Kashi hadn't been alive long enough to know that it wasn't supposed to be fall every so often. He thought the lands just came pre-falled and that they were like that all the time. And Mom had offered to travel to see a pretty statue, so Kashi was down to go wherever, which happened to be really really really far. At least Jack had come also, that usually made it fun. When they finally did see the statue, people were giving her all sorts of treats and goodies. It was probably because she was very pretty- Mom said you could get a lot in life by being pretty and batting your eyelashes, but she said it like it was a bad thing, which Kashi thought was weird because it seemed like the perfect plan for someone as pretty as he was- and his siblings too. His momma was not very pretty, but he loved her anyways. Maybe she could fight and do cool things like that, but Kashi was pretty and if he could get away blinking really fast at people when he wanted things, then he'd take it.

When they got to the front, a funny looking animal said some stuff and then their mom talked to the statue like it was alive, which was pretty funny, but that's what everyone was doing. She even told the statue to choose her favorite. "Hi Miss Mommy," Kashi said, stepping forward and puffing like a show dog so the stone woman could see how beautiful he was- just like her. "You should pick me, because I think you're very pretty and I think your kids are pretty too and I think we'd get along probably." Then he did The Thing. The thing his mother hated. He batted his eyelashes at her.

NPC:
The pup, unaware perhaps of his mother’s lack of belief, offers himself. He shows honesty, unlike his mother. A tenrec crawls up to softly pat him on the head, offering him some goodies before ushering him away. Hopefully someone will knock some sense into his mother.

You receive:
Date Night Kit
Staff: note when claimed

466 Gemstones Automatically Added

Inheritance Pass
Staff: note when claimed

Calico Jack happily trots after his mom, glad to be out on an adventure with her and Kashi. His mother had said they were going to see a god that lives in a statue and, while Jack knew nothing about gods or why they like to live in statues, he had been excited to join his mother and brother on the journey. When it is their turn to greet the statue, Cal steps up with his family, tail wagging slowly as he looks over the alabaster wolf and her pups.

Sparrow’s next words have the patchwork pup’s ears falling flat against his skull as his icy gaze flicks over to her. Had he been bad? Did he do something that had brought this on? Kashi immediately steps forward and introduces himself but Jack hangs back, observing his brother as he offers himself to the statue will fighting back the dread that builds in his gut. Once his brother bats his eyelashes (but why?) Jack steps forward, dipping his head in greeting as he says, “Hello. ‘m Calico Jack. Pleasure to meet you.”

Gaze flicks over to his brother as the calico pup exhales, silently hoping that he can still see Nico no matter what happens. Turning his full attention to the gods that rests in the stone, Calico straightens up and says, “I will do my best to protect you and your family. If you chose me, I will spend my days as your guardian.” While his words are poised and confident, uncertainty rolls across his features as he wonders if this means that he will be turned into stone for all eternity.

Thoughts once again turn to his friend Nico and he silently prays that the coyote pup will understand. Stretching one leg forward, the boy dips into a deep bow, curling his neck so his forehead against the ground. Hopefully, the statue cannot see the tears that fall silently into the grass.


"Calico Jack"

NPC:
Like his brother, this calico wolf offers himself, although more timidly. The way he hold himself! The way he still goes along with it. At least, unlike his brother, he has in mind to be somewhat afraid, poor thing. The tenrec moves from his brother to him and ruffles the hair on his head, giving him a gift and urging him in the direction of his brother, “Go play, and give us no mind, young wolf.”

You receive:
440 Gemstones Automatically Added

Inheritance Pass
Staff: Used to inherit retractable obsidian claws from Alastor to Malico

Now that she had been given some time to think about a proper offering to present the alabaster mother and her children, she approached with a little more confidence this time around. In her time away, she had been blessed with a successful hunt- she had managed to trap and harvest a small doe. Nothing big, but she was grateful for its life, and made special care to harvest everything she could, so nothing would be wasted. She packed her satchel as full as she could, and made the trip to return to the gardens where it had all started.

Approaching the alter and the familiars that attended it, Kiliaen offered a warm grin before digging things out to hand off. She handed off quite a few cuts of venison, two dolls that she had made out of deer hide she had cured, and a couple of the femur bones still fresh with marrow on the inside- that she knew would be appreciated by bored and teething pups.

