[html] http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/ ... aviban.jpg); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"> This pack meeting is mandatory! Any who do not reply will risk demotion or removal. If you have concerns about being able to reply, PM myself or Alli. This meeting thread will be short and sweet and you need only reply to it once.
SoSuWriMo 319
The fire that had been started by her hands slowly grew in the large fireplace. Emerald eyes looked closely at the flames that came to life and danced about on top of the wood that they were beginning to consume. She couldn't help but be reminded of what was happening throughout Nova Scotia at this moment. The tensions had been simmering under the surface ever since the conclusion of the last war and now they had burst forth again and threatened to consume everything in its path. The news she had gained from Valkyrie had been unwelcome and startling, but ignorance would not help her or Crimson Dreams, it would only put them in danger. The Commander had returned to her home as quickly as she could and gathered everything she knew in her mind in preparation of calling the pack together. It all had started with Haku and while the coyotes may have been the main target she knew that they were all in jeopardy with such a madman. Her pack needed to be warned.
The fire showed no signs of going out and so she stood up and turned her back to the fireplace, looking out on the main living area of the mansion. Savina had gathered all the chairs and couches together to serve as seating for the members, though they would not seat everyone, some would have to stand or sit on the floor. With the large fireplace starting to warm the room she inclined her head and let out a low howl for the Dreamers to gather at her side. There was urgency in her voice so all would know that this was not a summons to be ignored. Her howl faded and her ears flared forward, looking for the sounds of the approach of others. Solemnly her hands folded in front of her as the heat of the flames licked up her back.
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513 words.
######Things in her life were as confusing as ever, and growing steadily so. She no longer shared a mutual dislike with Haven’s sister, her brother was gone and she was alone, her mother had probably given birth by now and was probably still happy, and she was at a loss for what was going on with Haven and herself. Princess really liked the Knight from Cour des Miracles, but the distance was certainly a problem. She wished she had someone to talk to about it, but she could not really imagine who would be interested in hearing what she had to say. Her problems were hers, and most likely would not really care in the slightest. Staring into her vanity mirror, Princess sighed, briefly thinking of Anselm. The Inferni male had been able to help her before, and he already knew the situation with Haven. She couldn’t get close to Inferni—oh, and had she tried—but he had told her that she could try to visit him in his garage in Halifax. Anselm might not be able to help her much, but perhaps it would be worth the effort. At the very least, she could visit him and talk with him, and try again (and probably unsuccessfully, again) to get close to Inferni. She probably never would see the clan’s territory, as it was probably a hopeless cause, but she could certainly keep trying until someone gave her a better reason not to, one that was not about the coyotes disliking wolves. Princess didn’t even understand the prejudice, so it practically did not exist.
######Savina’s howl rose, and because Princess was only upstairs, she nearly yelped with surprise at how loud it sounded within the mansion. The importance of the howl also took her by surprise, as everything had seemed well within the land of the Dreamers, except within the confines of her own mind. Putting down the brush that she had been mindlessly running through her curls, Princess sighed and straightened the front of her white dress, curious to know what this meeting was going to be about. Her curious nature would not be satisfied right away, and she knew that, which was the frustrating aspect of having already been inside the mansion when Savina had called. She was going to have to wait for everyone else in the pack to arrive before she could find out what was going on. In just a few moments’ times, Princess was out of her room, shutting the door quietly behind her, and down the stairs. The first thing she noticed was the grouping of chairs, and then she noticed her Commander’s solemn façade. “Hi, Savina,” she said, settling herself into one of the chairs closest to the leader and crossing one leg over the other. Her original intent had been to ask what this was about before everyone else arrived, but the ebony woman’s expression stopped her. It no longer seemed fitting to ask ahead of schedule now, so she resigned herself to waiting in impatient hope that everyone else would arrive quickly.
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throwing Mati into the room as well. .. . lazy Alli is lazy x.xSSWM - 460
The female walked the orchard. To many it was place that looked desolate and even dead in winter’s hold. Anu saw the deeper living creatures that slept beneath the thick covering of snow. It had settled on the limbs of the hibernating beasts, and she sought the quiet that they ensued. Slow steps brought her down the neat row of gnarled branches. She believed they would leaf once the thaw hit, and then flower before fruiting in the early fall. It was a time Anu always looked forward to. And as the cold settled deep in her bones, it pushed her to wish for those times even more eagerly. Her fingers reached out to touch once of the rare brown leaves that had not fallen in the past season. It was dried, and with her gentle touch Anu could not pluck it from its root. It was then that her ears turned towards the Manor, a call filtered through the air and Anu left the leaf, and branch and the collection of trees for the female that spoke to her and the Crimson Dreams.
