Shaye kissed her auntie on the cheek and left her cooing over the little ones. She made a beautiful sight as she curled up around the tiny forms, their dark coats well matched to Rhythms. She moved to step away, hesitated, then came back to give them all another round of kisses, before ducking out without looking back. She knew if she did, she would never leave them.

She made her way to the open expanse she used for a meeting place, and hoped onto the raised boulder she often used. It had been a while since she had called a pack meeting, but she knew the members of her pack where doing well. She had seen a lot of activity from then, with scouting and border patrols. She had seen and was proud with what a lot of them had been doing.

That, and with the influx of puppies, she knew this was the right move. She had spoken to Rhyme already and he appeared before she called the meeting. She nodded her head to him, scooting over to give him room on her platform.

With Rhyme beside her, and the scent of puppies on her coat, the alpha would raise her head and call to her pack. She would summon them for a meeting, a chance to give news and promote apprentices, to announce a challange. She was going to look forward to this. She fully expected Rhyme to add his howl to hers as her song hit every corner of Abaven terratory.

The slate alpha was a little surprised he’d been able to tear Shaye away from the joyous little bundles she’d just given birth to. He had to admit leaving them was difficult for him too, but he’d promised to do double duty and with his three residing in Tana’s care he hadn’t gotten a lot of time to rest. Solitude clung to his back, the white raven was going to become a father himself soon. Imperia had laid her eggs and seemed to be incubating well. He missed having her look out for him, but knew her current job was important.


He followed Shaye to the meeting place, the rock a sturdy platform for the both of them. He managed to smile at her as she made room for his tall form. He settled down quickly and titled his head back to join his song with Shaye’s. They had much planned for this meeting, too much time had passed since they had called everyone together. He had been so busy he hadn’t even met with many of their new members, a slight he planned to correct.

""

Lorenzo was getting bigger and soon it would be difficult for him to cling to the front part of her chest. She knew he hated the day and most times left him home in the den to sleep the day off. Today her companion surprised her by practically begging her to take him with her, but she was happy to have the company. Shaye was busy with her pups and Ignis and Acere had been busy with their duties in the pack. She herself since herbs were scare looked for more things to collect and to craft along with catching a few meals for her uncle and brother when they returned to the den. She was getting back into her normal swing of things and after a bit of time dealing with raw emotions over her sister's death she was beginning to feel better again. She was not far from the meeting spot, digging and foraging within the snow. She had found just a few things before the harmony of howl came from the leaders. It was very loud and told her that they were close by and calling a meeting together. Smiling the young female dropped her task with ease and headed in the direction of the call, when she arrived she was the first of the members, but being so close to their call she figured she may be one of the first to arrive. She greeted both of them with a smile and dip of her head before finding a spot and settling to a sit. Once she was still the growing opossum climbed down and curled up between her front legs, his small eyes looking towards the two wolves upon the rock before looking back to Actaea. "speech"

THEY’RE TRYIN’ TO KEEP HEAVENS GATES OPEN LATE FOR ME The male had been sleeping more deeply lately. There wasn't as much stress to be able to wake at the drop of a pin to serve his master, and he could rest for longer periods of time. This, of course, meant he could heal. Miss Shaye was beginning to get some more shine in his dark fur, bringing out the intricacies of his markings. So, when he heard her bidding farewell to her children, he found himself rousing more slowly. His leg was stiff and painful when he tried to move it. Rolling onto his right flank, the male began the process of stretching the aching muscles. First his toes, curling and uncurling them. Flexing the muscles of his ankle, drawing his paw up, down, and up again. Getting his knee to loosen up took the longest, with the extensive damage to his thigh muscles. He spent most of the stretch working it out. Once he was ready to rise, he was fully awake. Hungry, too. A pair of howls, woven together in a sonorous song, summoned the waif. That would have to wait. He slunk out of the den, head low and auds close to his skull. The woman who was watching Miss Shaye's little ones, they were saying it was his mother. In between shifts of caring for the pups while Miss Shaye was out and about, they'd had a few chances to talk. Nothing in depth yet, though. He yearned to learn the truth for himself, and get to know her. He said nothing to her as he slunk out of the den, following after Miss Shaye's call. By the time he arrived, there was already someone there. She had been at the birth as well, helping miss Vail. He had no clue who she was, but Miss Shaye seemed to know her well. He lifted one corner of his mouth in a half smile towards the leaders as he settled himself on his lean haunches near the edge of the clearing. He still wasn't ready to be in the thick of the group yet, it was too overwhelming. Instead, he would wait on the outskirts and listen to what the leaders had to say. "speech"

