The start of Spring brought with it warmer weather. Today was one of the rare, sunny days that would come with the season. The dark sanded beach was warm beneath his paws as he made his way down it. The Warlord struggled to believe that today marked the day his youngest turned two. Time seemed to be escaping him, and he worried how many moments he missed out on with those he loves. How many he had left. He was feeling his age in his bones rather a lot lately. Halo often slipped him salves to take the ache away from over used muscles and old scars. He wanted to treasure every moment he could with his kids. With that in mind, he organised a party for his youngest kids. Isa helped him with the food, and a few other wolves chipped in as well to bring some decorations and build the atmosphere (Feel free to pp chipping in on anything you want!) for the party. When everything was together, the Warlord raised his head and called out for his children, and the rest of the pack to join him. Marshal he had sent ahead to attempt to Locate Dread, to extend an invitation to him and Deluge. He did not know if his son would come, but he could not imagine letting this day go unmarked for him. "Speech"

Lefty was rather pleased with their contributions. They had organized a series of long dyed furs into streamers that hung from above-- and the slave also had gathered a collection of bowls and mugs, for drinks. Finally, a prism of glass and crystal say, special, by a low fire-- the fire sparkling through the prism, making the entire space light up in a variety of shining spots.

The blue wolf looked back at the leading pair and her tail wagged at them. She valued Sirius, of course, and wanted to get to know Warlady Isa. But this was not a party for her. Lefty breathed in a deep breath and waited for others to arrive-- she couldn't wait.

"Speech"

It felt strange that, at last, Charlie was an adult. He had a rank within the Armada since he was a yearling, but reaching adulthood was yet another milestone. Something to be proud of. The young man had spent most of the day keeping busy, working with Yorrick and Silveris to make some special items to bring to the party. The rods of metal had some materials wrapped together with twine on the end to make a sort of sparkler for him and his siblings. Charlie didn’t expect them to burn long, but hey, it was the thought that counted, right? Something to celebrate them making this far. He made one for Dread and Vanta too. Even if they weren’t here, they still deserved to be included. They were his family.

With the makeshift sparklers in his maw Charlie set off for the beach. This time he came alone, his companions hanging back to clean up their work station. He’d be one of the first to arrive, setting the sparklers down a safe distance from the fire before giving a nod to his father. The young man had left his brace at home but, around his ankles, were the cuffs that were the present of his first birthday. Around his right ear he wore an accessory of jay feathers, a decorative piece that he had made. Knowing his father would have plenty of wolves to greet, Charlie made his way over to the femme who had arrived.

“I hope you’ll enjoy the party as well. My name is Charlie, what’s yours?”

"Speech," 'Thought.'

A party!? Wylan was so excited by the idea, and he was there early to help the adults prepare things. He found Lefty, and realised the other wolf was making some cool things for the party. The glass prism was - paws down - one of the greatest inventions of wolf-kind. As she was making it, he made a nuisance of himself, attempting to catch the light with his paws. He giggled and helped re-adjust it so light sparkled around the place. “This is the best. Thing. Ever, Lefty!” He told her.

When his Grandfather called the pack together, he grabbed the last streamer fur and trotted away to help put it up. (He wanted to say he’d actually managed to contribute after all) when he came back, Charlie had made his way over to lefty. The winged wolf trotted up to the two of them, his paws dancing lightly over the sand. “This is Lefty! She's my friend, and she’s teaching me about guts, and met-er-a-phors” He told his Uncle. “Lefty, this is Charlie. He’s one of my coolest Uncles, he taught me my defences.”


"Speech"

Of course, she had company! Lefty grinned fondly down at Wylan, who was -- well, he was getting big for his age! They watched the boy try to catch the lights, and even played along, tilting the prism just a little so lights would vanish as he caught them, to make them look like they'd truly gone away. Make him think he'd caught them, you know? Nothing wrong with letting a kid have a fun time like that.

