Steady Blaze [Pack Meeting]
Deadline 26th of September
Ardyn
Master Fighter (250)
Master Hunter (240)
Knight
Bloodletter
6 Years
Male
1056
BrienaSkysong
Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi |
Today, Ardyn was on a mission, and he trotted across the plains, tail flowing like a black, flaming banner as he made his way to the meeting boulder. It was about time for the latest meeting—there were new faces to introduce, Kairi’s birthing and death to be announced and the children to introduce. He’d already sent word to Tel through Lyr to gather the pups and lead them to the meeting boulder.
He’d give the pack one chance to make a choice of mentoring these three pups, and if none stepped forward to get to know the pups and take them on as pupils, he’d choose for them.
He leapt with a practiced bound to the boulder and settled with a comfortable flick of his tail to send it flowing and pooling at his paws as he tipped his head to the sky and sand long and loud for the pack to gather, including Cassiela in the call. She was a guest to introduce, after all.
Letting his muzzle lower as the howl echoed across the plains to the hill and rebounded, he drew in a breath and gazed across the plains, waiting patiently.
Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think |
Ardyn at first glance is as black as can be imagined with a raven sheen.
Closer inspection proves that he shimmers in fire tones in every hair on his hide right down to his lashes.
More obviously, he glows like a bed of coals and flames with every movement and brush of fur. His tail is usually wagging, so blazes like a torch.
His adult teeth are in and his saber canines have grown to their full length (see profile). His mane and tail hair have grown to full length, as well as being lightweight and easily buffeted by breezes.
A look at his front paws will give the impression of hands, with his dew claw dropped low and lengthened into a functioning thumb, and his toes elongated into fingers. He has retractable, solid black cat-like claws on every paw.
Ardyn has developed a glowing mast of intricate markings in fire and ice colors over his face, symmetrical over the last seasons of Year 17 (see profile for details). During hunts or raids/sieges, he will smudge them out with black soot to cover the glow, otherwise, they are bright enough to note at first direct glance at his face. Not all his artwork currently portrays the mask markings.
He is also often bedecked in beads, small bells, feathers in blues, ribbons and braids thanks to the Ooze Event of Halloween 2021, and the Coathanger item that he got. The accessories generally are seen most in his mane and tail hair. He removes the brighter items and bells for hunts or battle.
Cairo II
Master Fighter (250)
Master Hunter (295)
Weaponsmaster
9 Years
Male
50
BrienaSkysong
Cairo had been tidying one of the fight training areas when Ardyn’s call for the pack reached his ears. He’d been expecting the call, since his King had, like his mother before him, briefed him on upcoming agendas for the pack.
There were several new faces to greet, one guest, and three pups. So he set off at a long lope, slowing to grin up at Ardyn as he reached the meeting Boulder, shadowed beneath its two oaks, one ancient and dead, the other young and living, growing steadily from an acorn dropped who knew how long ago.
He leapt to the top of the boulder, taking his place to Ardyn’s right, behind the king. As his haunches lowered to the stone, he glanced over the gathering clearing. He was the first to arrive, so he waited patiently with Ardyn as Crystal dropped to perch in the oak. Enito moved to sit at its base, fiddling with a hide he was sewing into a pouch.
Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think |
Aurielle
Master Intellectual (240)
Master Fighter (255)
Professor
10 Years
Female
212
BrienaSkysong
Aurielle Adravendi |
One of the benefits of spending so much time at the tower site at the top of the hillock was that it gave the Spirit Mother a great view of the plains below. She knew the meeting would be called soon, and had been keeping one eye on the meeting boulder.
Even at this distance her son’s ink-black frame with its flickering fire-toned glow was distinctive and she set aside the plans she’d been working on, tucking them into a nook to keep them dry as she made her way down the hill.
As she arrived, she glanced about. So far, only Ardyn and Cairo were present, so she took a seat at the base of the boulder, smiling up at her son before settling to cross her paws comfortably. She was retired, with no need to sit up straight as she watched for the pack, waiting for Red to arrive and join her in his spot as the Heart Father.
Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think |
At first glance, Aurielle's coat is pure white.. Her fur has an iridescent quality (like moonstones) where the fur shimmers different colors under various angles of light: in this case, the colors shown by rainbow moonstones. Not one hair on her hide is a solid unnatural color, but, ya know, it's really hard to convey that in still art :P
Aurielle's English is heavily laden with an Irish, Swedish mixed accent.
Her family is allowed to crash all her threads, Private and Open.
As of Autumn Year 14, Aurielle glows with a bright blue-white bio-luminescence in her fur, and bears a marking over her left eye - see profile and reference.
Taliesyn
Master Fighter (240)
Intermediate Intellectual (45)
13 Years
Male
163
BrienaSkysong
His teeth cropped at the summer grass, thick mane dragging along the ground as the stallion munched his way through one of the many snacks that were required to keep a horse’s gut happy. Their bellies were meant to always be working, transforming forage into energy, and he didn’t plan on going empty bellied any time soon. Ulcers weren’t fun.
A howl reached his ears and he paused in his chewing, ears pricking before he turned and set off at a trot, hooves drumming steadily.
It wasn’t often that Valhalla held a meeting more than once in a while, so enough must have happened to merit one. He knew some of it, but he was always open to hearing what more there was to be said.
The stallion dropped into an amble as he arrived, horned head dipping in greetings as he moved to one side, nearer to the back of the clearing—it wasn’t a sign of low rank so much as an acknowledgement he made that he was a very large creature with big hooves and a glowing coat. He preferred to stay out of the way of the smaller members of the pack. Crushed paws weren’t something he wanted to inflict by accident.
He lowered himself to the ground, tail flicking to spread over the ground as he settled in and waited for the rest of the pack, smiling at the three that he’d formed good ties with since his decision to join the pack his mother had been part of long ago. How was she, he wondered…
Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think |
Legacy
Intermediate Healer (30)
Intermediate Navigator (50)
6 Years
Female
358
BrienaSkysong
Legacy Ancora |
She was in deep conversation with her mother, Old Tongue rattling off their lips at an animated clip, as they worked in the larger gardens her father had founded over the years, tucked against the flank of the Hillock.
It was coming close to Legacy’s Marking Ceremony and discussion over color choice was in full swing when Ardyn’s call to the pack reached both women’s ears and they paused, heads tilting in unison before Eramaya nodded at her and Legacy led the way.
They’d have their own little announcement to add, which Ardyn knew about, so Legacy’s face held a smile that was laden with excitement and a few nerves. She’d turned three this season, and perfume covered the scent that came with her birth season.
It didn’t help the restlessness much, but she’d learned to keep her composure and ignore it, working hard to expend some of it.
She came into the clearing, nodding to those gathered before she settled near the oaks, tail curled along her paws as he glanced toward the plains to see who might come next.
Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think |
Legacy is nearly always clad in her Deer Hide Armor when on outings, mainly because you never know when you'll find an herb to take home. Unless stated otherwise, it's relatively safe to assume she's wearing it.
Eramaya
Expert Healer (120)
Beginner Intellectual (0)
9 Years
Female
75
BrienaSkysong
Eramaya of Valhalla |
As she and her daughter chatted over their work, teasing about what color Legacy’s Mark would look best in, Eramaya watched her daughter with a faint smile. Her daughter was a child no longer. A grown woman worked across from her, and she felt maternal pride well in her throat.
As she tossed another weed into the basket, Ardyn’s howl reached their ears and she smiled, nodding to Legacy to take the lead as she followed behind her.
They arrived after a few minutes and Eramaya moved to take her place as one of the higher ranked healers of the pack, settling with her usual poise, facing the plains but with enough of an angle to nod to Ardyn and his mother, and Cairo.
Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think |
Art by NightofRavens |