Deadline for the first post is September 5th! It is mandatory for anyone not on absence. Leo examined the water around him as he made his way toward the usual meeting spot in the middle of the mangroves. Usually the mangroves were almost constantly flooded. However, since the summer began it seemed to be getting less and less so. It didn't seem to be a cause of concern just yet, but he certainly wanted to keep an eye on it. It did make him glad that he had decided to move their territory to the falls a couple of season ago though. At least he knew that they would have that extra source of water if need be. He padded into the clearing and settled on his haunches in his usual spot at their meetings. He had considered making the falls their new regular meeting place, but he was a sucker for tradition. He lifted his head and let out a loud howl to call the pack together. Everyone had been so quiet lately, but he couldn't find it in himself to be mad at anyone. He hadn't been the most proactive member himself lately and he refused to be a hypocrite. Talking with his children made him realize that something needed to change. The echo of his howl faded into nothing and he settled in to wait for everyone to arrive. He was ready to buckle down and get this going! "Talk" "You" Think

The yearling was filled with all sorts of new confidence. Although there was a lot left unknown, she was ready to get more involved into Fiori. After all, if she was going to stick around for the sake of her family she might as well do something with herself. She wouldn't be like her mother, and she would bury that thought down as she followed the call of her father. It looked as if she was the first to show as well, a small snicker escaped her maw as she hoped over and sat in front of her father. "Morning Dad." she greeted with a soft wag of her tail. She was eager and ready of course. Something good was going to come of this meeting and she could just feel that! She could ask all sorts of questions again, and maybe even Lionel will appear. Though of course she wanted to see her other siblings faces too. "Talk" "You" Think

It was about time he started becoming more active in Fiori. He may not be able to be an active fighter or hunter - but perhaps he could do something along the lines of teaching? He was getting up there in age, and with Bright Moon and him now an item he was now beginning to think more about the years ahead. It was like he was a retired warrior honestly and he felt like he had accomplished close to nothing in his life. With Leo's call came anxiety - and relief. Rising himself and approaching the meeting. It seemed only Leo's daughter and himself would be there. An obvious slight change in his attitude, he nodded his head to Leo in a greeting with a smile before taking his seat. Eye wandering looking for the black female whose company he probably craved. Just because he was more confident, didn't mean he was any less uncomfortable. Her being there, he would probably cling to her for any sort of emotional comfort for himself. "Talk"

Athena lifted her head from her paws when she heard Leo's voice calling for the pack to come for a meeting and she was actually grateful to have something to do. Since Amalia went on her little trip she had been more bored and lonely than usual, especially since their daughters were plenty old enough to be out doing their own thing and she didn't want to keep them trapped with her while she was pouting. She gratefully got to her paws and trotted off toward the meeting, giving her fur a little shake as she walked to smooth it. Her bracelets settled back down on her ankles and she was reminded of the plan she had come up with for them with Amalia. She really need to sit their girls down so she could pass them on... She just needed to let go of them first. Pushing that thought out of the way, she spotted Leo up ahead along with Quelt and Heather. Seeing the younger girl reminded her that she really needed to get some training sessions together for them and she wouldn't be surprised if that was going to be a request from Leo at this meeting. She had certainly been slacking as far as that went. She settled on her haunches near the rest of the group, giving Leo a nod and a smile. "Talk" "You" Think

How convenient was it that there was a meeting right after she started feeling all better! It felt like she had been feeling bad for so long, but now she was feeling much better and she was happy to hurry off toward the meeting after she heard her Uncle's howl. She was excited to see everyone after been alone in a den for so long. She spotted her mother first and her tail wagged as she went over to sit down next to Athena. She giggled softly to herself when she noticed that she was almost as tall as Athena now. She didn't point it out though since she knew her mothers didn't like that they were getting older and stuff. She just pressed her nose to her mother's cheek and gave her a kiss instead and looked around at everyone else that was there. She didn't see her brother or Diana just yet so she hoped they would be along soon! "Talk" "You" Think

