OOC: Let's keep this short. I'll post, yall post, I post, yall are free to leave to ask questions. Open to any new potential members also! Posts due 10/17!
ALSO pack posting contest here!

It was happening. It was really happening. Sparrow thought over all the speeches she had heard her father give. She hoped- as much as she was hurt by him at the moment- that he would have been proud of her.

Sparrow was hoping Lark would arrive first. She didn't know what she would say to Lillianna. She guessed they should start fresh... maybe. She didn't trust Lillianna, but there really wasn't any family left for Lillianna to torment, and with Sparrow in charge, maybe she would drop her antics to gain power or come out in the open with it.

Now that Sparrow was alpha, she'd have to watch for hidden motives like Lillianna's. It would be imperative to the pack that she got stronger. Sparrow knew she would have to start training immediately. She'd have to ask Lark or... maybe Lillie.

Hopefully not her.

Vali might still be willing to help her with healing. Even if not, Sparrow could use some of her time to refresh her mind on herbs. Maybe she could visit the battlefield and then spar with someone then help heal them. Two skills in one place.

Shaking her personal thoughts from her mind, Sparrow arrived at the meeting spot her father had used occasionally. This was a familiar place for the pack to gather, so that could at least offer some comfort. As she formed her words in her head, Sparrow let out a howl to summon the pack.

She took a deep breath.

It was time.

Just as Ashmedai and Kanja were about to reach the border, Sparrow called for a meeting and- gasp- it was an open invitation. Ashmedai set the branch down.

"Di'ja hear that, Kanye? We're in luck! How often do you get a FREE PASS to walk right into someone else's pack?"

He smirked at his companion, "And even better yet- it looks like our girl just became the alpha like I said."

Ashmedai picked up his branch and walked into the pack, checking to make sure Kanja as following him. Once he entered the clearing and saw Sparrow, the man let a broad smile spread behind the branch clenched in his teeth. He walked over to her and put the branch down in front of her.

"Congratulations, darlin'," he said with a bow of his head. Afterwards, he backed up a bit.

"I'd like you to meet Kanja. She's come here to explore your pack and steal your women. Actually, she helped me get that little tree branch there. I figured you could plant it and then maybe a whole tree would grow... or something."

Ash let the goofy grin fall on his face, "We might need some healing after getting that for ya' though. I mean, since we went through the trouble, right? But that can wait till after all this. I'm just here- as a potential member of course- to see what happens."

Tyranis had been…Quiet. His movements within the pack had been calculated, and what he had or hadn’t said was carefully monitored by himself. As it stood most thought of him as nothing more than a brooding teenager, although that would change…Soon, he knew he couldn’t outright challenge Sparrow, he needed to wait and bide his time…for now. In the meantime, he would play the role of the idiot child Sparrow seemed to think of him as…And he would wait. He stalked toward the meeting, eyes narrow as usual and sat toward the back. He wondered if Aranea would arrive and his expression softened. She needed to think that he was loyal to Sparrow as well, it was a lie he had already laid the groundwork for in preparation of his climb to power. He took a deep breath and forced himself to relax. He noticed the new face of the slate blue male with mild interest, it seemed Sparrow had made a friend- or in Tyranis’s mind a future obstacle. He was strong, stronger than Lark and stronger than Sparrow, he could be a threat, especially if the new alpha had a particular fondness for him and they had children.  “Relax, relax.” He thought to himself and willed his expression to remain as neutral as possible. Speaking  Thinking You

It was the first meeting ever called from Abaven to the girl. Well, there was the yearling training but that didn't count. It was only a few of them, so now Aranea could get a true look at the rest of the pack. And now the pack was open to more members; it made her a bit excited. She escaped her medium-sized den, seeing that Tyranis had already left his and would calmly walk her way the the meeting. Seeing her only friend near the back of where a crowd should be, she tilted her head in slight confusion and found it odd that he wasn't at least a little closer. Though, it was kind of like him to be that way so she would shrug and make her way gently to his side. As she grew closer, a smile would place itself on her maw as she had been feeling happier more recently and would take a seat next the the young man. Her tail curled around her legs, brushing against his own and she would just giggle slightly before looking up at Sparrow, who had taken her "rightful" place on the throne. This meeting could get exciting. She thought. Walk "Talk" Think

