Isidora Koval. Her reputation said it all really, no excuses no real reasons but somehow she was late. The pack had already gathered before Kat something, honestly Isi couldn't remember her full name at the moment but that'd do she decided, she probably wouldn't need to us it anyway. But hang on, why was Kat up there, where was Raisa? She hadn't thought much about it from the call though it wasn't the first time someone else had called a meeting, that Vaughan guy had done it last. She was a little too late to ask as she sneakily moved to join the rest of the pack. She would find herself by Adelaide, glad that after a lesson she could recall the healer's name. "Hey Addi, what did I miss?" She'd whisper shifting her gaze to the healer properly for the first time. "Whoah you got big!" The shock likely made the words come out a little louder than she had intended. "Are you pregnant or something? I've seen some wolves get really huge when they're pregnant." Her voice quietened once more though she still wasn't helping too much. "Oh, shhh. Kat's talking." And with that as Katja began to speak Isi would turn her attention towards the front once more, her initial question now being explained. She'd made it just in time for the meeting and to hear the important information they'd been gathered here for. Raisa was actually gone this time, that was disappointing news.

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Aiko, her little sister, well, in some sort of weird way, would come to her side. Svetlana wasn?t incredibly close to Hajime and Elsa?s litter, though she couldn?t truly blame the pups for needing her mother?s attention and milk. She spoke, though her voice held almost a monotone tone to it. ?This is a pack meeting. The pack gathers together when they are called to discuss important news...? It was all she would say for now. It wasn?t until Vaughan?s arrival that Svetlana truly stirred. Where?s Raisa? That was the million dollar question. Her heart would break at his voice, head lifting as a low whine escaped her throat. Then Kassander would sit by her, right before Katja began to speak, addressing all of them. ?Raisa is gone,? Even though it was what she had expected the news crushed her. She felt something snap within, her chest suffering a deep pang, pressure causing the organ within to sink low. She started to shake, tears that had been fought against for now coming to bright blue eyes. She... Was gone. She had told Katja she was leaving and just left. Valeriya was gone too. A mother and a sister, irreplaceable, were gone. There were some minor changes... Though the most astonishing, other than the lack of two family members and Katja?s rise to Queen, was to happen to her. She was named the new heir. The title felt heavy on her shoulders, a weight that pressed upon her. The girl rose, the tears flowing freely down her cheeks as she crossed over to Vaughan, pressing her head against his shoulder as she let out a loud whine. ?Please don?t go...? Her voice cracked with emotion, begging, pleading the man to stay with Ebony. She couldn?t bear losing him officially too. Not now. "Hear Me Talk," "Listen To Korrin," 'Read My Thoughts.'

Her father and brothers were a group of the last to show up at the meeting. They would come sit by them, and Lior would look to them for a moment. That was, until Vaughan came in. Such a scene he was starting to make... But the reason of the meeting became clear enough. Raisa... Something had happened and the queen had to be gone. The gray girl?s gaze would switch to Adelaide, surprise when she saw the woman pregnant. Lior would get up, moving from her family, to sit beside her mentor. She would offer a smile to the white and black woman, gently bumping her with her shoulder before sitting. Adelaide didn?t look so cheerful though... And Lior couldn?t imagine who the father of these pups was.

Then Katja was speaking, telling them that Raisa had gone, and Valeriya, the heir, with her. The girl would frown deeply, listening as the new Queen began to shift things around a bit. New names for the ranks...She would give a soft sigh. The names seemed more complicated to her. Gaze would flick to her friend Svetlana as Katja told Vaughan, and thus the rest of the pack, that she was the new heir of the pack. She couldn?t imagine what the other was feeling. This was the second time Raisa had been gone... And this time by choice. She would give a deep sigh, looking to Adelaide again to see what her reaction to this may be.