Roza blinked her eyes open when Abby lightly tapped at the top of her head to wake her up. "Huh?" she asked groggily, rubbing at her eyes with her muted russet forepaws. "Your father is calling a meeting," her cardinal friend replied, her trilling voice clearly telling her she needed to hurry up and go. Roza hopped to her feet with a mildly panicked "Oh!" and shook herself off to wake up the rest of her body. She still felt a bit under the weather, but she was slowly starting to shake her cold or whatever it was she sniffled as she padded toward the usual meeting spot, feeling Abby landing on her usual spot between her shoulders. She was glad Abby was around to wake her up or she might have missed the meeting entirely. She found everyone that had gathered so far and ended up sitting near Heather, but she was sure to give a little space between herself and her sister. She didn't want to spread whatever this was to her after all! She gave her sister and father both a warm smile, sniffling again as she sat back on her haunches. She felt Abby inch up so that she could perch herself on top of Roza's head. Her companion still didn't seem to want to fly too much for some reason, but Roza didn't mind being Abby's main mode of transportation. "Roza" "Abby" Think

Tiburtius heard his Uncle's call from where he was sitting near the top of the waterfalls and unceremoniously stood up to head down that way. It felt like he had been living in suspended animation for a while now. He wasn't really sure what to do with himself between meetings and trainings. It seemed like all he did was sit around and occasionally hunt. He hardly even made himself go see his mothers or sisters any more. He didn't know where this funk had come from, but he needed it to go and soon. He just kept thinking about wolves that weren't even really in his life and events from the past. Maybe that was the problem, he just kept living in the past. He quietly padded over to Athena and Jayne, booping his younger sister on the top of her head with his muzzle before he came around and sat on the opposite side of their mother. He bent his muzzle down to give Athena a kiss on the top of her skull as well, offering them both a small smile before turning his gaze toward the rest of the crowd and Leo to wait for the meeting to start. ""

Ara wasn't particularly excited for a pack meeting - though she loved Fiori, and couldn't imagine being anywhere else. It was mainly for personal reasons. She didn't love being alone at pack meetings. She missed sitting at Novel's side at these meetings, and missed when Psalm and Hymn were there beside them also. A heavy sigh left her lips as she pulled herself upright. She wasn't typically one for feeling sorry for herself, but lately she really wasn't feeling herself. What if something had happened to Novel on her way to, or from, Ahlon? What if she'd simply decided to not come home? Her fears weighed heavy on her heart as she headed to the gathering. Being among others, while not necessarily her main choice of activity for the day, would at least distract her. She forced a slight smile as she drew closer to the wolves that have already gathered, unsure where to sit. If she saw Amalia, she knew she might drift toward her, but she didn't see her here yet and she wasn't sure who else she might sit near. Quietly she'd find a seat, a bit further away from the rest, eyes fixing quietly on Leo.

Normally prompt to these meetings, Bright Moon was in a different state of mind today. It wasn't that she was in a bad mood at all - far from it. She was usually moping around waiting for something to happen, and she would normally hear the Alpha's call from nearby and be on her way quickly. Yet today, she was in a dreamy state enjoying the summer sun as she was hanging around the falls with a light spray coming from the water to keep her just cool enough. It took a while for the echo of Leo's howl to reach her ears, and she sat up straight, ears twitching as the sound brought her back to reality. Ah, so it was time for a seasonal meeting!

She got to her dainty paws, slim legs carrying her at a swift trot. She was a little bit fatigued, but she tried to keep up her pace. When she arrived at the meeting, she saw many familiar faces. For once, she wasn't nervous, and she knew exactly where to seat herself, right where she belonged. She loped over to the silver-coated man riddled with scars, seating herself beside him. It had been such a long time in her life since she felt like she knew where she was supposed to be. She turned her head to look up at the much taller man, smiling at him. Then she looked to Leo as they awaited a few more members to arrive before the meeting would start.

I have my mother's dreams, I have father's eyes, Alfred had been on the hunt again, though not for prey. No, this time he had been searching for a companion like Abby was to Roza yet again. The boy was sure he was going to find someone someday to be at his side, just as she had, but he wasn’t sure what the companion would be. What if it was something he normally ate? He didn’t think he’d have the stomach to eat it again… or… what if it was a fox? Like Korrin had been for his mama? That thought though made him feel a little sad. He didn’t want to feel like he was living in Svetlana’s shadow or anything! He wanted to be his own wolf! Arriving at the meeting Alfred was far from crestfallen. His blue eyes blazed with determination and he marched over to Roza and Abby, sitting down beside them. “Hiya guys!” The young brute would say in a soft tone. He liked being big, looking around at the others who gathered. Though the man with the scars was still larger. Soft gaze turned on his father, waiting for the meeting to begin. "Talk," 'Think.' You can't take that from me; Just Go ahead And try!