Anu was not surprised that Savina called for them, and had been expecting it. She had lingered in the pack lands ever since their conversation, waiting for this very meeting. It was important that they all know the things that were happening, and Anu had trusted that Savina would go out and seek the information that she had been unable to give those night before. The tawny female had wished to remain at the mansion, staying close to those she held dear. She had already been gone too often in the winter months, and there was a reconnection that she hoped to make with the once Dahlian that shared her room.
Quickly she moved to the mansion’s door and opened it and felt the warmth of a near by fire. She traveled the halls and found the small gathering. In the doorway she meet her daughter, the brown wolfess held a rag in one hand and a bush in another. Anu gave a smile to the quiet Church woman, briefly touched her arm and letting her enter first. Blue eyes watched as the she-wolf took a seat on the couch, alone and away from the two other females that had gathered. With a curl of her fingers the brush was settled in her mane and the rag on her lap.
Eyes scanned to see the Chance female, and Anu gave her a small smile as well. It was then that she walked towards her Commander. She settled beside Savina, taking in the warmth of the fire that raged behind them. As she began to thaw beside the fireplace Anu sat in her usual calm supportive presence.
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Laidaria had started her day with an early morning scout, checking the borders for any mischievious wolves looking for trouble or any lonely travelers looking for home. It also helped that she was trying her best to keep up with her job as a basic officer. She stopped to hunt for lunch, a small hare made an excellent tide over for the slender wolfess. She then headed back to the mansion. As she opened the door she was greated by a gust of cold air, she shivered and quickly went to her room, someone would have to start the fire soon, she decided after she was done washing up and rested that she would if noone else did.
She quickly bathed herself and went back to her room. She looked over the place, she had decorated it more to her liking, gold-tinted things hung everywhere and hieroglyphs were painted lightly on the walls, ready to be removed should noone like the idea of them. Laidaria laid quietly on her squishy bed relaxing her opitime body from the early run. She closed her colorful eyes and let her mind take her into her dreaming home, the place of Egyptian luxury and....him, the one she left behind......
She woke up startled to the call of Savina, the howl rang through the halls, low and urgent, it would be hard to ignore such. She quickly ran to her closet and pulled out a flowing black dress and quickly put it on, pulled her long hair back into a pony tail, she also grabbed her black, blue, and gold shawl and ran down stairs to the living room. As she entered the room a blast of warmth touched her fur, she looked to see Savina joined by three others, one she reconized as Princess, the other two she didnt know. The chairs and sofas were pulled together in a group, she quickly offered a slight smile to everyone and took her place on one of the chairs, waiting patiently for the black wolfess to begin, it would be a while, most of the pack wasnt here yet...
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After her...eventful trip to the city the shy Marino girl had kept mostly to herself and avoided getting into a conversation with anyone. She still wasn't entirely sure how to feel about what had happened in Halifax and conflicted feeling flew through her like angry bees, unwilling to be silent. She had delved into her study of medicinal plants and herbs, burying her nose in her book not only to learn but also so no one would bother her. She didn't want to risk anyone asking why she was acting off or what had happened and so she walled herself off and stayed busy and unavailable. The only creature she had been in close contact with was Enzo, the still healing dove. At the moment she was holding him and gently stroking his head, speaking to him softly. He was doing quite well and it seemed that he would make a full recovery, which made her happy. He appeared to have grown accustomed to her and she prayed that he would stay with her instead of flying away.
The loud howl of her mother startled both her and the bird and he tried to flap his wings. Heart seizing in her chest she carefully calmed Enzo and used her free hand to close his wings back against his body. It would be so horrible if he ended up ruining all the progress he had made so far. Something about the way her mother had sounded unnerved Cambria for it did not sound like the news she had was good. "I better get down there," she said in a whisper more to herself than anyone. Cooing softly at the mourning dove she placed him back in his box and stood up to leave the room. Her slender form walked down the stairs and she saw her mom, Anu, Mati, Princess, and another female that she didn't know. Ears folded meekly against her head, she moved into the circle and took a seat on the couch near Mati. She really wanted to be next to her mother, but she knew that it probably wasn't proper.
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The imperious call had already faded from the hall, and she could hear the rustling and murmuring of the nearby meeting, wolves padding in the open doorway or down the stairs. Colibri was still frowning at her reflection in the window, neurotically patting her hair down and trying to look presentable. She had not met Savina face to face, nor many of her packmates, and while she was trying to turn over a new leaf here, it was difficult to muster excitement for what would surely be a harrowing experience.
She would be the new face that everyone would stare at. Plus she had a bandaged stub of a tail, and looked startlingly similar to her dreadful father. Anu had tactfully avoided saying much about Haku, but it was clear that he was stirring up trouble, and she would no doubt be mortified if that was the topic of tonight's meeting.
Wringing her claws nervously, the chocolate-furred werewolf slipped through the doorway of the room she shared with Anu, padding lightly through the manor. Dahlia de Mai held their gatherings outdoors, in the cobbled courtyard with the benches. A cozy gathering with a fireplace sounded a bit friendlier, although closer proximity to everyone else was less appealing...
