming out on Firefly - they couldn't live together anymore, not after what she'd gone and done - and the snowy ground was trampled with pawprints, heavy with the scent of coyote and wolf alike. To think, Jacquez had believed the prick-ears up north didn't have enough fight in them! Turns out they knew how to tear each other apart as good as any southern dog. There weren't any corpses that he could spot, but serious trouble was brewing, if the dominant scent markers around Dahlia meant anything. And he was hoping to get in on the action before it was too late!
"Gather, mes copains, there is grave news!" he boomed impatiently, shivering in the cold air seeping through the doorway. Though it had been so all season, he had yet to officially introduce Ruri and Vigilante to their packmates as his two second-in-command. He could open with that... Give his loyal followers some measure of comfort and stability before dropping the bombshell. If they were unified, he could lead them all together against the flower pack, but it was not so... There were wolves under his banner, and the Inferni clan had a very prejudiced reputation. He had to do this off the record.
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It did not take long for Ruri to reach the doorsteps of the Chien Hotel. Jac had not called a pack meeting in some time, there must be something serious going on. In her quadruped form she had covered the distance in a few short minutes travelling over her memorized trails. Of course, she had been careful, but she had made a definitive effort to rush to her best friend and king's side. Following at her heels as always was her new kitten, Soleil, though he had been several feet behind her. As a kitten his short legs could not carry him at anywhere near the same pace as the petite Border collie, but he had followed just the same. Now, panting exhaustedly the small cat padded into the house to try and find a quiet place to lie down and catch his breathe. Ruri, on the other hand shifted to her bipedal optime form and strode into the stone-floored room where Jacquez was pacing. "What is it Jac? Is something the matter?" she inquired, concerned as always for the wellbeing of her friend. She wondered when the rest of the pack would arrive, for she could tell that so far she was one of the first to answer the call.
Out of breathe, though she was, Ruri quickly walked up and wrapped her arm around Jac in her usual friendly embrace. She knew Jac would ruffle her ears as he always did. That was just the way they greeted each other. For the tactilly sensitive, blind woman touching Jac would give her the best indication of whether something was wrong with him or not. Fortunately, her initial touch did not detect any wounds or blood, nor did her sensitive nose. Therefore, Ruri found herself relaxing, able to patiently wait for Jacquez to explain the situation.
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The howl from the King came to Haven as he was in the stables brushing Drogon and his bi-colored ears immediately pricked at the noise. The stallion rose his head too, huffing with interest. "Wonder what Jac wants. Whatever it is sounds important. Better not keep him waiting." The Knight returned the brush to its proper place and then closed the door to Drogon's stall. The dark horse's ears flicked back and he neighed, making sure that his wolf companion knew that he was not pleased at being left behind. Haven childishly stuck out his tongue at the mustang. "It sounds like he's at the hotel and there's no way you'd get yourself through that door. I'll come back with a full report, will that be satisfactory?" Drogon flicked his tail and snorted, an indignant concession. "I'll tell you everything when it's over so stop being such a baby." His arm reached up to scratch between his friend's ears and then the horse nudged him as if to say "you better get going". Haven grinned and took off at a jog towards the Chien Hotel.
He had half expected to be one of the last to arrive but in fact he was one of the first. The only pack member to get here before him was Ruri, though that was hardly a surprise. She was seldom far from the King. A small smile graced his handsome face but there was an energy in the air and he wasn't certain what to make of it. It didn't necessarily seem bad, but it didn't seem all that positive either. Inwardly he reminded himself to keep his eyes and ears open to what would be done and said here tonight before coming up to the two collies. "Good to see you Jac, Ruri." The Knight moved to stand near Ruri while still giving the two plenty of space (since he knew Heath would most likely wish to stand by his love's side) and so he was still able to see the monarch completely.
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I may not be able to do more than this one post, but we'll see. x__x crazy SoSuWriMo
Strel had been sitting in his room, trying to fix a horrible mess that came with a spool of thread unwinding all around his room in one of his moments of surprise. So he sat there, on the pile that served as a bed for him, sitting for all the world a king on top of his mountain, winding gray thread around the plastic bobbin. Over and over and over again. By the time he had gotten half of the stuff back onto the original spool, he heard the monarch call to the pack, him included, to join him for an important meeting. His ears flattened and he whined, staring back down at his hands. Strel sped up his winding, not wanting to stop now while he was so close. It took the better part of the next five or six minutes, but the spool was tucked into his bag, firmly fastened with a needle. Dusting off his hands, more symbolically than purposefully, he left his room and walked down the hall to the area where it seemed that the group was supposed to congregate. It should not have been too hard to find them nor was it.
Ruri and Haven had already joined the monarch, standing near one another, though not closely. "Good day, everyone. We really the only ones here so far?" Strel was surprised at having beat out a large portion of everyone else, usually arriving more towards the middle of the bunch. Though frankly, he had only really attended a single meeting, and it had not been a vital calling, like this one was. There had been a tone in Jacquez's summons, a sort of excited urgency that dictated importance. Though it was questionable just what kind of excitement it was. For all Strel knew, they could have managed to somehow take over a large chunk of land, or perhaps a herd of horses. Though that seemed a little bit less important than what he thought it could be. Truthfully, he had no idea.
"I take it the early birds don't get to know what it is, do we, sire?" he said with a flourish, hoping to gain an inch from the monarch. Though it seemed unlikely. He probably wanted everyone to know at once, and that would likely silence him. "Does anyone know?" he questioned, glancing at the other two, thinking that Jac knowing them better would warrant a far more willingness to divulge, but it seemed they that all were just as in the dark as he were.
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ooc: WELL... even though Sylvie is a pup, I suppose since Alaine, Caillen, and she all live in the Chien hotel... they can't really get out of this thread. |D
"Gather, mes copains, there is grave news!" Lilac and white harks rose with intrigue as a booming call and urgent howl had sounded in the downstairs of the Chien Hotel. She and Caillen had been curled up in their beds, as it was beginning to get late. It always took the two a long time to settle down, so Alaine had sent them in early.
