Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

The day had come, and he was already half way across the Plains, thoughts roving through all he had to share. Changes in how the pack’s ranks would be laid out, new arrivals, returning members, and a deep need for mentors and active, hard-working wolves to get Celestial moving again. There were so many young minds in the pack that needed teachers. He leapt from the ground to the boulder that overlooked the meeting place of Celestial. After this meeting, he would head out for a visit to the Eastern packs, to see Bass, and check in on Leo and his family, as well as cement the location of Chaos’ pack, Crew in his mind, and he would take Baine with him. He needed an easier way to gather intelligence on other packs that might not be as… law abiding as those he was already familiar with. As his haunches lowered to the stone, he sighed. Much to announce, deaths to officially announce for respects to be given. Finally, his muzzle tipped into the sky, and he sang loudly for the whole of Celestial to come to him. It would be the first meeting they had in a long time, and it was long overdue. His head lowered and he swept his eyes over the land, waiting. He felt the empty space between his paws with a sore ache in his heart. Losses and more losses. But at least there had been enough left of her to bury.

Still paw sore and still vary worn out from her trip she was doing her best to get her butt in gear since her re acceptance. She was ashamed of the rank she was in, but it was her fault and she would take credit for it. She would work her butt off to get herself out of her rank and work towards being the head hunter as her intentions had been before she had left. It wouldn't be easy, but it would make her a stronger person and she was truly ready for it. She had already done some hunting since returning making sure food was around and available for the pups and the pack. She couldn't go hardcore due to her paws still healing, but she was pushing herself. In fact she had just finished hunting a decent sized fawn and was dragging it back to the den when Regulus' call rang out across the territory. Without hesitation the female dropped her kill and took off towards the meeting place. It did not take her long at all to make it to the meeting and she was slightly relieved to see she was the first one there. Smiling she dipped her head in respect to Regulus before finding a spot and taking her seat. "Talk" & 'Think"

He was just finishing a round of patrolling the borders in the new territory and checking out what he could there It was an interesting place and she was glad for a change. This change was a sign that the pack would be back on it's feet soon enough and that made Lais happy. Hopefully now he could get more sparring partners and expand his knowledge on fighting so he could work his way up the ranks. He would have to hunt down Fable, perhaps he would be up for a spar or a small lesson. He had just passed into the borders of the plains when his Older brother's voice called out across the territory. Hearing the summons a Grin plastered on Lais' face because he knew the pack would definitely be back on it's feet. Large form took off, running full blast to the meeting place. When he was close he slowed himself down and entered the scene in a brisk walk. He was on time, only one member had arrived so far. He grinned a happy greeting to both Acapella and his brother before finding his usual seat and sitting down, tail wagging in an eager manner. "Talk" "You" Think

When Baine heard her brother's summoning howl a smile found its way onto her lips. For the longest time the pack had felt quiet and solemn. Even just the sound of Regulus' howl echoing through the pack lands felt like an awakening for her. She was quick to scramble to her paws and hurry forward to head to the meeting place. She really, really wanted to be first, but two others had beaten to her the punch. At least she was still fairly early to the meeting! That had to count for something. With a big grin on her face she trotted over to Regulus to give her brother an affectionate lick to his cheek before she went over to sit next to Laisren, giving him a warm smile as well. She was in a much better mood than she had been as of late ever since Regulus' pep talk with her. She was excited to see what all he had planned for them! "Talk" "You" Think

Kalliope's head lifted to listen to the howl that was calling for her and everyone else in the pack. It surprised her more than it probably should have. It had just been so long since they'd had a meeting that Kalliope wasn't expecting it. She frowned a bit as she realized that her sons were out on their on in the pack lands so she couldn't usher them to the meeting. She just hoped that they would listen and would show up on their own. Or perhaps their father would find them on the way. At least Etain was with her. "Come on, sweetie, it's time for a meeting!" she said cheerfully. She knew this would be the first meeting her kids had been to, or really the first time they would be around a large number of pack members at once. She got a bit nervous, almost feeling like she was presenting her children to everyone for the first time. She made her way by memory toward the usual meeting spot, keeping an ear out for Etain's uneven footsteps. She felt innately protective of her daughter, not wanting this disability to bring her any special attention or ridicule. Kalli knew well enough that the wolves that lived here were kind and she really had nothing to worry about, but she had spent too much of her life having wolves walk on eggshells around her because of her blindness. She didn't want that for Etain. She arrived at the meeting and used the other's scents to find an empty seat a short distance away before she settled down on her haunches. "Sit down with me and wait for your brothers and father to get here, okay?" she said quietly, dipping her head down to whisper her words only to Etain. "Talk" "You" Think