More wolves filed in and Baldur waited patiently. He could feel Linne? sitting next to him, giving him a reassuring nudge. He was about to leave his family to join a pack he barely knew to keep an eye on kids that might not be his after all. What was he doing. "Something kind. Your brothers are adults, Baldur they can look after themselves and their families. Trust them." Pfft. Trust Loki? now that was an amusing thought. But she did have a point. Who was he to tell anyone how to raise their family? Hell, Loki was doing a far better job than he ever did! Baldur waited patiently for the meeting to start and his fate to be sealed. He didn't know what he was getting himself into but the truth was, he wouldn't have it any other way. A male healer offered to help patch up his would and Baldur offered a nod and smile of thanks for the offer. He really needed to quit letting himself get so beaten up all the time. It really was a wonder he'd managed to live this long. His eyes trailed to a young pup that looked a lot like Raisa only slightly lighter in color, she had to be one of Sigmarr's siblings for sure. He tried to offer a reassuring smile but if felt out of place coming from a wolf who was a stranger to her? and a bloody, beaten one at that. Another pup caught his attention a black one with mismatched eyes though her mood was even more sour. Raisa? what the hell had prompted her just up and leave like this. And if she was pregnant from him why the hell didn't she try to find him. A stab of anger burned at his gut but was almost instantly melted as another of Raisa's pups emerged from the den with a bunch of cobwebs for the healer. They didn't deserve to have been abandoned like this. The meeting started and he nodded to Katja as she welcomed him to Ebony. A clan wolf. He was giving this another go after failing at Valhalla. Sprits above or whatever force there was in the world, he prayed that he would not fail again. "Thank you, Lady Katja." He'd picked up the name from Sigmarr and hoped he was addressing her correctly. She spoke of Raisa's leaving and of Valeriya's abscence. He felt a sting in his heart that one of the pups was gone. Sigmarr had told him but even so? the ranks were words that sounded familiar to him and he found himself wondering if this Katja was from a similar area to himself. He waited for a moment then spoke. "Lady Katja, I thank you for welcoming me into Ebony. As said before my skills lie almost wholly in battle. But I would seek to do more if I'm able. I knew Raisa. I wish to help you in your task to care for Ebony and for her children."

Katja began to speak and Sindri's gaze shot off to the side. She was listening, but trying to appear indifferent to the words. Nothing could hurt her. Not words, not reality, not her mother. She was immune to all these things; above it all and completely unfeeling. A scowl marred her features. Bitter tears began to run down her cheeks and the young wolf tilted her head back in the hopes that they would stop. She glared at the sky. Gritted her teeth. Her body became ridged and she dug her nails into the hard ground; a silent struggle overtaking her. The tears continued to flow. Realizing she'd been holding her breath, Sindri let it out slowly, quietly, hoping not to draw attention to herself. Before she'd wanted others to look at her, to see her anger, but now, in defeat, she wished to turn invisible, to be alone in her grieving. She wanted to scream, to sob loudly and grossly, and not be seen or heard by those who couldn't begin to understand the rejection she was feeling. Instead she gritted her teeth and sat in silence, waiting to be dismissed. Speaking - - Thinking

No light, no light in your bright blue eyes

I never knew daylight could be so violent

Sigmarr was surprised when Katja moved forward to embrace him but he did not resist. Instead he leaned into it, burying his face in her fur and just for a moment he could pretend that Raisa was there, that she hadn't left and everything would be ok. But soon it was time for the meeting to start, he pulled back and waited. He barely registered the wolves coming in he was so focused on his teacher. He listened carefully as she spoke of what they needed to do. Yes, he was eager to train. Eager to aid the pack and start climbing the ranks. He needed the challenge and the distraction.


Eyes noted the position of his remaining siblings. Kassander moved to comfort Svet and as his eyes fell on Sindri he noticed she was crying. Sigmarr bit back his own sorrow and moved over toward his sister. He leaned forward to try and nuzzle her. He was hurting too. She wasn't alone. But he had no idea if he could comfort her when he really couldn't even comfort himself.


"Speech"

A revelation in the light of day

You can't choose what stays and what fades away

The man would listen intently to the new leader, her words would make them aware of Raisa's disappearance. His ears would fall to his head as he heard the news. He found it sad, but personally he felt no loss. He'd only said a select few words to the Xanilove queen, there was no bond there to break. He would lean into Devya's side, he knew not if she still held affections for the woman. Katja would go on to explain their new rank system. He had not much of a desire to rise in the ranks, but if Katja came to him and asked him to step up he would have no problems with such. For now though, he wanted to concentrate on providing for his young that would be arriving any day. Speech,

She would listen attentively, Raisa was gone, Katja was taking her place, there would be a slight change in ranks. Overall, she was unimpressed and had no desire to be here. She had never been close to the ex-Queen, but she was sad to hear of her departure, the woman had been so kinda when they first met. But things changed. Perhaps this was the time for her and Ares to leave? The children were due any day, and once they were old enough, they could travel to another pack, hopefully finding one that would suite them better. A quiet sigh rolled off her tongue and she leaned against Ares, tired eyes tipped up towards him. Would this be over soon? She had nothing against Katja personally, the woman was she sure she would be a great leader, but maybe not a great leader for her family. The woman only planned to stay long enough to let Katja know that the pups were due any day, after that she had plans to return to their den and hopefully sleep. Maybe eat too. Her belly growled in agreement, a sheepish grin pulling lightly at her dark lips. Her beauty sleep plummeted while her appetite shot through the roof. She honestly could not wait for the pups to be born and go back to her normal self.