"It is pretty great," Lefty admits, with a low, buzzing laugh. Charlie approaches them, and Lefty watches the young man with a quirked ear. "I'm certain I will, Charlie! I've not thrown a party like this for some time." They'd not really been part of making such things happen back home, but here in Armada, things were different. Lefty heard Wylan just-- well, Wylan answered the young man's question. "Lefty, like Wylan said."

She laughed-- as Lefty laughed, Storm-Eye landed on their shoulder and began to pick at blue fur, fussing over the wolf who he partnered to. "We are friends, yes-- I taught him about metaphor and guts, and as you can imagine, he's quite the eager student." There's a flash of her teeth, playful. "I promised him I'd make him a blade. Wylan-- show Charlie the wooden sword?"

"Speech"

the idea of a party sounds absolutely divine to Spider! an occasion to hang out with their packmates and have fun?! sign them up! they even put a minute bit of effort into their appearance for the event, smoothing down the most unruly bits of their pelt in an attempt to look presentable. it’s…a bit of a lost cause, but it’s the thought that counts. practically buzzing with excitement, Spider sets off for the party and is among the first few to arrive. everyone seems to have contributed something to the party, whether it to be music or decorations or snacks. Spider…Spider brings something, too. between their teeth they carry a bottle with an old withered label, it’s contents dark and sloshing mysteriously. they have absolutely no clue what it is, having stumbled across it a few ways prior while wandering a pack-less territory. it’d been lying admist a pile of empty bottles, which sure is lucky! maybe the next wolf it belonged to forgot to bring it with them?

“hiya, guys!” Spider chirps, grinning around at everyone as they set bottle down. some faces they know, some they barely recognise. there’s Sirius and Wylan, of course, and that new recruit Bas is overseeing. and also a man they’ve seen around but not really spoken to. “how’s it going, little man?” they say to Wylan, alluding to their age gap with a playful wink. “having fun?” they twist the lid of the bottle open and take an eager sip, then scrunch up their nose as a bitter, acrid taste floods their mouth. ugh, the stuff is gross! and it burns hotly down their throat, settling in their stomach and spreading a dizzying warmth through their veins. frowning, Spider takes a smaller sip, hoping to get used to it. they pull another face and shake their head to clear it. nope, still gross!

"Speech"

Spider has a male raven companion named Doomsday and a female snake companion named Lady Snakeskin. Assume they are present unless stated otherwise.

Why was it always the beach? Crux finished wrapping up his little bundle and after Riya double checked the state of his neck, which mostly meant checking on the state of the scar and applying a thin layer of lotion to help mitigate his discomfort which was about all they could do at this point unless there were signs of infection, and the pair headed out. It took him some time still to manoeuvre his way across the beach, as usual his balance was less than stellar on a surface that was known for shifting under your paws. But he made it to the small gathering eventually and Riya stepped forward to grab his bundle, taking it from him so he could go join his brother and the others. Crux mouthed a thank you in her direction and watched as she marched off towards the rest of the food, hopefully the extra honey he'd gotten in the wake of his "burn" would be a welcome addition.

"Don't tell me learning about guts means you're going to want me to teach you how to do stitches next." Crux said as he approached the group, smiling at his nephew. He knew this would be the first time many of his family would see the scar but the last thing he wanted to do was worry them, he'd survived and ultimately a scar seemed like a pretty low price to pay for what he'd gone through. He shuffled his way over to beside his brother and gently bumped Charlie in greeting before sitting himself down. He could always go and talk with his father and Isa later, for now he didn't want to struggle to walk any more! "I'm Crux." He introduced himself to the pair he had yet to meet, giving them a somewhat shy smile. He didn't love that so many wolves had been meeting him on the beach as of late, didn't exactly help he assumed most saw his leg first and the wolf attached to it second.

"Speech"

Art by TheStarvingRaven

Wylan was practically overwhelmed, he was so full of joy. Look, so many people he loved, all in the same place! Sadly, he was sidetracked very easily, and got distracted from lefty's question quite by accident. He wiggled his tail at Spider and stuck his tongue out at them. “Least I got the rabbit” He joked. There had been no rabbit. The rabbit had never been real. But he’d won it anyway.