Swallowing one last gulp, she squared her shoulders, and took a deep breath. "Stay confident, make Anu proud," she whispered to herself, sky-blue eyes staring straight forward.
Then she strode into the room like she owned the place, trying not to falter as she felt the brilliant emerald eyes of the Commander bore through her. Anu was already there, positioned at her side, and Coli flashed her a quick half-smile, ears flicking back apprehensively. She wasn't allowed near her, their ranks were far too different, it would be seen as inappropriate. Where should she be, though?
There were two younger girls with brown fur on the couch, an elegant female with a black dress, and... Princess? Colibri blinked owlishly at her former packmate, moving automatically to one of the chairs. She didn't know if the Chance girl remembered who she was - they had met in the summer, after all, and Princess had been fairly young at the time. But that meeting had earned her a bullying from Tokyo, and Coli felt like that entitled her a seat near the higher-ranked young werewolf. She waved shyly, shrinking back against the seat and hoping none of the ladies in the room would find her interesting.
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OOC: SSWM - 476
Brooklyn was sleeping uneasily. There was trouble brewing, but where it came from, she couldn't tell. Part of her, not prone to such shows of drama and pretence, was sure that she was simply over-reacting. Lack of sleep and the way she had been forcing herself to leave the manor daily on some wild exploration were sure to tire her out. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. The white male had been curiously absent from her dreams and instead of calming her and making her think that she hadn't somehow lost her mind, Brooklyn was sure that something had made him run away. She tried recalling the past few nights and everything that she had dreamt. Abandoned homes, long empty corridors, the feeling of helplessness. She dreamt she was chasing her ghost wolf, trying to find him and ask him questions, trying hard to find him, so desperately hard. Her blue eyes were brimming with tears and as Savina's call rang out, she hastily wiped them away. Foolish child. There were bigger things afoot than some silly ghost and as Brooklyn got up from the windowsill and shook herself, she could feel herself straightening, her resolve hardening. Whatever the pack needed, she would provide it.
Opening the door, it was obvious that she hadn't been alone in the mansion. The sound of running was clear and she herself bounded down the stairs, her hands reaching out to pull her hair back into a ponytail. The fringe was such a nuisance and it was almost bittersweet to think that, in such a time of need, her greatest worry was her fringe. The white girl paused by the door, surveying the room: Savina, standing with her back to a roaring fire, then a girl she hadn't seen before, her sister Mati and her mother Anu, another unknown Dreamer, Cambria, looking bigger every day and finally Colibri, the shy female who had accompanied the pack on the hunt. Brooklyn gave them each a nod and a smile before sitting on one of the couches, slowly pulling her long legs under her. It was pretty obvious that whatever Savina needed to tell them, it was urgent. The black female seemed worried and Brooklyn's heart filled with concern. What was going on? What was so bad that Savina was fretting enough to call a meeting? Ever since Naniko had felt, for the first time, the girl felt remorse for treating everyone so badly. Especially Savina, who had never deserved it. Stealing a glance at Cambria, she resolved to get to know the girl better. She'd been an innocent victim, too. In a way, they'd all been. Hello, everyone, she said softly, barely above a whisper. Brooklyn turned her attention back to the leader and waited. Whatever came next, she would be ready for it.
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OOC: ::Word Count:: 600+
The days grew long and winding, void of feeling for the pale Crimson Dreamer. The earth was damp from the warm weather having melted the frosted ground, so the air smelt more of spring than of mid-winter. The pearl femme lay stretched out on her back in front of her den, in her Optime form, allowing her gaze to study the cerulean sky above her. A few solitary clouds, almost like abandoned ships at sea, swayed unnoticeably with the soft wind, leaving almost invisible tracks of cream in their wake. She wistfully studied their patterns through the calm atmosphere, lying as she was, idly, her back pressed against the still ground, pebbles and small branches or roots digging into her fur and her skin. Her golden eyes took their time with analyzing every detail etched against the darkening blue of the sky, moving slowly down towards the horizon that separated her from the world above. It seemed a long distance away, this line, and Urma had long since known that it was something she would never reach. The harder she stared, the more she thought she could distinguish a speck of white against the vague line of darkness. Maybe that was where Pilot was, away from her, unreachable, just out of sight.
