((Liquid timed to be a week or so before the 3rd phase of the event would kick in Icly))

"Speech"
Recluse was ready to call her pack to her, though she was quite round and very clearly late into her pregnancy she had no intention of letting that stop her. The pack had laid dormant for too long and she had plans to make sure that didn't happen again, the dead weight would be removed and only those that cared to actually show up would be allowed to stay. Her second litter would be here soon and she refused to let mouths that did nothing stay. The albino woman scaled the mountain until she came to a dip in the rock face, a nice comfy place for her to settle in and get off her paws, which ached under her extra weight. She settled in so she was comfortable, the warm stone helping to dash the chill of the strange winter, then tipped her head back to call for her pack.

It was time, she was pleased to know she would get to share promotions with her pack and hopefully, that would whip the rest into action.

((A Mandatory meeting. Due date is the 14th of november and if you've not posted your pack wolf in the last month you definetly want to post them to the meeting by the due date. If they've been inactive for a month and do not show up to the meeting they will be removed from the pack no questions asked. If you cannot make it you must contact me personally. Older messages at this point will not be considered as it's been some time since the last ones I've received. I have plans brewing for the pack plus events on the horizon and as such I need to keep my pack numbers accurate with active members so I can know what I can plan.))

Art by petitecanine

Kali certainly couldn’t say she was happy about her mother’s new...condition, but she knew that, ultimately, the little brats would have nothing on her as they got older. She’d have to let the new little gremlins know who was really the future boss around here, stomp out any ambition they might have of foolishly challenging her for her rightful place. She was already having enough trouble as it was instilling these values in her littermates, she didn’t need more squeaking mouths trying it either.

She’d been lazily patrolling the borders, kicking at the weirdly colored mushrooms as she went by with squinted bi-colored eyes, when her mother’s call rang out. She paused mid-kick, her plush, chocolate auds swiveling forward before she turned in the direction of the meeting place, her long legs picking up into a trot as she meandered that way. While her mother wasn’t always patient, she had a feeling she certainly wouldn’t be the last one to arrive and earn the Seraphim’s ire. In fact, to her pleasure, she was the first to arrive. Her mother was perched above, her swollen belly ballooning her normally trim sides out in a way that made Kali clench her teeth to avoid flinching. She didn’t like it, not one bit. “Hi, mom. How’re you feeling?” she asked, more concerned for her mother than the future siblings in her stomach. She sat down next to her, feeling pride bloom in her chest. Her mother had let her know the day prior about her pending promotion to the seat she so desperately coveted, the position of Cherubim. Of course, it was only right, but the acknowledgement still felt sweet all the same. The girl sat regally next to her Seraphim, waiting for their members to join them.

"Kali Klein"

Deathbelle only really got by in her day to day because of the young wolves that reminded her what life was about. There was no ultimate goal of happiness or selfish intention. All the once Empress had to live for was whatever she could impart on the next generation. Her youngest were yearlings and becoming more than capable for themselves. Fortune, when she had once thought her lost was returned to her. Veigar, who had already been taken from far too many times in his young life, didn’t deserve to have to say farewell to her so soon as well. She wasn’t his mother or his father, but her heart beat for him. When life had taken all that was dear she clung to what remained.

Recluse forced the once proud Klein up the mountain. She still felt pain with every paw step laid here, and the memory of watching Archon fall tormented her as she forced herself to appear before her niece. Her features showed no emotion, she couldn’t stand the stares of pity when she showed anything but neutral features. The once reigning monarch was a shadow of her former self, but showed her loyalty with a dip of her ivory splashed features.

Although she had been spending a lot of time with her new friend lately, Fortune had been careful to avoid seeming absent. Her first encounter with the boy had yielded far more than she had expected, both in a way she didn't understand as well as the amount of fish she brought home for the pack even after halving it with him. She would only continue to sneak more moments with him since then, always being careful to bring something back. Although the scent of the boy lingered on her black and white fur, at least she couldn't say she was just running off to spend time with him.

At Recluse's call, Fortune was quick to leave her small project behind and head for the volcano. She wasn't far behind her mother, whom she found before Recluse at the place they had been called to. She moved in next to her and leaned her shoulder into her slightly by means of a silent reassurance. Her mother was sad, but there was nothing that could be done about it now so she only offered her silent support while they endured whatever brought them up this volcano today.


"Fortune Speech!"
code © skelle 2021

Ceres wasnt too far away from his mother and sister, someone he was impressed to see back, considered her as dead so he felt happy to see she was back and safe. Later own he could talk to her to catch up, but right now he focused on the incoming meeting, and silently he took a seat beside his mother, facing Recluse with a calm expression. Waiting for her to begin. He turned his face to his sister, approaching his lips to her ear. "Sister...want to chat after this wit me?" He muttered to her, so only her could hear his message. After that he went silent and focused on the leader's face.