Etain didn't know what a meeting was or why they had to go to it, but she wasn't going to argue with her mother over it. "Okay, Momma," she replied simply and got up to follow along side her. She liked walking with her momma because she walked a little slower so she could feel the ground so Etain didn't have to work so hard to keep up. Not that she minded working harder to keep up with her brothers, or at least so they didn't have to walk more slowly for her, but she liked that her and her momma walked the same speed all the time. When they got there she saw four other wolves that she had never seen before and she got all excited and nervous all at once. She was extra careful with her steps so she wouldn't fall down in front of everyone and dutifully followed her other until Kalli sat down and told her to do the same. But if she sat down how would she meet all the new wolves? "Okay, Momma," she replied sweetly, her voice as quiet as ever. "I'm just gonna go say hi first, okay?" Etain turned and bounced over to Regulus before her mother could utter any objections. He was the biggest wolf she had ever seen! Even bigger than her daddy! AND he was the brightest color she had ever seen too! "Hi! I'm Etain!" she said enthusiastically with her voice as soft and sweet as cotton candy. She hobbled over to the other three wolves in attendance and repeated the process to introduce herself before finally going back over to her mother's side and sitting down like she had been told. "Talk" "You" Think

Marina had followed Regulus back to Celestial territory, familiarizing herself with the scents and basic layout of the plains. Regulus had given his word that there’d be a meeting later on… a meeting that Marina wasn’t going to miss. It would be her first time interacting with the wolves of her new pack… and the femme was nervous. If any of them recognized her it would be because she’d been on the opposing side when Celestial was last challenged for. Would they think her a traitor? A turncoat? Or might they actually wait to learn the truth? Her ears perked when Reg called, resisting the urge to turn and leave the territory. That would be easier than facing a bunch of strangers, wouldn’t it? But Marina knew this was necessary… part of her healing process. Who knew? Perhaps she’d be able to prove herself to the wolves of Celestial too. The thought gave her a last glimmer of hope. The female made her way to where some of Celestial had already gathered around Regulus and slowly eased to her haunches. She wasn’t self conscious about her heat, as young females might have been… but she had her own concerns about fitting in here. Marina gave a small nod to Reg, offering him a smile before allowing her gaze to sweep over those present. Her gaze stopped, lingering upon a little form by a peach and white wolfess. A… pup… a little one just a bit younger than her boys… Her heart ached at the sight of the child and with great difficulty Marina forced herself to look away. Maybe… maybe someday she’d have one last litter… but right now she couldn’t dwell on the past. "Listen to me talk,"'but read my thoughts.'

Table by:: Keno

I just wanna be by your side

Solveiga was settling back into the rhythm of pack life with surprising ease. Perhaps she was right, and this was the life she was being called to live all along. Celestial truly felt like home, and she was just relieved to be back. The heat of summer had begun to fade, giving rise to the vibrant colors of fall. The leaves on the trees were the color of fire, and some were now starting to fall to the ground. It was beautiful. Then again, everything was beautiful when you were falling in love.

Not that Solveiga was aware of that in the slightest. She was far too innocent to understand the changes taking place in her heart. So she was confused as ever when her heart fluttered simply at the sound of his voice. Regulus, calling for a pack meeting. How long had it been since Celestial had met? Perhaps she had missed a meeting or two in her absence. Regardless, she was eager to attend.

The little healer could have run across the territory to get there first, but she chose to take a more relaxed pace, which meant that she was the seventh to arrive. Seventh. She supposed it could have been worse. She smiled a bit bashfully as she trotted past Regulus, seated proudly up on that boulder. It was like a throne for him, wasn't it? He looked in every way a king. After giving him a bow of her head, she turned to see who had arrived so far. Laisrén, who looked so much older than when she had last seen him. Acapella, too. And as Solveiga stood near the boulder, a sweet little girl came running up to say hello to Regulus.

Solveiga couldn't help but giggle at the excitement in that sweet little voice, and she looked up to see the woman who was undoubtedly her mother. "She's adorable," the little woman said softly, smiling at the pup as she walked away to seat herself near Báine. It had been a while since she had seen the pretty albino girl, and she leaned over to give her a friendly nudge on the shoulder with her nose.

