Thoughts twined around the prophet's mind as he glowing saphhire eyes stared at the horizon waiting for Hati to chase the sun into the sky. She had had another vision. The gods were calling her. She belonged to them and had duties to attend to that did not rest in this realm. It was thrilling to fulfill the gods desires but it was also horrifying. To leave everything she'd ever known. But the festival was a sacred time, a holy time and she would do anything it took to make sure Ebony and her sister, Katja, stayed in the gods favor. For what greater show of love was there? For what greater purpose could a selfless act be? Than to protect the ones she loved. "Speech"

Standing on the edge of the gathering, Thor looked over the wolves gathered for the festivities. The scents that were blown towards him came from all over; as far as he could tell, there was a wolf from every pack although he wasn't familiar with the empires here enough to say for sure. There was no reason to be. So long as they left him alone Thor was content to ignore their existence. Still, the promise of a good time made by this one was enough to peak his interest. The brute had decided it would be good for his girls to socialize more. All they'd ever known was family. It was time to introduce them to the world and a gathering dedicated to festivities was perhaps the best way to do it. With that in mind he'd gathered them up and set off. His eyes stopped on the familiar form of his brother, Baldur, and his eyebrows rose. This was the pack Baldur had left them for? What were the odds? The brute glanced around to make sure the girls were within listening distance and then he issued a release, "Alright, ladies, you're welcome to wander wherever you like, just stay within Ebony's borders," Being a rogue, that felt weird to say, "And don't cause any trouble, okay?" Simple rules. He trusted they would be followed; his girls were smart. The law laid down, it was time to harass Baldur. Weaving through the gathering of wolves, Thor was careful to remain out of his brother's sight. He hadn't quite decided what he wanted to do to Baldur, but a childish mischief had overcome him and he was determined to act on it. As he came up behind his brother, the brute slowed, drawing out his approach in the hopes that a devious plan would begin to form. He was quickly running out of time, Baldur's fluffy haunches were almost within biting distan- light bulb! Running up quickly with parted jaws, Thor aimed to seize his brother by the right haunch. His goal wasn't to hurt him, just pinch him real good, maybe make him squeal. Oh-ho-ho! The thought of Baldur squealing like a stuck pig struck the brute as beyond hilarious. Any second now... Speech

He would follow Devya and their young pups from the den easily, still rather unsure of this whole festival thing. He would have rather they kept themselves within the den where he could protect them easier. It was a harsh world, he wasn't ready to expose their innocence to that yet. He knew there was no keeping them cooped up forever, so under Katja's watchful glare he would take them to the gathering. Easily he'd let his head bow in greeting, silent as he had been when meeting Raisa for the first time. As they would begin to move away though, he'd feel the nervousness of Devya. "Relax.." He'd whisper as he kissed her ear possesively, he'd have to reassure himself as he caught a whif of Artemis. Violet gaze would search the crowd, but he'd come up with no sight of her. However he would notice the lithe girl sitting on the outskirts of the crowd. She looked so much like their mother he could hardly stand it. He'd avert his eyes back to Devya, returning the nervous smile. I can talk!

A festival -- a true bl?t! How delightful. Though it was only spring, and these events usually were reserved for the summer season, Kapras?us would not hesitate to answer his cousin's call. Her familiar song rang out far over the lands, inviting not just kin but friends and strangers alike to join her in celebration and sacrifice.

The Finnvi family bl?t had always been a time for joy and celebration, a time when grievances and rivalries were swept aside. The brute felt excitement growing in his belly as he responded to the call with a howl of his own, a giddy song that told of his intent to arrive and to celebrate as fully as he knew how -- with a lot of mushrooms, and a smile that grew from ear to ear as he approached the gathering.

