ooc: dated back a bit since Doc would have tried to wrangle his kids soon after reuniting with his sibs?

Meriadoc had hoped to be able to simply snag his kids one right after the other and then bring them all as a group to meet their aunts and uncles, but that had proven more difficult to do than he'd originally thought. When one was wrangled he'd go after another only to find that the first had wriggled off and so on; rarely more than one or two was corralled at a time. Their independence was both a blessing and a curse. Finally he'd given up and decided to let them come to him. They all knew when he'd taken them away from the band that they were coming to Boreas to meet the other side of their family so what he was about to do wouldn't be unexpected.

After reaching Valhalla's border, Meriadoc howled for his kids. The last one he'd wrangled, Harlow, was around here somewhere, but he honestly didn't know where the rest had gotten off to. Surely they'd stuck to the west like he'd asked...

When the last echos of his summons died down Meriadoc raised his voice a second time. This time he invited his siblings to come and meet their nieces and nephews. He wasn't sure Caelia would come, she'd gotten bent out of shape over something when they'd reunited, but he hoped at the very least the rest would come and say hello. No doubt he was biased but Meriadoc thought his kids were amazing and he couldn't wait to show them off.

Meri's call was just in time. Mæva was feeling better, fresh and recovered from her attempt at deer hunting that had left her bruised and scraped. She was about to take off for the prairie when she heard her father's call. As independent as she was she was also loyal and her father's summons out weighed her desire to go to the prairie. Besides, she hadn't even really decided what she was going to do there. Probably hunt, see if there were any newborn animals she'd have a chance at taking solo.

Mæva scrambled northward toward a lush plain that she would very much like to hunt on except it smelt of pack. Rats! Why did packs always claim the good lands? She trotted over to her father and sought to lick at his muzzle. "Hey dad!"

Amaranth was really starting to like Boreas. Sure, she missed loads of the wolves back home and some of her favorite places she'd played in as a pup, but here was cool too. She had tried her best to stick close to everyone but... but there were just so many things. New things to see, new things to do, new things to pester Gus with... Could anyone blame her for being a little wayward? Oh well, she was here now, thanks in large part to sticking near Mæva. Her sister wasn't nearly so scatterbrained, so whether it was luck or coincidence Mara was near enough to hear her father's call. She was still a bit behind her sister, having detoured towards a frigid meltwater stream to clean off a little bit of grime first. The temperature definitely made her rush the process at little more than might have been necessary to get her clean-clean, but it was definitely better than before, and if they were making introductions today she figured first impressions were important or whatever. She'd heard their father howl for his, well their, other family members too and Mara was curious. It would be nice to finally put faces to names. As it happened, she was still only the second kid to show up, and filed that away to lord over Gus with later. She hadn't seen much of Harlow or Gwyn since arriving either, and was a little disappointed that they weren't already there but oh well. All in due time. Mara trotted up to her Dad and moved to gently headbutt his shoulder, then said, "This place looks awesome! Do you think we can snoop around afterwards?" She turned to Mæva and grinned. Maybe if she asked really nicely her sister would let her tag along on another hunt or something, or even just agree to go exploring. There was bound to be loads of cool stuff in packlands, right? Otherwise what was the point of staking your own 'cool kids only' claim anywhere in the first place? In her mind she was imagining caves full of treasure, mythic beasts, enchanted forests... but, like, a waterfall or something would be cool too, she wasn't picky. "TALK" "YOU" THINK

He bounded across the plains at a gallop, tail waving in the air as he heard his brother’s call. As he closed in on the wall, he gathered himself, launching himself into the air to clear the wall like a deer or showjumper, armor rustling as he landed and spun to aim a playful nudge of his nose into Meri’s shoulder. “How’s it going, Meri? Are these some of the children you mentioned?” Though, as his deep sapphire eyes swept the two girls, he noted they were yearling now, puphood long left behind. They were beautiful girls, and he beamed at them, tail waving a bit harder as he greeted, “It’s absolutely wonderful to meet you girls. I’m Cairo, your father’s second oldest brother. Your uncle Artur’s probably skulking around here somewhere…” And he’d bet anything that Viviane might be blasting into the group in record time like a gold-and-white bullet. There was a tease in his voice at the mention of Artur, but a flick of a glance to Meri as he sat with a good-natured flop of the tail. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Though Caelia wasn't exactly pleased with Geoffrey, she knew his children were not to blame for his actions... or lack thereof. Either way she wouldn't punish them for it. Getting to know the newest members of her family was important to her, no matter how they'd come about. At first she moved somewhat begrudgingly as she heard Geoffrey's voice ring across the plains, though her mood lightened as she approached, seeing at least two of her not-so-little nieces there waiting for them. It was no surprise Cairo had already responded to the call, and she caught the tail end of his introduction.