Kanja's ears flattened as the alpha's howl drifted across the plain. "Oh, good god, why now?" She didn't even have to look at Ashmedai to know what he was about to say. It wasn't that she'd preferred trespassing to being invited in - it was that she was about to be surrounded - literally surrounded - by pack wolves. Maybe she was painting with broads strokes, but she liked to think she was familiar with the types that inhabited packs. Something about establishing a home base made them all pissy whenever other wolves wandered into their land. It was just land. Every other critter could wander in and out, but heaven forbid you, a wolf, step one teeny tiny toe over the border. Her hide twitched with remembered pain. Pretentious assholes, the lot of them.

"I'm so excited I might bust," she said flatly. All this for a debt. So far it wasn't eating up too much of her time but at some point she was going to have to consider cutting her losses or at least placating herself by biting the big idiot on the ass. Maybe, if she wasn't surrounded by packies, she'd take a parting swing at his precious damsel too.

Kanja swept into the meeting behind Ashmedai as if she owned the place. She exuded confidence and was wearing her best bitch face in the hopes of keeping the packies at a comfortable distance. It was almost a disappointment, really, to see that they were the first ones to arrive. Ashmedai was quick to introduce her to the only other wolf there, a teeny tiny fluffy woman. The giantess assessed the little woman as her gaudy man servant spoke. So, this was the damsel. It made sense, she decided, that Ashmedai would like this woman. She was tiny and cute; the kind of pixie princess that a big strong guy like Ashmedai would love to protect.

An idea struck her. Maybe she could have a little fun here. At Ashmedai's expense, of course. When he joked about her exploring their land and stealing their women, Kanja made a point to interrupt. "Just one woman," she purred, her eyes on Sparrow. Heh. Maybe she'd get the newly minted alpha a little flustered before her big meeting.

The day had finally arrived and she was not happy about it. At the last official meeting she had caught the look the 'new' alpha had given towards her mother and she was not at all impressed and was even angry at the older women. Upon growing up in the pack she never remembered seeing or smelling much of Sparrow and didn't understand why she would be the new alpha. Yes she understood that Sparrow was a daughter of Bass, but she still didn't see how the women was right for the job. Also she feared that her family would no longer be welcome in Abaven especially with the ugly face Sparrow gave to her mother the last time. She pushed those things aside because she could not ignore a call from the leader regardless of her thoughts. She glanced behind her to make sure her mother was fallowing, she knew she had her own worries about the change in leadership since she didn't know Sparrow vary well. She had been accompanying her mother all morning while she took a short trip outside of the pack lands to gather some herbs. Now the two of them trudged along to the meeting, with Corentine leading the way (Just so they could get there faster). Corentine was blooming into a beautiful young lady now that he had past her first birthday. She was starting to fill out more and look more like an adult. Unlike Ty though she didn't have the height he did. She was still taller then her mother and felt like a giant compared to her mother even though it was only a few inches of difference. Soon the pair made it to the meeting, a small gathering so far with two unknown faces. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion with the two newer wolves their scents not having much of the pack lands smell to it. Moving over she moved to the side and let Storm sit on the other side of Ty while Corentine took her seat on the other side of Storm. She was quick to look around for Brandr, hoping her close friend would soon arrive. She was also wearing her birthday present from her mother for the first time. "Talk" & Think

Though Lark had been waiting for this moment for quite awhile, now that it was finally here he wasn't totally sure how to feel. Mostly, he was proud of Sparrow - if their father would abandon Abaven, he was glad at least someone in his family was willing to take over, and a sibling no less. Besides the nervous excitement that fluttered in his chest, he also felt a bit.. uncertain. A touch of envy had settled somewhere deep inside him, though acknowledging it was difficult, as he'd all but pushed away the thought of ruling Abaven for the last few years of his life. Why on earth would he envy Sparrow now? These thoughts were fleeting though, and easily dismissed as her call rang across the lands, summoning whoever was left to gather and hear what Sparrow had to say. Or, perhaps what anyone else had to say back.