"speak."| "You"

Veigar hadn't felt too well lately but he could only assume it was due to all the strangeness occurring lately. The lack of sunlight alone was enough to send anyone into a strange state of mind, and in the midst of winter too. He was glad when he heard Recluse call the pack together; lately he felt comforted by the presence of his fellow pack members, even more than usual. The gangly boy made his way into the gathering, his pale gaze dancing over the group as he searched for a place to sit. Instinctively he moved toward Deathbelle, reclining quietly and directing his attention toward Recluse as he waited for her to speak.

Lost in her own thoughts, she would step back into reality at the sound of her mothers call. The babe had been daydreaming as of late, wondering what her future had in store, where would she explore and travel? what plans did her mother have for the kingdom. Carnage would arise from her lounging spot, her long limbs carrying her towards the meeting promptly. Her icy blue gaze would linger upon the few individuals who showed, she was early to the party. Her gaze would fall upon her mother and instead of approaching the Klein, she was nod to show her respect before taking a seat in the small crowd, briefly looking over her shoulder to see where her brothers may be, they were never too far away. She would briefly acknowledge her sister sitting beside, and wondered if her mother had any further announcements. It seemed it was not long till she was ready to birth her new brothers and sisters and Carnage could not wait to see what they would become.

Misery had been taking his time along the pack border and could be technically called a patrol but he was less interested in guard duty and more interested in the recent changes in the environment.  The fireflies and darkness lasting abnormally long made no sense and he disliked having no answer to the questions he asked himself.  Misery roamed in and out of the pack land but never overly far off.  

When mom called for the pack he stopped what he was doing to glance in her direction.  Meeting time?  Misery imagined what all might be mentioned at a meeting and had to acknowledge mom’s future pups would be a part of it.  He recalled a prior meeting where promotions and demotions had happened so perhaps this would be the same.  Misery had been a lot younger then and had been given to a mentor to train.  Of course, his training had to change soon when that first mentor hadn’t worked out.

Loping to where the pack was gathering he offered a charming smile to the wolves gathered as he pranced up to where mom was and, unfortunately, Kali.  For the sake of appearance around the others he offered his useless sister a dashing smile.  Kali knew what he really thought of her so there wouldn’t be any stupid misunderstanding.  Carnage also got a polite smile that was far less irritating than having to smile at Kali.

 Looking from family that was already here to the rest of the pack he considered his mom’s rule of it and once again found the idea distasteful.  He had no desire to be tied to anything and that was all that really happened if you became Seraphim.  Misery still hoped for Carnage to win the station but as far as he could tell Kali had been putting in the most work.  That was a pain because she was a pain and, a worthless one at that.

"Misery"

I JUST WANT A TASTE

Illness wasnt something he dealt with well. He hadn't has the chance to notify Recluse, what with voodoo taking care of him he had been able to recover. Thin muscles lining his flanks. Yet it was obvious the male was doing much better. Carefully he made his way to the call, a flick of his ear he refused to feel embarrassed for his condition this time. The only thing he could do was prove to her he was still going to be am active member of the pack. His heart still pulled to her but time makes rifts and he didnt want to over step what boundaries she had. Ruffling his fur the cold chill swooping in made him shiver. He was so glad his illness lasted when the weather was warmer.

The male took a seat below her. He did not greet her as if he had done nothing. Dipping his head, "Recluse i hope you are doing well. Id like to apologize for my absence. The last season Voodoo has been tending to my illness. Ive recovered." He would say nothing more. There was not an excuse and he was now able bodied enough to make his own decisions. Carefully he cooly wrapped his tail around his haunches and took in a deep breath.

MADE BY MINNIE of BTN

Voodoo woke with a start. A bundle of mint leaves tucked delicately under her nose. Much of her time had been dedicated to treating eraithus. Although she had learned some the yearling was now yearning for more. She was old enough to understand the implication of her own worth. No skills meant poor rate of survival. Her mother had always been there to support her and the pack as well. She never questioned the absence of her father even though now she slightly had the idea it had damaged her mother greatly. However, Voodoo was not too keen on emotions. Apathy played a vital role in her life. Not in a sense of her family and those around her, but she had inquired that she lacked empathy. Others empathy was their own. She had no interest in feelings, only hard cold facts. Like those of plants she loved and of the blood that ran from her veins during a spar. Though she lacked the experience of an official spar. Thus as she rolled into the meeting, she dropped the mint in front of Eraithus. "Its true, he had an infection in his lungs. Hes strong and healthy recovered just fine." She gave a soft flick of her tail against the males chest. Before taking a seat below the alpha.