His heart was still heavy. He still hurt after he witnessed that cruel day. There was nothing more he could do though. At least not now. Elias had paid part of his debt for Domina's life when Ace partially blinded him and left his face heavily scarred and disfigured. But Ace wouldn't just settle for that. A life for a life... He thought grimly. It was only fair. Ace decided that it would happen one way or another, with either him or Elias paying the price when the time came. He did what he could to keep his mind off of his darkened thoughts, and he was sure Actaea and Ignis were trying to do the same. He was sure they hurt much like he was, the trio connected in so many ways that it seemed they were all so predictable in the eyes of one another. He was sitting alone in one of their dens when he heard both Shaye and Rhyme call the pack together for a meeting. While normally he would have been glad to finally join Abaven in their first meeting since he'd been here, he just couldn't really find the will to be anything but broody as of late. He'd been getting in fight after fight with other predators, the evidence visible on the many fresh wounds that were beginning to scar. With a sigh, he gathered his two fox kits and slowly lumbered towards the meeting. When he arrived, the only ones there besides the alphas was the former slave boy, and to his surprise, Actaea. Then again, was he really surprised? She had been doing a lot, always training and working. He didn't doubt that she was doing just that to get her mind off darker things before coming here. He moved to sit on her right side, shoulder gently brushing hers as he quietly nuzzled her neck. His gaze fell on Shaye and Rhyme then, remembering that Shaye and Tana had recently had pups. He knew Shaye had been pregnant, having scented it quite a few times. The question that he was sure lingered in the air was 'who was the father?' Well... he was pretty sure that would be clear when those puppies were old enough to come out. He was far from stupid. He was highly observant, almost nothing slipped past his radar. He had thought Shaye was cute at one point, but if she suddenly had a mate, then that changed things. Even so, he kept his thoughts to himself for now as he waited for the rest to get here so the meeting could start and he could get out of here. speech action

She heard the howls but she was busy at the moment. She was feeding their three children and she wasn't about to cut their meal short to arrive first to the meeting. Her priorities were now to their needs first and the pack's second. Rhyme and Shaye would understand. Her companions had been recently infatuated with the nest of imperia and solitude, though she assumed it was because there was the oddity of eggs being laid in the winter. She waited until the pups had had their fill and fell asleep until she pulled herself from them. She called for Basil and Alma, waiting for them to come in and sit with the pups to remove herself from the den.

As soon as she emerged she wanted to go back but she knew she had to go to the meeting. She hobbled towards the direction of the meeting. She was sure that she would be one of the last ones there, but when she arrived she could only scent a few others here. Strange. She took a seat though, away from others and waited. She hoped this meeting would be fast, she didn't want to leave the pups for too long.

"speech"

Vail snuggled closely to Solor in their warm den, being a such a sensory oriented wolf winter was the hardest for her. The cold clung to her, she hated the way the snow covered her fur and how cold her frozen paws liked to get. She might have lingered there all day enjoying her time with Solor, maybe partake in a little more baby making. Vail was well into her season at this point and they still hadn’t managed to get pregnant. She might have started to get worried, but she was enjoying herself too much at that point. She snuggled deeper into Solor’s dark fur as the sound of her sister and Rhyme’s voices reached her. She still hadn’t quite forgiven Rhyme yet, but she was becoming a bit more suspicious. Her nieces were obviously his, Shaye hadn’t admitted to being with anyone else. The question was if he’d made things right with Shaye. She had hated seeing her so upset that day. Vail grumbled softly as she nudged Solor. They needed to get the meeting, though she didn’t really want to go out into the snow. She wondered absently as she got to her feet who would be watching all of the babies. She pushed the thought from her mind as she stretched languidly and forced herself from the den. Vail waited for Solor to appear and she’d walk with him to where the meeting would take place. With her easy pace she came to sit close to where Rhyme and Shaye stood on their perch. She gave her sister a smile, but turned away as she got to Rhyme. ""

He had been snuggled deeply within his den, getting warmed up after his long night hunt. He hadn't expected to be out all night, but things didn't seem to always work out. He had run into a big problem during his hunt that led him further away from the pack. He honestly hadn't thought he got that far, but when he ended up loosing his hunt to a bear he had to give up. He had come back empty handed and he was rather sour about it. While trying to find his way home a small storm blew up that had gotten him all turned around making his trip home much longer then expected.