Most of the wolves here were unfamiliar to him. Some retained the scent of his cousin, Katja; but many others were entirely unknown and strange. The man had a hop to his step as he slunk through the gathering, eager to mingle and to reunite with his family once again. His mother would catch his eye first, and with a bow he would rush to her side, dropping the bundle of shrooms that he had gathered for this occasion. He was content to press his nose briefly into the crook of her neck in greeting. "Mutter," he spoke softly, though his lyrics were laced with glee as his vibrant gaze sought his half-sister's. "And sister. Your first bl?t, I presume? I do hope you behave yourself." A laugh was given as he leaned to gnaw on one of the mushrooms, before slipping away from the duo.

Many of them seemed no more than faces in a crowd, dull and chattering quietly amongst themselves. Did they all know nothing of the gods? Was this how the faithless celebrated? He found himself absently nipping at the tails of strangers as he passed, happy to tug on Novella's tail for a moment -- oblivious to the male that stood at her side -- following the simple action with a hearty chuckle. This was the time for fun, for enjoyment and for pleasure.

Kapra was surprised at the next familiar scent to find his nose, tugging at the corners of his mind. Au?ra was here? With ease the lithe man would navigate through the wolves that had begun to gather, surprised to find her on the outskirts of the group. A smile would tease the corners of ebony lips as he nudged her from behind, wondering why she had not yet shown her face. "Cousin, it has been awhile, no?" he started, pulling away to dance over her serious features. Something seemed to be on her mind, but he couldn't begin to guess what. "What do the gods have in store for us this year, do you think?"

TABLE + CODING BY TIFF

WARNING: Kaprasíus is extremely prone to violence, including maim fights & character claiming.
Katja is also welcome in any and all of his threads, without warning.
He also has a bush viper companion named Jǫrmungandr.

#trollin'

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? she is a silent guardian as she weaves through dense underbrush in a labyrinth of foliage, abstract gaze fixated upon the silhouetted { and delicate } physique of her darling sister upon the horizon -- stalking behind her as if the dove is naught but prey. uncertainty shrouds the chasms of her diseased mind as she follows upon their makeshift route with predatory diligence, the sound of her own footfalls obstructed with every careful stride taken, unwilling to garner attention towards herself as she plays the role of spy. curiosity over nephele?s motives intensifies as the girl breaches beyond the threshold of a familiar pack?s realm { borders that the phantom, too, had once infiltrated }, and as the tyrant yet again disregards the ebony sovereign?s boundaries, nephele?s purpose becomes evident. the elysius deity?s saunter is delayed as she lingers upon the outskirts of the unethical gathering, pupils fervently ravaging the premises as she attempts to pinpoint the meaning behind this conference. perked ears catch word of a festival, and the phantom merely snorts, disdain nearly tangible as it seeps from pallid pores and permeates the cordial atmosphere. the deity is unwavering from the obscurity of shadows, however, until her sister glides towards the sidelines, interest laden upon her lovely visage as she reclines and artemis lays waste to the distance that separates them. ?how quaint,? she comments dryly as she halts adjacent to her sister?s left side, the smirk that contorts her porcelain countenance betraying the speech that precedes it. the elysius tyrant is none too keen on bonding with the subservient, but if her sister wants to participate in such mundane events, then it is up to the phantom to oblige and accompany her -- however dull it may be. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?or not be. their scent is unmistakable, and the phantom feels the faintest flare of apprehension ignite beneath taut flesh as her pupils scan her surroundings in desperation. and once the queen?s amethyst and silver gaze locates them -- this picturesque family of four -- she abandons her half-sibling?s side in favor of her full-fledged sibling without forewarning. she glides with languidity { albeit sophisticated languidity } while she makes her daring approach, her infamously wry grin laden upon her corrupted countenance. ?what a precious family,? is the bedeviled croon that cascades like silk from decadent jaws, mismatched gaze lingering first upon her brother?s own lavender before shifting towards the babes nestled at his paws. ?-- my family,? she informs the two children -- her niece and nephew -- whom she doubted knew of her existence prior to this very moment. for why would a mother teach her children of a monster she detested?