"Speech"

The man would sit silently next to the wounded stranger as he waited for Katja to ok his offer. When she did Max would nod and give a kind smile to the other man. "I am Maximous, a healer of Ebony. I'll be the one to patch you up after the meeting. You may follow me there directly or choose to come by my den later but I recommend coming by directly as an infection is the last thing you want.

Kassander would grab his attention the moment Max silenced himself. Cobwebs, the child had brought him cobwebs. The pup was definitely a smart one as the cobwebs would provide a sort of temporary binding...a stitch of sorts. The web would help stop the bleeding and pull the wound together but it still needed to be cleaned. "Thank you Kassander." he would voice his thanks and immediately begin working the webs into a bind that would hold for a few hours.

As he worked on the temporary binding others would arrive and Katja would begin the meeting. He would listen carefully. His initial thoughts upon his arrival had been correct. Something was indeed terribly wrong. Raisa had left the pack, her children, her family and her friends. Katja was now in charge and the protector of the royal children. His rank was no longer sola but Eir. It was different, strange even, but he would not question his new queen.

As Katja had finished speaking the binding for the new member's wound would be ready to apply. Gently he would push the mans flesh back together and stick the cobwebs to each side of the wound and work it as gently as he could until he was sure it would hold until he removed it later. "A temporary bind...it will hold until you come to me to have it cleaned and more permanently bound."

The elders ears drew back to pin against his head at Katja's announcement. Raisa was gone. Despite only meeting her once and only sharing a few words with the now old alpha, Bane couldn't help but feel that something had been lost. A potential friend, maybe? All that he knew was that there was another meeting. And that mean more time away from raising his sons.?The elder nudged his mate's ear and gave a lick on her cheek as he eye his offspring with a glance, feeling odd about the whole thing. As far as his role in the meeting, he had none. Sure the rank changes were going to be strange the next few weeks as they all familiarized themselves with the titles and Raisa's pups were evidently better than the others. But there was nothing else for him to do but wait for Katja to speak again. He had his mate. His young. His wisdom and experience. Bane didn't find himself effect by this development a whole lot.

Walk | Talk | Think Of her family, her mother was the first to arrive after her, and Anais welcomed her with a beaming smile. Her cheek was nosed, the gesture reminiscent of ones she had received when she was much smaller. For a moment, she felt like a little child again and let herself lean to press her side against her mother's, noting how she no longer seemed to fit into the groove of her side as well as she once had. Oh well. Grown or not, she was still her mother's daughter, and it was nice to have little moments to remind her of that. Lior showed next, settling at her mother's other side and exchanging grins with Anais. All the boys arrived together, and Anais spared them all a smiling glance as they settled in to await the meeting's purpose. Others continued to trickle in, and one in particular caught her notice. The man who had accepted her family into Ebony, Vaughan, appeared to be in very bad spirits, asking after Raisa as if she had gone away. Anais's brow furrowed and her ears turned back at the saddened state of his voice and her gaze moved from him back to Katja. What was going on? The masked woman explained soon after, confirming what Vaughan's words had suggested. Their leader, Raisa, was gone, leaving Katja in charge of them all. Anais cast a worried look her parents' way, uncertain what all this meant for them. It sounded as if, aside from the rank names changing, that things would remain the same, so at least things would stay relatively as they always had been. Trying to take some comfort from that, Anais merely sighed, hoping everything would work out for the better in the end.

Walk | Talk | Think

Her blue eyes spied the dark figure of her teacher, distinguished from his peers by the purple-tinted marking situated upon his brow, and caught the smile he sent her way. She half expected him to come her way and sit with her during the meeting, but she should not have been surprised when he went instead toward Katja and the bleeding man beside her rock. Of course. Max took his job seriously, always willing to step up when it was required of him, and now was no different. He did not hesitate in approaching the injured male and letting Katja know he would treat him, though unfortunately he had not brought any plants with him to do so now.

More arrived after, and of those who did two were given her notice. Adelaide slipped in quietly, unassumingly, as if to keep her presence there secretive. Callisto watched her, more questions regarding the epidemic already coming to mind, but upon looking at the woman, really looking at her, she could tell something was off. Her gaze lingered on the woman and then shifted back to Max to see a young pup, one of Raisa's, there at his side, offering something that she assumed was meant to help with the healer's treatment for the injured wolf.