After she had emptied her bag, she silently dipped her head and backed away. Returning to the edge of the clearing, filled with a solemn peace that soothed her soul.

NPC:
The light woman brought over a small doe in various cuts. Hungrily, the familiars descended upon the food, some tearing at it for themselves while other cuts and parts like the bone were moved to the altar. After a moment of chewing a rather large hunk of meat, a fat cat comes over, rolling a present for the woman. He stops and blinks slowly at the wolf before going back to see if there were any meats left.

You receive:
Xtra grow potion
Used for Prezzies for players 2022 - nyx

What she'd had to bring this statue last time had seemed quite fitting, but what she'd come up with this time felt more symbolic somehow. She'd reunited with a wolf that had left quite a lasting impression on her and after bringing up these strange altars that had appeared, and what she thought they symbolized, she knew exactly what she'd had to do - and Víðarr had agreed. After taking some time to consider what she was bringing, she held back as other wolves filtered in and left their offerings, only approaching with hers when she felt the time was opportune.

It was a simple piece of animal hide, dried and aged, with a healthy spattering of blood painted across it in two perpendicular lines. One was her own blood, carefully drawn, and the other her friend Víðarr's. "This - a symbol of life," she spoke quietly, words meant only for the altar and its familiars to hear. There was little she felt she could give to a symbol of the Mother of life herself other than something that represented what made her heart keep on beating. "And a symbol of gratitude. For all you have given me."

NPC:
The woman offers her blood and the companions shush one another as they listen to her words. It was a hide with the blood of hers and her friends. She gave this and her words and one of the companions moved it away to the back of the altar, leaving a gift for the wolf in its place.

You receive:
25 Skill Points
Staff: note when claimed

The vibrant orange and creams of the young woman's coat almost blended in with the fiery surroundings of the autumn landscape that painted the God's Garden. Syanna approached the shrine of the mother deity, carrying a small wicker basket in her jaws. She passed by so many wolves also making the pilgrimage to deliver offerings to the entity, and already she feared she would be too late or her tribute too meager in comparison. Did the gods concern themselves over things like that? She supposed she had no way of knowing for sure, but she had put a lot of effort into this in vain hope of finding a cure for her ailment with her faith; she couldn't just turn around and give up now. The family of tenrecs continued to tend to the shrine, shuffling about the tributes and cleaning and decorating the altar to the mother and child entities. Syanna paused at the edge of the altar, looking up into the smiling alabaster faces of dam and child, her heart aching in her chest. Would she ever get a chance to know the joy these nameless beings knew?

Taking a deep breath, Syanna approached the altar, setting the wicker basket down at the paws of the mother and pulling back the red checkerboard cloth that covered the contents. Inside the cloth were an assortment of medicines and decoctions she'd prepared, all various colors of liquids contained in small glass bottles, a dozen in total. "I don't have much to offer, but what I do have are the skills I've learned with my new family. I've learned to make medicines and supplements to help keep you healthy and strong." She slid the basket closer with careful petite paws, gesturing to the assortment. "The purple ones are elderberry and ginseng extracts to help the immune system, especially in growing pups. The whitish ones are marshmallow, boneset, and meadowsweet, for curing colds and flus. And the clear ones are motherwort and alfalfa, in case you want to have any more pups." Syanna looked up to the mother statue, tucking the medicines back into the blanket with a wistful smile. "I hope I still have the chance to one day have a family, like you. I might have ruined that for myself, but I'll hold on to that hope for the rest of my days if I have to."

With her offering made, Syanna looked back to the massive tenrec family with the same sad smile, imagining the family of her own that she may never have beyond her imaginations. "Have a happy fall," she bid the little familiars with a kind tip of her head before making her way back home.

"Syanna Alluráin"

NPC:
The fox-toned woman offers a basket and the companions eagerly rummage through it as she explains all of their names and her reason for giving. The tenrec family nosed through the various assortment too, before nodding in affirmation. The head of the family makes its way to the woman and offers her a gift before turning and chittering amongst its friends and family about the different herbs and goods in the basket.

You receive:
Minor mutation pass
Staff: note when claimed