A festival. Honestly that sounded far more appealing to Isi than the recent spar training had done. Play fighting, that perhaps she could have been a little more on board with, but something told her immediately that a little dramatic acting and general messing around wouldn't have gone down quite so well with the far more serious members of her pack and she she had steered clear of it, she would have been late anyway needless to say. Even the festival, something that excited her she wasn't the first to arrive well actually she had remained at the borders, watching to see the various packs heading their way before eventually heading further into the lands once more herself to join the fun. "Party!" She had exclaimed to herself as she once more laid eyes upon the gathering crowd. Clearly the religious aspects that had inspired Katja to hold the event were completely lost on the girl. The joy however was not and although quiet now as she finally joined everyone else, she was still clearly cheerful and excited about it all.

It didn't take long for wolves to begin arriving, some singly and some in groups they straggled in to the lake region. Some howled to announce themselves, some did not. She didn't really care either way, as she was not far from the border anyway. Sigyn and Adelaide from her own pack were the first to arrive, as well they should be, with questions. "Host what you wish," she answered them distractedly, watching the border. "Spars, races, games, healer training. Whatever it is you wish to share with others." The first alpha to arrive was Bass Destruction with his usual boyish enthusiasm expressing excitement over the festival. "As am I," she answered, though her grave tone showed little of it. She truly was, for this was a holy festival to her, the one time a year she felt it was justified to loosen her grip on her own emotions and actually celebrate, relax, and have... some... fun. She did favor her ally with a faint smile, a rarity for her. The next to arrive was, surprisingly, her aunt Svanerna. Not allowing her wariness of her aunt to color her emotions on this of all days, she dipped her head cordially to the elder Finnvi. "Ja, Tante. Being far from our family is no reason to neglect the charge given us. It will be, as they say, just like old times ja?" She was, however, surprised by the girl who had accompanied her aunt, introducing herself as Svan's daughter of all things. Surprise flickered across her masked face, gone as quickly as it had come. She would learn more of this later but for now there were more to greet. "Be welcome, vetter. I hope you enjoy your first blot," she said instead, for the girl could not be much more than a year old and she would not have been old enough to participate last year even had she been there. She inclined her head to the woman who next approached. "Katja Finnvi," she provided. "Heil." As the woman's attention turned away another pair approached, the female bearing the same appearance as the alpha of Ludicael. She did, indeed, introduce herself as the child of the Destructions, and Katja nodded to her. "Heil, Novella Destruction, and be comfortable. Destructions are always welcome in Ebony." She nodded as well at the wolf with her. An earth-toned wolf of Abaven approached her next with a question. "It is tradition in my family," she explained solemnly, "to gather once a year despite all ill feelings, to celebrate and sacrifice to the gods in hopes of a good year ahead. I am far from home and my family is few here, thusly did I open it to all who would come to celebrate life." Lior, one of Ebony's pups approached, and Katja lowered her head to her. "Be welcome young one," she whispered to the pup. "And take care. You are young yet and not all will wish to follow our rules. Come to me or your parents if there is a problem." Raising her head once more she nodded to the young Tortuga wolf who spoke to her. Devya and her family approached their own younglings in tow, and she nodded gravely to each young pup. "Phim, Daitaro. It is a pleasure to meet you." Another alpha approached, this one Roman of Tortuga. She spoke simply before moving on, and Katja simply nodded to her as she did not wish to keep her from her enjoyment. Another woman approached, introducing herself as being of Elysium. Interesting - she had yet to meet anyone from that pack until this time. "Heil, Nephele Elysius, it is a pleasure. I do be hoping you find enjoyment among my people." The next to approach her introduced herself as the sister of one of the Tortuga wolves who had introduced herself earlier, and Katja greeted her simply. "Heil, Guinevere Adravendi. Be welcome - I will not keep you from your sister." She watched with some amusement as the young wolf rushed off, for what was a blot for if not reconnecting with family? Even the gods were family after all. A young wolf, minus an eye already despite his age, introduced himself as the king of Glaciem, and Katja nodded regally to him. "Heil, Vereux. I trust Athena is well?" Baldur arrived then through the crowd to apologize for his tardiness. "Be easy, Baldur," she soothed. "You are not late." She watched him with slight wariness - though he'd saved Sigmarr, and they shared many of the same viewpoints and opinions, she had her concerns about his mental state... brought to mind occasionally when he would sometimes appear to be interacting with something - or someone - who was not there. Perhaps he was mad, or god-touched, or simply weird. It mattered little at the time though, so she simply tucked the thought away once more. *********************************** The lake region seemed, while not quite crowded, to be full in a way it had likely never been before, and Katja took a moment to revel in this, her honor to the gods, before she lifted her head in a howl to catch everyone's attention. "My thanks to you all for attending," she spoke simply, almost curtly. "It would please me for you to all be at home here in the lake region for the duration of the festival. There will be much feasting and recreation in the days to come. As well, I will be calling all those interested in a series of tournaments. Sparring, and racing. Any are welcome in them, as well as holding their own gatherings concerning their interests." She cast her gaze around sternly. "I ask simply this - remain out of the stone steppe. Only the lake region is open to outsiders, and those who trespass upon the steppe will be treated as harshly as were this not a festival. As well - this festival takes place beneath an implied treaty of peace. By being here you agree to keep that accord. Any violence and aggression will be met in kind, and the peacebreaker removed from the bounds of the festival. A pack wolf's pack will be held responsible for their actions so consider carefully how they may feel of your foolishness before you act. Alphas of offending pack wolves will be expected to support their punishment or the entire pack may be asked to leave." She would turn a blind eye to the recreational drugs favored by many of her family members, but even they would face her wrath were they to allow the drugs to lead them into breaking the peace. Now, with the law laid down, now she could move on to more... interesting things. "All wolves interested in joining the sparring tournament please gather upon the shores of the lake in two days time to begin." With that she stretched her legs to begin to move among them. OOC: It won't actually be two days. I'll be starting the spars tonight. Anyway, have fun with the posting in here or make your own threads in Firefly Lake, and feel free to have your wolf host any sort of gathering they want. "