Though he made his way to the gathering spot as quickly as he could, he wasn't the first to arrive. Sparrow had called from one of the usual meeting spots, a fact that comforted him as much as it unsettled him. Still, he didn't betray any hint of that as he strolled up, beaming widely at his sister as he flopped down near her, glancing to the side to assess who else had arrived. Two were strangers, while the other two were familiar, albeit vaguely. He raised his brows as he eyed the strangers a bit longer, feeling unsettled at the way the female was eyeing Sparrow, but he supposed he'd wait and see what they wanted before jumping at her throat. Maybe - he was a bit on edge. But for now he bit his tongue and waited silently, ears pulled forward attentively.

Brandr kept his eyes fixed on the spider as it bobbed in the breeze on it's dew-lined web. The autumn morning was cool and fog rolled in thick across the plains. It was still quite early yet and Brandr didn't feel much like moving. He'd been battling a respiratory bug and had kept himself isolated from the pack. He was finally starting to feel better, at least physically, but mentally he wasn't quite sure. Something was off. He supposed it was a sense of loneliness. He hadn't felt particularly close to his packmates and while he had a friend in Corentine it had been awhile since the two had spent any time together. The political chaos hadn't helped matters. Was it any wonder he felt so destabilized when the leadership seemed to change ever season? Brandr didn't move when he heard the howl, not right away at least. He lay there watching the spider. The dew on the web began to shift, drops spilled into other drops, growing larger until the knocked the spider of its own web. Brandr sighed and got to his feet. He entered the meeting silently, giving Sparrow a nod before he spied Corentine. His mood brightened just slightly as he went to sit next to her. As he moved to do so his eyes caught the gemstone around her neck, a swirling shape with a green stone in the middle. "Hey Corentine, what's that around your neck? It's very pretty." "Talk" "You" Think

The morning had been relaxing and refreshing. She had thoroughly enjoyed the time she had spent with her remaining daughter. They had been herb hunting and it had been a successful morning. Since their first birthdays Storm's emotions had been much better, devoting her time back to gathering her herbs and keeping up with her stock. Trying to keep herself occupied so that her mind wouldn't focus on the things in Abaven that were making her uneasy. Cloud was safe, He had found her not long ago when she was out herb hunting. He was doing fine, but he felt Abaven wasn't his fit and she respected and understood that. She supported his decision and hoped to meet him him more often. Though when Sparrow's howl rang across the territory the anxieties began to rise to the forefront of her mind again. What sort of changes would come with this meeting, other then once again the leadership. She fallowed her daughter despite her feelings, she must attend. When she arrived she moved over to where Ty's scent was the strongest. Gently she pressed her nose into his shoulder before sitting beside him. Then Corentine sat beside her and she managed to calm her nerves sitting in between her two towering children. She felt safe and her worries were eased when she was around them. Patiently she waited for the meeting to start. "Talk" & Think

It was with some trepidation that Kassander had returned to Abaven's borders. He had told the stranger who was acting alpha then that he had needed time to think about it, and he had. He had continued lurking - moping, really - in his cave from Crew's days, but the worsening conditions in the mountains made him admit that it was well past time for him to leave. He simply couldn't keep surviving as a lone wolf there. Chaos did well enough, but the former alpha had two enormous owls helping him and he was well large enough to hunt some medium prey alone. Kassander was not.

So, taking Romney and Remy with him but leaving behind his herb stores and crafting items for now (as it would clearly take many trips to move all that he had accumulated), he had made the short journey again to Abaven's borders. To his surprise and consternation he arrived just in time to catch a howl gathering the pack together. Not just the pack - it seemed to be an open invitation.

He still hesitated, but Rommel nudged his shoulder and said gravely, "If she is choosing to invite us, it's no crime to enter a park's land. Come, do not be so worried. This is what you came here for."

Kass sighed, but smiled crooked lyrics down at his friend and constant companion before steeling himself to trot into the pack's territory.

He followed the origin of the call to a boulder upon which sat a brown and white female a few years younger than his own age. This must have been the woman Vali had spoken of, Bass' daughter. He paused a distance away, then lurked his way to the very edge of the group. Not part of it, but close enough not to seem apart from it and so stand out either. He shuffled his paws nervously.

OOC: You can reply to this if you want to chat with Sparrow. I wanted to point out the new "Standing" aka reputation system here and congratulate Aranea for winning the posting contest!

Sparrow was surprised- why was she surprised? She knew better- when Ashemdai showed up with another loner in tow. One by one, pack members showed up. By the time they stopped, there were nine others around her. Sparrow sucked in a breath. There should be more. There needed to be more.