The light kept dispersing as the hours of dusk grew nearer, and Urma fiddled with the claw hung around the leather string of her necklace. Her thoughts wandered down their own paths, lingering on some aspects that teased her memory before turning to another. It was in this state so similar to one of a daze that Savina’s howl reached her flattened ears. They immediately pricked up, straining to catch a hint as to what the obvious urgency of the call entailed. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, her hands supporting the weight of her body, and tried to hear whether a second signal would ensue. When silence settled over the area around her den, she stood up hurriedly, absentmindedly tucking back her strand of hair wrapped in colourful string, and breaking into a sprint in the direction of the Manor. Her heart pound wildly, thinking of the worst, but not exactly knowing what the worst was. Her legs, although powerful and lean, did not pack the same momentum as the muscles in her legs whilst in Luperci form did, which meant that she was not nearly as fast on two legs as she was on four. Nevertheless, she pressed on, knowing that the line of the horizon that she had spent so much time studying was at once behind her and in front of her, and all around her, to be accurate, so that in a sense, should she stick to her conclusion that Pilot was there, beyond reach, he was at once far away and everywhere around her. The blanched female’s head spun due to the sheer volume of thoughts that were bombarding her, and by the time the Manor came to view, she felt relief wash over her, and worry return full blown back to its initial proportions.
The ivory-furred femme slowed down as she neared the entrance, catching her breath, knowing it would do no one any good if everyone gathered came panting and gasping for breath when important matters needed to be settled. The urgency in Savina’s call announced something of grave importance, and Urma was not surprised, as a result, to see that she was not the first to arrive. She obediently took a spot on the floor, undisturbed by the fact that she was sitting on wood instead of on a chair, anxiously awaiting the two leaders already present to explain the reason for their unexpected gathering. Her heart beat against her ribcage in anticipation and dread, and her ears were pulled back against her head, finding the position she was currently in terribly discomforting.
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Inside a sunlit room behind one of the doors upstairs inside the man built Haven Manor, laying upon a springy mattress, which was placed upon a dark steel bed frame, laid the light grey/white pelted young wolfess, gazing up at the beautifully crafted ceiling. She didn't really have her sapphire orbs set upon any part of the crafted ceiling, except maybe looking at certain crafted markings that was made into the frame work. The girl recently awoke from her little sleep, her eyes contrasting to the bright light that pierced through the window. She was through the first part of preparing for the activities of the day.
Moving to stand up next to her bed, the wolfess stretched her body structure, feeling little cracks in her bones. Finding herself ready to leave the room, she took her staff from just below the head, exiting the the small room and took each graceful step carefully toward the descending stairs. Her hand upon the rail, it slid down as she took each step down, but she paused when she heard a lowly volume howl, despite being low, was coming from the living room. Actually, it was just around the corner at the bottom of the stair.
The young wolfess descended remaining steps, turning a corner to find the black pelted leader, standing near the fire. Looking around, the girl found she was one of the first to arrive, but more were coming. Entering the fire warmed room, the girl sat down on a free couch seat, awaiting for the leader to give her announcement.
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Gotham had been happily ignorant of any tension that was broiling beneath the pleasant lands of Nova Scotia. He had gotten himself in to a spot of trouble, but that hadn't been anything near the scale of what might be happening. Despite, and perhaps enhanced by his ignorance, the urgency in his mother's voice made the youngster immediately stop what he was doing out in the garden. With a rather frantic expression plastered upon his face, the boy ceased his work on a particularly extravagant snow fort and stood up. With a briskness in his walk, he headed towards the entrance of the mansion.
Once inside, he watched as a few other Dreamers disappeared down the hallway and followed after them. Though it seemed as if he had responded fairly quickly to his mother's call, the room was already full. He shone an uncertain smile towards his mother, to Urma, and finally to his sister. Gotham headed towards Cambria, taking a seat on the broad arm of the sofa she was sitting on. Usually he would have given her a wide smile, but instead, to convey his fondness and the pleasure found in seeing her, he rested an elbow on her shoulder and nudged the side of her face with his nose. The three siblings were growing up quickly; some faster than others.
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WC: 380
The morning had gone by slowly for the coal warrior. With winter upon them it was difficult for him to blend into the white background during hunts, which meant daylight hunting was very rare for him, even rarer with Sophia and Aro wanting to go outside continuously. It was good to know that the two were safe running around the manner by themselves. He trusted them, and even more importantly he trusted the pack members to keep an eye out for the little ones while he watched the boarders. Winter was always an interesting time for the coal male, it seemed that the members of the pack stayed home more than going out exploring, they became whole again and met the new members. He had smelt a couple of new comers around the boarders and within the mansion. One who he seemed to have known before, perhaps in passed, and another, female, whom he had never met. Though it was his full intention to met with them as soon as the time was right.
The morning had been spent mostly out and about the boarders. However, he had recently returned home, a white rabbit tossed over his shoulder. On the way to the stairs he had spotted his ebony leader building up the fire and shifting the chairs and couches. It was not a surprise when his ears folded back in a flinch as her call, far to close to him, rang out. Hurrying up the stairs he opened the door to the play room to find Ghita and the pups happily on the ground. Kissing Ghita on the forehead he looked down to his pups, “Come on you two, Savina wants a word with the pack. I want you to be on your best behavior.” The later statement was more a warning then a statement, knowing the two could both be capable of chattering away and causing trouble. Taking his mate by the hand they headed towards the lower level, pups at their heels. Finally, they entered the room full of members of Crimson Dreams. Not wanting to be a bother he quietly nodded a greeting to Savina and Anu in turn, the seriousness of the meeting already filling him as he took a seat on the floor.The coal fur began to stand on end in worry, something was wrong.