But with this call, the lilac collie pup was up and off, skittering down the stairs like a hyperactive comet, dashing into the lobby of the creaky old building. Violet gems settled on the few arrivals, passing quickly over the two she had yet to meet, though she found the silver-haired male's sword interesting to look at, and the other male had such surprising red hair, she couldn't help but gawk at it longer than everyone else. Finally, amethyst gems locked firmly on her beloved sister. Flailing the rest of the way down the stairs, cream maw opened in multiple triumphant exclamations of greeting.
"Hello everyone! Hi King Jac-Jac! Hi Ruriiiiiiiiii!"
Certainly, she had noticed Jacquez, and as he was King, she would give him his dues with his titling and a rather hasty, lopsided moving bow, but in her excitement the child dashed over to the silver and white female without much other form of hello. It had been some time since the two had seen each other last, and Sylvie was quite willing to give her sibling a long-overdue hug.
"Ruriiiiiii! Soeur! J'ai raté vous! Oh how I missed you! How is your leg? Do you know why King Jac-Jac is being so loud? I was almost going to be--" Suddenly, the child stopped, having caught sight of the peculiar feline following her elder sister around. Blinking curiously, she stared at the fluffball of a kitten, amused by it's unusual looks.
"Err... hello little... furball?" She cocked her head at the animal, interested, and then looked back up to Ruri. "What is this?" She laughed at her change in questions, then beamed up at her sister in glee. It certainly is funny how children are always so happy go lucky, isn't it?
The name's Sylvie Ciel. Who be you? Run run run, Chase that little sheepy-pie! and now I chase those cattle, snapping at their heels as they run by.
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Only posting once due to school starting back and I'm playing post catch up though if I get a chance I'll post twice.
Ayita was out walking she had been on her way to see Alaine. The woman was a talented healer and Amaranth was starting to really bite hard when she attacked. Ayita never stopped her daughters attacks on her she didn't want to traumatize her further. Though her daughters attacks came far less frequent Ayita was taking it as a good sign but she was hoping the other mother could lend an herbal remedy or two.
Ayita stopped hearing a howl. It was her leader and she had no choice but to follow the sound. She was glad she was heading in that direction. She sped up her pace as she slowed the closer she got seeing and smelling the others that were arriving and that had arrived. She was glad she was not dead last to show that would be bad. "My King what is going on?" She asked as she walked towards him.
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OOC: Resident healer has arrived :3 Miyu, I assume this thread takes place after our one, so Alaine actually knows whom Jac is XD
The cold weather left no room for idle hands, and as bitter as was winter's fangs, the young healer hardly minded the extra work. It had become harder to hunt, harder to function, but the land adorned in a shroud of white was a spectacular sight to see. Footpaws crunched softly on the unbroken surface as the collie-woman headed back towards her 'home', emerald eyes bright and cheeks flushed with the winds bite beneath their soft creamy fur. Her thick red cloak swirled softly about her feminine figure, but bunched as her step lifted in haste. She was expecting Ayita to stop by soon - the woman had need of some more herb poultices, to heal bites of some sort - and she'd merely needed to dig up some more of the bulbous sweet-roots to replenish her stock.
As far as she was aware, Alaine's two children remained asleep in their rooms, most likely huddled into one another for warmth. That was how she'd left them, and that was how she'd expect them to be upon return. But, alas, such expectations never came to - At the entrance to the Chien Hotel, the pristine blanket of ivory was marred by the marks of many paws. For a moment, her heart lurched, jade eyes darting up to the window of the room in which her son still slumbered. Then, with the roots tucked into her small leather pouch, the young lady bounded quickly up the steps and burst into the hall.
The hotel, usually dormant at this time of year, was bustling with warm bodies. Among them, Alaine recognized the majority; Ayita was present, and near to her the Lady Ruri whom Alaine had met briefly before. At her feet was, as should have been guessed, Sylvie - Her guardian made note to chide the girl for being up after her bed time, but continued to scan the room. There was a stranger, and Mr Strel (whom she'd helped patch up only a short time ago)... And their King. At the sight of him, Alaine stiffened, and beat down the flush that crept up her face, for he mortified her still.
As if she were walking on broken eggshells, the healer slipped gingerly through the growing crowd, completely unaware of the thoughts that boiled within minds. She knew nothing of the war that haunted their horizons, but also knew, perhaps better than most, how to heal the wounded bodies and souls it would produce. She slipped through the throng, towards the fireplace at the back of the hotel. With the aid of the two pups for whom she'd cared, some sticks and logs had been carted inside before the latest snowfall to cry out. She shifted them now, and fumbled with some contraptions until the sparks of a fire began to glow.
With that chore completed, the young woman finally turned around and squared her shoulders. She seemed to be the youngest of the adults in presence, and was daunted by her vulnerability. Brushing her dirty palms on the front of her soft green dress to clean them, Alaine cleared her throat to inform others of her presence, but said nothing. The questions were already flying around her, and the young healer felt no need to echo her own. Giving young Sylvie a sharp look, she settled with fidgeting anxiously, hoping that the voices would not raise enough to wake her sleeping son.
Speak think walk
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When Jacquez had stormed out on her she had done little to stop him. She had learned one thing about the king and she knew sooner or later he would return. There would be no apologizes and he would act as though everything that she had said had never taken place. He had a strange way of dealing with things but she would survive. Even if he found no use for children she would let them know who their father was and leave it at that. Perhaps in time they would find a middle ground but she doubted that right now. He was too high strung in his ways to care about anything but himself. She hadn't even had the chance to tell him about what had taken place between Anselm and herself and the aid she'd willingly granted before even speaking to her pack.