Voodoo dipped her head, calmly looking forward. "Its a pleasure to be here Recluse." She respectfully dipped her head. The princess shifting slightly. Hopefully her relationship with Eraithus didnt hurt her reputation. Not that she had much of one but her heart and loyalty lay with this pack not one single wolf. Her tail twitched, had she become estranged? These were words she still didnt know. All she could do is try.

Wendigo bounded onto the scene with a squealing fox dangling from his jaws. His mother's call had interrupted him at play and while he would have ignored anyone else, he couldn't ignore mummy even if she wanted to talk boring pack stuff. So he brought his fox with him.

He wove through those gathered scattering merry, lispy greetings all the while. When that was done he trotted over to one of the warm volcanic vents, flopped down, and then scooted his butt as close to it as he could bear. Then Wendigo killed his fox, who protested about as loudly and as pitifully as one might expect, and then he set about skinning it. It would make a fine headdress.

"Speech"

Áskell had curled up next to his fire, just watching and enjoying the flames and the light they gave. There was a full moon, true. An eternal full moon that seemed to give off only cold and unfeeling light and so he'd sought out a warmer source and reveled in it while he could. He'd finished his patrol about an hour earlier and would have a few moments time before his next. Just as Áskell's thoughts started to drift there was a call from Recluse. With a sigh he tossed some dirt on his fire to weaken it then left one of his companions to watch over the den site while he attended the meeting. He arrived in short order and scanned the group for his brother. Hmmm, no Jigsaw yet. Hopefully his brother was feeling alright. Instead he padded over to Veigar, flashing a smile at the younger boy before taking his seat.

The call for what sounded like a gathering to her rang in the air and Medusa was all too happy to attend. She had yet to find someone to play with here, still not understanding the position she was in but it didn't deter her. Picking up the rabbit head she had just decapitated, she sauntered up the mountain with the ears between her teeth and the head swinging from her jaws. She arrived to the meeting in haste, sitting near the back as she giggled to herself. Dual toned gaze found the fat lady at the front, but her gaze didn't linger there long as she looked to the others that were here. Sliding to her belly, she eyed them wistfully, wishing someone would play with her. There seemed to be a good amount of faces, so why was she having a hard time making friends? It was something she didn't understand, but then again, she didn't understand much yet. Including the position she had put herself in the moment she had trespassed.

Jigsaw arrived fashionably late, having been held up by Aryn who was fretting over ghost wolves and potential injuries that may have been caused by the thing phasing through her. Whatever had been going on in the world, things were getting weird and the yearling felt his role as a healer would only become more important as weeks passed. He settled in alongside his brother, giving the other boy a gentle nudge of his shoulder in greeting before looking up to await the meeting start. "Speech"

Aryn came along behind the healer to the summoning call, a warm blush of embarrassment on her cheeks for having made Jigsaw and her self late. The Valentine woman prided herself in being polite and respectful and arriving last to a meeting was not polite nor respectful, even if she felt she had good reason. The scene in the foggy forest had spooked the Valentine woman, who'd been searching for answers ever since the ghostly figure phased through both herself and Eligos. It hadn't hurt, but who was to say it didn't do something else? Maybe it had cursed her heart right in her chest, and days from now she'd drop dead without warning. The whole idea of it all was terrifying, and Aryn struggled to focus as she settled down and waited for the meeting to start.

"Speech"
Recluse waited as her pack would arrive before her. Kali would arrive promptly and ask her how she was doing. She gently bumped her daughter and smiled softly at her. "Tired, but well." Her daughter was of course more than welcome to take her place beside her and she was pleased to see Kali was taking to her role to heart. It would be interesting to see how Carnage responded.

Her aunt would arrive next, followed quickly by two of her children, Recluse still felt a pang of pain over the tragedy that had befallen her aunt and she still wasn't sure how to help her. But the woman silently hoped that the return of her missing daughter would help to lift her from her slump. Veigar would join them soon and she gave the boy a little smile, she had a soft spot for her younger cousin. Soon after two of Recluse's own children would arrive, each with their own reaction to where their sister had found herself, interesting. Eraithus and Voodoo, then Wendigo and despite the little scene he'd created she couldn't help a fond little chuckle. Askell was the last to arrive. At least before she was about to stop speaking, interrupted by Medusa, Cherry gaze narrowed as she watched the slave woman slide in, followed shortly after by Jigsaw and Aryn. Late but still there, better than she could say for a few others.

