The Pines had been decked out.

Flowers fell in waves from branches, a light herbal scent wafting through the chill of the north. There was particular care on the southern border, with pretty rocks and petals scattered around to lead' guests to the edge of the land. There, Wren waited. She hoped Sybil would come to greet the guests with her, but would not be opposed to her absence. It was just the work of a future diplomat.

Places to eat, drink, and resting places had been set up. Everyone comfortable sleeping under the stars had their own little rest area. The others would be escorted to the ship - especially pups too young to defend themselves. While the guild had worked damn hard to prevent predators coming in and out, scaring or killing them, there was always the possibility one or two would show up.

Wren piqued up at the arrival of their first guest. It was a bit early to celebrate the festival's opening, but she had said she'd be there to meet them if they came a day early. "Welcome!" she said, feeling uncomfortable socializing but knowing it needed to be done.

"Speech"
ooc; this is the main 'arrival' thread that will be archived in the beginning of October.
tomorrow I will be putting up the banquet; this gives you time to sign up if you haven't already!
sign-ups close tomorrow! please directly tag anyone you associate with <33

He was nervous. Of course, he was. Asking a nice lady on a date to her own pack's festival... Torben had headed up days prior, scavenging for things in the upcoming summer. He settled on a pretty daffodil flower, making sure to frost it and keep it in the snow before arriving with it. He wanted Audra to know he appreciated her company and that she was also just appreciated. The brown wolf that met him was not Audra, but he could only assume was Warden Wren. "Thank ye" he said to her and bowed his head. Once she said it was okay to go in, he walked past her. Torben carried the daffodil in a cloth, tenderly and gently as possible. It had a big knot at the top to which he held it. It was a pale pink cloth he had traded for, not pastel or blinding... Just gently pink. He spotted Audra ahead, near a station of sorts with medical supplies. "hello" he rumbled as he neared, his voice thicker than usual due to the item. His stumpy backside wagged in response to a lack of tail. SPEECH HERE / torben has arrived, seeking audra

I want to touch you but my fingertips are numb

I want to love you but my chest is tight enough

A festival, it was her kind of thing! Voodoo becoming a mother didn't change the fact that she loved parties. Though she knew she had to refrain from alchohol and drugs for her childrens sake. She wasn't so sure Wren would be happy making this a not so family event after all. It was in the sparse pines so it was hard for her and her kids to ignore it anyway. Jay had decided to stay at the den to rest, while Req had attached himself to her like a leech. He was like that sometimes, hiding behind one of her front limbs as Voodoo approached Wren having not noticed the wolf who had just greeted the alpha and wandered back into the crowd.

"Don't be so nervous." Voodoo said to Wren attempting to give her a gentle shoulder bump. Already wolves were beginning to gather for the meet and greet. Voodoo was excited herself she wanted to enter some of the contests. It'd been a long time since she had participated in a festival. Not since the one with Ashen after all. "Req it's okay to go out and meet others here okay, but make sure you stick around someone from the Menagerie or stay where mom can see you." Voodoo leaned down as she noticed the white boy beginning to slink away. Req stared at her before bounding off. Leaving Voo at Wren's side.

ooc: Voo with Wren, she arrived after Torben goes to Audra so hasn't noticed him yet.

MADE BY MINNIE of BTN

It seemed that she and Gavroche had joined just in time to join in some sort of festivities that Menagerie was hosting. Bellamy would have been lying if she wasn’t a little nervous about interacting with so many wolves… but Saga had wanted to come, and Gavroche had encouraged her to come as well. At least the Pirates wouldn’t be invited, and thus the chance that Ignis would show up was slim to none. The femme was hoping that maybe, just maybe she might find someone she could befriend during this festival. The woman might have been more uncertain about strangers, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to have a friend or two. Leading the way for herself, Gavroche, and Saga, the woman came to the Sparse Pines where the gathering thread would take place before the games took place. She perked her ears forward, gaze shifting to Wren for a brief moment before sweeping to the others who had shown up thus far. One even seemed to be from Menagerie… Bellamy felt a little better at seeing a fellow pack member at least. She even seemed to be a mother, and Bellamy made a mental note to say hello to her later on. It was someone she could potentially talk with at least. "Speech" 'Thought.'