"How have you been, Báine?" she asked. By now Regulus had told her of the deaths in the family, and Solveiga knew firsthand how painful that sort of loss could be. But the pale girl seemed in a cheerful mood, which was evidence of her handling it very well.

profile | tracker | plots

The boy yawned, stretching out on the ground where he had been trying to track a single pronghorn that had made its way through the territory. His whole heart wasn't in it though, so it was easy for him to fall down and think about taking a nap. It all changed when he heard the summons for a pack meeting, standing up to shake out his coat. His fur was still sticking out every which way, but he didn't take the time to make himself presentable. The large male strut towards the meeting, not wanting to waste any time. Fable had been on the exact opposite side of the meeting grounds though, so by the time he got there were a few who had gathered. He noticed that the peach and snow woman he had met what there, a little girl at her side. He smiled at them, but his blue and yellow eyes became wary as he noticed a stranger among them. With a glance towards the Archangel to make sure he was okay with this, he noticed that there was no hostility in his posture. Oh, so she was a part of the pack? Curtly the yearling dipped his head, making his way over to Laisren, the boy he had trained with a few weeks ago. With a wag of his tail he sat at his left side, rolling his shoulders as he waited. He was surprised that neither of his siblings were here yet, but he hadn't seen Valor for awhile, and Justice he saw at the tracking training. It would seem that they were all destined to be apart for awhile. He wasn't exactly guilt free though, he hadn't tracked them down, but instead exploring the lands around Celestial. "SPEAK"

It was with a purposeful stride that the little bear moved back towards the heart of the pack lands. She'd been keeping herself busy since she'd returned, between patrols and poking around with what herbs she remembered from her mother's stores, partly because it was enjoyable, partly because it was her responsibility, but in large part also to avoid confronting the fact that her mother was still not better, her father was still distant, and she had not seen Valor once since she got back. Today she'd been hunting late herbs, and the scent of lavender and motherwort still filled her nose and coated her pelt. Stopping a short distance back to survey those already gathered, she felt her heart sink to see that none of the three were there, but her disappointment was quickly burned away by anger. Couldn't they see she was trying? Couldn't they try too?

Spotting Fable sitting there, looking rather disheveled, she expelled a deep breath to rid herself of the hot burn in her chest, and trotted over to join him. The smile she gave him and the cheerful demeanor she presented weren't faked at all, but she couldn't help but send a hard look back towards the mouth of the ravine that marked the pack's main den, willing her mother to appear there. Or her father, or Valor, though she didn't much get the impression they shared a den with Mum anymore. Where were they? "Hey Fable, hey Laisren," she said as she eased herself down next to her brother. She couldn't think if she'd actually met the Adravendi male personally before, but she had a pretty good idea of Surreal's offspring on site. None were quite as memorable as Regulus or Baine, but Laisren was the only male Adravendi of this age so logically it would be him.

She couldn't resist throwing the distant ravine one more glance before pulling herself around to sit upright, staring attentively toward Regulus.

Rasiel had been fairly scarce since returning to Celestial… The young female was still a bit out of sorts… but she knew she’d get better so long as she remained in the pack. She was a young woman now… and with the season of her birth came her first heat. Something that had the young femme a bit confused, nervous, and cautious. It was part of the reason she’d been avoiding a lot of the wolves within the pack.

Still, she couldn’t ignore Regulus’ howl… and so she slunk off towards the meeting site. When she arrived she gave a small nod towards her large red brother first, then towards Lais as she settled down a bit away from the others. There was a stranger there as well, but Rassie didn’t pay her much mind. Right now she just wanted this meeting to be over with… maybe she’d be able to nab one of the healers in the pack to tell her why she was feeling so weird.

Castiel let out a soft sigh, urging his son onward to the meeting. This would be the first meeting his and Kalli’s children had been too… and he had no doubt that little Etain was likely already there with her mother. Hopefully Viho too. Castiel had been doing what he could for his family, hunting smaller game to make sure they were alright and going on patrols around the territory. Today, in fact, he’d been bringing Ronen along to teach his son some of the finer points within their territory. It wasn’t the most exciting lesson, but at least his son seemed to be putting on a brave face for the most part.

As they arrived at the pack meeting, perhaps one of the last to show, Cas took notice of the solemn rainbow marked women among them. He bristled instinctively, remembering her face… but he glanced towards Regulus with uncertainty. His nephew didn’t seem bothered by her presence… so maybe he’d wait to hear what their Arch Angel had to say before making any hasty decisions. He instead moved towards Kalli, ears flicking back when he saw Viho wasn’t present.

“Viho wasn’t with you?” He asked the femme softly, his gaze shining with worry. He glanced again towards Reg, shifting on his paws. If he hadn’t been with him or Kalli then… oh Gods…!

