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The first day after the full moon in the month November, we celebrate the creation of our world, and cleanse ourselves for good luck in the coming harder moons.
This time of year was when the world we know came into existence. To celebrate, we hold a three-day celebration feast, day and night. Every member of the tribe will bring to the feast a decent amount of food to share with one's fellows. During the evening of the first two days of the ceremony, the tribe feasts on these foods, but they should also last 'till the end of the third day. During the days we dance and play games to celebrate the creation of our world. We also re-enact the creation story, as well as we can with the limited bodies we possess. On the third day, the tribe gathers by the closest river to dip into in the cold water - cleansing ourselves seven times to please the soul and the spirits. Goodwill from above will be necessary to sustain our numbers through the winter. One by one, each member meets with the Great Priest to receive a prediction of health. Then, the feast continues until the moon as at his highest - and we return to our hearths again.
This thread is mandatory. Members who do not post before the closing of this thread will be removed from the ranks. A PM to inform everyone has been sent out to every current member of the tribe. Naturally, members joining after the creation of this thread do not have to participate.
We skip the 'arriving part'. This is the part where each member bathes and then meets with the Great Priest, here Dawali as the highest trained medic of the tribe. You can exit the thread after just one post, or continue posting afterwards as you please.
Place: Adagio Creek (info on the territory here.)
Ember posts after Dawali, then the order is random.
Replied:
Dawali
Ember
Catherine
Hemming
Revian
Susquehanna
Tayui
AriaDeValkyria
Claire
Euipoi: not required; joining date = thread date.
come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops
On the bank lay a decent pile of skins and salvaged blankets from Halifax, gathered for the tribesmembers to use. The river was cold this time of year, and he refused to let any of them catch a cold. Then again, most of them were protected by their furs; he was not as lucky himself. His own species had a much thinner coat, and therefore also a thinner winter-coat, than the average wolf. Still it provided him with some protection of course, just not as much as he would like. For once he was jealous of the others. Still, his mane and the ornaments attached to it warmed his shoulders and neck more than the mane of others, perhaps.
He stood knee-high in the chilled water, every so often giving a small shudder. The river crept slowly past him as he looked at the members of the tribe gathered here to take part in the spiritual happening. Perhaps they were not all of the spiritual kind, but this was the package that came with living in this tribe. Once accepted to a community, an individual should be prepared to do what was expected of him or her, in return for all the benefits. And AniWaya certainly had a great amount of benefits. With the recent acquisition of a bull they could start breeding with, the future looked bright for them. They would never lack meat. Clearing his throat to gain the members' attention, he spoke up with an deep, booming voice, laden with authority, but not unpleasantly so. A spark shone in his eye and a smile played on his lips. "This is the time to prepare ourselves for the winter. We should cleanse our bodies in order to protect ourselves from the lethal touch of winter's chill." He admired the winter for its beauty, but much prey succumbed to that gracious chill, and as long as there was snow on the ground the possibility of starvation loomed over them. "We will all dip our full body under the water seven times to ensure that we are clean. Then, get a blanket and come and speak to me." Having already cleansed himself, he now stepped out of the water and retreated to a fire some fifty-or-so yards away from the bank. The feasting and celebration would continue after this session, but then playtime was over, and winter would be upon them.
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So far, Ember had not been subjected to any bad temperatures. It had been fairly comfortable, actually, and some days she went without her cloak. It did get much chillier at night, but by that time she was usually in her small den with a nice fire going. She stood a little ways downstream from the others, water rushing around her ankles. She had taken off her cloak, laying it over near the fire to warm it a bit.
She walked farther into the water as an example to the others, taking a big breath of air and plunging down beneath the surface. Ember continued this until she had reached seven times, then shook some of the water from her fur and climbed up the shore. Once she was farther away from the others she shook more vigorously, sending droplets everywhere. The female then neared the fire, putting her hands up to feel its warmth. The flames warmed her just as the sun would warm Aniwaya after the long winter was over. She looked back toward the river, waiting for Hemming to finish and perhaps join her.
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OOC: sorry if my post is lackluster.