A sigh escaped her lips as she finished gathering the last of her things from his cabin and set back to her little shack. Now that she couldn't shift to return to her lupus form she had no real reason to even try and fit into her den. It had been made for a wolf and she wouldn't see that form not for a long while. She flicked her ears back uncertain as she threw her things on the old tattered sofa before wrapping up in one of the blankets that she'd taken with her, the scent of the king still fresh in their layers as she curled up in a ball and tried to keep from weeping. She was pathetic and she knew it. The king would never see her as anything more than a plaything and she'd gone and went soft, finding a weak spot for the self absorbed bastard. She obviously had horrible tastes in me, though ambitious.
She had just closed her eyes when his voice carried through the lands. She growled to herself and contemplated ignoring his call. What did he want now. She was really getting tired of being one thing behind the scenes and something totally different to the face of the pack. The Sadira woman hissed through her teeth as she awkwardly got to her paws. She had stayed in her feral form when she'd been with Haku's litter, this time she'd remained in her optime form. It was a whole new experience and she wasn't sure she wanted to go through it, the differences in the pregnancies so much clearer. She at least had been able to hide her last one to a degree. She knew there was no hiding anything now. Storming out of her cabin she moved towards the sound of the king's call, glad to know that he wouldn't dare to use their old meeting grounds, her own shack, to call the pack from.
She hadn't realized that Elroy had come bounding out of some shadow and had tailed after her the whole way, the young cat smart enough to know to stay out of Firefly's way when she was in a mood, but still curious as to where she was going. She never slept at the house anymore and he had been busy doing his catty things to follow her and keep watch over his pet. Today though she'd returned freely to him and he'd decided that he wasn't going to let her out of his sight for too long today. She might not reappear for moons if he did.
Her mood grew fouler the closer she grew to the city. Her balance was off and she was testy enough by her mixed emotions over everything that had fallen in place lately. Her eyes flashed as she slipped on the pavement and awkwardly righted herself before continuing on. She had already been disgraced enough by their Majesty, she wasn't going to let the late pack members see her at her worst out in the clear. She grumbled to herself as she hulled her way up the stairs and into the hotel, finding a nice gathering of the pack, all familiar faces in their own sense but her absence this past month from the swing of things had probably begun to show to those she'd spent time with here and there. She didn't even want to hear what they would have to say once they realized why she'd been so scarce.
She finally took notice of Elroy as he bound across the room and created havoc, tumbling a smaller cat and batting at the creature who was unstead on it's short legs. She hissed at the cat who quickly tucked his paws under his form though his tail still twitched and teased as though any second he would pounce again. She really wished that hairball hadn't come along. He didn't always realize that she didn't want to make a scene, sometimes it was best to be a shadow, but him, he was feline, they were always the center of attention. She shook her head and turned her ears to what one of the members was asking.
The look and words of the king made her believe that she might know just what this grave news was. A frown pressed on her lips as she spoke softly, "Aye, I think I know what it is, and it's best not left to idle gossip." Her eyes smoldered as she glanced at Jac, still annoyed with him for his pathetic disregard to the news she'd brought him. She wouldn't have shared such information if she hadn't known the troubles that split the lands. She really wished that he had stayed a moment longer for her to tell him what else she had to tell him. Next time if she had bad news she'd present the public news first and not the private. She let her eyes settle on the king as she stood near the door silent, knowing her attempts to go unnoticed had failed from the start.
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####Vigilante’s wounds had healed by now, in the physical aspect anyway. It had been a very strange few weeks for him, and he did not know exactly what to think of everything. His niece was deranged and living in Dahlia de Mai, he was Constable of the pack (though as far as he knew, only Jacquez and Ayita knew this), someone had attacked Ayita’s daughter, his house now was home to four, and he had finally asked the woman he loved to be his mate. It had been a very strange few weeks, indeed, but the balance of good and bad events was what seemed to throw him off the most. When something bad had happened, something else good happened in another area of his life. He did not know what to think of his strangely balanced luck, but he supposed he should not question it completely. After all, with all of the good things, he had nothing to complain about. He was still filling confident about his burst of courage in asking Ayita to be his mate, as well, which only served to confuse him more, since he was feeling rather serious as of late. Something needed to be done—he felt that—but he did not know what or even why. Though he had initially vowed to go back to his old job, he still had mild doubts, as he did not want to upset Ayita with it. The news of his past had upset her, it had been obvious, and it was a very tender subject for him, as well.
####Standing in his kitchen and staring at the snow outside, Vigilante ran his fingers through the shaggy dark hair that matched the dark mask of fur on his face, contemplating the way he was feeling. It was so strange to think that there was something boiling deep within that was bothering him that he could not pinpoint. Normally, he was very in tune with his emotions and thoughts, a side affect of his long and hard training. It was one thing to feel confused about something specific he was feeling, but it was a whole different story for him to feel confused about nothing, and yet, everything at the same time. “You have been thinking too much,” he muttered to himself grumpily, turning away from the window. He needed something to distract him, but Ayita had gone somewhere that day, so he was left to his own devices. Her children were with their father for the day, so he did not have them, either. They were sweet kids, and he was glad to see that Mara’s problems seemed to be lessening, from the way that Ayita had described them to him at first. And yet, during one of the happiest times in his life, there was something bothering him, and he had no idea what it was. His only guess was that it was related to his niece and the information she had given him about their old pack and her brother’s continued actions. That was the most likely thing, indeed.