Crux appeared next, and had clearly overheard the subject of guts and spoke of stitches. “yes, yes yes!” He agreed, jumping up and putting his paws on Crux’s leg. He wiggled his tail at his Uncle next, grinning at him. “Yes!” He agreed, as if it had been a question. “This is my Uncle Crux. He’s teaching me how to make salves-” He gave the older boy the side eye ”-and stitches.” Yes, that was cemented now, joke or not.

He jumped on his back legs, driving his front legs higher up Crux’s body. “Up, up!” he said, wiggling his wings behind him to try give him a little more lift.


"Speech"

Ah, here was the entire crew! Lefty watched. There was Spider-- the charge that Basilisk had put them in charge of. Lefty dipped their head to Spider, flashing them a friendly grin. "No trouble, I take it?" This was a sort of half-joke, certainly driven by the fact that Lefty was meant to take care of the youth. The blue wolf kept their eyes on both Spider and Wylan, now, as other wolves shuffled in; Crux, who offered a shy smile, was the one who caught her eyes next. Lefty dipped their head to him.

While it was true that Lefty was a slave of the Armada, their mannerisms did not reflect that overmuch. They were not cringing or submissive. No. Lefty, instead, seemed relaxed, calmed, in their element. Each who spoke to them was given equal attention in time.

"If he wants to learn about stitches, that's all yours, Crux." Lefty chuckled, a smile crossing their maw. Their tail swept side to side and that crooked little smile grew wider as Wylan demanded up on his -- uncle? She wasn't quite sure. She knew that there were numerous wolves, and that they'd had their own families. Wylan's antics, though, pulled a pleasant laugh from Lefty, and they shook their head, making no move to stop anything from happening. Let 'em play. After a moment, they remembered they'd not introduced themselves, and so they spoke up. "Ah! Yes. My name is Lefty."

Before the femme could answer him, here came a familiar face chiming in and introducing her instead. Charlie smiled as his gaze shifted to Wyl, glad to see his nephew in high spirits. So this femme, Lefty, was his friend? And the boy spoke fondly of him as well which made Charlie’s heart soar. His gaze would then flick back to the femme as she spoke. So she had thrown parties like this before? Where had she come from, he wondered? Regardless of her past, a new face was welcome within the pack, and on a day like today it was hard to be anything but excited and hopeful for the future. At her comment about Wylan, Charlie chuckled and gave a nod. “Oh believe me, I know first paw.” Not that he minded. His nephew’s enthusiasm only inspired him to help the boy learn.

At her comment that she intended to make the boy a blade, Charlie arched a brow. “Oh? I suppose he’ll just have a whole set of weapons at his disposal as he ages. I promised to make him something as well.” He wasn’t offended by that though. Instead he arched a brow and decided to offer a proposition. “I’m actually trialing to become the Master of Arms for the Armada. If you would like, perhaps you would work alongside me while I work on some crafts of my own? I find that company makes the process even more enjoyable.”

Ahh but it was silly of him to expect that others would not show. Another pup, well, yearling, came, bringing with her a bottle of… something. Charlie arched a brow as she addressed Wylan, only to have Crux show up a heartbeat later as well. Oh boy, and Crux said something that really caught Wyl’s interest. The pup was on him the next moment, and Charlie grinned. “Now you’ve done it, Crux.” Charlie teased. If Wylan was to have his way, he’d be up on Crux in the next few moments. His gaze would then shift to the female pup, noticing the unique markings on her face that resembled eyes. "I don't believe we've met. My name is Charlie, what is yours?"

"Speech," 'Thought.'

He sure had done it huh? Crux loved his nephew, he would gladly teach the boy how to do stitches but he would also admit he struggled to keep up with a pup with all the energy in the world and without a mobility issue. Not like he was old or anything. Still he chuckled as he was mobbed by his nephew and cast a knowing look at his brother in agreement before he sighed softly. "Alright, alright." No rest for the wicked it seemed. Crux laid himself down so his nephew could clamber up on him if he wanted. He expected that he was going to find resting his paws wouldn't last for much longer. Oh the sacrifices he made!