Gavroche was almost one hundred percent sure of it now - Bellamy’s scent had changed. He didn’t want to talk to her about the potential of her having pups before her season yet, wanting to make sure that she was able to enjoy herself at this festival. Not that he expected her to worry too much about the information. The man figured they would need to tell Wren once Bellamy was showing a bit more too. The winged man was happy though, glad that they were in a pack and somewhere safe, and since the Summer Fest was open to loners the male had hopes that their daughter, Lucette, might show up as well. Maybe then she could meet her new little sister, Saga. They arrived and Gav followed Bellamy to a spot at the gathering with Saga in tow. The man breathed in, his ears perking forward with curiosity at those who were already gathering. He had only met one child in the pack thus far as other members of Menagerie went though he was sure there were other members to meet yet. The man was eager to meet those who came to join the festival as well and had hoped that Bells might come out of her shell. He sat down with a smile, eager for things to get underway. "Speech" 'Thought.'

The time had come! Menagerie was finally ready to hold it's Summer Fest and Beauregard could hardly wait. He was practically bubbling with excitement as he padded through the Sparse Pines. He had explained to Tanelan his intent to participate and hoped the other man would come as well… though Beauregard wasn't sure that he would. Still, it would be a wonderful event to get to know not only pack members but strangers as well. Allies too. The yearling could hardly wait. And then, next season, he would even be considered an adult by his peers. That was another reason to feel excited. He could hardly wait to prove himself and become a full-fledged member of Menagerie! Heading to the meeting area he found a member of Menagerie he hadn't met yet, her pups, the winged man and his mate that he had seen, a stranger, Wren… they were already coming together for how many wolves were showing up and there were more to come even still! Beauregard's tail wagged behind him as he approached Voodoo, smiling at the little ones before his gaze shifted to the woman. "You are going to have your paws full. Good luck." He spoke kindly to her. He hoped that she and the little ones would enjoy the festivities though! "Speech," 'Thought.'

There was another festival to go to and this one was being held in the North. Her parents had left for the North last season so it had only made sense to Lucette to head there and see if she might see her parents. From the sounds of things, it sounded like it was going to be a rather big event. Lucy was excited about that. She could hardly wait to get to know the wolves that had come to participate, just as she had mingled a little at Fenmyre's festival. It had been wonderful to get to meet more wolves and take her mind off the pending danger she and Bae-Syl could be in. She had no idea when his cousins might appear but she hoped that they might be ready when they did. Arriving at the Pines Lucy set off to where the meet and greet was taking place. A few were already gathered… including her parents and… a bear? A polar bear cub? Lucette blinked curiously and approached them. "Mom! Dad! Who is this?" Lucy asked, gaze sliding over to Saga. She had never met a bear before… and seeing as how this cub was with her parents… were they taking care of her? "Talk, 'Think.'

Alaois was interested, to say the least, in the festival that one of the packs was holding here in Boreas. The man wasn’t sure what to make of the wolves of this land just yet, but he figured that it couldn’t hurt to go and see what the fuss was about. Besides, he might even be able to speak to some fellow loners and encourage them to follow Calida and himself. It was a long shot, sure, but… wasn't it worth taking if they did manage to find a follower here? And if not, well, that wasn't the end of the world either. His mother has spent bits and pieces of his younger life engaging in special days not so far off from the so-called Summer Fest. It had been something he enjoyed as a pup and, perhaps, he might enjoy it as an adult. He didn't expect Calida to come but perhaps that was for the best. This could be something he as a soldier checked out alone.

Alaois was particularly curious about the pack that was holding this event. He wanted to pick their minds so to speak and see what made them tick. Not necessarily in a malicious way either - it wasn't as if he had the manpower to stand up to a pack of any sort anyway. Especially not one with enough of a reputation to hold a festival of this sort. How many wolves have they reached out to, he wondered? And how many of these wolves were actually allies of the pack hosting the event? It'd be good to see how the wolves of Boreas bonded… and perhaps give him some lessons for when he one day tried to form a following of his own.

Alaois arrived after several others, not that the man cared when he arrived so long as he showed up. For the time being, he sat alone, though his posture wasn't one that would deter others from sitting with him. Instead, he seemed calm, resting with his tail curled around his paws as he waited for more guests to arrive.

She had been up since dawn. The moment Wren mentioned that they could begin preparing for the week-long festival, Audra was already down in the pines. Materials gathered, bundled, and set out in a particular order, the petite wolf could feel her nerves begin to fray. It was important to Audra that Wren's festival went smoothly with as few hiccups as possible. Not that they particularly needed to impress other packs; it would just be a nice gesture if Menagerie made it a good time for everyone.

