what needs to be (MEETING)

When it became apparent that no one else was coming, Pyrrhic began. His words were succinct, but heartfelt, and it was sooner than he'd expected before the meeting - and the pack - was his. Eli paused to center himself, taking a deep breath and drawing himself in. He wasn't nervous. He'd prepared for this. He wanted this. He was ready.

He stepped forward, facing the pack, then nodded respectfully to the now-former alpha. "Thank you, Pyrrhic." He swept his gaze over the few assembled for a moment, then spoke quietly, intimately. "We have all had a difficult time with the death of Malleus. He was a great leader of our people, and he will be missed." More than most of you could ever understand, he thought to himself as his eyes passed over them. To most of them he was simply their alpha, the leader of their family. To him, to Aureus, to Pyrrhic, he was so much more. He closed his eyes briefly against the rush of emotion before tamping it down.

"But our grief cannot hold us back from living. We cannot simply pull our horns in, huddle in our dens and wait for the end to come. We must thrive, not simply survive. We need to go out into the world as a unified force, as family, walk among the packs in this place and be known to them as more than simply a frightening rumor. We need to become respected, not simply feared. To become a part of the bedrock of the world. When one speaks of us, the listener should know us as mighty, but not feel so threatened as to push the other packs together to destroy us. For far too long our Abraxas brethren have been run amok among the packs of the north and smeared our name in the mud. My father died ending Archon's ruinations, but he is all they of the north know now. We must put an end to it."

He turned his head to the north, blood-red eyes staring off into the distance as though to see all the way to the other continent. "We will be moving to Boreas, to the western regions. I will be sending scouts while we prepare to move, to report back on the current dispensations of the packs already there, but we will be leaving in short order. Our time of hiding in the south is at an end."

Looking back at them with eyes that blazed fiercely. "Malleus' death has brought us lower than we have been at any time since the Abraxas came to this land, but we will rise from the ashes of his pyre stronger than before. This is a new beginning, my family. Do not cling to the corpse of what we were, but embrace our future. Risen died with my father - like a phoenix we rise as Aerie. We are predators, raptors, keen eyed and fleet and powerful as the birds of prey who keep their own aeries, and the world will know us."

He stopped, reining in the fires that raged, then continued in a voice quiet once again and less expressive. "No more will Abraxas be allowed to fly about recklessly, murdering and raping on a whim. Present to the world the mien of a gentleman. Let them see the velvet glove - but do not fear, they will know that there is steel beneath it. Let them hire us to do the things they fear to do themselves so that they see what we are capable of, but cannot protest because they ask it of us. Our trade will be in knowledge, in sabotage, in death, in kidnap and ransoms. Every paw, every skill will be needed to ensure we insinuate ourselves into the inner working of the world until they find that they simply cannot do without us. We will be the neutral party that all can turn to if they have need, and know that we will keep to the contract. Always, always they believe us their friend. Their potential ally, because the Abraxas always keep their contract. Show an honorable face to the world, and earn their respect. Above all else, however, is loyalty to the Aerie. If you turn on us," his voice went to ice. "A betrayal of the Abraxas will not go well for you. We will have no more Archons. You do not turn on your family."

He spoke at length, describing the ranks and rules of the pack. The rules were pretty straightforward. The ranks less so, but not terribly complicated. Any member of the pack was to give their full loyalty to the pack. They were a family - even those cousins who were not Abraxas, but had chosen to become a part of the extended family. The pack would be run on journeyman system so that wolves who rose through the ranks were those who had truly earned it by proving the skills they honed. Traders and crafters were as welcome as healers and fighters, and the darker saboteurs and spies would be sought as well, because they supported the pack as much as any fighter or healer. They would hire out as mercenaries, as spies, as negotiators, as whatever was needed. He talked about how betrayal of the pack would mean maiming, banishment, or death. He kept his descriptions as succinct as possible.

"If anyone has any questions about Aerie, please feel free to speak up now," he concluded quietly. "If you wish to know where you fit into the pack now, or to begin on a path of your choice, we can get that figured out. If you do not wish to be part of this new way, you are free to leave now."

He finally seated himself again, waiting to see how his new pack reacted.

OOC: please reply again to the thread by February 3rd even if your character has nothing to say. Paths are the Path of Fangs - fighters - the Path of Antlers - hunters - the Path of Leaf - healers - the path of Sun - negotiators/historians - the Path of Earth - traders/crafters - the Path of Moon - priests - and the Path of Shadows - saboteurs/thieves/spies. Will try to get the info up shortly but assume he explained about these. Everyone starts at the bottom of each Path until they can work their way up in their skills, so I suggest choosing Paths that would correspond to their skills to make it easier to move up in the ranks. Having higher skill points will move you up through the ranks but I haven't quite figured out where the requirements lie so I'll work on that and we'll just decide on Paths for now.

- edit to the ooc - the rules and shit are up now