OOC: Posts due the 24th! Let's get diggy with it!

Spring had come and with it, the last of Abaven's pups were yearlings. It was far time they celebrated for once, wasn't it? Sparrow couldn't remember having a celebration in Abaven ever really. She wanted to give the pups something to remember in these trying times. It had been a difficult year and Sparrow was more than sure there were more hard times to come.

For now, though, it was time for a little break from that. Sparrow had traveled to find something to commemorate this occasion. It took some searching, but now Sparrow was sure she had it. She had convinced Archon to help her take down a young deer and drag it to the meeting spot. He didn't seem entirely thrilled, but he was more or less willing to help.

With everything in place, Sparrow called the pack to gather. It was time to party!

Sparrow finally came and told Archon that she was ready to host the little party she had been planning. Honestly, it was the most animated he had ever seen the woman, so he figured he might as well play along. Of course, he didn't anticipate her leading him on a hunt or her forcing him to carry the kill back until it was in just the right place for the meeting. He did as he was told obediently. It was good for relations, he told himself.

Once the kill was set, Sparrow called out to the pack. Archon invited Obi Mon Kinobi out. If nothing else, it might do well to have some God-following company. Surely Obi would be a welcome addition to the otherwise vanilla pack. Who knew, maybe with all the coming of age, the pack would stop being so dreadfully still.

Kassander blew out a deep breath at the call. On the one hand, he dreaded meetings even more than he had before, knowing that the Abraxas Overseer would be there, watching, waiting for even a hint of insurrection or rebellion. On the other hand, Sparrow sounded much more upbeat and determined than she had in some time. He was curious, at least, to see what she was up to. So he heaved himself to his paws - in growing older, he now had a first-hand view of the pain caused by aching joints and likely would have been nearly crippled by them if he hadn't the knowledge and experience to treat himself - and moved stiffly towards where the call had come from.

So far, it was only Sparrow, a dead deer, and the Abraxas. Kassander eyed him warily and circled around as far from him as possible before gingerly lowering himself onto his haunches. He was interested to see the Overseer was joined by some kind of primate... it seemed that the Abraxas couldn't be too set against other species as companions, so perhaps it would be safe for Rommel to come out of hiding after all.

He dipped his head respectfully towards Sparrow, mumbling out a quick greeting.

Peggy hadn't really thought through what a guerrilla insurrection would really entail, didn't really have any idea how to plan or go about it at all. None of the adults were being particularly helpful in that, either. Sparrow seemed to be pretty solidly accepting of the position she'd put them in, and part of Arpeggio had to wonder if her cousin would willingly sacrifice one of her packmates in a misguided attempt to protect the rest of the pack if she found out details, so she hadn't made any effort to ask the alpha's advise about anything. The few times she'd talked to the anxious elderly healer she hadn't particularly gotten the impression he would be any help. He was pretty old, and he really only liked to talk about healing (which was kind of nice, since it was something Peggy was interested in) or people she had never heard of and were probably long dead and events that had taken place long before Peggy had been born. The rest of the adults had been next to impossible to find. She wondered if their version of rebellion was just hiding in their dens with their kids and hoping the Abraxas got bored and wandered off.

She herself had just hit her final milestone bringing her into full adulthood this spring season. Paranoia about the Abraxas overseer and any others that might wander in led her to keep herself hidden while she went through her heat. It was one thing to be around the old healer, or Lark, or any of the real Abaven members during her heat, but she didn't trust the Abraxas and they'd definitely gotten a bad reputation that didn't make rape seem too far out of the realm of possibility. She was definitely going to have to seek out training outside of the pack, make sure she was more capable than the Abraxas knew.

Sparrow was calling the pack together, now, though, and she'd already skipped one meeting so Peggy ventured out of her den and quickly brushed down her rumpled, downy pale fur before warily seeking out the spot they'd been called to. Her gaze flicked between the three already present. Sparrow and the Abraxas of course - her mismatched eyes lingered on him with a disdain and distrust she didn't bother to hide - and the old healer, looking rather uncomfortable to be alone with just the alpha and the Abraxas. Peggy moved to sit next to him, sending him a sunny smile to comfort him.

Truthfully, young Corvus wasn't totally sure what a meeting like this might entail. His own life, thus far, had been relatively simple despite everything that had happened, and the more far-reaching consequences of the Abraxas taking over Abaven was a topic too mature for the yearling to really comprehend. All he'd ever known was this, was Abaven and his parents and his brother and sister, and then the Abraxas guy had showed up. The discomfort had been palpable, sure, but in all his naivety he really didn't feel all that poorly about it. Likewise, he hadn't pressed his parents on the topic, deciding there were likely more pressing things to worry about.

Today he'd decided to busy himself by digging out a little hiding spots of sort in the thicket. It wasn't as much digging as it was.. tearing out grasses and vines in hopes of making a sort of nest for himself. It was hot, dirty work though, and by the time he heard his aunt Sparrow call for them to gather he was mostly thankful to be relieved of his self-imposed task. As quickly as he could, the oversized yearling made his way to the gathering and plopped down on his hindquarters, briefly eyeing the few that had gathered already. His siblings weren't here, so he'd quietly wait for them to join him.