Ronen had been following after his dad at a slower pace, starting to grow tired from all the running around they’d been doing. He wanted to flop down and just rest for a little while… but he didn’t dare complain to his father as he kept on after him. The flop-earred child was interested in seeing the different bits of their territory, and even beyond, but a full patrol, as well as a hunt part way through, was wearing the poor boy out. He wasn’t used to doing all the stuff his father was doing… and the thought of a meeting just sounded more tiring. When was it going to be nap time?

Ronen arrived just behind Cas, keeping quiet, though he too was a little worried when he noticed that Viho wasn’t present. Ron gave a soft whimper, moving close to Etain’s side. Their brother was the biggest of them all… but what if something had happened to him? “Etain do you know where Viho is?” He asked in a soft bark, glancing around at all the strangers.

Enrico ghosted quietly towards the alpha's call. He had not really spent time in a pack, though he knew what to expect from it. His life had been taken up by the cosca, always, consumed by it, so while he knew intellectually what to expect, he had never experienced a normal life. Flicking pale eyes over the gathering group, he wondered if there was such thing as a "normal" life to have. If there was, he was far too late to catch that particular hare himself.

He settled himself on his haunches where he could easily watch the entire group, and willed his muscles to relax, to fall into a facade of relaxation, and he swept a blank-eyed gaze over them, observing.