Sighing, Aria walked into the water, submerging herself seven times before coming out of the river. She sighed slightly annoyed at herself for having bathed just hours before this. Shaking her head at herself she shook off the water and went over to Dawali, sat beside the fire, and dried off her coat. "I feel like an idiot... I had a feeling I shouldn't take a bath today, and I see now it was right." she said to herself, not realizing she was saying it out loud.
After she dried one side of her body she turned the other side to the fire to dry the rest of her body. She enjoyed the warmth of the fire but made sure to keep as much of her emotions in as possible while around those she didn't know extremely well. She yawned and waited for the rest of what was to come, slightly curious about what this truly served.
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ooc: HI! Only one post, though XP
Catherine stood still in the chilly day, listening carefully to Dawali's voice. The leader was always so soothing, and yet sounded with so certanty... Sure, his voice was the voice of a leader. The young mother couldn't feel much of the cold, for her artic grandmother had supplied her with good, thick pelt for days like that. Her grayish pelt that had already stopped falling of for the change was slightly longer and thicker, a few shades whiter.
She had come with a thick scarf and her usual faded jeans, that now layed on the ground besides her. It would be awful if those got wet in such a cold.
Luna and Stash were safe at home, not that needy of her milk already. The two growing pups were left with Seymour's and Saw's caring eyes, so the female wasn't worrying that much. Still, duty would call sooner or later, and she would be forced to leave the festival a bit sooner.
With the thoughts of a warm fire and food, she went to the riverbend. The water shooted cold into her muscles, causing a chill from all her body. Her mane had grown longer with time, falling fairly at her shouldes; not the enough to protect her from the inner cold. With a trembling sigh of distaste of the temperature, she held her breath and dove the head in the cold water. Repeating the process more six times, she got out, fully wet, water dripping from the thick fur. It didn't help when the cold was inside, just like she thought.
Quickly, her legs moved her to the pile of blankets and furs nearby. Her shaking hands had trouble to envolve the slender body, drying it up. Even thought it was a fine spiritual experience, she was glad it was over already. Then, following Dawali's orders, she went to him 'So coooold...!' She mouthed to him, causing him to giggle.
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The cold chill of the water was almost a welcome reminder of the days to come and the memories of years long past. Tayui could recall her youth, swimming in Lac Sakami during the summer, but never in the winter! She dove under the water once more and re-emerged for the sixth time. She took a deep breath, then plunged under water for the final time. She surfaced quickly, shaking her head and sending droplets of water flying. She remained in the water for a few moments before finally standing up and climbing on top of the river bank to pull herself out. She straightened up and began wringing out her mane, which was heavy and sodden. She was not as fond of swimming in her Optime form as she was in her Lupus, but she knew it would be easier to wrap a blanket around her two-legged form, so she had stuck with it. Regardless, she was still quite cold!
She raised her hands to the flames, pulling a wool blanket around her shoulders. Once she had dried off a bit, she stood up and wrapped the blanket tighter around her frame. She jogged over to where Dawali was waiting and offered him a quick smile.
"Kalona," she greeted him quietly, waiting for further instructions.
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OOC: ©table code and image to jacoby: I'll probably make more than this post.  Word count: 389. Worth 2 points
Hanna was standing in relative comfort, despite the chill in the air. Her Arctic ancestry gave her the same advantage as it did a large number of the wolves around the area, but she knew that would mean nothing once the water had soaked thoroughly into her undercoat. She had come to the river in her best clothes, acknowledging the special occasion. But the trousers and peasant top were now laying just near enough to the fire to warm up, without singeing them. They would be warm for her once her pelt had dried sufficiently.
The ebony medic stepped reluctantly into Adagio Creek, the icy cold water swirling around her feet. She waded in to the center, listening to Dawali's words, and then with a nod to herself, Hanna knelt. Wrapping her arms around her belly, Hanna leaned forward. Once, twice, and again, she felt the water close over her back, seeping into her fur. She stood quickly after the seventh submersion and clambered out of the creek, schooling herself into a hurried walk toward the fire. Every few steps or so, her entire body would tremble with the slight breeze, uncomfortable now she was soaked to the bone.