After Archon had brought her here and welcomed her in, Dea had been acquainting herself with the new home she had been given. Settling in, she had decided to make a den within the thicket that was part of the territory. She found a suitable place, one where the leaves were so thickly grown together that no rain could get in, and the walls were protected on either side by two long fallen logs that were as tall as she was on her hind legs. Her little spot had grown between these two trees, and their branches had helped to fortify the walls and roof to make for suitable sleeping. Not to mention she could hear if someone came knocking.

Speaking of, Dea felt her ears perk up, her adventuring had taken her to the river, where she decided to fish, and she barely heard the call. Still, it was not Archon who called, but a female and she seemed to hold a celebration in her voice. Dea could use a party! She grabbed her fish up from the riverside and bounded off to meet the pack that she had allied herself to.

Upon arriving she looked around, moving to sit closer to where Archon was since she already knew him, put her fish beside their feast worthy kill, and smiled toward the others. "Hi, I am Dea, I'm new here, but I brought a present with me! It's a large trout, and they are quite tasty!" She showed an odd enthusiasm, which to one who had talked to Dea before would know it wasn't her normal sass and brass. Dea was actually quite nervous to be around so many at once, it only ever happened within her family unit, and family gatherings tended to end...aggressively. Not to mention she had never before even seen a pack, let alone been a part of one.

Lark was amazed that his kids were already a year old. Four seasons had already come and gone, each one just as uneventful than the next.. though Lark was grateful for that. Perhaps his children wouldn't live exciting lives, but thus far they had all remained in Abaven and were otherwise healthy and living good lives. Both of their parents were there for them, which was a sharp contrast to his own youth.. his mother disappearing constantly only to return and apologize had been difficult for him, and he had vowed to never make force his own children to endure such a life. Even despite the takeover of Abaven by the Abraxas man, they lived a stable and secure life, and Lark had no room to complain. And despite his strained relationship with his sister Sparrow, she seemed to have warmed up to his children, so further confronting her seemed pointless. She seemed unhappy, with his chosen mate as well as the outcome of both their lives - and to say he was completely fulfilled would be a lie, but today wasn't the day for mulling over that kind of thing. No, today was a day meant for celebration, and Lark would wear a gentle smile as he made his way to the gathering. Only Corvus was there so far, no Rhea or Aiden - and he moved to sit near his son's side, bumping his shoulder lightly with his nose.

She'd been wandering the territory, not really doing much of importance until she came upon something half-buried in the dirt while walking through one of paths that was thickest with overgrown foliage. It had glinted at her from the undergrowth, a little ways off the path. Crawling through the dirt under the sticker bushes that clawed through her thin pelt and scratched at her skin wasn't the most ideal way to spend her time, but curiosity had her pressing on.

The object in question turned out to be something transluscent, it made an odd clinking sound when she tapped it with a paw and her claw hit it. Digging wasn't easy with such limited space, but she managed to mostly unearth the object after some time. There was no time to sit and mull over what it was, though, because a howl was ringing through the territory and Rhea was already sure she'd be late. Backing out through the brush took a while, and by the time she was out and shaking her pelt free of debris and dirt there was a small twinge of panic in her chest.

When Rhea came skidding into the meeting, almost tripping over her own long, thin limbs with her pelt still a bit of a mess there were already a few members assembled. Some were still missing, so she tried not too feel too flustered as she trotted over to sit by her father and Corvus with a thin smile and a wag of her tail. Corvus was proving to be tall like Lark, while Rhea remained closer to their mothers size. Sighing, she moved to lean on Lark's shoulder and turned her attention towards Sparrow and the 'overseer'.

How long had her last adventure taken her out and about away from the pack? Weeks, probably, at least. Caelestis was lounging on a small knoll that was one of the few clear, grassy spots in the thicket. There was an air of bitterness to her inner musings. She'd decided no one had missed her while she was gone again, probably didn't even notice she was off doing what she did best - making trouble and being reckless. Growling under her breath, she did recall the little incident in the mines. Cael was harboring mixed feelings about, well, pretty much everything. Which was why when she heard the call for the meeting she huffed and rolled over, ears flattening as she tried to convince herself not to even go.

Eventually she desire to not be completely disobedient and irritable moved her to meander her way onto the scene. Sitting off by herself with the look of a dramatic teenager, the girl let her gaze briefly flick towards Sparrow before settling back at her own paws.

OOC: Posts due 9/15. Yearlings required for this round only. Next round is the party so pretend to enjoy yourself!

Sparrow waited longer than she had planned. By the time she was ready to start the meeting, most of the yearlings hadn't even shown up. She cast a nervous glance to Archon, who waited with a stony expression. No doubt he was judging her for her lack of ability to bring the pack together. Something sank in her gut, but she pushed it away.