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

He smiled slightly as the pack responded and arrived, and took a mental count, giving each wolf a nod and smile as they arrived. He noted that Acapella was the first to arrive, and he’d been aware that her scent was present along the game trails. Good. She was keeping her word. Laisren and Baine were next, and each received a wider smile as he turned his eyes away to watch the arrivals of an unfamiliar female and a pup. Castiel’s mate and daughter. He knew from his uncle, that Kalliope was blind, and yet you almost wouldn’t have believed it. She moved with a bit more confidence than his father had. Perhaps she had been born blind, then? The child was an interesting one. She, clearly, had a full range of vision, and despite the hushed words to sit and wait for the rest of their little family, the girl wished to greet everyone gathered, and did so. It didn’t matter that Etain only had three legs; those fathomless sapphires grew soft as he lowered himself to his belly and stretched his neck down to touch noses with the girl as she scampered close, grinning at her greeting. “Hello, Etain; I’m Regulus. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He chuckled softly as she went on her way, straightening and grinning at Marina as she arrived. He could understand her nerves; the last time some of his pack has seen her, she had been on the supporting side of Liar’s bid for Celestial. However, he knew that as long as he showed them that he welcomed the rainbow clad female, they would, in turn, relax about her, even if they might bristle instinctively at first sight. Solveiga was next, and if he was honest with himself, he’d been waiting for her to come with a mix of anxiety and hope. When she arrived, he caught her eye, returning the smile with a warm grin, tail-tip tapping against the stone. There was a slight lull, and then Fable arrived, soon after followed by Justice. He gave them both a warm smile of greeting. They’d been two of the most active of Kavdaya and Creed’s children, and had even accompanied him to kill off a coyote. Their arrival was not without its sadness. He saw Justice’s glances toward the distant hillock that hid the main den. Kavdaya was in no fit state to come to the meeting, he knew. By now, he was beginning to wonder if her grief and guilt were so strong her mind had snapped. She barely ate, and when he tried to get her to eat just a little more, she couldn’t keep it down. Perhaps her stomach had shrunk. He was at a loss. He recalled something about light helping, but… A minute shake of his head and a sigh escaped him. Rasiel was next, and it struck him, abruptly, that they were all a year older this season… which meant that Rasiel, Laisren, and Kieryn, wherever she was out there, were all two. And that meant his sisters - all of them - would all be in heat. Oh gods. Castiel and another of the children arrived, and both looked anxious. It took a brief second before Regulus recalled that Castiel has said they’d had three children. Where was the other boy? A flutter of worry swept through him, and he watched attentively for any sign of another pup. There was only Mask, one of the two new wolves that had joined at the borders. He nodded to the male, then glance past him. Gwen hadn’t shown up. Nor, he thought, had Creed or Valor. A frown creased his brow, and he waited. Waited some more. When several minutes had gone by, and it was clear no one else would be arriving, he gave a mental Hm... and straightened, gazing at the wolves that had gathered. Finally, he spoke. “Thank you, everyone, for coming. I know the pack has been very… quiet the last few seasons. Much of that is my own fault.” he continued, eyes solemn as he dipped his head to the pack, “I haven’t been present enough to encourage you all to make an effort, and for that, I am sorry. I have much to tell you all about, so sit tight; this may take a while.” He chuckled ruefully, if sadly, and straightened to address them further. “Firstly, it is with a truly heavy heart that I must inform you of the deaths of my mother, Surreal, my father, Falk, and Crucible Ancora, Creed’s brother, and these two’s uncle. Again, I regret, and take full blame, that none received an official burial ceremony. So, later, I hope you will all join me in a vigil.” Fathomless sapphires trailed to each face as he went on, “Unfortunately, this isn’t the end of the bad news. Or former Master Healer, Kavdaya, is… ill. That’s the best term I can come up with. Some of you, healers in particular, may know the burden you bear that is the health and lives of the pack. My best guess is that being unable to help Surreal shattered her in some way. Understand that it is none of your faults. Surreal had a condition known as Lung Cancer, and it was too far along to cure in time.” It still hurt to speak of, but it was best to apprise them of all that was going on, and all that had happened, and why. “I want us all to make attempts to help Kavdaya heal emotionally. Spend time with her, even if she doesn’t answer visibly or audibly. Let her know that we are here for her as a pack, and as a family. Show her that it wasn’t her fault Surreal died. Perhaps, if told enough, she’ll realize it to be true.” He swept her eyes across them all before he continued, tone still somewhat grim, but lightening. “As most of you may be aware, Celestial was challenged for not long after we returned home. I suppose it’s obvious, but I was successful in defending our pack. A wolf known as Liar Walker was the threat. Those of you who were there, remember his appearance and recount it to all in the pack.” And finally, his eyes turned to Marina. “Incidentally, those who were at the challenge may remember Marina, here. At the time, she was his mate. However, Liar abandoned her, and took their sons with him, so far can be assumed. She is not to be blamed, or ill-treated for his actions. I recruited her into the pack myself, and I believe her intentions to be true.” His tone stated clearly that he would come down hard upon those found to be treating the rainbow clad female unjustly. He went on to announce with a smile, “I have plenty of good news to share, as well. Firstly, along with Marina, we have two other new members, along with several returned members, and a litter to officially announce and celebrate.” He smiled at each that was present as he announced them, “Mask, Marina, welcome to Celestial. We have another new wolf, Gwenevere, but it appears she was unable to attend the meeting, so I hope you will get a chance to meet her, too. Returned members are Solveiga, who has reclaimed her rank as one of the Healers. Rasiel, one of my youngest sisters. Justice, one of Creed and Kavdaya’s children, and Acapella. Welcome home, all of you, and I hope to see you thrive.” His eyes turned next to his uncle and Kalliope, a smile playing along his jaws. “The happy parents to congratulate are my Uncle Castiel, and his lovely mate Kalliope. They birthed a litter of three a little while ago, and I’m deeply sorry it took this long to announce them. New life should always be swiftly welcomed. They have brought to the pack Etain, Ronen, and Viho…” And here his smile fell. A third pup still hadn’t arrived, and he added, keeping his tone calm. He would address what was forming in his mind at the end of the meeting, so that any action needed could be taken quickly. “Who appears to have not made it to the meeting… perhaps off exploring.” He finished, making a hopeful