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OOC: This table was going to be a freebie, but I liked to too much, mauhahah. Oh yeah, btw, Incubus=love SSWM:401
Their mother had kept them in today. It was very cold outside, and the snow had been pretty deep, so today was the day that they stayed inside of the mansion and listen to stories. Their father had left earlier, to watch the borders of Crimson Dreams. She wondered why her daddy had to check the borders a lot, but she accepted it no less. She would like for him to stay home all day and play with her and Aro, but if he was home all day, how could Aro and her sneak off when momma was busy doing other things as well? The young girl was oh-so devious at times. Her brother was worse than she was though. The male had been known for sneaking off, Sophia only going "Ninja" every once and awhile when she wasn't "totzsky" wrapped up in what her mom was doing. Some of the things that Ghita did around the mansion were pretty standard things, but they were also pretty interesting. Plus...she liked to look at her mother's piercings. They were so cool! She had already decided that she wanted some when she was older.
Ghita had read them a nap story, and just as they were beginning to fall asleep, a howl ran through their home. Sophia shot up, and then was welcomed by her father barging into the room. He had told them that the leader wanted the pack to assemble and that they needed to be on their best behavior. The feo gave a puppy yawn and then followed her mother and father down the stairs and into the main area, where other Dreamers had already been assembled. She saw many faces that she did not know, and so she put on a mask of stone coldness. She didn't appear unfriendly, she just appeared emotionless. Daddy...What's wrong? the young girl asked her papa, her voice whispered to her father as she tried to reach his audit. She then gave a glance over to her mother, and brother, before he eyes shifted to all of the other wolves in the area. She only knew Savina by face, but the other's, she might have met before, but she did not remember. She tried hard to match faces to names, but no names were coming up for anyone. She finally decided to ask. Papa, who's everyone? again, her voice was hushed as she asked.
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 Why yes, Incubus ftw.
As per usual, Kansas was dreadfully unaware of the goings-on outside of his pack. Recently, he'd spent all his time confined to Crimson Dreams, and only recently had the news of the war reached him. And it was thanks to Savina, as always. He felt guilty for his lack of attention, but perhaps his raven was aware enough of this now that they'd been together for so long to forgive him for it.
He had been asleep, but he rolled to his belly when he inherently realized that there was activity downstairs. He stood with the blanket draped across his back like a saddle and yawned widely. With a start, he remembered that Savina was going to call a meeting, which explained the activity. Kansas ran out the door, the blanket falling off him at the head of the stairs, and entered the living room. Many Dreamers were already there, Savina and Anu facing them at the front. The pale boy noticed a new female, one he didn't recognize; otherwise everyone there were wolves he'd become very familiar with. He flashed a bright grin toward his love, hoping it might somehow give her whatever reassurance she needed, if any. Afterward, Kansas sat back on his haunches near his children, eyes affixed toward his leaders for their news.
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-is late to the party- :< 568
At times, Ehno would hear news of the events from the other packs. Social as he was, he often ran into souls from other packs while out on his many excursions, especially when journeying through the city of Halifax. The human city was a common convergence point for many of the luperci in the area, no matter what pack they were from. Because it was full of so many useful and interesting relics from the humans’ recent reign over the lands, it was perhaps one of the best places to meet others. The Italian man usually had his own reasons fro venturing out to the concrete jungle, but he could not deny that the prospect of meeting some new faces was a rather luring feature for him.
As of late, though, the male had been quite wrapped up in his own personal affairs and had not taken the time to venture through there for some time. Those abandoned and artificial lands were a simple stop on his way to the lands of Phoenix Valley, nothing more. Without frequenting the city streets, he had significantly less opportunity to learn the news of the Souls territory. Significant events regarding the lands of the Crimson Dreamers and those in Phoenix Valley were all that reached his ears now. As such, news of the renewed Dahlian war had yet to reach his ears. Even the previous skirmish between those wolves and the coyotes of Inferni more than a year past was nothing more than a blip in his memories, nearly forgotten. To him, everything in life was finally beginning to feel at peace.
He was sitting beneath an old tree, stripped bare by winter’s cold hands. He leaned back against the bark and simply looked out upon the Dreamers’ domain with amber eyes, taking in the simple and plentiful details of the lands. It was something he seldom seemed to do anymore, but he enjoyed being able to sit and enjoy the peace and calm of the lands when he had the urge. The silent winter day was shattered, however, by a low and urgent call sent out by his sibling and Commander. The urgency of Savina’s call had him sitting up, ears perked and attentive. Something had happened, something important enough for the woman to call the pack together so suddenly. Perhaps the peace he had been enjoying had simply been the calm before the storm.