Eventually the members slowed to a trickle and Sparrow took note of all those who bothered to come. She offered them a warm smile in return.

"The past year has brought many unexpected turns our way. Some of them have been unpleasant and hurtful, but many have been even more wonderful than we could have imagined. Today, we're celebrating the year and all the pups who have turned into yearlings."

Sparrow turned her attention to each of them.

"Caelestis, Rhea, Corvus. Please step forward." Sparrow would pause a moment to allow the young wolves to move.

"You are the future of this pack. You are no longer pups, but full fledged members of the pack. What you decide to do in the pack is now up to you. I'd like each of you to choose your rank: Guard, Medico, Navigator, or Hunter."

Sparrow waited for them to state their ranks. She had one more surprise for them after this and could barely contain her smile. It had taken her so long to gather all the items, but here they were. She could only hope the yearlings took a liking to what she had chosen.

Archon waited while the members slowly trickled in. At this rate, the yearlings would be adults by the time the party started. It was a stark contrast to the promptness of the pack of gods Archon was raised in, further driving the conclusion that these mortals were inferior to him. Still, he kept a placid smile on his face as the pack came in and cast their meek, faux outrage-filled glares at him. If he hadn't known how woefully sluggish the whole Abaven population was, Archon might have felt threatened.

Eventually Sparrow called the meeting to start, calling out the yearlings. She told them they were the future of the pack, but Archon thought that statement must only be habitual. The only yearling who seemed to have any sort of purpose had been Caelestis. Archon had grown fond of the girl, despite her constant rebuke of him. He waited to see what rank she would choose and more or less ignored the rest of the happenings.

It didn't take all that long for the meeting to get underway. Rhea was a little disappointed that there were so few pack members present when they got started, but she was at least glad to have her father and Corvus there. Fixing Sparrow with those bright green eyes, she settled in to listen. It was a little surprising to find that the subject of this meeting was herself, Corvus and the older girl Caelestis.

Swallowing the tension that bubbled up at being put in the spotlight, Rhea stepped forward cautiously with her ears pulled slightly back. There was a moment of panic when they were asked to pick their ranks - Rhea hadn't put a great deal of thought into what she wanted to do when she grew up so facing the choice was... overwhelming. What would Corvus choose? And Caelestis? Thinking it over, she wasn't too sure any one rank felt especially appealing, so she decided to go with what was the least unappealing.

"Uhm, I'd like to be a hunter," she replied at last, struggling to keep her voice from being too quiet to hear easily. Oh gosh, having eyes on her was even less thrilling than she'd imagined. How did Sparrow do this regularly?

Corvus was grateful when Rhea finally joined him, followed by another slightly older girl, Caelestis. Archon eventually joined them as well, though his interest was mostly in his sister, though he was also distracted by the lack of presence from Aiden. Was he alright? Or perhaps he'd been too far to hear Aunt Sparrow's call? Oh well, he'd have to fill him in on the contents of this little gathering later, if any of it was of interest to him. Curious, he cocked his head to the side as Sparrow spoke up, instructing them to come forward.

Feeling a bit nervous all of a sudden, he bashfully shuffled forward, hoping his uncertainty wasn't blatantly obvious. next, their aunt asked what they wanted to be, saying they were the future of the pack and that they needed to decide a rank. Uh.. crap. He wished he'd gotten a chance to talk to Aiden about this, not wanting to choose a role without him. He was glad when Rhea spoke up first, declaring her interest in being a Hunter. Well, she didn't sound completely certain, but at least she'd given an answer. Corvus paused, clearing his throat before speaking. "I think I'd like to be a Guard," he answered, deciding that was a reasonable choice.

Cael was pretty sure her sullen attitude was lost on those around her, but it was probably for the best. Once they were assembled - and what a sad little group it was that managed to make it - Sparrow got things rolling and Cael was quickly pulled from her inward focus when the topic of this meeting was brought to light. Her pink and sea-foam colored eyes locked on Sparrow and Archon and her body language suddenly betrayed interest.

Trying to recover some sort of look of nonchalance, Caelestis stepped forward with Rhea and Corvus, watching the other two youngsters look more than a little intimidated by the situation and struggling to hide her amusement. Being the center of attention never bugged Cael, which was exactly why she let both of the others speak first. A hunter and a guard, interesting picks. Guard sounded appealing enough, she did love the idea of furthering her fight training as much as possible... But, that might require her to restrict her adventures a great deal. Her choice was obvious.

"Navigator has a good sound to it, she said with a smile. Fighting still called to her, but she also couldn't lose the chance to learn the lay of every inch of the land around this pack. That was something she was pretty sure she could get good at, and Cael intended to get as good as she was capable of, then get better. Hmm... Picking a real rank felt surprisingly good. Like, all of a sudden she'd set a course in life and knew where she was going and could see the whole grand adventure laid out before her, calling to her. What an electric feeling.