suggestion before he gave a tiny nod to Castiel, letting his uncle know that he wasn’t dismissing any worries, but saving them for the end. His eyes shifted to Acapella, and he announced in a grave voice, “Acapella, you have returned home, however, you left without notifying anyone of high rank, myself, or Faite. This could have put you in serious danger, and while I understand your reasoning, the fact still stands. Thus, I am officially demoting you to the rank of Punished. Everyone else, help her work hard to regain her rank of Unit, and later hunter. Keep me apprised of any signs of hard work you see from her. She is still a member of our pack, and will be treated as such, even while in punishment.” He straightened, smiling to Rasiel and Laisren. “Along with births, we have birthdays to announce. Laisren and Rasiel have reached the age of two, and thus myself and all my other siblings have also become a year older and, I hope, wiser.” Here he flashed a quick grin at his siblings at large. “This also means, that with our current ranking system, Rassie and Lais are no longer Apprentices. Since they didn’t complete their training, and I am deeply sorry for how much was missed in it all. You will both be promoted to Unit until you’re fully trained. Work hard, don’t slack. Exciting things are on the wind.” He smiled at them all, then announced, “That brings me to the next subject, which is our ranking system. I’ll be making changes, and additions to the ranks. There will be new ranks which, when we get them going, will enable wolves who want to be able to, say, heal and fight, and don’t want to have to choose between one and leaving the other behind, to do just that.” His eyes flicked across each of the faces gathered, trying to gauge their thoughts and reactions. “It’s not fully thought out, and we’ll likely ease into this. I’d like to have apprenticeships for each of them, that will be based on level of skill rather than your age. As we’ve seen with my siblings, sometimes life events can throw everything out of order, and young wolves can miss training because their mentors leave, die, or fall ill. Understand that the apprenticeships will have levels of learning. Apprentice Legionary, will eventually promote to Novice Legionary, for instance, and onw3ard, although there may be different names for them. I do hope you all get my meaning.” He rose to his paws and paced along the boulder, still half facing them as he went on, much like a speaker strolling across the stage and addressing the audience. “In our first stage of easing into the system, I wanted to focus on Hunting and fighting, and healing and fighting. Thus, the ranks are as follows: A Ranger is a dual skill line for those who wish to become the best at tracking, and show uncanny skill for being able to walk in shadows, meld with different crowds, and, in effect, act like someone they are not, convincingly enough to be accepted into another pack, and into the confidences of the leaders. “Similarly, they’d be wolves who’d want to be good at fighting. They may be wolves who aren’t particularly good at hunting, but are good at gleaning information, and sneaking around. I’d like to involve this rank, because when it comes down to it, we need to keep an eye on the other packs, good and bad.” He paused in his steps, back in his original spot, though his remained standing. “If any of you would like to train, or work your way up to any of these new ranks, please, let me know. The sooner we can get masters in them, the better.” He went on with his description, occasionally pacing on the boulder, movements relaxed and thoughtful. “The ranks of Paladin and Cleric will encompass the wolves who wish to work in both healing and fighting. Those who are Paladins may be the ones who lean primarily toward fighting, but still wish to be strong healers. On the other side are the Clerics, who will be those who prefer to work in Healing primarily, but wish to be strong fighters, as well. We will keep our original Healer’s ranks, as well, for those who wish to work in only healing.” He smiled at them, tail waving cheerily as he added, “There will be master ranks for each of these, and eventually, with your help, there will be the leveled apprenticeships for each of them. We never stop learning, even when we’re fully trained.” He turned to fully face them, back once again in his usual spot. ” If any of you have suggestions for ranks that can encompass more than one specialization, feel free to suggest them next meeting, so that we’re all on equal footing. A pack that builds itself together will be strong together.” His haunches lowered to the stone under his paws, and his tail flicked to settle about his hips as he smiled warmly at the pack, continuing his address. “In other news, I’ve been considering beginning to line our current borders with stones. We’ve had a couple of trespassers lately, and one was purely by accident. I’d like to be able to give loners and other pack wolves a better warning, something that they can see before they physically reach our borders. So, when any of you patrol the borders to lay scent, I’d like us all to carry a few medium sized stones along and start lining the territory as we go. They can be normal, or brightly colored; anything that catches attention will be wonderful.” He grinned, wondering if they’d think him mad, but hoping they would go along with it. Then his expression turned serious. “It’s time we stopped being silent, and began being active. A quiet pack has as much likelihood of coming under attack as one who causes trouble, simply because, by being silent and inactive, we can be considered to be weak. Part of that is my own fault. But times need to change. I want all of you to show initiative. Patrol, spar, call hunts, work hard, work together. Help me, and help each other, to build a strong, stable life for our future.” His head tipped in a gesture to the two pups. He honestly hoped he was getting to them. He hoped he was building a fire with his words, and a want to bring Celestial to life. Time would tell, and he hoped it wouldn’t tell him that he needed to throw lazy wolves from his pack. “I would like to remind you all of the Pack’s Laws, especially since we have two young pups here…” He went on to restate each law, taking his time to ensure each wolf gathered had heard them and understood them. He had no doubt that Castiel and Kalliope would have told their pups the laws of Celestial, but it never hurt to teach them again. [OOC: I advise every user to reread Celestial’s pack laws. Read the Rank Guide. Familiarize yourself with them :P] Finally, he rose to his paws once more. “I regret to end my announcements with dark news, but It’s best to do this now, so we can act more quickly. We may have a pup missing. Castiel, I’d like you to lead a small party to search for Viho. I doubt I really have to ask. The rest of you, keep an eye out for a pair of young wolves with tear markings similar to Justice and Fable’s. Their names are Exodus and Knight. "Also keep an eye out for Creed and Valor. It’s not like Creed to miss a meeting, and I doubt he would have taught his son that missing meetings is okay. Justice, Fable, I’d imagine you would like to take that particular task? Take someone with you if you decide to search; I’d be more than happy to accompany you.” He thought that was everything he’d brought them together to say; if not… well, he could tell them next meeting. And it wouldn’t take half a year to call the next one, this time.