A rare warmth shone in her eyes as she moved alongside Cairo, offering the two girls a smile. They were hardly children, though as yearlings they still clung on to a hint of youthfulness. They had so much to see and to learn about the world, and she only hoped that they would remain here in Valhalla as they did so - or at the very least, didn't become strangers as Geoffrey had. "And I'm Caelia, one of your two aunts," she introduced herself with a faint smile, gaze flicking restlessly from Amaranth to Maeva, wondering how they'd respond.

Meri's voice had drawn him in eagerly from his travels away from Valhalla, and at a hard lope he arrived not long after the two girls. He slowed, closing in time to hear Cairo's comment before he strode from the grass. His shoulders tightened in annoyance, toes flexing once reflexively into the dirt when he stopped near them, his gaze chilly as he glanced at Cairo. "Skulking," he repeated dryly, but that was all he said before he mentally brushed it off "Caelia," he greeted his sister quietly with a tip of his head, and turned to Meri and the girls. He didn't need to air his grievance and cause an argument here, not today. Meri had brought his children to meet them. He studied the two who were already here. There was certainly no mistaking their lineage, though they were old enough already for it to be surprising considering their father's age. "Meri," he added a nod of greeting towards his other brother as well, trusting that their prodigal sibling would take care of the introductions.

Even though Harlow been with her dad minutes prior she'd gotten thoroughly sidetracked by the antics of the cutest little shrike she had ever seen. She'd spied the fuzzy little baby, clearly one of this year's crop, swaying atop a scraggly bush with an adult she assumed was a parent. The baby's dark eyes had been fixed on the grass and it cocked its head from side to side in the most precious way. Clearly it was onto something so Harlow had hunkered down to watch. Sure enough, seconds later the baby dove into the grass. There was a sound like a quick scuffle and then the little bird fluttered upwards. In its talons writhed an angry little lizard. Quick as a whip the baby shrike was back in the bush. Clumsily it stabbed the lizard at a sharpened branch, but its attempts to impale its meal failed as the lizard flailed around.

She'd watched with keen interest as the lizard slipped free and fell to the ground, her eyes darting between the last place she'd seen it and the baby shrike. It hadn't seemed to know what to do and paced up and down the skewering branch peeping anxiously. When it seemed the lizard was going to get away scot free, mother shrike swooped in to save the day. She scooped up the lizard and expertly impaled it on the branch. Would it not have scared the birds away, Harlow would have cheered. She loved a happy ending. Suddenly it had occurred to her that she had other places to be, and she'd run off in a panicked flurry.

Without an ounce of grace Harlow flung herself onto the scene. She had cattail seeds stuck haphazardly throughout her coat from where she'd laid down to watch the shrikes and muddy feet thanks to her mad dash across the plains. All in all she was a mess, but it was an accurate representation of her so Harlow didn't feel bad about it. Muddy was her middle name. They could take it or leave it, didn't make an ounce of difference to her. Still heartened by the cuteness of the baby shrike, Harlow grinned at her relatives and moved to ram her shoulder into her dad's. She'd let him handle the introductions before she said anything.

is this really necessary...