Finally, she spoke, her voice clear and carrying easily down the volcano towards her gathered wolves. "Thank you all for your prompt arrival." She gave the last three stragglers a look as she spoke. "As many of you know much has changed since the last time we all gathered here. I do not wish to linger too much on the state of the world but I do wish to encourage you all to go out and learn what you can about what is happening out there. Information has never been more valuable." She swept her gaze over them all.

"But I wish to focus more instead on the changes that have happened within our own border." She glanced proudly over to her daughter. "My own daughter Kali has been promoted to the rank of Cherubim, though she would do well to remember that position is not secured for her yet." She gave the girl a quick quirk of her eyebrow but was happy still to have her daughter at her side. "Further, her brother Misery has taken the first rank of Hashmallim within the pack, I have also decided on his first assignment." Recluse grinned at her son as she spoke, knowing this would be the first time he heard this. "In short time I will ask him to leave the pack to clean himself of our scent and then approach our neighbours of Abaven and spend time amongst their ranks, to learn what he can for us as our first spy."

Finally she turned to seek out the other young members of her pack. "Finally I would like to let many among our ranks to state what they'd like to do within the pack. My children Carnage and Wendigo, as well as my cousins, Fortune, Sorcerer and Voodoo, are all now a year old and as such you may now declare which ranks you'd wish to hold within the pack and if you are unsure you will all become Ishim." Then she turned her attention towards Eraithus and Aryn each as she addressed them. "Eraithus, if you still wish to be a fighter within Habari please let me know and you will gladly be accepted within the ranks. Aryn, I am also interested in knowing what it is you also wish for yourself here." She would give each wolf a chance to speak.

And when that had finally come to pass she turned towards Kali, knowing her daughter had a plan of her own to share with the pack.

Art by petitecanine

Fortune waited while the others filed in, a few even arriving late and she watched as Recluse noticed them arrive. Seeing the change in her expression is what drew her attention to the late arrivals, actually, and she peered over her shoulder for a moment to study their faces. They weren't familiar to her, but hardly anyone was besides her mom and siblings. Fortune hadn't spent much time with any of the other members, but wanted that to change soon. As Recluse carried on with the meeting, finally addressing her and her siblings as well as Recluse's own older children, Fortune was excited to finally find her place withing Habari.

She hadn't known what she wanted to do really, but she knew that she wanted to spend as much time with her mother as possible after having spent so much time away from her. She could only imagine what she must have gone through, so Fortune promised herself that she would work alongside her mother, at least as long and both she and Recluse would allow it. She was quick to speak up before the others, certain in her decision. Her lavender eyes focused on Recluse as she spoke up, her voice confident although soft. "I would like to be a healer, like my mom." She smiled up at Belle then, hoping her mother would approve of her choice. Her gaze then went back to Recluse, hoping for forgiveness in her ignorance of the actual position's name and that she would be granted the role that she wished for.

"Speech."

Eraithus was glad that it didnt seem to bother Recluse too much about his absense. Right, then he was going to have to try harder. The end of his tail twitched as he listened to her speak. Addressing the pack and a weird sense of pride hit him when he heard about misery. It was more for the pack that he had decided to dedicate himself to. He stood when she addressed him and cooly nodded his head. "It would be a pleasure." he would say nothing of his ambitions yet. After all he still needed to fully recover. Gently he looked to voodoo wondering what she would choose. She had healed him but je knew the girl had a passion for fighting as well. Eraithus sat down hed leave once the meeting was dissolved.

Voodoo listened closely, a spy! Something about this excited her with a smile. Yet once the talk of paths started she frowned. She knew of the ranks from her mother but, she wanted to be just aa good at fighting as she was healing. She thought deeply as her sister chimed in that she wanted to be a healer. Deathbelle was a wonderful wolf to take after Voodoo also adored their mother. She turned to Recluse. "Id like to train as a healer.... though id like to fight on the side as well." she didnt want to be taught healing only to fall behind on her warrior skills.

"Ill concentrate on healing for now." it was the most logical decision for the crafts she wanted. She lightly nuzzled her sister as well, a bit of excitement causing her tail to wiggle.

Wendigo worked on his little project while the other members trickled in. He looked up once while his mother spoke but his focus waned quickly. The cooling blood on his paws kept drawing his attention downwards. When his attention dropped, it dropped hard and he quickly became engrossed in his work again.

It was only when his name was said that his head popped up. Picking ranks, were they? Well that was easy. He knew he was his mother's favorite. And the best child got the best things, yes? He looked around at those gathered and then waved a bloody paw as if his answer was obvious. "Cherubim, of course."

"Speech"