By the time he had gotten home it was early morning and he was cold, but he wasn't able to sleep any until he warmed up. He was fairly warm and had been falling in and out of a light sleep by the time it grew light. The call from the alpha's had caught him as he had just come out of another light sleep. He groaned not wanting to leave his warm den, he knew it was a must though and he had to respond to the call. There would be plenty of time for him to rest up after the meeting.

Huffing he pulled himself up and moved out of his den, shaking and stretching when he was outside. He then got up and headed towards the meeting stone, keeping his pace quick to make a timely entrance to the meeting. It didn't take him long to get there and there wasn't many so far. He found a spot and took a seat for the meeting.

"Speech"

With Olafur in tow Odysseus made his way to the meeting place. Neither Shaye nor Rhyme had said what the meeting was about so he could only guess at what they had planned for today. He hoped whatever it was had nothing to do with the slaver's ilk and the promise of their return. Odysseus was convinced of the idiocy of their captive, but that didn't mean his kin were just as simple.

The giant paused on the outskirts of the gathering to look the attendees over. It was an old habit and one he had no intention of giving up. Odysseus noted the many familiar faces that dotted the small crowd and lingered on the unknowns. As far as he knew most had been there before him. That he still hadn't gotten to know them was entirely his fault and something he would have to correct.

After a beat he padded closer and sat down at the back.

  "Odysseus" and "Olafur"  

Cadence was a very happy camper these days. Not only had she found her sister, and a new home, but that both seem so nice. Of course Peggy would be nice, but a year could do so much, couldn't it. So it still made her so happy. She was just getting up, digging out a small herb store in her perfect little den when the call rang out across the packlands. Oh! Oh! Her first meeting?! She lifted her head with a small gasp, a bright smile across her face. Mud and dirt clung to her paws but she didn't even bother cleaning up. Without another thought she was off, racing across the packlands towards the call of her cousin. It didn't take too long to find the meeting site, pack wolves were already starting to gather. She didn't recognize most of them, and a quick cursory glance confirmed that her sister wasn't here. She couldn't help the small pang of disappointment swell within her chest, but she continued to smile away as she found a place in the growing crowd. She sat on her own, but not too far from the rest of her new packmates to be rude. And so she sat quietly, waiting for her first pack meeting to begin. "Burn Baby Burn"

Spider approached the meeting with what the other members might have considered characteristic hesitation, but in truth he had been more outgoing in the past few months than he had ever been. Not that any of them had noticed, or cared, they had all been far too distracted with their own interactions to notice how frequently he left the pack’s borders and how the scent of another male clung to his fur. He suspected they might have been disgusted by the sodomite and that they had all chosen to ignore him, but Spider knew in his heart that Shaye had simply lost interest in him. She had something else to care for now, and her pups had far fewer problems than the dusty wolf. But that was fine for him, he had lost interest in all of them as well, which was the source of his current reluctance to join them all at the meeting. In spite of himself he sat toward the front of the gathering, his back straight and his head raised. He couldn’t back out now. If he stayed in Abaven any longer he would go mad, and he had no interest in being watched with scrutiny while in the presence of the horde of children. No. Abaven was no longer his home, in his mind he had left it already, and he saw himself now curled in a nice warm den pressed against his Hannibal. Spider speaking  Toad's voice You

Really, truly, Rhea wished she was better about making friends in the pack. It got sort of lonely here sometimes, despite the fact that Abaven seemed to be continuing to grow with every passing season. That was probably all her fault though. She just needed to do better. When she heard the call summoning them to the pack meeting, Rhea was quick to run to the meeting place.

Walking into the crowd of wolves she barely knew, she could feel her strides getting shorter as she grew more uncertain. It was only when the older Caelestis came barreling up behind her that Rhea felt she could relax a bit. Peggy and Cael were the only wolves left aside from her brothers that she really felt comfortable with despite her not having spent a lot of alone time with them. Sitting beside Cael in the thick of the group, emeral eyes scanning the crowd uncertainly, she leaned over to ask in a quiet whisper, "Do you know any of the new members? I feel like I haven't met hardly anyone..."