Ehno stood and quickly began to make his way back to Haven Manor, where it seemed his sibling’s call had originated. His thoughts were buzzing with the possible causes for such an imperative call, but he forced himself to curb his imagination as he hurried up the steps of the manor’s front porch. When he arrived in the main living area of the mansion, he was greeted with the sight of the rest of his pack mates, most familiar, but some new, all gathered together in a circle, attention focused upon Savina and Anu. He silently slipped in with the rest of the crowd, coming to a halt behind the couch where his niece and nephew were sitting. The male crossed his arms over his chest and focused his gaze upon the two leaders, silently awaiting the news. Despite the grave looks upon their faces, he hoped the news they had to share would not be as dire as his wistful imagination argued it was.
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"But...but I dun wanna go!" Aro said with a lazy yawn and a pout as he rolled over. Aro had just woken up from a slight nap, and wasn't too happy that he was being dragged out so early by his father Jazper. Like any other child, doing things so out of turn makes them grumpy and aggressive, going out the the intent of causing trouble. However, Aro knew better than to outright disobey his father on subjects like this. Sneaking away from the home and wandering about in the territory was fine by Aro's standards, but when daddy told him to do something directly, he might as well follow it. With another disgruntled yawn, Aro sluggishly rose to his feet. It actually took him a few tries to actually stand up correctly, his grogginess still hindering his movement, but eventually he waddled his way out of the cave after his father and sister, his head still drooped in exhaustion.
The actual meeting was actually quite the attention grabber, seeing all the wolves gathered around in a serious fashion made even Aro feel slightly serious, although like his sister was prone to ask a few questions. "did something happen daddy?" He asked the large black figure. "Why does everyone seem so serious? It was obvious Aro had caught on that this was not a meeting about a new celebrated holiday like he hoped it was going to be, this was a more serious affair, something that would affect the lives of these wolves, but what? Aro's little mind tried to think of something, but really, he didn't know what could be so bad, besides dropping one's rabbit meat into the mud, now that is the worst thing that could happen in Aro's book.
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[html] http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/ ... aviban.jpg); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"> Feel free to reply again if your characters have questions or comments, but if not we can wrap this up  SoSuWriMo 911
As expected, members quickly began to filter into the room. The first was Princess and Savina nodded at the girl's greeting, but could not manage a smile or a verbal response. She needed to save her composure to deliver the news she was calling them all to hear and she didn't want to risk breaking it on cordial greetings. It was only another sign of how dire the news was, considering she almost never was so quiet around those she considered friends. Then Anu and Mati came, her dear friend coming to stand beside her as she always did. Her eyes met briefly with the Lt. General's, a silent thanks for once again standing with her and giving her strength. The newest among their ranks, Laidaria came next, and then her own daughter. Cambria had seemed out of sorts recently and the mother worried that something had happened. She refused to acknowledge there being something wrong though and she didn't want to press her. She gave her daughter a minuscule smile, not wanting her to worry.
The next female to come could only be Colibri, the woman that Anu had brought here. Emerald eyes looked over her, though not unkindly. When she noticed her bandanged, shortened tail a pang went through her heart. Haku truly was a monster. Despite their eerily similar appearances, the Commander saw nothing of that man in the girl who had joined their ranks. Next was Brooklyn, who offered everyone a smile and Savina nodded back at her. The girl had been the most outspokenly upset about Naniko's ejection, which was only to be expected, but she had stayed here instead of following her mother so she must have decided that it had needed to happen. The Italian sincerely hoped there was no bad blood between them. Her decision hadn't been intended to hurt anyone, only to keep all of them safe.
Urma came, then Flayra, then her son. It was clear from Gotham's face that he was concerned and she offered him the same smile that she had Cambria. No matter what happened, she would never let any ill befall her children. She would defend them until her last breath. The woman was glad that he went to sit beside his sister, he would help keep her from getting too distressed. Jazper and Ghita arrived with Aro and Sophia, the two children asking their parents what was going on. This was a heavy topic for pups so young, but they needed to be aware of the danger as well. Her beloved joined them and sat near their children, his smile giving her more strength than he knew. Finally her brother came and stood behind Cambria and Gotham and it seemed that all had arrived. Sparing one more glance to Anu the Commander cleared her throat, ready to make the grave announcement.