####The desired distraction came in the form of a howl from his leader, and Vigilante’s ears perked with interest. He had no idea why the collie man was calling for them all, but it seemed as though it was important, and it was just the thing that he needed. Perhaps it would also be a good time for the rest of the pack to know of his promotion, though he did not know what to expect from them by way of reaction. Those that he knew, he was on good terms with, although he could not say it went for Leroy, but he was certain that there were pack members that he did not yet know. How would they take to hearing that he was their new Constable? Their first Constable had left the pack without explanation, only to later return and take a plunge off of a cliff, and he did not know if this information might affect the way anyone saw his promotion. For those that missed Svara, would they begrudge him taking up her old rank? And for those that did not miss her, or did not care either way, how would they feel? Though he had never been overly concerned with the way that others saw him, he was surprisingly concerned about how the pack was going to take to this information. Ruri was someone he had never met personally, but heard good things of, so he could only assume that the pack would be happy to hear about her promotion. Unfortunately, he could not assume the same thing for him, and it did matter.
####The call had come from the hotel, so Vigilante set off in that direction alone, his head down against the bitter cold. It was something that he was accustomed to, most certainly, and while he was not particularly bothered by the snow, he was also not that much of a fan of it, either. It had snowed much harder and more often back at home, but he still did not like it now, where it was simply a breeze compared to his birthplace. As he arrived, he realized that he should have walked faster, as many others had already gathered. He recognized Jacquez, of course, and Haven, Alaine, and the woman he had talked to once outside the horse corral, though their conversation had not been much. The face he sought, however, was also there, and Vigilante strode to Ayita with a smile. Their relationship was still new, and he did not know if anyone here knew of it, but the seriousness of the call made him not wish to speak up about it yet. He stood next to his mate, though his attention was mostly focused on Jacquez. Ayita had made it easy for him by being near Jacquez to begin with, as he felt it was probably his duty to stand near the King during meetings, even if he had no idea what the meeting was about and no one else knew him to be a leader of their motley crew of a pack.
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sorry for my failness, only posting once.
The black and white male stalked quitely through the forest, moving slowly on the snow as his red eyes watched everthing. Breathing in all the scents around him Leroy stalked quitely between trees, following the trail of the deer that made his mouth water. Trotting his muscled body moved smoothly under his thick patterned coat, curly tail high behind his form as his ears turned. Sniffing at the ground of a moment his red eyes narrowed at the scent that touched his lungs, it was a old scent of a bear that made his maw twitch, showing his fangs.
Jumping over the log Leroy followed the trail a few more seconds when the howl cut through the air, pausing his ears fanned forward letting it flood his senses. Blinking for a second his red eyes both normal and scard looked in the direction of the call, he knew right away the voice of the howl. Jac. Breathing deeply the patterened male abandoned his hunt and bolted forward through the forest, heavy paws slammed into the ground and throwing snow behind behind him and leaving a trail of his own.
Cutting through another section of forest his black and white body darted over the snow ground, the black of his coat sticking out as he ran but Leroy didn't care, he wasn't hunting at the moment. Trotting up to the hotel his nose already alerted him to the packmates that have already arrived ahead of him to the meeting, slowing his black and white body shifted up into his optime form as he stepped up to the door. Walking inside quitely his red eyes scanned the room and nodded respectfull to his friends and even graced a quick smile before leaning against the wall, listening he keep his ears open and his eyes ever so watchful. "Whats going on.? He said in his normal tone, though it was clear to see that somthing was at hand by Jac's actions.
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SSWM - 382
A single call. The voice of his King rose and filtered through the air, and Heath heeded the command. It was odd, for he had been standing at the shore, alone. Neither Stark not Lumière accompanied him. The small kitten he and Ruri adopted had stayed home as well. Dark clouds rolled in form the ocean, threatening the shore. Too far out to know if they would hit land or drift off into the dept of the wide ocean Heath did not worry, and only examined with a reflective curiosity. His mind was allowed to filter out the things that mattered so little. The details that he could neither control or keep strait. Instead his focused on the tasks that would keep him busy and distracted. There would be more blankets needed, water was to be drawn from the nearest stream in the morning and hay let down from the loft. The Marshal was finding the tasks in the stables were no more then habit and routine. Working with each horse, maintaining those that had already been trained and breaking those that needed it. Winter had put a halt on most of the outdoor work, but he still tended to them each. With the routine came a simplicity and calm the once riled and shot fused male needed.
Heath let the thoughts fall to the waist side as he walked towards the hotel. Having never explored the area the coy male used is nose to find the scent of pack mates and more specify his beloved Ruri and followed the trail diligently. It did not take long to find the gather that had accumulated. His eyes grazed over the King that had song for his followers, but his honey orbs fell on the blind females face and lingered on her form as he wandered towards Haven. Knowing that Ruri now belonged among the leaders of the pack Heath did not make a strait shot towards her. Instead he roamed through the crowd in silence and settled beside the Knight whom smelled of horse and stables.
The hybrid gave a nod to the orange tinted male, but stood in the space that separated Haven from the Dauphine. Forcing his gaze upon the King, Heath merely waited for what had brought them all here.
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WC: 882 -Sorry for the wall of text!
Jacquez's black eyes gleamed with anticipation as he paced back and forth, the world cold and grey outside the heavy double doors. First to arrive was his loyal Dauphine and companion, Ruri. This was like old times, too, when the pair had been inseparable. He still felt the same irresistible urge to scoop her up and carry her around, but as her warm arms embraced his midsection, he restrained himself to simply mussing up her hair. "Nothing is the matter, petite, so long as you promise to stay away from the borders this time of year - eh, qu'est-ce qui c'est? Have you brought vermin to this building?" He crinkled his nose, watching the small cat slink into a corner of the room.
He continued to stare at the furry intruder as other packmates filed in from the snowy outdoors - polite Sir Haven, and friendly Strelein (who earned a grin and a wink from the monarch). Jacquez had almost forgotten about the little lilac puppy he had helped rescue, but here she was, hyperactive and bursting with energy. "Soeur...?" he repeated with an intrigued smile, wondering if the girl was speaking figuratively or literally. After all, he had noticed the resemblance himself...