A murmur of voices heard in the distance caused Audra's ears to perk. Wolves were already arriving? Wide-eyed and slightly out of breath, Audra hurriedly finished setting up the nurse's station. There would also be a fun game involved later that would be easy enough for pups to play as well. Smiling to herself, she inhaled deeply, closing her one good eye, before releasing the breath. Trying to recenter herself so she didn't appear so frazzled, she took a few moments.

A light nudge to her shoulder made her eye open to glance at Mack. Humming in question, the bobcat companion nodded toward the tall figure standing on the other side of the booth. "Torben!" Audra gasped, a small smile spreading over her lips as she looked him up and down. Curious as to what he held in his mouth as he greeted her, she looked back to Mack. "Watch th-the booth, p-please?" She questioned Mack. Knowing the bobcat would say yes (as much as he despised the pungent scent of herbs), Audra scooted out from around the nurse's station.

Looking up at Torben with her tail wagging happily behind her, she had to ask. "Wh-what do y-you have th-there?" Audra asked as she tilted her head lightly to the side.

A U D R A

It felt like ages of walking, but at last... Tojo-Kai could say they came. Sayuri entered the flower garland sort of tree maze, a happy tail wag and a jovial grin on her features. She had come ahead, with Kuroo-chan, of the main group. Just to scout and see if it was safe for the pups behind them. Once Kuroo-chan reported back, she took the time to explore here and remain at the entrance.

"Thank you for the invite." she would say to the Menagerie wolves before walking past them. She spies Beauregard and gives him a called-out greeting before her companions joined her. Akira, the raccoon dog, had been scouting the north since delivering the message to Menagerie. Ai-chan, her Shiba Inu, raced to greet him all wiggling butt and wagging tail.

"Speech"

It wasn't often that Celeste left pack lands for a reason outside of hunting. Festivals would always be an exception. Any excuse to socialize and possibly stick her nose where it didn't belong was a yes in her book. With Cyanide in tow (because she possibly couldn't go alone), Celeste made her way north toward the Sparse Pines. Honestly, it had been a long time since she had seen any northern territory of Boreas and she had gotten used to the warmer weather. Even the slight chill that brushed over her fur made her shiver and she wasn't sure if she liked it. Choosing to make small talk with her friend to keep the time going, her eyes lit up when she saw the festival's entrance. Dangling flowers and well-placed rocks guided them toward Menagerie's boundary. Curious, she picked up her pace before coming to pause in front of Wren. Glancing up to the Warden, she gave the woman a brief nod. "Greetings, I am Celeste, Renja from Ashen. I'm looking forward to the festival," her voice is a cheerful hum as she glances back to Cyanide briefly. Waiting somewhat impatiently with her weight shifting between her paws for Cy to introduce herself, she skipped forward as soon as the pleasantries were over. "What shall we do first?" Cel asked the wild woman of the night with a playful smile.

ooc; celeste came with cyanide to the festival, but anyone is welcome to approach!! <3

Req wasnt nervous, but he had stuck close to his mother at first. Just long enough to where he slipped passed beau and into the crowd. The small albinos red eyes gleamed with delight though it seemed like a blank stare. There were so many! Well mom said he could explore so thats what he was going to do. His little paws thrummed before he knew it he was running.

His tail quivered behind him. The young boy ran until he saw a large white shape. A woman from his pack was there... Audra. He couldnt stop, Req winced as he tried to stop. His stop made him tumble running into one of Audras legs as he blinked for a moment up at the two adults.

Ooc: req has run into audra and is laying on his back staring at her and torben.

· K U R O O · The boy was more than excited to see more of Boreas. While there was always a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that he shouldn't leave, everyone had insisted Tojo-kai would be safe in their absence. Admittedly, he had spent a lot of time recently making the bay a self-sufficient fishing spot so a week or two for what some might call a vacation was appealing to him by now. Taking a bit of a lead with Sayuri to reach the festival ahead of time, he was practically dancing on his toes at the welcoming sight. Dashing ahead of Sayuri to make sure everything was safe and this wasn't actually a trap, he made his way back toward the entrance once it was in the clear. Coming back toward Sayuri's side so they could walk through the festival grounds together, he glanced around at the different Menagerie wolves. Nodding his head in greeting toward Wren, his attention was brought toward the one Sayuri called Beauregard. One brow raised and a smile in the other boy's direction before he turned to glance at Sayuri. "Do you know many here?" He questions softly.