I just wanna be by your side

After Solveiga had gotten settled, a few more members arrived, and she smiled softly as she looked around. Many wolves she had never met before. She was less anxious than she used to be when it came to meeting new wolves, and as a result she was quite excited. Maybe after the meeting she could introduce herself to all of them...

But those thoughts were pushed to the background as Regulus greeted everyone in attendance and began to speak. He had a great deal to say, but Solveiga didn't mind. These things needed to be addressed. The deaths, and the state of illness that Kavdaya had found herself in. Solveiga felt her ears turning down at this news. She definitely needed to seek out the woman, and provide her with some company. Next, Regulus announced the names of the new and returned members, and Solveiga felt her face warm a bit at the mention of her name. After that came the announcement of the litter with which Castiel and Kalliope had been blessed. Solveiga let her baby blue eyes fall on each of the pups in turn, and for some reason, she felt a strange sort of twinge in her belly. It felt like longing. If that was indeed what she was feeling, she couldn't say she was surprised. Solveiga had often imagined herself becoming a mother. But now she was fully grown, and certainly not getting any younger. Would that ever happen for her? Would she ever have children of her own?

But the little woman didn't want to let her thoughts linger too long on such things. She needed her attention to be focused solely on this meeting, especially now that Regulus was detailing the changes that were being made to the ranking system. She listened attentively and processed all of the new information as best she could, and after an inspiring speech at the end, Regulus brought the meeting to a close. Solveiga smiled warmly. He was a brilliant leader, always able to inspire such loyalty. But he was always kind, and never tyrannical in any way. Leaders like that were to be treasured.

As soon as the meeting had officially ended, Solveiga found herself wondering what to do next. She felt very inspired and motivated to help, but wasn't sure where she would be most useful. Laying stones along the border could be saved for another time, as could the organizing of a healing lesson for the younger members. Plus, she thought she might want to ask Regulus's permission for that one. So she turned her attention to the more urgent task at hand: finding the missing pup. She stood and trotted over to Castiel and his mate, giving them each a polite bow of her head.

"Castiel, Kalliope," she said gently. "I'm Solveiga. And I'd like to offer my help in finding Viho, if you'd like."

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Kalliope sighed with a shake of her head as she heard Etain scamper off and start greeting everyone within reach. Her ear flicked toward a female voice when the other woman mentioned how adorable she was and Kalliope could only give the stranger a small, embarrassed smile and chuckle. Eta certainly was that. Her daughter embodied all of her adopted mother's energy and loveliness plus some. Soon enough she caught her mate's scent and her head lifted toward him with a more relaxed smile. He was really the only one in the pack she truly knew so it made her feel more at ease to have him here. She caught Ronen's scent as well, but Viho's was noticeably absent and at Castiel's question a sliver of worry wedged its way in. She gave a small shake of her head, her ears flicking back against her head. "No, I haven't seen him since early this morning," she replied quietly. She had assumed that Viho and Ronen had been exploring together, but if Ronen was with Castiel then where was Viho? There was nothing that could be done about it at this very second though so she tried to just focus on the meeting as Regulus began to speak and fill the pack in on all of the recent going ons. She'd be lying if she said she actually absorbed everything the alpha was telling them. She could tell it was important and stuff she should probably be taking in, but her mind was on her missing son. Her ears perked a bit and she tuned back in when Regulus mentioned her and Castiel and their children, a small smile touching her lips as she gave a thankful nod. After the meeting finally came to an end she was about to say something to Castiel when the woman's voice from before interjected to offer her help. Kalliope was grateful and surprised all at once and looked in the woman's direction with a slight smile. "That's kind of you, thank you. Castiel, I'll take Etain and Ronen back to the den, okay? You can go with Solveiga and whoever else to look for Viho." As guilty as she felt for letting Viho wander off on his own, she knew she wouldn't be a whole lot of help on this search. As soon as they went past the areas she was used to traversing she would have to focus more on not running into something than she would be able to search for Viho. "Come on, guys, lets get back to the den." "Talk" "You" Think