"Speech"

Art by TheStarvingRaven

woah, the world is getting blurry. Spider giggles to themself, a paw smothering their laughter as they sway from side to side. this drink might taste rancid, but it’s doing all sorts of fun floaty things to their stomach. in fact, it takes them a while to realise they’re even being addressed. to the outside viewer they just stare unseeingly for several moments, unblinking and a tad unnerving. then they snap back to themselves and focus properly on the man in front of them, noting the tan and green of his fur, the aqua of his eyes. “hiiii,” they coo, grinning so widely it borders on deranged, “i’m S-Spi…der. Spider. and i’m a warrior!”

"Speech"

Spider has a male raven companion named Doomsday and a female snake companion named Lady Snakeskin. Assume they are present unless stated otherwise.

Marshal had managed to track him down, and somehow Dread wasn't surprised. He hadn't exactly made himself difficult to find. While they were gathering things, supplies, members to get on the road with Deluge at the helm of a band, he'd been sleeping on the Raiders' proverbial couch. It wasn't so bad. He was contributing where he could, especially with the pups. Deluge's youngest siblings were a rowdy bunch, but genuinely, they were cute. Maybe a little out of pocket sometimes, but cute. Speaking of pups, he knew better than to think his siblings were the only ones he'd be bringing gifts for.

Packing down a borrowed bag, tucking away the gifts he'd rounded up for his siblings and the pups. All things he'd found, he'd made, he'd worked for. Even a bottle of rum, the nice stuff, for his father. It was only polite to bring a gift to the host. "You know you don't have to come with me, if you don't want to. I wouldn't blame you." Dread reassured Deluge, the words gentle as they set off together. Really, he was glad that she was by his side. He felt safer this way.

Crossing the border into the Armada felt... strange. Though he was an invited guest, it felt like he was trespassing. Dread hadn't been here since sneaking over the border to retrieve his things in the wake of the incident. Now? Well, now things were even stranger. Taking a deep breath, the boy tried to steady himself as they approached the scene of the party. The kiddo Hazel had adopted, along with-- wow. "Wylan, you've gotten so big." Dread spoke softly, a gentleness about him that replaced all the nerves in an instant. Tentative as he was... this was still his family, right? "Crux, Charlie," the greeting comes with a dip of his muzzle, a tight lipped smile.

On the communal table, he unrolls an offering of fresh fish, of clams. Gifts for his siblings fashioned from mother of pearl, all little bits of jewelry. The pups, much of the same, though much smaller in scale. Finally getting to the bottom of his bag, Dread turns to look for the remainder of the host gifts. He'd have to man up and face Sirius eventually, right?

Sirius was quite happy to watch the young ones play. A group gathered and mingled with his winged grandson running from one wolf to another, and making a general but friendly nuisance of himself. He leaned back, helping himself to a bite of fish that Isa had prepared, when Marshal sailed over above him. Beneath him, was a very unexpected site. Despite inviting him, he had not expected Dread to accept his invitation. He approached slowly, letting Dread speak to the gathered group before he slipped in beside his young son. He didn’t speak. He wasn’t sure what he would say if he had opened his maw. Instead, he tentatively spread his forpaws open. An invitation, and one without any pressure. He was simply there, if Dread wanted him. "Speech"

Dread shifted his weight, suddenly itchy. Uncomfortable. Warm under the collar, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Swallowing hard, feeling the anxiety begin to prickle down his back and run through his system. The beach beneath his feet may well have been quicksand, though he knew it wasn't. He'd trained on this beach. Grown up on this beach. He knew it better than anything. Why did he suddenly feel caged, trapped, like a wild animal? Dread took a breath, steadying himself, biting back his anxiety. This place had been his home. Maybe that's why the ghosts feel heavier, more present than usual.

Perhaps that's because there are new ghosts.