A kick in her midsection reminded her of what would be occurring within just a few days, and the Fire Maker closed her eyes. She was and was not looking forward to having the child. The idea of labor frankly scared her, and yet she could not help but want to hold her baby in her arms. Hanna took a deep breath, calming herself. She would take it as things came.Gathering a blanket from the pile, she bowed to the Kalona and then took a seat near her clothes, taking care not to drip on them. She sat quietly, cross-legged, waiting for him to speak. She was not sure if this part of the ceremony was done individually or as a generalized group, but she would wait her turn. She could be patient.
A nudge to her back announced Cian's arrival, the great striped cat laying behind and leaning against her, a warming and soothing presence. The tiger had been almost grandfatherly about Hanna's pregnancy, looking forward to being a protector for the coming child. Hanna often found herself rolling her eyes at him, but she'd go with it.
Speak, think, act
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Revian dropped off his coat and streached into the wind, allowing himself a murr. He took pff his artic-fatigues and walked slowly into the river. He shivered a litlle but let out a relieved sigh. He rubbed some of the chilly water on his arms before submersing himself (Seven?) Times and striding over to Dawali for his towel. Be bowed and wrapped himself in the towel " Greetings, Dawali.Have you seen Hanna this morning?"
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Dagrun tittered with an odd sort of glee as she fluttered around Hemming's head, watching the wolf wince as he made his way into the deeper waters in the middle of the river. He was lucky enough to have come from a long line of northern-dwelling wolves, so his fur was thick and warm, but the chilly water nipped at the bits of exposed skin between his toes. The male was used to the warmth and comfort of village life and on his many excursions he managed to keep his feet nice and dry. The liquid nature of this cold seemed to make it all the more potent, and as he moved further out into the river the water started to seep past the thick outer layers of fur onto his tender skin. Hemming hesitated every once in a while, rubbing his hands against his crossed arms and looking around to see how his friends had managed it. Catherine and Ember had both dunked themselves beneath the water with seeming nonchalance, and Hemming envied whatever strengths they possessed that had enabled them to do so.
He stood in the middle of the river for a long moment, watching the water as it trudged slowly past. The little willow flycatcher continued to dance around the air, apparently rather amused by his situation. Well aware that the longer he stood there in the water the longer time it had to soak through to his bones, Hemming cast a defeated glare to Dagrun, took a deep breath, and dropped himself in. The cold seemed to suck the breath out of him, and he surfaced quickly, taking another quick breath before plunging back in six more times. After surfacing for the final time, he made his way quickly to the shore of the river, draped a woollen blanket across his head, and made his way towards the fire and his Kalona.
Now safe from the looming threat of being dunked in the water along with him, Dagrun assumed her normal position on the top of Hemming's head. The uncertainty on his face had disappeared, replaced with a smile as he greeted his friends and tribesmates. Despite the rather unattractive necessity of dousing oneself in cold water, the meetings of the tribe were always a wonderful opportunity to meet the rest of AniWaya. Waiting his turn to approach Dawali, he held his hands out towards the fire to warm them. Once the tribesmember in front of him was done, he smiled at Dawali and stepped closer, nodding his greeting.
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Dawali takes them to the side one by one and, as the highest ranked medic currently in the tribe, gives them a prediction of their health and life for the coming year. You choose what they are, seeing as me suggesting them would be powerplay. For the sake of order, let's say he takes them aside in the order you guys have posted, in case any of you wish to include this order in your post.