She was friendly to the other members as they arrived, nodding her head in quiet greeting and also smiling. Being friendly and trying to show others that she would be social and trying to show that she wouldn't be like she was before. The meeting then started and her attention turned back to Regulus as he started the meeting. He had a lot, a lot that she had missed. New members, returning members, and her situation. Head lowered as he said about her demotion. It was embarrassing, but she had gotten herself into this mess and she needed to get herself out. She perked back up as he continued on paying attention to what was said. Regulus had lots of ideas and she was excited to hear about the newer ranks. She made a mental note about the stones something she could easily do when she was out tracking. She wasn't allowed to pass the borders, but she counted count how many times the prey trails led to the borders. She could easily contribute several stones to the borders. He went back over the pack laws which she paid close attention to, she needed a refresher with how long she has been gone. She wanted to make sure she wouldn't break another one. Lastly attention was turned to a missing pup and her light blue eyes traveled to the pair. Once he finished she walked over, just as the mother left with the other children. Acapella looked to the older, white male ready to help. "Where was the last place you saw him? I could start there and try to track him?" she offered. "Talk" & 'Think"

Gwenevere had still been settling into the new pack lands when the call came for a meeting, with her head and the greater portion of her body deep into a partly-dug den that muffled the call. She'd backed out at once, shaking dirt from her ears, but the call had already stopped and, unable to pinpoint the location now that she was out, she'd had to guess as to where a meeting might take place in a land still unfamiliar to her. She'd been wrong, it turns out, but it seemed voices tended to carry on the wide-open plains of this territory and she'd been able to follow the distant murmur once she'd come close enough.

Gwen hurried her steps, but she still slipped into the meeting after Regulus had begun to speak, in time to hear from a distance her name and sigh to herself over her lateness, but she was able to settle into the back of the group, to be as little of a disturbance to the meeting as possible, as he spoke sternly to a wolf who was to be demoted. She gave the remainder of his words her full attention despite not yet knowing who belonged to which name. He was speaking about ranks, most of which didn't apply to her but were important for all the pack's wolves to learn anyway. If as he said there were few adults to train the young - and she did see a lack of adult faces - she would undoubtedly be training youths from different ranks other than her own, and she would need to understand how their rank worked in order to train them in what they would most need to know.

She stayed silent but absorbed all the information as Regulus spoke, but when he came to the end of his speech and spoke of forming search parties for missing pack members, her brow furrowed. Before she'd left Ardent the memories of a war between packs, and of wolves stolen and killed, was still fresh, so it was her first thought and concern on hearing of so many missing wolves. "I will help with the searches," she spoke up, quietly but firmly so her voice would carry.

There was a lot of bad news to be heard as Regulus began the meeting, and Cas frowned deeply, furrowing his brow. But one positive thing, Castiel noted, was the arrival of another adult into their midst. Though Marina had once sided with a wolf that wanted to claim Celestial he would hold nothing against the femme. It wasn’t her fault… and he felt for her too. To have her once mate leave with their children… he glanced at Kalliope. He couldn’t imagine doing such a thing to her. It was too cruel. Far too cruel.

But Marina was not the only new addition to the pack. Mask, and Gwenevere, were two other additions to Celestial that were sorely needed. There were even returned members, including his niece… and Castiel smiled at this. But at the mention of Viho again his stomach tightened. He caught Reg’s nod and gave one of his own, sighing softly as he glanced down at Ronen. The last he’d seen his other boy he’d been off exploring with Ronen before Cas had a lesson with the son at his side.

There was news of rank changes and adjustment to some things in Celestial. But the more Castiel listened the more he began to grow worried. It wasn’t just Viho who wasn’t here, he realized. Then, when it came time to organize the search party for his son, Cas immediately stood. Thankfully Solveiga was quick to offer assistance in finding his and Kalli’s son, and the male tipped his head gratefully towards her.

“Thank you.” The male rumbled softly. Kalliope was quick to thank the female as well before saying she’d take Etain and Ronen back to the den. He nuzzled her cheek, giving her a quick lick before glancing down towards his son and daughter. “You two behave for your mother now, alright? We’ll be back with your brother before you know it.” Castiel was trying to remain optimistic though inwardly he was very, very worried. Luckily Acapella was the next to offer assistance, asking where he’d last seen the boy.

“Fairly close to the edge of the territory.. though I wouldn’t think he’d leave the borders…” Castiel spoke quietly “When I met up with Ronen we were near the moore. Before that he’d been exploring with Viho, and I assumed that the boy would have gone to meet with Kalli and Etain but…” An ear flicked with uncertainty, golden gaze sliding towards the femme that spoke up next.

“Perhaps you could help search for Creed and Valor? Or perhaps Knight and Exodus if you cross their path first.” As much as he wanted a heavy focus on his son he knew that all members of Celestial were equally important. More than one missing was not good at all. His gaze slid back to the two femmes before him, breathing out slowly. “We’ll head to the moore and see f we can’t pick up Viho’s scent… and go from there. Sound good?”

Ooc:: Sorry for the delay in post guys. ;; I'll try and get a thread up in the moore today too.