Alaine swept in quickly after her ward, blushing at the sight of the king and scurrying off to tend to the fireplace. He raised an eyebrow at her, amused by how obedient she had become once she learned his title. Eventually, like all women, she would get exasperated with his antics and go back to her temperamental pushiness. Ayita greeted him then, and he turned back to face the quickly filling lobby, ushering her to take a seat if she felt like it. She hadn't brought her children; that seemed more appropriate, since it was a serious gathering.
A hissing, scuffling ruckus sounded from the corner - another cat was there, and now the two were roughhousing. He recognized the bigger one, and turned with a sour glance to its owner, the capricious Firefly. The impulsive flirts were now at odds with each other, glaring daggers when their volatile gazes met. He was not above public humiliation, so she'd best keep her head down if she didn't want an even bigger scene.
Finally, the wayward men arrived: Vigilante, Leroy, and Heath. Leroy leaned casually against the wall, whilst the other two found standing room beside their lady friends, all eyes on Jacquez. The king's expression grew serious, though he discretely suppressed a clenched jaw when he thought of Heath and Ruri still together. Firefly had taught him the error of his ways on that topic, and he had given his former ward more freedom and control over her own life, but... Inside, it would always be turmoil.
"Mes compatriotes, may I begin with an introduction? For those who do not know, Mademoiselle Ruri Aceline, and Monsieur Vigilante Haskel -" the king gestured to both, indicating they should step forward or wave acknowledgment, "--they are now my two assistants, my right-hand nobles. If you require the wisdom or authority of a leader, these two will be happy to serve!" He smiled proudly, pleased with his decisions. Of course, he had privately informed the pair before the first snowflakes had fallen, and they had been acting as leaders throughout his often unannounced excursions, but... It seemed proper to inform his kingdom officially that he was not the only one in charge anymore.
"The matter I have called you here for, though, is cautionary. If you patrol the border, do so with a companion, or on horseback. Stay within the kingdom's territory if you can, and don't travel at night if you feel the need to leave. There is trouble lurking outside," he spoke, lowering his voice conspiratorially. He had nothing to fear; it would take a whole pack of wolves to bring him down, and they had more pressing matters at hand. "Dahlia de Mai, our neighbors to the east, have been gearing for war. For those who don't know, one of their alpha wolves has a problem with our kingdom, and there's a chance that he might set his sights on us. Our kingdom will remain neutral unless provoked, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't take precautions. I know that we all come from very different places... I wouldn't ask any of you to choose sides, unless we need to defend our homes and children." The last word had a funny taste, and he almost couldn't say it with a straight face. Firefly was probably shooting him another dirty look, but he dared not look her way.
Jacquez cleared his thoughts quickly, smiling broadly as he planted his hand jauntily on his hip. "As of now, I'm volunteering to do some recon work, find out the real story... If I'm not to be found, refer to Vigilante and Ruri, of course. If any of you have heard news about skirmishes and such, now is the time to share!" The one-armed dog smiled fondly at the faces of his followers, pleased that he had accumulated such a reliable core of canines. It had been a rocky start, but he had done the impossible - wolves, dogs, and coyotes, cohabiting in peace with each other. Truly, he was a god among men.
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Ruri was soon engulfed by the flurry of greetings that were sent both her's and Jac's ways. First came Haven, then Mr. Strelein, who Ruri had not seen since the last pack meeting. She nodded to them both in succession, returning their greetings. Then came the familiar, boisterous voice of her younger sibling, Sylvie. Her greeting carried above the small crowd that was growing, making Ruri giggle in amusement. Pups always wanted to be the center of attention."Hello Sylvie, I missed you very much. My leg is doing much better and I think King Jac has something very important to tell us. I'm sorry if we woke you up," As the pup turned her attention to Soleil, Ruri smiled as she listened to Sylvie trying to make friends with the small firey orange kitten. "He's a kitten, a baby cat, and his name is Soleil. He's Heath's and my pet," She didn't really think of Soleil as so much as pet as a member of hers and Heath's new family, at least for the time being. However, that was the easiest way for her to describe it to the pup.
A few more people arrived, including Firefly. Ruri's attention was quickly distracted as she heard Soleil utter a loud meow of surprise as Elroy, Firefly's cat, tackled him. The blind collie girl also heard Firefly verbally disciplining the cat, which gave Soleil long enough to dash over to Ruri and hide between her legs as she stood next to Jac. Firefly then made a comment about how she thought she knew why Jac had called them together but she didn't want to spoil it for everyone else. Leroy and another male who she had yet to officially meet entered the room followed shortly by her beloved Heath who quickly came over and stood beside her, offering Soleil another set of legs to hide behind.
Now Jac spoke again and she finally responded to his earlier remarks about her cat. "He's not vermin, Jacquez. He's a cat, a very nice, very friendly cat. You should say hello to him sometime. Heath and I found him in the stables the other day and we decided to keep him," she scolded, her nightingales voice taking a somewhat stern tone. How dare he call her little kitten vermin. She would have to make sure he apologized next time they visited one another. Now, of course, Ruri fell silent for Jac had addressed the entire group. He started by introducing both herself and another male by the name of Vigilante Haskel. He must have been the male whose scent was familiar, but whose acquaintance she had yet to make. When Jac paused, obviously wishing for his two sub-leaders to make themselves known, Ruri dutifully stepped forward and smiled, doing her best to let her useless, pale blue eyes travel around the room. Jac continued to instruct the rest of the pack to seek either Ruri or Mr. Vigilante out if they needed advice. The petite lautari had already been given her job description by Jac, so she knew all of her required duties. What came next, though, startled her. Dahlia de Mai was readying for war? With whom? Surely not with Cour des Miracles. When Jac assured them all that the pack would remain neutral that fear left Ruri's mind. She hoped that they could indeed remain neutral. She knew which Dahlia alpha Jac was referring to, Haku Soul, and she did not want him, or any of his followers marauding around near their borders. Of course, she would stay away from the borders as Jac instructed. There was little chance that she would be able to defend herself if she somehow got caught in a fight. Jac now was making a promise to perform some reconnaisance of the conflict. Ruri only knew how well that would go. If he happened to try and do some recon while drunk there's no telling what he might do. "Be very careful, Jac," she whispered in his direction, wanting to make sure that he understood the necessity of his return. The pack needed him alive, so he had better not go off doing something stupid to get himself killed.