She forced her attention to shift away from Maximous, working on binding the wolf's wound, to listen to what Katja had to say to them. Callisto received the news with her usual blank expression, perhaps adding only a blink of her eyes to signify that she had heard. Raisa was gone. While many of the pack appeared ready to mourn the absence of their once-leader, Calli had never known her well enough to miss her, not even well enough to know whether she had even had much of a role in pack life for her absence to be missed. Her life here had mainly revolved around healer training, plants, and Maximous. What did it matter to her if her rank name was going to change? So long as she was still going to be left to do as she had always done, then she could adjust easily.

Walk | Talk | Think

She smiled as her daughter leaned against her, feeling how much Anais had grown since she was smaller. She may have grown a lot since then, may have acted very differently than Tahlia wished her to most of the time, but still she acted like a child, giving her mother little moments to indulge in her girl's sweetness. And it was made all the more delightful when Lior arrived, coming to sit on Tahlia's other side. She smiled at her little grey girl too, reaching down to nuzzle her gently atop her head. "Wonderful to see you too, darling," the happy mother whispered, righting herself and sitting up to pay attention to those who were still arriving. Bane and the boys arrived after a bit and settled around her and the girls, a nip given to her ear by her husband. With everyone together, she settled and waited, watching and listening.

She recognized Vaughan as he walked onto the scene, catching the concerning look about his face, and then heard as he spoke heartbreakingly to Katja, asking after their absent queen. Now that he mentioned it, Raisa had yet to arrive, though Tahlia at first thought little of it. She supposed leadership must have been a particularly challenging and time consuming occupation, but as her gaze shifted across the faces of the woman's children and Katja again she began to reconsider.

Katja began the meeting without the normal ceremony Tahlia was accustomed to, and the news she delivered was that more shocking for it. Raisa, gone? That hardly sounded right. She may not have been there at the front of everything that went on inside Ebony but she had always been there, tending to her personal business while still doing her part to make her presence known around the pack. What could have driven her away? She frowned, puzzled, and continued to listen as the changes to the pack that were to be made were stated, name changes and nothing more. Though she had rather liked the simplicity of the rank setup, Tahlia said nothing, and continued to stay silent when the topic of promotions was breached. She may have liked a higher rank, but asking seemed too...pretentious. No, she could wait, would wait, and accept whatever was offered to her.

She glanced to look at her family and immediately noted the absence of Lior where she had been beside her. Her gaze traveled swiftly about, her single functioning eye searching for her, and found her seated beside Adelaide. Tahlia relaxed, trusting the woman enough to see little wrong with her daughter seeking her out, and paid no more attention than that. Instead she turned her head toward her husband, nuzzling his cheek as he kissed hers, sure that their family, after everything they had so far been through, could weather through this as well.

Katja's gaze roved over the group. Many were upset; some seemed unaffected. She had business to finish in this meeting, but she would make it quick to give them time to process and recover from the shock. It was business that had long been planned, and perhaps the new duties would keep their minds occupied. "Few in numbers are we, with many younglings. Many of our younger wolves are ready to begin training and will each be assigned a teacher to guide them in their learning, until that mentor does deem them fit to join the ranks as full members. Maximous, as our only healer fit for duties at the moment," her eyes touched on Adelaide for a moment, unapologetic but nonjudgmental, "you will be training as well Kassander, Lior, and Sindri with your current pupil. Anais and Kailos will train under Tahlia for now. Baldur," her gaze shifted to the newest recruit, "I would have you train Jakart and Nako." It would be a good way to integrate him into the pack, to prove himself, and the two older boys would benefit from learning from a new teacher. "I will take Sigmarr as my apprentice, and Vaughan... I would have you train Svetlana in what she will need to know as heir." Hajime would, of course, need to concentrate on his own pups' early training, so he would be left out of the mentor list, as would Ares and Devya. "If you are to be needing anything at all do not hesitate to come to me." With that, the meeting was clearly at an end, and she signaled their dismissal by hopping down from the rock she'd taken as her perch. (OOC: If I didn't respond to something from someone I'm sorry, I just wanted to end the meeting and be done with it. I know some things have obviously changed since the meeting started, specifically Svet and Vaughan, Hajime and his kids, and Sindri, but this is the way it was planned to go from the start and was delayed by the other meeting so just make adjustments for that. And this meeting is finally, officially done. I would ask that next time people be more prompt in replying to meetings so they don't drag on so long, and there will be IC consequences for lack of participation from now on. Mentoring, I'm not going to require a certain number of training threads but I'd like there to be some in addition to the group training threads. People need to get active or, again, there will start being consequences.)