He was late, very late, a fact that weighed heavy on his shoulders as he raced towards his fathers call. He had heard a little of the gathering of wolves, and the boy had no idea what to expect. He had met one of his distant cousins, and he had told him on just how vast their family was. Gus had of course knew this from a pup, being told so, but seeing was rather different than just hearing the stories. So as he raced towards the call, doing his best to avoid any muck on the way, he wasn't quite sure what to expect. The closer Astra got, the stronger the scent of his family wafted around him. His anticipation started to grow, slowing his steps as the sheer number of wolves that he could already detect. Ears pulled back as he felt an usual pull of anxiety, sitting heavy in his belly as he let out a small whine. Mara was here, and Maeve at least. That fact was enough to move his paws forward again, even if he still felt the burn of worry. What if they didn't like him? What if they liked to plaster him with gunk like his twin?? So many questions with no answers as of yet, something that Gus was very uncomfortable with.

Nearing the already growing crowd of wolves, Gus' head dropped as he quickly scanned them. It was hard to spot Mara in the sea of wolves, his body shaking as he felt the desire to be near her. Despite her habit of doing exactly what he didn't like, there was no one who bought him comfort in the way that she did. A sigh of relief passed over him when he spotted her by their father, taking as long of strides as he could to try to get to her even sooner. That was, however, until Harlow barreled in, covered in mud and reeds. Baby blue eyes flew open wide as he visibly recoiled into himself, skirting backwards to avoid the splash zone. What in the world was it with his family and their utter disregard for sanitary actions? Astra danced backwards, tail tucked up as if to avoid the muck, sliding backwards until his rump collided with something solid. Letting out a squeak, the boy looked up to see a brown, older wolf above him, with two more adults at his side. "S-sorry sir!" he sputtered, darting forward again to avoid brushing up against the stranger. Well... family member, in some way, was a safe assumption. Astra stood there in the center of the gathering instead, no longer wishing to move safe he run into someone else. Namely, a very dirty someone. His eyes fell accusingly at the smaller girl, before shifting over to Mara. No doubt she would be smug as a bug at seeing his very unlikely entrance. He was shocked though, that his twin was clean. Mostly clean, but still, more so than Harlow, which was a surprise. Sheepishly he looked at his dad, begging him to move things along so that he could find someone not covered in bacteria to sit beside.

Astralagus Adonis Adravendi

She was likely the last to arrive to the gathering, but the young lady had been so enthralled with the world they'd been living in for some time now that she had taken just a little more extra time enjoying it on the way to find them. The Adravendi lady made her way there eventually, however, and when her family came into view, her lips parted in a smile and her plush tail wagged with happiness. She had remained close to at least one of them since they'd been here, but for the most part, she had gone around studying the lands and the flora and fauna that grew in the West. She was still a stranger to everyone but her family, and so far, she had yet to meet anyone else that weren't her siblings or father. She approached with mild caution, bi-colored eyes studying the other wolves who had come out to meet the family. Father had said they were family, and she supposed if they were family, then they were safe to be around, right? She settled down neatly near her family as she dipped her head to the unfamiliar Adravendi. "Good day to you all, it's a pleasure to meet you all!" She beamed, excited to finally meet more of her kin that her father had spoken so much about!

When Meri's voice rolled out over Valhalla's lands - once, then again - Viviane dropped what she was working on and immediately took off, only to skid to a stop, frustrated and indecisive before turning back to shove the lavender she was working on drying into enough semblance of order that it wouldn't be ruined if she didn't get back to it for a while, then took off again towards where Meri had called. She was the last to arrive, and while she wasn't oblivious to the various tensions between some of her siblings and would soothe it if she could right now it was more imperitive that she meet Meri's children. "Meri!" she called out happily, bouncing up to her brother to throw her forelegs around him in a hug. She turned her attention to his children and without pause went straight from hugging Meri to hugging each of the younger wolves in turn, one swift gentle squeeze and immediately on to the next. The mucky scruffy girl didn't give her pause at all as she caught her up in a hug too before pulling the boy close, and then the last girl. The affection was easy, spontaneous, and she gave as little thought to the possiblity of one of them protesting as she did to the mud that now stained her white collar and chest - which is to say, none at all. "I am so glad to finally meet you all. Oh, Meri, look at them all, they're so wonderful and so grown up." A faint gleam of tears brightened her green eyes as she raked a proud and loving gaze over her nieces and nephew for the first time.