ooc; kuroo is hanging with sayuri but anyone is welcome to approach <3

It really was by some miracle that Kunai had encouraged Usagi to trail along to this festival. Usagi never believed he'd leave the comfort of the bamboo maze and its familiarity in lieu of such an..exhilarating adventure. It was moreso for his partner's enjoyment that the bunny-tailed wolf grudgingly agreed to attend, padding next to him with his usual scowl carved into his lips while Kunai seemed much more excited about the events to come. He had noticed Kuroo with Sayuri ahead of them as they traveled somewhat together towards the upper north of Boreas, and the hohei made sure to bite his tongue to avoid openly complaining about how cold it was, the ever lingering frost of the woodland landscape seeping into his pelt. He was much more suited for milder weather, and a faint shiver ran down his spine involuntarily as the Tojo wolves reached the festival grounds. Aiming to press gently against his chimera partner's shoulder, Usagi padded along with him, not too excited about meeting complete strangers. He barely knew anything about the Menagerie aside from what little he'd learned from others who knew of it in his pack. Just enough to know who they were, and who the leader was. That's it. Mossy eyes glanced about, scanning the other unfamiliar wolves with a somewhat guarded glint in his eye. Suspicion mixed with uncertainty. Quite normal for him, really, when faced with the unknown.

"Kunai Speech." & "Usagi Speech."

They came slowly at first. Wren nodded to a man who smelt like Valhalla, who immediately went to his, ah, date. She blinked, amused and happy for Audra. Wow, that had been a shock. Audra hadn't mentioned a companion lately, but perhaps she was shy about it. She let him pass, bumping against Voodoo too when she said to relax. Her son was a bundle of nerves, shooting off almost immediately. Wren's eyes trailed after him, seeing the boy fall over right in front of Audra.

Well, at least if he was hurt... He could be attended to! "I'm trying" she smirked at Voodoo, happy her friend joined her to greet the strangers. Bellamy, Gavroche, and Beauregard would come from Menagerie's side. She nodded to them if they looked to her. The delegation from Tojo-Kai arrived, and a polite koi-colored woman greeted her as more gathered. "Welcome!" she said a bit more confidently now, tail wagging. A woman from Ashen arrived next. "it is nice to meet you - again - Celeste of Ashen" she added to her old acquaintance with an amused smirk.

Though they had met in winter, the horned woman was hard to forget. Three more koi wolves made their way into the gathering. One of them didn't really say anything, looking almost warily around. The other joined the lady who greeted her. The next remained by the sullen one. Celeste took her leave with her companion once introductions - or re-meeting - was over.

"Speech"
ooc; no post order. go nuts! wren is with voodoo at the entrance

Her greeting was enough for Torben to assume she was happy to see him. His stumpy tail and backside wiggled a bit, his insides churning with nerves. She questioned what he had and he lowered it gently to the ground. While it would be polite to let Audra open it herself, he knew she didn't know what was inside. Therefore, knowing, he knew to take precautions when unwrapping the gift. More or less gently nosing it open, he stepped back as the cloth fell. The preserved dandelion was a bit larger than some flowers. He made sure to find a slightly bigger species so it could be worn and on display. To Torben, Audra deserved to be on display anyway. "F-For you" he stumbled, about to go on before a child darted toward them. Immediately afraid he would hurt them indirectly, he took another step back as the boy ran into Audra. They fell on their back, staring up at both of them. "ye okay?" he asked, concerned, and walked a bit closer. It was then that the resemblance struck him somewhat. Torben stared, a bit shocked. It was like looking at a smaller version of himself. "torben speaks" & "audra speaks"

News of the Menagerie’s festival had reached the red woman’s ears and, Keahi is excited to see what Wren has done. Red paws carry her toward the sparse pines, her polar bear armor firmly in place over her red frame. She does not anticipate needing it but the warm fur that lays against her much thinner-then-normal coat helps to stave off the cold chill of the northern region. The dagger with its special scabbard dyed to match the hue of her fur is firmly buckled in place against her foreleg. Again, she did not bring it to use against anyone but to protect herself from predators that might be roaming.