Vitus had not been active around the pack lately. After having caught some sickness during the spring he had isolated himself some, working on getting better and not getting the rest of his kin sick. He had stayed in the area of the Hot Springs, far enough to not be a bother and close enough that when the meeting was called he was able to come to it. He was not yet one hundred percent better, but he was able to walk into the meeting with a small smile on his face, giving a small nod to his mother before a coughing fit caused the brute to pause. Yuck. Just what he needed. Of course he didn’t see Castiel had flown off over to Athena, giving a soft hoo to catch her attention before he spoke. “Vitus still is not feeling the best. Perhaps you could convince him to see Amalia?” The owl asked, blinking his large eyes. He hated going behind Vitus’ back to ask for help, but the man needed it and if he was going to be stubborn then he needed someone else to stick their nose {or beak!} into matters to get it moving along. "Burn Baby Burn"

It had been a long journey, after he helped Amalia with her herbs - it seemed it would be right in time for this meeting. Oh Razor was excited to see his uncle's face again - excited to be home again. His body ached and his lungs felt sore but that didn't matter. As the smaller male's paws carried him, once Leo came into view he didn't care her rushed fowards. He may not have had a strong relationship with his uncle and alpha but being home just it was something he couldn't deny. Razor would hope to brush his nose with his uncle's shoulder, tail wagging behind him. "Leo! I got lost and Amalia found me and brought me back home!" he explained it short cut as he lowered himself slightly. A bit apologetic since he hadn't meant to go missing so unannounced. There was a crowd in front of him but the scholar didn't care, maybe there were those in the crowd that had noticed he was gone too. It didn't matter either way, as he smiled towards his uncle. "Talk"

They had just crossed back in the borders when Leo called for them. She dropped off her new herbs in her herb den, and she wanted to curl up and fall asleep. It had taken a bit longer than she thought to get home, with the sun beating down on them they had to take it easy. She hadn't slept well on their journey home, not stopping to hunt nearly as much as they should have. She just wanted to get back to her family, and now here she was. Looking towards where the meeting was being held, she wondered if her brother would mind if she sat this one out. Exhaustion was pulling at her, her dark blue eyes drooping as she looked at the gathered pack. It really wasn't too far away, she could see them on the horizon from here, but the thought of actually walking over there was just too much for her. Letting out a very heavy sigh, she flopped to her rump and let out a soft whine. It probably wouldn't be a very long meeting, and she should be there. Feeling conflicted, she grunted and pulled herself up to her weary paws. She could sleep after, if she didn't nod off during Leo's speech, that was. Amalia was slow getting towards the meeting, but her tail wagged slightly when she saw Athena and her kids. Letting out a soft, very tired, bark, she trotted over and pressed herself into the gray coat she knew so well. A huge yawn parted her jaws, and she leaned heavily against her mate. Looking at her kids with half lidded eyes, she smiled at each and every one of them. She was finally home, after all this time. Licking her chops, she looked towards her orange brother, waiting for everything to get underway. ”talk”

The summons for another meeting was heard, and Ashe had decided to take her time in getting there. She was not used to pack life one bit, and she dreaded seeing him again. She'd avoided him for so long, until these stupid gatherings made her have to be in the same place.

Sighing, she walked into the meeting but kept close to the edge. She was sulking, and made no effort to hide it. As soon as she found a spot, the little woman flopped onto her belly and waited to see what Leo wanted. Her thoughts would move then, the heat of summer subconsciously reminding her that autumn would approach before she knew it, and with it would come the memories of what had happened almost two years ago.

Aching bones would slow the male with getting to the meeting. He was usually resting near the falls where he made his den, so the trek to the mangroves was none too pleasant. But he would make the effort to show up. He wondered of Epiphron would be there, and also...his daughter. He had yet to make contact with her for fear that she wouldn't remember him, or even worse...hate him for being out of her life for so long. Since the day he'd found out she was missing, he had searched and found few traces that always led him to a dead end. Until he found Fiori.