Another meeting? Corvus was intriuged, but not necessarily interested, as bad as that might be to say. Only recently they'd had a little fighter meeting to discuss scouting the borders, and then a fight lesson even more recently. Only delaying for a short while, Corvus eventually redirected his path - he'd been wandering aimlessly near the rapids, searching for something to occupy his day with. Well, he thought a bit somberly, Apparently Shaye has decided that part for me. Quickening his pace, he wasn't at all surprised that he was far from the first to arrive. Corvus slowed, taking a good look around the group before deciding where to sit. A few of the wolves were unfamiliar, but one in particular - Cadence - caught his eye. He'd definitely never seen her around before, and he couldn't help but be curious. Still, he wasn't about to go and outright ask who she was, so he settled a fair distance from her and settled into a comfortable silence, waiting for the meeting to begin.

Shooting across the territory, feeling almost late as usual, Cael was pretty sure her heart was about to pound right out of her chest. WAY too much of her time was being spent on her adventures these days. That was good, because she was finally starting to get past that bitterness she'd developed after her parents died that led her to make stupid choices and earn those lovely scars that stretched across one side of her face. The bad part was she often found herself sore, tired, and on the other side of the territory when a meeting was called. Oh well. Admittedly, Cael loved to feel that burn in her tired muscles as she pushed them further than she thought she was able to.

Racing onto the scene, she slowed to a quick trot, bouncing through the group and group with a wide smile on her face. Spotting Corvus and Rhea, she sought to give Covus a quick tap on the shoulder from behind before darting around the other side of him and going to sit by Rhea, sitting her ass down unceremoniously. To the yearling's question she'd shrug and shake her head. "Noope, not a one. Can't say I'm the one to ask though, too many other places to be, things to see, outsiders to hang out with, important business to attend to," she drawled, an impish look in her eye serving to communicate how happy she was to do these many 'important' things. Rhea gave her a look that Cael couldn't really figure out so she just shrugged it off and give the other girl a friendly bump of the shoulder. "Maybe you should come with me sometime. I'd enjoy having more friends along with me."

He was getting ready to go out on a hunt, to bring something back for the pack. He had plenty of pelts for his den and didn't have to worry about bringing in as much, but he still felt the need to help out. He was apart of the pack at least for the winter and he knew he had to help pull the weight around here. He didn't feel right just sitting back and taking their food and supplies without replenishing them. The two melded howls filled the air in the distance drawing his attention and making him stop. They were calling for the pack and he felt he better attend, he could always hunt later. Altering his course he turned around and headed back towards the rapids. When he arrived there was a fair amount of wolves already there and Gustav took his seat towards the pack. He had met one or two faces, but he just simply chose to sit in the back. There he waited for the meeting to begin. speech action

"Talk" Walk The call had almost gone unnoticed, but as the remnants of the intertwined calls started to fade away, Ignis stirred from his den and slowly got up. He had been keeping mostly to himself save for when he was training, his uncle's words echoing in his mind. He couldn't stop thinking about what his father had done to his sister, and he wasn't sure how to deal with it. Sure, Ace didn't like to talk about the days that his father had abandoned them, but it's not like Ignis ever really tried to talk about it. Instead, he kept it bottled up -- just like his uncle -- and never really talked about it. He tried to with Actaea, but each time he thought about approaching the topic he shied away from it. He had been in denial about the whole thing, but after the latest events with his father, it was getting harder to ignore. He sighed, not really wanting to be around others right now but if it was a pack meeting then he had no choice. He had been doing well so far, and he wasn't about to disappoint now. When he stepped out of his den, his wolverine companion was waiting for him. Together the pair made their way to the meeting place, though Ignis wasn't in any hurry to get there. By the time he arrived, it seemed like everyone else had gathered and suddenly he felt uncomfortable. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been around so many wolves, and he certainly hadn't met everyone in Abaven yet. This was the first pack meeting he had attended since coming here, and despite his huge size he suddenly felt very small. The usually upbeat and outgoing boy felt unsure of himself as he headed over to his uncle and his sister. He sat on Actaea's left side, pressing himself into her so that she was practically sandwiched between him and his uncle. His companion sat on his other side, and as his heart beat hard against his chest, he waited for the meeting to start.