"Thank you all for assembling so quickly. I wish that the news I had to share with you all was better than it is, but sadly a shadow has been cast over the lands of Nova Scotia." Her vibrant eyes looked over the faces of her pack. "Haku Soul has taken control of Dahlia de Mai. For those of you who do not know him, he is an extremely dangerous individual and his rise to power was concern enough. However that is not all. With him in power, war has once again broken out between Dahlia and Inferni." Savina paused, letting the words sink in. She didn't know if people would want to know the reasons, but she would not speak them with the younger members around. "Crimson Dreams will remain neutral in this affair, but that doesn't mean that we are safe. Border patrols need to be increased and I would suggest that no one do them alone. If anything or one suspicious is found, call for Anu or myself. If you see Haku Soul near our borders, send out a call for the entire pack. There is no guarantee that the madman will leave us alone and he is too strong for any one of us to take on, I will not have any of you risk your lives. If he comes, we will all face him together and drive him from our home."
"While we will not take sides in this conflict, we will offer refuge for any who seek it. If you find someone seeking safety, once again call for Anu or myself. We will want to be aware of any refugees we take into our home." They would need to make sure that it actually was someone looking for safety and not some sort of spy or trick. "I would urge you all to not stray far during these troubled times and especially to steer clear of both Inferni, Dahlia de Mai, and the lands surrounding the two. I don't want any harm to come to any of you, and the farther we all stay away from this the better." It was a lot to take in, she knew, but it was all more important than she could stress. "If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to speak up now or to seek me in private. Anu and I are always here when anyone needs to speak to us." If no one had anything to say, then this meeting could be adjourned and they could start to make sure that the lands were safe and well guarded.
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610 words. WotD: Veritable.
######The silence was uncomfortable, which only further led her to suspect that the news that they were going to hear would be grim. Pack members filed in silently, some speaking for very brief moments, but there was no joy or lightness in the air. Princess offered a smile to Anu, wanting more than ever to leave a good impression on the second-in-command. She was Haven’s mother, and Princess did not want to have the same awkward relationship with Anu that she had with Mati. It seemed unlikely that she would, since she doubted that Anu knew the extent of what she had done with Haven (or truthfully, Princess did not even know if Anu knew about them at all), but she wanted to leave a good impression on the woman regardless. It would be important to her to be friends with Anu, especially if it did not seem likely that she would really be friends with Mati. If she did not get along with any of his family that was important to him, Princess doubted that Haven would risk his relationship with them to still be with her. As sad as the thought was, she thought there to be some veritable truth in it.
######Only one other being drew her attention as they entered the room, and that was the former Dahlian, Colibri. Princess turned to stare at her, astonished to see her friend there. Quickly, she corrected her stare so that she was smiling at the woman, remembering that she had seemed nervous when they had first met. The Haki woman was important to her, as she had offered her friendship, a place to go if she needed it, and had helped her get through her first shift. She felt a sharp pang of guilt in remembering that she had not even said good bye to Colibri when she had left Dahlia de Mai, and she hoped the older female would not hold that against her. Silently, she vowed to visit with Colibri soon and see how her friend was doing, especially since it seemed that she had a lot of catching up to do. Obviously she did, or she would not be so confused to see Haku’s daughter in her own pack again. Focusing her attention back on Savina as she began to speak, Princess decided she would seek out Colibri alone soon enough.
######She felt a sickening twist in her gut at the news that Savina delivered. Dahlia de Mai was at war with Inferni, and Haku Soul was now the twisted leader of her former pack. Princess did not know what to think, tears springing up in her eyes. It had not been long ago at all that she had ventured deep into Dahlia’s territory to confront her mother, and she felt sick at the idea that she had trespassed into war-surrounded territory. If she had been found, not only would she have endangered herself, but she could have brought danger upon the entire pack. She felt a thick layer of concern for those that she liked in both packs envelope her—Anselm, Alexey, Cercelee. . . If something happened to any of them, what would she do? Unsurprisingly, she did not feel any pain for her mother’s potential involvement in the war, but she was surprised to realize she was concerned for the puppies that had surely been born by now. They had two twisted individuals as parents, and were so young. . . And they were her brothers and sisters, even if she refused to acknowledge Tokyo as much of a mother. She hoped that they would be kept safe and away from danger.
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Anu settled beside the Commander, the tension only lingering lightly in her stance. The pack filtered into the room, many alone and then the family of Jaz. But it was Colibri that held her gaze for a prolonged moment. Her tension melted away at the sight of her, and Anu gave a soft smile of encouragement to the timid girl. This was their home and her family, there was no need to be fearful here. Anu gave small smiles of welcome to the rest, though remained silent and little more then a steady support for the commander that rose to speak before the pack.
Hearing the words made her face turned serious, grave as she turned to watch Savina for a moment, and then to the audience. Blue eyes watched softly at the reactions that came as Savi spoke. Hearing the name of the Dahlia male made Anu feel the urge to flinch, but instead she grew still in hopes of showing strength. The news of the flower pack's new leader was not new for the Lt General, but as the wolfess spoke of war, and turned to listen just as intently as the others.