And yet, he was content a little at least, knowing she was alive and well. When he finally arrived, he'd find her sitting at the edge of the group. Or rather, lying down...he fought the urge to go beside her, but for now, he'd take his own seat on the opposite end and wait to see what they were called for.

Lionel's trek back from the north had been a liesurely one. He didn't rush it and all the while he mused over the lake he'd seen. The strange glow wherever you stepped was more than intriguing and he decided that if he ever got the chance he'd return to it. Maybe he could even ask around to see what it was that made it so unique. He wasn't too far away when the howl from Leo rang out for the pack. White ears pricked forward before flattening on his head. Crap! He was going to be late! He picked up his pace then and rushed to the meeting as fast as he could. He was breathless by the time he arrived and he slowed before looking around. There were already quite a few wolves that had arrived but it didn't seem like it had started yet. He looked around for a minute before he spotted his siblings. He grinned and trotted over to them before planting himself next to Heather. "Hey Heather." He greeted her with a soft shoulder bump. Walk, "Talk" Think

Absent wolves: Pip (Nyx), Diana (Millie), and Valefor (Dragon). Pip, Diana, and Valefor will be demoted to commoner unless they are posted in the second round. He didn't have to wait long before his grey daughter appeared to join him. He gave her a big grin when she greeted him happily, saying, "Good morning, dear!" It made him happy to see her so cheerful. He looked over to Quelt as he walked into the clearing, returning the scarred man's nod with a smile. He watched Athena come in next along with one of her daughters, soon followed by his own pale daughter. He gave Roza a smile, but it was easy to see that she wasn't feeling so great. He gave her a sympathetic look and made a note to send her to Amalia... Assuming Amalia came back from her trip soon. By the time he looked back at Athena, Tiburtius had appeared next to her and Jayne. It was good to see so many members of the pack arriving so quickly. His brows lifted with surprise when he saw Ara walk into the meeting. He hadn't seen her in quite some time... "Ara, would you come talk to me after I'm done with the meeting, please?" he asked, loud enough for her to hear, but not as loud as he would to address the whole pack. He was glad to see her, but he still needed to talk with her all the same. With that addressed he looked around to see who had come in the time that he was talking to Ara. He spotted Bright Moon sitting with Quelt and he eyed them with playful curiosity. What was going on there? He chuckled softly under his breath and left it alone for now. He liked how meetings were like a snapshot into the life of the pack. Alfred appeared next, just as full of spirit as Heather had been. He grinned again, his tail wagging lightly behind him while he watched his children proudly. Moments later Lionel joined them, completing the litter. They really were his inspiration to keep this all going. He looked around at the pack that had gathered so far and only saw a handful of wolves still missing. Vitus had appeared and he glanced over to see his companion speaking with Athena and he watched them curiously for a moment before turning to see his sister and Razor walking toward the meeting. His brows raised with shock, a bright smile soon following. He grinned happily at Razor as he came over to greet him and explain where he had been. "Well, I'm certainly glad that you're both home! I've been worried about you both. Go ahead and sit down, we can talk more later." Ashelia was the last to join them, settling herself away from the rest of the group. He frowned as he watched her for a brief moment, glancing around as he looked for her son. He was no where to be seen though, as well as his own mother and Athena and Amalia's other daughter. He was fairly pleased with the turnout. Only three missing from the whole pack, plus one he hadn't expected to be here... it certainly wasn't the worst turnout he's ever had. He was a bit disappointed though - especially in his mother. He blamed himself a bit for telling her not to worry about forcing herself to be involved, but after all she had said about wanting to be more involved... He sighed and brushed it off, focusing instead on the wolves that were here. He cleared his throat before he started speaking giving everyone around him a bright smile. "Welcome, everyone! Thank you for coming so promptly. I guess first things first, we should welcome back Amalia and Razor! I'm glad to have you both home. I urge all of you to keep an eye out for each other. I can't keep up with all of you myself, as much as I would like to. I hadn't realized Razor was missing until he had already been gone several days. If you notice someone hasn't been around, please come let me know so I can look into it further. I care for each of your safety deeply and want to make sure you are all alright. On that same note, please give me some heads up if you are planning on going on a lengthy trip of any kind. I don't mind you leaving briefly, but I do want to know so I'm not worried about your absence." He had never intended for his pack to be a prison and he wasn't going to start now. "Now then, on to some more important pack business. After talking with Lionel, I've decided to remove the rank of Marquis. While my children are precious to me, all children in the pack are equally as precious. I hope that my kids take this as an incentive to work hard and really earn their rank in this pack. For now they will join the other yearlings in the Student rank." He looked over had the quartet of young wolves that was his children as he said this, wondering how the other three would take it. He knew Lionel would be pleased, but he wasn't sure about the others. After what Lionel said though he thought this was the best choice. Giving them a small smile he turned his attention back to the rest of the pack, letting his gaze roam over each of them. "Speaking of students... I want to give Bright Moon some recognition for being the only one to call any kind of lesson since the last meeting. Even though very few wolves came, she gave a intriguing lesson on hunting accuracy. So, thank you for your hard work, Bright Moon. I sincerely appreciate it." He offered the woman a bright smile before he went on. "We should be holding a lesson for each concentration in the pack at least every other semester. It's the job of the lead healer, fighter, and hunter to do so, but if you would like to call a hunt or lesson of some kind I encourage you to do so. Our Students deserve to learn everything we have to teach them." He gave his sister and sister-in-law a pointed glance, but he didn't want to berate them too much. "I believe that's the biggest pieces of pack discussion I had. I do want you all to keep yourselves hydrated and stay out of the heat when you can. It's been especially hot and the water is lower than it normally is, so just stay aware of that. Thank you for coming, everyone. Please feel free to find me after the meeting if you need to talk to me." "Talk" "You" Think