A pack meeting had been called, and Peggy was running late. She'd been outside of pack lands, so the call had been faint and thready when she'd heard it, and she'd had to hurry back. She didn't even have time to stop at her den to shed her pack, now full of wintergreen and juniper berries, but instead hurried on to the meeting. Once there, her gaze darted between Corvus and Cadence, wondering if she could possibly sit with one without offending the other, and sighed at the insignificance of the drama in her life. At least she'd had one adventure, off saving a life and having one night of excitement. Now she had to resign herself to settling back into the pack and dealing with the small politics of it.

She froze though, when her gaze tracking casually over Shaye showed the swollen dugs of a nursing mother. Wait, when had Shaye been pregnant? How had she not noticed when Shaye had showed up at the border to speak with Cadence? Had she already been nursing then, or still pregnant? Peggy cast her mind back, trying to remember, but couldn't. She'd been too distracted by her sister showing up. Shaye had been pregnant for how long without her even realizing?

But a wave of cold left her skin tingling with awareness. She had known, hadn't she? It had been part of what had prompted her long absence from pack lands on her gathering trip, that had let her meet Ashmedai to begin with. The puzzling scents that she'd come across in the midst of pack lands, the alcohol and the musky odors that she'd never scented before mixed with Shaye's and Rhyme's. Obvious now, wasn't it? Now that the perquisite amount of time had passed for the results to be nursing off Shaye.

Fur still prickling along her spine in dread and confusion, Peggy didn't dare sit with either her sister or her younger cousin lest they ask her what was wrong. Instead she slunk over to slouch at the very back of the group, away from her friends though near enough to the burly Odysseus to make it seem that she was sitting with the giant of a warrior to give a reason as to not be with her usual group. Her mind was whirling, but as much as she'd wanted to believe that she was wrong, she had a clear memory of that morass of scent and knew she wasn't wrong.

She cautiously turned her head side to side to observe the other packmembers, but no one else seemed to think there was anything strange. Was she the only one who hadn't known about the pups? Had there been some announcement that she'd missed, or had everyone just noticed she was pregnant and accepted it? Had no one asked who the father was? Or did everyone else already know? She had so many questions but bit her tongue hard to keep from asking them, just holding herself stiffly and warily near Odysseus and his primate companion.