Sparrow calmed herself.

"Okay, let's begin. Welcome, everyone. It's nice to see you are all doing well. I've called us together to announce that I am now the Alpha of Abaven. As for now, everything will remain as you are used to, but moving forward, I would be happy to accept suggestions about where we're going as a pack."

Sparrow made sure to look at each member and newcomer as she spoke. She wanted Abaven to grow- unlike it had been.

"There is one thing I plan to do, however. I plan to be checking in on you all. I haven't gotten to know many of you up to this point and that needs to change. In turn, I expect us to all step up as a pack. It's been too quiet, hasn't it? Let's train together, talk to each other, hunt together, and live and grow together. Let's be a pack. Let's be Abaven."

Sparrow smiled, hoping that someone would second her enthusiasm for growing together.

After a while, her eyes drifted to Kassander, "May I help you with anything?"

He felt heat climb up his neck as Aranea’s tail brushed against his and he found himself sitting just slightly more straight now that she was beside him. His mother came next and he found himself distracted, lowering his head to brush against her cheek affectionately before he turned his attention forward. Tyranis could almost feel his eyes rolling into the back of his skull as Sparrow spoke but outwardly he was calm and neutral. What did she think they were? Wolves or dandelions? He understood now why Cloud had left and had only wished he had had the better sense to go with him, although soon that might not be an issue. More and more he turned his sights northward, to the harsh cold where only the strongest could and would survive. Strength was what made a great pack; strong members and a strong leader. That was what Sparrow had failed to grasp, and he firmly believed it would be what would drive Abaven to ruin. He said nothing and made no movements, all he focused on was how close the other yearling was to him and the wonderful scent she carried on her fur. speaking Thinking You

Kassander found himself watching the woman as she began to speak to the pack not long after he slunk in, and couldn't help comparing her to the other alphas he'd known in his life. His mother, his sister, Katja, Chaos. He had been too young to really remember what his mother had been like as an alpha, but this woman's demeanor wasn't much like Katja or Chaos, or even Val. More like his own had been as alpha, if he was honest with himself, though it was hard these days to recall what he'd been like back then. And it was probably better that she wasn't much like Katja and Chaos come to that. He'd always been more than a little intimidated by them.

With a start he realized that she had spoken directly to him, and his ears suddenly felt hot in embarrassment. Had he mistaken the open invitation? Was he not supposed to have come? "I - I... I mean w-we..." Rommel pressed against his side encouragingly, and the auburn male raised his gaze a little from his paws. Only to... her paws... but it was a start. "We were hoping to join Abaven. I - I used to be an ally of... of Bass, and I've put a lot of thought into it and I th-think we might... fit? In? Here, I mean? If that's acceptable?" He winced inwardly and continued on in a rush to try to sell his suitability a bit better than he'd managed so far. "I'm a healer and a crafter mainly, I can hunt and I make the hides into things to use and trade. I make medicinals, and alcohol for trade. I can... I can fight if I have to... but I would prefer not to?"

He'd been an ok fighter at one point in his life, a long time ago... he'd even brought his pack to war. But seeing the horrific aftermath of that war, and later seeing his brother killed because of his own stupid actions... he'd lost his taste for battle and his taste for leadership both at once.

He shuddered, then added, gesturing at both the fox beside him and the lemur clinging curiously to his ear as he said their names, "Rommel hunts with me as well and we craft together. Remy might look small but he's a crafter in his own right and can make containers out of clay, and knots harnesses and such."

OOC// the meeting is now closed. Any posts after this don't count as meeting posts.

The new member stuttered through an introduction. Sparrow waited patiently, a faint smile on her maw. He said he might fit in well and Sparrow nodded. They really needed members and if Bass trusted this man, Sparrow would take that as a promise from whatever powers that be.

"If my father trusted you, then I have no reason to deny you. I'm interested in this crafting skill and we could surely use more healers," Sparrow said, trying to be a bit encouraging.

The man gestured to the two creatures by him and spoke their names and what they did.

"What marvelous companions," Sparrow said, her awe apparent in her voice. "They would make wonderful members as well, if they so wish."

Sparrow smiled at the trio, "What sort of rank do you wish to pursue in the pack?"