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As more of the Cour des Miracles members began to filter in to the hotel (or in some cases, come from a different part of the building) Haven noted how many faces were unfamiliar to him. He did not know the young pup that was so excited to see Ruri. Was the Jontae perhaps? Ruri had said that the King's daughter was a handful and this young dog was certainly a ball of energy, but he wasn't sure if this could be a newer child that had come to their borders. He vaguely recalled the one woman from the first pack gathering, but they had never been properly introduced and the other he had never seen before. Honestly, he was a little embarrassed to find there were so many here that he did not know and probably didn't know him either. It was his job to be the pack's guardian and yet he didn't know all the people he was supposed to protect. He would have to make a greater effort to get out and meet the ones that he was unacquainted with. It was the least he could do.
He did know the last few faces to arrive though. Something was clearly on Firefly's nerves though as she stayed towards the back of the gathering and he caught the less than friendly gazes she was giving to Jacquez. Oh dear, what had happened there? It seemed clear that it wasn't particularly to do with what the meeting was about, but he had a feeling that he would hear about what was troubling her at some point. He might even make a point of asking her if she wouldn't get offended. Then came Vigilante, Leroy and Heath. As expected his friend made his way towards Ruri and himself and took up the space that had been left open for him. Haven returned the nod but now that the pack had assembled Jac was ready to speak and he didn't want to miss a word of what the King would say.
The first announcement was a cheerful one. He had heard whispers of the two's promotions, but he hadn't be certain of it until this moment. The Knight offered both Ruri and Vigilante and smile and nod, a silent statement that he would be at their disposal should they ever require his help. Of course the Dauphine could not see his gesture, but Ruri already knew that he was there for her if she ever needed him. It was the next announcement that Haven had been waiting anxiously to hear. It was worse than he had expected. War was on the horizon? That could mean nothing good, even if the conflict did not directly involve Cour des Miracles. Recently he had talked with his mother about the dark shadow of Haku Soul and that uneasiness returned to him now. That uneasiness only multiplied when Jac said that he was going to do reconnaissance on the matter. He had a gut feeling the boisterous King may have had more in mind than simple information finding.
Haven cleared his throat, indicating to all he had some words to say. "First off, I'd like to agree with Jac's words about being careful now that this has come to light. The man our King speaks of is incredibly dangerous and anyone mad enough to follow him is just as treacherous. I will step up the frequency of my border patrols and anyone that wishes to help me may. Though if you run into any trouble or find something suspicious call for me immediately. It's my job to protect you all and I mean to uphold that." He couldn't be in multiple places at once and with such danger he would need their help to be able to protect everyone. "I would also ask you to be careful Jac, for all of our sakes as well as your own. Your loss would be devastating and we don't want to make any more enemies." The last thing they needed was bloodthirsty Dahlians on their doorstep.
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will be brief, sorry for not posting sooner /wasn't aware we had a posting order going on
The rest of the pack seemed to filter in, though they were missing a woman that the redhead had met recently, Ataxia. He noted her missing presence and turned his attention to the pack mates that had showed up after him. He only knew Leroy, who he did not really give any look of recognizing, choosing to stare at the King in anticipation instead. There were more females in the pack suddenly, and the males were growing scarce and taken all of a sudden. Strelein fumbled with his bangle, wondering if he was going to have to start exploring outside the pack more with all these pairs of mates taking up the bachelors. Thank goodness he was far from in a hurry to settle down, if he ever did. It was hard to find the kind of person that the redhead wanted for himself, considering how hard it was to find another Luperci with his tendencies, or even being on the border instead of on his side of his fence.
Then Jacquez delivered his, hopefully, first piece of news. Oh that was good news, certainly. Two people in the pack being exalted in rank for achievement and respect was always an announcement that any prideful pack mate would be glad to hear. There could be envy, but the redhead did not feel it a bit. Him in a leading position was a bad idea all around. Strelein sent a quick grin to the two new leaders, knowing one vaguely, the other not at all. The Monarch would not have chosen them for no reason at all, so the redhead assumed they would be good at their jobs. If not, they could always be ousted and replaced, though he was pretty sure that would not be remotely necessary. Giving them a nod in addition to the grin, the Chevalier turned his attention back to Jacquez, knowing well enough that the King would not simply call all of them out for just a rank shuffle and a couple of new co-leaders.
The look of congratulations on the male's face vanished once the King gave them the real reason the meeting had been called out of the blue. A serious look replaced the one that usually adorned Strel's face, and he, quite frankly, hated the way it felt on him, but the situation warranted it. War was on the land? Why? He let out a slight growl at the thought of being pulled into a war for a pack he did not really know. The name was heard in passing, though who were they fighting if it were not Cour des Miracles? There were several more packs that it could be, but there was a history that the redhead simply did not know about. He wanted to know more, who to be wary of and who to potentially side with. Though chances were, not knowing what the two main sides were, Strel was most likely going to be neutral. He hoped the kingdom would not be pulled into this and out of their neutrality. The redhead was not a fighter or a warrior by any means.
"Sire, who are the Dahlia's fighting?" he asked, curiosity in his still serious facial features. "Is there truly some risk to us here?" Again, this was more for worry about the home he had taken and was now full of pride for. The thought of being confined here, or asked to try to not stray, was a bit unnerving. Surely if they were neutral they posed no threat to the war? Strel did not like to go on the borders with another person, since he usually had a different reason for patrolling, usually for food. Still, the thought of being unable to travel at night was a bit more worrisome. True, he did not travel excessively, but sometimes his ventures to Halifax were long and he only returned to the Hotel at odd hours of the night.