Rhyme howled alongside her, and the members of the pack quickly began to file in. She smiled at her apprentice, and tried not to let the smile be one of sadness. It was going to be hard to let go, but she knew that Actaea was ready. She looked to each member as they arrived, with Epitaph being the next to enter. He had grown well since entering Abaven. He had been wonderful in helping her care for her little ones, and she knew him to have a gentle soul, he would make an amazing addition to the healers among her pack. She smiled at Acere, who would hear soon that he wouldn’t be the only second ranking warrior, but she would talk about that with her members soon. Tana arrived, and she tried not to feel any conflicting emotions with the girl. She kept a professional expression on her muzzle as her eyes moved to Vail. Her sister had said Tana was ready, so she too would be among those promoted today. Vail might not be able to see Shaye, but she would know that Shaye would return the warm smile. Allegro would arrive next, and she knew that he had been placing a great deal of the kill on the winter pile. She was proud of him, and he was one of the first wolves to join her pack after she had become its Alpha.Odysseus turned up, sitting quietly at the back. He was another whos rank wouldn’t be changing today, he had not entered as an apprentice, but she did wonder if he might compete for the higher rank. Cadence was a wolf she did not know well, she had only recently entered her pack, and Shaye was yet to speak to on anything other then ranks. Spider was one who had progressed the least in Abaven, he was still terribly skittish, and seemed, if anything, more frightened of her instead of less. She was at a loss on how to help him. Rhea, Corvus, Cael, Ignis and Arpeggio where all wolves who would be moving up in the ranks today. She smiled at them all, including Gustav in the warm expression. Everyone had now arrived, and it was time for the meeting to properly begin. “Thank you all for coming, Winter hasn’t been an easy season, but I have seen many wolves stepping up to face its challenges. It has been decided that there will be a great few changes in Abaven today. Tana, Epitaph and Spider. Today, you will be moving upwards to join the ranks of Ranked healers. It will be your duty to answer calls of aid within Abaven, to practice your craft, and to spread that knowledge to any in Abaven who wish to learn. In lieu of a new one, your rankl keep the name of Tansy, and the names for apprentices will become Saplings. Congratulations” she smiled at her new healers, “There is still room to grow, and those that wish to move higher in the ranks of healers, speak with me after the meeting” and she would explain what they would need to do to progress. “Rhea and Allegro. You two will now be promoted to the Ranked Hunters of Abaven, it is your duty to know the herd movements around Abaven, and keep the kill pile stocked. You also will keep the rank name of Dionaea, with the universal name of apprentices becoming Saplings. Congratulations.” she nodded to them both, before continuing on. “I need a high ranking hunter position filled, if anyone among the rank of Dionaea wishes to move upwards, let me know after the meeting.” now she had a couple single rankers to speak to, and nodded first towards Caelestis, who had been eyeing up a higher rank in her chosen profession, and had proven her worth. “Caelestis, you are promoted to a Ranked Navigator, and if you wish to progress higher, speak to me after the meeting” Now.. perhaps the hardest one for Shaye. “Actaea, you will now be promoted to a Ranked Diplomat. There is room to progress, once more, speak to me after the meeting if a higher rank interests you.” Now.. for her warriors. “Ignis, Arpeggio and Corvus, you have all shown initiative and a desire to learn, and I am proud to announce your promotion into the Ranked Warriors of Abaven, your duties are to patrol the borders of Abaven, Acere will set up shifts for border patrols, and the safety of Abaven is your highest concern. Congratulations.” but, that was not all. “There is room for promotions here, if you wish to move up the ranks one higher, speak to me after the meeting. For those who wish to set your sights higher… there is one position of Firethorn open, to work alongside Acere as our highest ranking warriors. There is only one more position available here, and there will be a competition to reach this high rank. If you wish to compete, please step forward now.” "Talk"

Spider gaped at Shaye’s announcement and in an instant all his resolve left him. He was no longer leaving a pack that had grown tired of him, Shaye had taken note of him, and felt he could stand on his own. He wondered briefly if he might some day reach a higher rank than a simple healer, if he could achieve something in his life. He thought of Hannibal, then his mismatched eyes drifted downward and he thought of Shaye’s pups. What if they looked up to him with his rank? What if people actually wanted to be near him? His whole life he had craved acceptance and love, and now he weighed the love Abaven may have for him against the love of Hannibal. Slowly he began to give thought to the scent Hannibal had carried on him; the clear scent of multiple women. He had known that he could never compete with a woman for a place in a man’s heart and his heart ached painfully as he came to grips with his own reality. Hannibal had never loved him he grit his teeth against the pain in his chest as his heart broke and he knew there would be several days of melancholy again, but maybe Shaye would help him? He closed his eyes, his voice speaking without his mind behind his thoughts. “Thank you.” Spider speaking  Toad's voice You

Rhyme watched as the pack started to arrive at their call. His bright gaze fell on Actaea first, he returned her smile as she got comfortable and Epitaph appeared from the same direction Shaye had come from. He gave the man a quick nod at his attempt at a smile. He still couldn't shake the feeling that Epitaph was one of Rhythm's. They hadn't gotten any definite answers either.

Acere appeared with Tana quickly after. Rhyme guessed when he didn't see her companions that they'd been left with the pups. Vail made her way through, and she still held that same coldness towards him. He tried to ignore it as he dipped his head in greeting towards Allegro and Odysseus.

He watched as Cadence, Spider, and Rhea took their places. Corvus and Cael appeared shortly after, he couldn't miss how they all seemed drawn to one another. He couldn't miss Ignis' somber mood either. The boy was usually bouncing off the walls, nothing seemed to get him down. Rhyme wondered what had happened. Peggy slipped in last, and he thought it odd she sat next to her mentor instead of the group of young adults. She was the only one to sit with her mentor.

Shaye didn't hesitate in getting the meeting started, and he offered a few nods and smiles of congratulations as she graduated their previous apprentices. Mostly Rhyme was interested to see who might step forward to participate in their competition.

His attention fell on Spider again as he thanked Shaye for his rank. Rhyme offered a quick, "Congratulations," It seemed his promotion had surprised and pleased him.