Word Count: 569
come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops
He studied them as they dipped their bodies in the cold water, handing them furs and blankets as they joined him by the fire. Some were joined by their spirit animals, some were not. His eyes danced on their forms, taking in the diversity of the pack. Some heads bobbed in his direction as they came to the fire one by one, some greeted him openly by words, but his mind was not open to conversation now; he studied their faces and how the smoke and fumes of the fire danced around them, and took them to the side, one by one, to let them in on the secrets he could see for them. In the old tribe, this was one of the most exciting events of the year, when the Great Priest would turn their eyes in the direction of their future. The excitement he felt as a young adult when learning of such secrets was still alive and well today, though he was many seasons older and it was now he who presented the members with predictions, and not the other way around. Now, the predictions he gave were as diverse as all the faces of his friends. Some had futures that were unclear, some had a darkness looming over them, and some held happiness, love, perhaps even children. He held them by one shoulder as he spoke to them of what he had seen, keeping his language vague enough; he knew this art was not accurate, and he did not like to give promises. In most cases he gave a mix of negative of positive, if he saw some of both. His hand lingered on their shoulders as he followed them back to the fire before taking another one to the side.
He kept his authoritative mask on for the sessions with those he did not know well, but with some he relaxed more. He found himself smiling warmly at Hemming, at Catherine, at Tayui. Their long-term and loyal members always warmed his heart. The newer faces recieved more stiff smiles, but genuine: he simply did not know them well enough to know how to perfectly act with them, and found safety in his rank and position. When his warmly colored hand rested on the dark furs of Ember's shoulder he was awkward, and his words were not as eloquent as he would have wanted them to be. Nevertheless, she recieved the same smiles as the other long-term members. She was not a stranger to him, even if her emotions made him uneasy. Finally returning to the fire, he stood a moment and waited for them to settle, perhaps mingle if they wished to do so. Then, he spoke to them, formally, again. "We've all cleansed our bodies and opened our minds to the new year. Now comes to the time for rewarding ourselves; as you may have seen a building has been erected by the sacred ground in the village. Hemming has helped me greatly, and this is where we will find warmth when we meet in the coming cold months. Now, a feast awaits us there." Without any more words (for the message was plain) he beamed at them all and turned to walk towards the lights of the village, blanked around his shoulders. When they arrived, they would find flesh and fish in great numbers, and flames to warm a frost-bitten wolf's soul.
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ooc: oh my gawwwd!!!! am I too late?? DX
sorry
sorry
I'm terribly sorry
but be merciful with claire, please!
I was with no internet on my father's house. And before I was travelling. I couldn't do this earlier.
*almost crying*
Claire, still panting, with an aching and clumsy two-legged body, watched the other wolves pass beside her with amused eyes, still not knowing well what to do, and at the same time, trying to spot what to do. Especially when she was too late and didn’t hear all the instructions of the chief, who stood near a warm and welcoming fire, instead of the cold water – she soon discovered - she had to sink herself into.
The small femme tried to open her eyes inside the chilling water, but after blinking furiously, she only spotted shadows, blurs and something pale around her head. Claire took it as her mane, as she made some bubbles and wondered what to do next, since she was the only remaining in the creek. Too late, always too late…! The white femme was so ashamed she didn’t know they here having this great ceremony…! If she knew before, she wouldn’t go out, wander in foreign woods. But no, she had to. She couldn’t wait a bit more…
'Seven times' another voice, a soft and kind one echoed in her head, stopping the annoying voice of her consciousness.
Claire smiled, thankfully, closed her eyes, raised her head, took a deep breath and obeyed. Was she so lucky to have a brother to help her…! Even if nobody else could see him, even if she sometimes wondered whether he was real or just an illusion. But his tips and help always saved her in the most troublesome moments. Why not to trust him now?
When Claire was finished, she walked towards the river bank, climbed it, shook the water off her thick fur and paced, still clumsily, to the pile of blankets, took one of the remaining, with which she involved herself, even if she wasn’t so cold as the others seemed to be – in spite of the soft breeze that, altogether with the cold drops in between her fur, gave her the chills -, thanks to her arctic lineage.
When, with the corner of her eye, she heard the chief saying some things, and then heading to the village, Claire felt a knot on her throat, and despair spreading through her body.
Had she missed it?
Had she spoiled it all?
Would she be expelled from the tribe??
Feeling the tears running from her eyes to her cheeks, she darted to the chief, pleading for his attention, praying for not being too late. And staring at her feet, more ashamed than she had ever been, the small femme waited, trembling, tearfully, regretfully, for Dawali’s answer.
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