A beautiful rock pulls Keahi’s ocean blue eyes down to the ground and a warm smile tugs at her red lips. Rocks and petals are scattered about, creating a gentle, yet eye-catching pathway to the Menagerie’s southern border. The red wolf steps over into the path, following the beautiful trail. Soon, the form of her adopted sister comes into view, with Wren is situated near the predefined entrance to the festival. The tropical woman makes her to the russet woman, a huge, proud smile on her lips as her ocean blue gaze scans the festival area.

Awe stretches the lines of her face as she takes in the flowers that hanging in ribbons from the branches of the trees so that, every time a gentle breeze rolls through the area, the lines move and rustle the gentle petals together. The soft herbal scent that fills the area, is pleasant and, as she stops by Wren, Keahi is thoroughly enchanted by the festival. Turning her gaze to her adoptive sister, the red woman dips her head in greeting, saying, “Wren! I have been meaning to come visit but the timing was never right. I must say, this is amazing!” Eyes sparkle with joy as she leans in, aiming to give her sister a gentle, affectionate head bump.

With that, Keahi excuses herself, wishing to make way for any party goers that may be waiting behind her. Before she leaves, the red woman leans in and says, “I am so proud of you. Congratulations!” Another, proud smile flashes across her features as she departs, looking around at the gathered wolves before moving toward the area with refreshments and settling in to watch.


"Keahi Mogotsi"

Fern walks along the makeshift path with her mate, Rudyard, by her side. The pair have been traveling since Rudy surprised the gray woman with the wedding gift of traveling for the season. They had quickly packed and set out, making their way up to the north with the idea of slowly traveling down toward Auster. Word of a festival had reached the vacationing pair and Fern had convinced Rudy to take her. Not that she really had to convince him but it was still fun to tease the motley man.

Pale paws carry her toward the marked entrance were a russet woman stands ready to greet them. A warm, friendly smile is on Fern’s lips as approaches the Alpha, dipping her head in a respectful bow while saying, “Greetings! My name is Fern and this is my mate, Rudyard. We are from the Hallows and are very excited to be a part of the festival!” Her smile grows until she is beaming.

As Rudy speaks, the gray woman allows her eyes to search the area, noting how beautiful the decorations are. Wow, the pack went all out and it really shows. Once Rudyard is done and the couple excuse themselves to go join the party, Fern steers her mate toward the refreshments. Spying the sweet wolf, Audra, who had once been a part of the Hallows pack, the gray wolf makes a mental note to go say hello once she is free.


"Fern Carpathius" | "Puff"

The scarred woman makes her way to where a festival is being held, the need for some happiness in her life drives her onward. After Tove’s run in with Vidarr, the older woman has been dealing with grief that she had kept suppressed and depression has clung to her like a heavy, dark blanket. The bright, happy colors that mark the pathway stand in stark contrast against the scarred woman’s mood and her head hangs low as she spies a wolf at the entrance, greeting all who enter.

Taking a deep breath, pushing herself to go forward instead of turning and running, Tove ducks her head in an effort to hide some of her scars. Not that it helps much, her face, neck, and shoulders are crisscrossed with vivid pink scars that had been given to her the dayher brother, Bodin, died. Ears flick back and press against her skull in a show embarrassment as she stops in front of brown woman.

Eyes glance over to her as Tove opens her mouth, gravelly, rough voice breaking the air as she winces in pain, her damaged vocal chords moving as she says, “Name’s Tove. Thank you for doing this.” A small, friendly smile appears on damaged lips before she diverts her eyes to her paws and slinks in, trying hard not to be noticed by anyone. She had forced herself to come but the woman is very self-conscious of her appearance in the midst of all the beautiful wolves. Tears sting the back of eyes as she ponders why the hell she had come.


"Tove Baade"

"Thanks for the invite, love." They had met Wren when coming north, sticking around when the alpha woman gave permission for them to remain and attend the festival. The wolf's eyes glanced around at the entire location, spotting Celeste easily among the crowd. Once Wren nodded at them, Bexley entered properly. They knew nobody else here but the Ashen wolf, and she was already with someone else. Ah well. Bex moved to the outskirts, spotting a few pack wolves that obviously had come together. They sat, amused at the situation they found themselves in. Maybe they'd partake in a few events, maybe not... They were in no hurry to leave or stay. Maybe something fun would happen. They did hear about a massive throw-down with those fight-y wolves happening soon. Something they would not partake in. But someone could - gasp! - yell profanities. Ah, that would be fun. OOC; bex is alone, feel free to approach him