It was frightening, but Anu wished the fear away so that it did not play on her features. The Commander and her feelings had been true, when they had come together just night’s before. It would be Inferni and Dahlia pinned against one another, but full fledged war? It was scary to think that such a thing would be happening, and Anu instantly thought of Gabriel. She pushed those thoughts aide, attempting to keep her emotions as bay.
The black hued wolfess reached the topic of refugees, and eyes danced over the faces of the wolves that had gathered. Anu felt that this was just as important as staying away from both Inferni and Dahlia. It was paramount that Savina and she know if any came to their lands seeking shelter, it would take the pack to protect them and Anu and Savina needed to be able to care for the family as a whole which included knowing who was among them. Blue orbs glanced at the wolves before her that she considered family, waiting in case any had questions.
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I'm assuming there's no posting order. Kick me if I'm wrong. :] 638
The hushed silence did not linger for long after he arrived, and within a moment his sister began to speak to the gathered pack. He knew that whatever she had gathered them here for was no light matter, but he had certainly not expected to hear the grave words that she shared. The words she spoke came as a dull shock at first, due in part to how disconnected to the event he felt. But slowly, the announcement seemed to awaken that old memory within his mind and little details from the last conflict between the Dahlian wolves and Inferni coyotes rushed back to him. In particular his encounter with the Dahlian leader Cercelee sprang to mind. He recalled how dead-set against the war she had been, and that her second in command had been leading her pack into battle. It had been this Haku, and he was at it again, it seemed. For the man to reinitiate such unnecessary bloodshed, he had to be a truly twisted individual.
It was the best choice for the pack of Dreamers to remain as disconnected from this conflict as they could be. Certainly it was not their fight, though that wouldn’t gain them guaranteed safety during these turbulent times. He wondered if Crimson Dreams would house many refugees during the coming weeks, just as Twilight Vale had done during the initial conflict months prior. The Dahlian leader herself had been among them. He wondered how many innocent canines from both groups had been unwillingly been pulled into this old conflict. Ehno hoped they would wisely remove themselves from the situation if they were not fully dedicated to it, however cowardly a move he thought it to be.
A thought occurred to him suddenly and he froze, every muscle in his body seemingly shocked by the very idea. He had to allow himself a moment to try to collect his nerves again, because the very thought sent him very close to panicking. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to will his mind and body to relax from their sudden tenseness. When he opened his amber-gold eyes once more, he looked down to find that he had unknowingly gripped the back of the old couch quite tightly in his clawed hands. He slowly released the cushioned furnishing from his grip and took a step back, crossing his arms over his chest instead.
While the implication of the war and the blood that would be spilled in lands not too distant was a terrible and rather worrisome thought in and of itself, there was another worry that came to mind. He felt reassured that Crimson Dreams would be safe from conflict being neutral lands some distance away, but it was not the safety of the pack of Dreamers that was causing alarm bells to ring within his mind. Phoenix Valley was much closer to the conflict, only a few miles to the south of both the warring packs. He feared for the safety of his children and their mother and hoped desperately that the Valley pack would keep its paws out of the conflict as well. He directed his gaze back to the pair of leaders. “Have any of the other packs declared their stakes in this conflict, neutral or otherwise?,” he questioned, voice tense. It would be obvious that his concern mainly lay with Phoenix Valley, considering the convoluted circumstances that led him to spend so much of his time there. It was likely that if either of them knew any part the rest of the neighboring packs held in this conflict that they would have mentioned it by now. Even with this in mind, the Marino man had to ask. He needed to fight off that uneasy feeling within the pit of his stomach in any way he could.
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The quiet wolfess watched as her new pack quickly filed in, one by one. None except for Savina, Princess, and little Aro were familiar to her. Her mouth tilted slightly at the corners as she watched the pup take his place with his family. Soon the pack was gathered and Savina quickly started on her story. A sudden Laidarias throut, she quickly stiffened at the sound of the dreaded word, one she wished she would never have to hear again.
War.... Great timing you moron.. she thought to herself. Ever since she left Egypt she tried to avoid anything close to the word war. Thought she never ran from a battle in her life, she had seen enough of her family and friends die. She took in a heavy sigh and looked back to Savina with a sad gaze. Even if Crimson Dreams stayed nutural in it all, she knew this wasnt going to be easy, it never was. Haku Soul, the unfamiliar named burned with anger. Aria almost flinched when she heard the name. She already didnt want to know the madman, or even know of him.
Another voice brought her back from her darkened thoughts. A male she didnt see come in spoke, his arms crossed across his chest and as he stood behind the back of one of the couches. She quietly listened to him speak and turned her attention back to Savina, curious to know what standing that Pheonix Vally took, she wanted to see Xeris and her family once more and hoping to see Rendall again if what the grey she-wolf said was true. A sudden feeling made Laidarias stomach lurch when she thought of what would happen if Pheonix Vally had gotten caught up in the war and what might happen to her newly found friends inside the charming pack...
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