As Heather listened on to the meeting, she was very tentative. Her fathers words echoed in her ears and as soon as they focused on the fact that she and her siblings would now be students she furrowed her brows. Well... she didn't feel any different from them, but it did feel odd for the sudden change. She eyed her brother for a moment, Lionel. It must have been his idea, she smirked and gave a soft laugh. It figured as much, after all they promised that they'd learn to fight together. If anything at all it seemed Lionel was aiming high. Well in respect to that, Heather was aiming the highest that she could. It was go big or go home so to speak. As the edge of her tail flicked. Let the games begin. She would train her butt off! "Talk" "You" Think

She was late. Very late. And that was partially her fault. When making her way over, she had lost sight of her sister. She wasn't going into the meeting without her, or her mothers, or anyone else she remotely knew. So she had gone looking for her, trying to track down the girl's scent, and before she knew it, a long time had passed since her uncle's howl. When she finally decided to pull herself towards the mangrove, the meeting was already well under way. There was no point in showing up now. Too embarrassing, humimiliating. Everyone would be looking at her. Judging her for arriving late. Back and forth she fought with herself until she finally forced herself to emerge just as Leo finished his first few sentences. Nothing important, she hoped. Flattening her ears, she searched her voice but found it to be quite small. "S-sorry I'm late." "Talk" "You" Think

Trudging along through life without her wife at her side was proving to be far more difficult than she imagined. Often she saw Novel in her dreams, and caught hints of her scent here and there - loneliness caused her mind to play tricks on her lately, and she found herself feeling disappointed frequently. Perhaps if she came back to Fiori, and distracted herself among the wolves here, some of those feelings might grow less potent?  She could only hope. Her soft blue gaze fixed on Leo. She was surprised when he addressed her directly - she felt her heart sink in her chest at his stare. What if Leo didn't welcome her back? What would she do? This was her home; it was where she would wait for Novel and their sons to return, if they ever chose to. Stunned, thoroughly unable to speak, she simply nodded in silent but firm agreement. She had always admired Leo's leadership, so she knew she had no reason to fear what he wanted to speak to her about. He'd never been anything but kind and sincere to her and her family. Much of what he spoke of didn't regard her. She was willing to work for the pack, to assist in any way possible, but ranks? That didn't matter to her. Ara had never been much of a leader and had no ambition for others to look up to her in that way. As he finished speaking, she would lift herself up and move closer to Leo, waiting for a moment to speak to him - her heart beating wildly in her chest the entire while.