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ooc: Miyu says it's a free for all now.
Firefly was silent for the most part, taking in who appeared and who hadn’t, wondering where Jontae was when right before her father spoke the young girl arrived, breathless and covered in a layer of snow as though she’d been playing and had only last minute decided to attend to her father’s wishes. Firefly turned her eyes away, knowing that she could talk to the young girl later and probably get her to leave the den Firefly had dug before winter had set in. It had taken her a while to realize that Jontae had been spending much time there but she didn’t mind, but she would rather see the child in a proper house where it was easier to watch her. She found it slightly amusing that Jontae had fled when Ruri and Heath had moved in together; obvious the child had no want to be living in a large household. She shook her head at the idea and sighed as she turned her eyes back to Jacquez, realizing that she wasn’t the only one glaring.
She raised a brow silently as she threw him an extra dark seething glance before letting her gaze fall upon Elroy and the tiny kitten that had taken sanctuary under Ruri’s form. She smiled as Ruri defended the cat from the king’s sour words but she offered no comment, not wanting to have to speak to Jacquez if she didn’t need to. It didn’t take Jacquez long to move onto the real news as he offered the knowledge of Ruri and Vigilante’s new positions in the pack. Firefly nodded quietly, knowing that it was better to have more than one leader incase anything fell out of the sorts or Jacquez couldn’t be found. She knew nothing of Vigilante but Ruri was an excellent choice and she had earned Firefly’s respect so long ago that she didn’t begrudge the blind girl her new rise in rank.
When Jacquez turned to the darker news Firefly narrowed her eyes. It seemed their pack wound not go to war after all. She knew that it wouldn’t do well for Ayita or the pups or even Ruri who couldn’t even see but the rest of their ranks were well and strong creatures. She growled softly in her throat as Jacquez went on to tell them to mind themselves. She wouldn’t hold it against the pack for not wanting to go to war, she could remember what it had been like when once before she’d been in the mist of it all and how hard it had been to settle back into a real life after the fact. She shook her head silently as she pushed those dark thoughts away and listened as Jacquez spoke of his own involvement in the up and coming war.
She doubted that the man was going to just be looking for idle gossip but she let it slide past. She almost didn’t open her maw to tell the truth of what she knew either, but she’d rather the rest of the pack know than just use it to keep Jacquez at bay. Ruri’s soft voice hit first with her concern for Jac and it was very quickly followed up by Haven’s need of patrols and instructing the class not to do anything stupid; his own concern for their king followed suit as well.
Firefly waited to see if anyone else had anything to offer before she opened her maw, hesitating at first before she squared her shoulders and gave the king one sharp look of disgust as she gave away her secrets of having visited with the clan. ”The clan has every right to go to war. Haku assaulted one of their commanders.. I’m not certain how, but he’s ousted Cercelee from her place as Rosen of Dahlia de Mai.” She had never actually owned up to her relations to the leaders of Dahlia de Mai but most knew of her mateship with Haku and she took the moment now to offer the truth of how she had ended up in the pack in the first place. ”My mother Iskata, matriarch of Phoenix Valley knew something was wrong with Haku. Before the first war between Inferni and Dahlia de Mai she’d found the man covered in blood, twisted and broken of mind. When I returned from Eire with DaVinci she asked me to reside in Dahlia de Mai to keep an eye on him..” She let her eyes fall as she admitted, ”I failed in my task but from my time in the lands I know enough of him to believe that he will stop at nothing to get what he wants, no matter what it is.” She shifted in place as she thoughtfully ran her hand over her bulging belly before sighing and offering to do something she hadn’t wanted to.
Her words faltered as she continued. ”I can ask Haku’s and my children what they know of everything.. if they’ll speak to me. It might be a while, I can’t go anywhere near Dahlia de Mai, if I’m caught my life will be forfeited, as commanded by my own mate.” She knew that few knew that the wolves of her own pack had been given the command to take her life if they caught her, actually coming to think of it she wasn’t even certain if she’d spoken of it to anyone. Svara knew and perhaps she had told Leroy but Firefly had never pushed it. She looked back to Jacquez as she finished. ”I offered my help to Anselm, I don’t know if Gabriel will accept word from me but Anselm will.”
She knew she had no right to demand it, especially since the relationship with the king and herself in tatters but she went on anyways. ”I want my children to be able to take sanctuary here if they don’t wish to fight alongside Haku and his bloody war. If anyone wants shelter from the war on either side will it be offered if they can stand residing in the same lands together?” She knew that Jacquez had every right to shut down her request but if they weren’t going to outright be part of the bloodshed then they should be part of the peace. The king should know that she would offer shelter to her sons even if he denied it. ”You said yourself these lands were for all when we claimed them for our own, no matter what blood flows in our veins.” She did not take her eyes from him as she waited his reply. Her eyes spoke what she would not, that he would find her sons here if they wished to come.
Ayita looked around as she thought about everything that was going on she really hadn't thought about anything. Right now her mind was still on her children and what had happened to her daughter. She looked back at Leroy and then at her mate as she sighed. What would the others here think about her. What if she was told she was lying that the little pup had made it up.
She looked at Jac and and then Firefly. "Jac may we speak after the meeting?" She asked lightly looking at him. She wanted to talk to someone but who? She hoped he'd be the right one to speak with hoped that he would have an answer for her.
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825 words. WotD: Veritable.
