You do what you have to (Pack Meeting)

(ooc: just so it's clear, this is set before the morphine challenge and ic wise has nothing to do with it)

As the wolves began arriving, two new faces showed in the crowd. For a moment, Gargoyle saw the male from a distance and thought it was Nnoitra, the old white male he'd said could remain with his family in the borders untouched. But such was not the case, as he quickly observed. The white fae beside him, was Desdemonda, the former queen of the land. And she looked like she'd been through hell lately. Gargoyle was most curious as to the story that was behind Tortuga's disappearance, but his reaction was one of caution. The Ghost Queen, on seeing that her land was overrun with strangers, was all too likely to react with violence and Gargoyle prepared himself equally for explanations or battle. But the white giantess was to surprise him with her depth; For a third time since the start of their acquaintance. She asked to join him, to follow him, and her mate, an equally impressive looking white wolf, pledged his loyalty should the answer be yes. Gargoyle was taken aback for a moment. As he stood in the volcanic soil, his ears perked far forward on his head, the only sign of his inward shock. But that shock softened quickly into a sense of humility.

Taking a slow stride forward, he bowed his head to the couple. "You do me a great honor. I will take you at your word. If you wish a place among my friends and family, you may have it. But our pack has gone through many changes lately, and it is not done yet."

Saying such, Gargoyle straightened up and swept his yellow gaze over all the assembly. So many had come. From Rogue and Mahniya to Orica and Ocena. From Crusade and Cifer to Awaken and Mercianne. Armageddon had rejoined them. And Insomnia too. Even Nnoitra and his son, who looked to already have grown up some, had come at the call of the Chief. They had gathered and now it was time for Gargoyle to speak. "It takes me a moment to know how to address you all," he rumbled quietly, giving time to let the silence settle. "By the customs of wolves we no longer call ourselves Glaciems. That title has been challenged for. We can saw we are Tortugans now that we've staid in Mt. Volkan for a bit, I think that many of you have come to find that change a little difficult." He glanced quickly at Crusade, a smirk lingering in his head if not on his muzzle. "The simple truth is that we are something beyond a pack. Without name or scent markers we staid together. Many of you, when offered a home by the lips of the usurper Eos, turned your backs at once, preferring life in the unknown, to security under her rule. An Alpha might expect that from a handful of his oldest comrades, but I don't think I've ever heard of nigh on an entire pack doing it." His rumble grew warmer as he continued. "I have, however, heard that that is something family would do."

He stiffened a bit now, and after a short exhale,raised his chin. "I failed you all when I lost our home. But since then, I've continued working hard to keep our group together. I found us shelter here in the emptied lands of Toruga and tried to keep our pack going strong," His eyes, which were slowly sweeping back and forth across the upturned faces of the assembly, alighted on his mate, and lingered there, perhaps a moment more than was needed."We've all begun to carve out a new home." He shook his head, knowing that his next words would fall like a thunderclap. "But we can't stay here."

He turned his head and looked over his shoulder - high up through the break in the trees to where the snowy, cloud veiled top of the mountain lay. "When we came I was under the impression that Mt. Volkan was a dead volcano. Extinct. But myself and Crusade, while hunting, found this to not be so. There are all the signs - heated springs, rock formations, crust cracks in the top crater - that point to this volcano still being active, or at the very least dormant. I know that this was the last pack land open to us, but I cannot in good faith allow my family to stay here. The old Glaciems will remember. They saw Mt. Animi erupt almost two years ago. The fire. The ash. The rocks raining from the sky. The very air became poison." His gaze narrowed. "We lost many packmates during the escape, and that whole corner of the earth, for miles and miles and miles, became utterly devoid of life. We cannot stay here." He said again.

"So now all of you must make a choice of what you will do next. Those that still entrust themselves to my leadership, I will still guard with my life whether we carry the title of 'pack' or no. I intend to head into the unclaimed lands as, what will probably be the most powerful band of rogues this land has seen. We can return to the north, hunting where-ever we wish, and journeying into the southern regions during the cold winters. It means a measure of danger, perhaps, but no more than we have had to face day to day already."

The King's speech was now drawing to a close. "Those of you that wish to come with me, speak up. There is still much to be done before we go."