Baldur let the world spin by him as he waited for the Queen to address the crowd. He had to admit the idea of a festival was thrilling and sorely needed after the storm of tragedy that had crashed so brutally into Ebony's shore. He allowed his mind to wander but it didn't go far before he sensed something. Baldur shot forward, powerful back legs pushing him in a twist as he tried to turn around to address danger he sensed more than saw. And yet despite his speed fangs seized into snowy fur and with a painful tug that made him yelp his brother Thor ripped a sizeable chunk of fur from Baldur's rear end? again. "Why you big, braying jackass! You? you?." Baldur's anger could not be sustained as he eyed his older brother. Spirits above it was good to see him. Especially after all the shit he'd just gone through. "It's good to see you Thor." Snarl smoothed into a smile as he moved forward to playfully bump his left shoulder against Thor's. It had been way too long since he'd been away from home. Behind him though he could hear Linne? struggling to contain her laughter. Oh... so that's how it was huh? "I'm sorry love... your face.. I just... hahahahaa." Linne? collapsed in laughter and Baldur shifted to send her a look but it was only half-hearted. He'd forgotten how much he'd missed her laughter. "Speech"

Phim stumbled along just in front of her father and behind her brother as they set off to meet their pack family for the first time. She was nervous about what the others would think of her, so funny shaped and round, but she was also excited, her curiosity immense. She looked at the many wolves around them, her eyes stopping only to focus on two. First, the woman her mother had called Katja. They were introduced and Phim smiled and dipped her head when the woman spoke her name.



Second, a white wolf who reminded her of her father came to them, calling them family in a voice that sent chills through the child's spine. She stared openly at this female, unaware of any relation between them, unaware that she shared the same eyes as the father of the white witch. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times before she found words she was satisfied with.



"Who are you?"

"Speech"