####A modest nod and calm smile was all that met Jacquez’s words of his promotion alongside the pretty little collie mix that he recognized as Ruri, though he had not yet formally met her or spent any time with her. She was standing with Heath and Haven, though, and Vigilante did like both younger men. They were, as far as he could tell, level-headed and intelligent, wonderful additions to the pack. Ruri seemed like a sweet girl, and if she was in the company of both young men (as friends or more, he did not know of any relationships in the pack other than his own), then he believed she must also be as good-natured as they were. Jacquez seemed to be very impulsive, so he would not have been surprised to find out that he had promoted someone with a similar personality—his thoughts turned to the former Constable and Serf, Svara—but he was pleased to see that it appeared a false idea. Vigilante made a mental note to seek out the Dauphine relatively soon so that they might get to know each other a bit.
####The war was an unpleasant topic, one that the doggish man had not heard anything about until this very meeting. It seemed that he really had been keeping to himself very much, and it would probably do him some good to become more familiar with the other packs in the area. When Alaine had asked him about what he knew, he had been reminded that the knowledge was a very small amount. Now, he was reminded again that he was not up to date in knowing what was happening in the entire area. If Jacquez was going to go out and be involved, then Vigilante knew he would need to keep close to the pack lands in the case that a leader would be needed for anything. He hoped that the King did not plan to do anything that could get the rest of the pack involved in the war; this was not something he was interested in being a part of. As far as he knew, there was no reason for him to want to be involved. He had not known what it was that Haku had done to any member of their pack, and it was not his battle to fight. Regardless, he would need to be readily available in the pack lands, which would not be difficult for him. Vigilante was not one to wander, generally choosing to keep to himself.
####Firefly seemed to know much more about the situation than he did, and it seemed as if she was planning to become involved, as well. Haven’s warning was appreciated, and the questions that passed between members were not ones that he could answer, so he listened intently, brow furrowed at the idea of the war touching their pack. It was not something he wanted to let happen, but if Jacquez or any other members were planning to throw themselves into the midst of the fighting, it was not as if he would ever be able to stop them. They probably had their own reasons for wanting to fight, even if he thought it a foolish idea to let this affect the pack. It was good that they knew now, but it was unnecessary to tell everything that was happening. The more that were from the pack that found a way to be involved, the higher the risk for those that did not want to be involved. His mouth set in a firm line as he sneaked a small glance over at Ayita, hoping beyond all hope that there would not be a way for her to be involved. The risk of losing her would be too much for him to handle; she meant too much to him.
####His mate’s question concerned him, as he did not know what it was that she wanted to talk to Jacquez about. There was veritable concern in his eyes as he shifted his gaze back to their King, unsure of what it was that he should say in this situation. “Please be cautious, Jacquez,” he asked of the collie man, repeating Ruri’s plea in his own calm tone, the short statement the only thing that he could decide to say. Usually, Vigilante was a man of very few, carefully selected words. There were some exceptions, of course, such as Ayita, but generally, he did not speak much. It would not do for them to lose a leader, especially the King. As it was, he did not think it would be a good thing for their leader to be absent, either, but he knew that he could not dictate what the collie man should, could, or would do. Jacquez would do whatever it was that he saw fit, and Vigilante would need to be available to the pack. There was not much else that he could do, now.
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Ruri tried to correct him about the cat, but the felines were a scruffy bunch of wild animals, which translated to vermin. What was the point in feeding them and putting up with their incessant mewling and begging? But he sighed, humoring his dearest friend with his mute deference. He had "raised" a horse, after all, and that was little more than spindly-legged prey. Wild horse meat was stringier than deer, though, they weren't worth the trouble.
Haven spoke then, and Jacquez listened approvingly to the knight's sage speech. He was truly a valuable ally, come such a long way from the self-loathing alcoholic he had found languishing those seasons ago. His eyebrows arched at Haven's closing statement, a smile playing on his lips. He would be careful. Nothing could strike him down.
Jontae had come barreling in through the doors moments earlier, as energetic as the other pup in the room,and her father finally took notice. Jacquez pursed his lips, reminded then that he had a second child in his kingdom, a son who was nowhere to be seen. If Finn hadn't fled in shame yet, she surely would soon, since not appearing at his beck and call would be taken as an offense. She had such potential; why had she ruined it all by getting knocked up?
His dark eyes lingered on Jontae, her dark fur powdered with white snow. She was getting bigger, and becoming a bit feral, it seemed, since she was no longer being watched by Ruri or Firefly. At least her fluffy fur was good for protection against the winter... Once she learned how to shift, well, she would surely be of more interest. If she started showing leader potential, he might spend a little time teaching her some tricks... not because they were related, of course. It would simply benefit the pack.
"The clan of Inferni, versus the pack of Dahlia de Mai... they each have their devils," the monarch remarked in response to Strelein. "I imagine they'll keep each other far too busy to come parley at our shores. We should be well out of their way, unless Haku triumphs and sets his sights on world domination." And then he'll answer to me.
Firefly Sadira had a lot to say, and she managed to do so respectfully while maintaining her disgust towards her leader. Jac curled his lip slightly as she mentioned her former mateship - the woman had terrible taste in men - and though he knew she had been outcast, along with Svara, he hadn't known that sentence was under penalty of death. "Our kingdom has always been a sanctuary for those persecuted, whether they choose to stay or not," the king announced, vaguely proud of his open policy since it went against the wolven ways of territoriality. Packmates like Sir Haven, with family and friends outside of the kingdom, had invited them across the borders before without trouble. And of course, their Ani Wayan neighbors could come and go as they pleased ever since the racing event.
"Neutral canines of any creed can claim a room at this hotel for the duration of their stay, assuming they don't cause trouble. You can continue to collect children, Firefly," he sniped, raising his eyebrow to see if she had any other challenges. In the brief silence that followed, Ayita caught his attention discreetly, and he flashed her a smile, willing to grant her an audience. He hadn't an inkling of what the young mother would want, but he had no desire to bolt right into the snowy outdoors as soon as his followers dispersed. He would hang around, revel in the energy that this new challenge presented, and let his mind focus on anything but the bombshell that his housemate had dropped on him earlier that day.
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