First Maeva then Amaranth appeared on the scene. In all honesty Meriadoc wasn't surprised by the order of arrival. "Girls," he said warmly in greeting before playfully bumping Amaranth back. "Oh, I'm sure Aurielle wouldn't mind." Next came Cairo, whose playful gesture was quickly reciprocated. "Some, yes. The rest are hopefully coming." His siblings were in for a surprise; the litter was a big one. On Cairo's heels was Caelia. He still had no idea what had rubbed her wrong the other day so he didn't know what they were in for, but he hoped if she had taken issue with his kids she kept her ill opinion to herself. He may have had them young but they didn't deserve flack for it. He didn't know for sure why she had acted the way she had so he could only assume given her conservative nature that it was something along those lines. "Caelia," he said gently. "I'm glad you could make it."

And then there was Artur, who was clearly displeased with Cairo's characterization of him. Yikes. It was interesting to see that nothing had changed there. If there was one thing to be said about their family it was that they were all their own people. Blood may have made them family but they were individuals; independent of each other in almost every conceivable way. It was a neat and tricky thing, and he'd missed aspects of it. "Amaranth, Maeva, this is your uncle Artur."

Speaking of independence, a muddied Harlow appeared over his shoulder. On her heels was Astralagus, who was clearly displeased with the amount of dirt on some of his sisters, and Gwyneira, whose cheer reminded him of Viviene some days. It occurred to him then as he looked at his kids that they were as varied as he and his siblings were.

He had just enough time to wonder what was taking Viviane so long and then she was there, flying from yearling to yearling like a joyful whirlwind. Meriadoc didn't even have to see his son's face to know he was horrified by the mud that now definitely marred his coat. It was all he could do not to chuckle. Hopefully his son had the presence of mind to rein in his disgust at least until his aunt was out of sight. "They are," he agreed proudly. "They remind me of us; how different they are, I mean." To his kids, he said, "Guys, this is your aunt Viviane."

Meriadoc sighed loudly and chuckled to himself before saying, "I've already forgotten who has been introduced to who so I'm just going to start from the top." He went down the line, pointing to each kid in turn. "This is Maeva, Amaranth, Harlow, Astralagus and Gwyneira. There's one more who couldn't make it today but I'll make a point to reel him in at some point." As for the aunts and uncles... "And kids, in addition to Viviane, this is your aunt Caelia, and your uncles Cairo and Artur."

OOC: I think I got everything right. Let me know if I've made any mistakes!

"I hope so, it'd be no fun just standing around." She grinned at her sister, the smile fading to a wary gaze as strangers started pouring in. Mæva knew they were her family but having not been raised around them it was hard to connect to them in the same way as she had her parents. Though she supposed everything like this would just take time. Mæva listened attentively to the names of her aunts and uncles. She tried to focus on remembering them but it was probably a hopeless endeavor. She'd need time to put names to faces. Thankfully, the rest of her siblings showed up.

Once everyone gathered the introductions began. She dipped her head in greeting before smiling shyly. "Hello, everyone." She didn't really know what else to say. She looked to her father. Ok, now they were introduced, now what?

Skulking was probably a fitting description for what Artur had been doing, but it wasn't one she'd voice out loud herself. It had a negative connotation to it that she didn't particularly like, but she bit her tongue as Artur approached, offering him a nod in acknowledgement. Her attention quickly shifted to the children though - in particular to Harlow, who threw herself into the group, covered in plants and mud. Not at all like her own siblings, but Geoffrey's children were no doubt a product of their upbringing. Caelia found herself grinning at him anyway, as well as another boy who wandered in, looking a bit more cautious. And then - yet another came wandering in, another excitable one, and Caelia offered her a grin as well.

Well. He certainly had a lot of kids. Viviane seemed more emotional than her over it, though she was glad to be meeting them. With any luck she'd get to know them all well, but she knew that wasn't likely; having a good relationship with even one of them would be a good thing in her eyes. Like Geoffrey said, they were all quite different, just like their own litter. Caelia could attest to that. And... they were wildly different than these children, though maybe some similarities could be found as they got to know them. But until then? Caelia wasn't quite sure what to do either. "Any of them -" She glanced at her brother, then redirected her attention to the children, "- you - plan to stay in Valhalla?" Maybe not, but if they did she'd be happy to help mentor them to the best of her abilities.