Sirius comes to stand beside him, and Dread offered him the same tight-lipped smile and nod he'd offered his brothers. "Sir," he paused for a moment, as if arranging his next words carefully. "Thank you for having us." He steps in with a hug, though it's stiff. How is he... how is he supposed to act? How is this meant to go? Dread stepped back after the brief hug, offering the bottle of rum to his father. A gift for the host-- couldn't let him think every lesson was wasted.

It's only after a moment he softens some, his tone and posture become less formal. It's hard to maintain the façade of being a grown ass man doing well on his own when grief enters the picture. His volume drops too, more confidential. Too self conscious to bring down the entire mood of the party, Dread speaks for only the Warlord to hear. "I heard about Ruga and... and Keahi. My condolences." He'd barely chased the quiver from his voice at the thought of the red woman and her kindness, her watchful eye at his back during his lessons. A pang in his chest at the thought of the flood, and the dozens of other little things he must have missed along the way.

The Warlord felt his eyes mist as Dread accepted his embrace. He wrapped his paws around his son, and rested his head on the other wolf's shoulder. “You’ve grown.” He said, they were eye to eye now. When had that happened? Dread’s next words didn’t help Sirius to keep his composure. He breathed in a shutters breath. “They will be missed. She was… she was a dear friend.” He did not know Ruga as well, though he had been valued in the pack. His storm-riding friend however was another hole in his heart. He released Dread, and carefully manoeuvred him away so that the two could speak. This was the first chance he had gotten since things had gone down. “I’m sorry for what I said in the heat of the movement. I was angry, and I was so afraid to lose you, too. You know I don’t… take loss… well.” Like he had lost Dread’s mother. That was a loss that would haunt him to the end of his days. “Pushing you away was a mistake. You are, and always will be my son, Dread. I’ve been making inroads to make peace with the Raiders. For your sake went unsaid. "Speech"

With the coming of Spring and its slightly warmer weather, a new milestone also happens. Butterflies flutter in Andy’s stomach as she approaches the beach where it is being prepared for the party that would be held soon. Since it is their second birthday, she had decided to make some decorations for the event that would also be her gifts to her siblings. She had taken her time, carefully carving a different intricate design into sixteen different torch poles that would ring the party area. The long, flowing designs may seem simple but the young woman had spent hours carefully detailing each one with a special design. No two where exactly the same.

Finally, once the carvings were done, Andromeda had inlaid each and every one with a special color to represent each of the Fatalis children. Every child, from the very first litter to the last had their own unique torch, and she plans to make sure that each sibling receives theirs after the celebration. Entering the area, she spies her father and Isa and smiles warmly at them as they work to put the final touches on the food. Andy carefully creates a large ring around the area with the sixteen the poles and realizes that it helps to designate where the party will be taking place.

Once they are all set up, she steps back and gives them a quick look before sighing contently and nodding to herself. With that done, she moves to where her father is and taps him on his shoulder to pull her away from where he is busily finishing preparations. With a warm smile, Andy leans in to give her father a huge hug and warmly says, “Thank you dad. For everything you do.” Placing a loving kiss on his cheek, she then moves over to Isa and gives her a warm, tender embrace as well. Softly she whispers so that only the blue woman may hear, “Thank you Isa. For saving him. I love you so much… mom.”

Emotion chokes the last word and she buries her face into Isa necks for a moment to hide the happy tears that prick at her eyes. When she pulls back, there is a luminous smile on her lips and she places a gentle kiss on Isa’s cheek. Releasing the woman, Andy looks to them both and says, “I invited Aresenn to come celebrate with us! I am going to go wait for him at the border. I will be back as soon as I can. Love you both!” With that, she retreats, watching as wolves begin to appear and she trots past them. Quickly, she races out through the forest until she is at the border. Pulling to a stop, she searches the area for any signs of the fiery man, knowing that Aquila that delivered had the invitation to him and now, all she has to do, is wait.


"Andromeda Fatalis"

Sirius was excited for the birthday of his children and Isa shared in that excitement. She went above and beyond with her preparations for the feast, preparing both cooked and raw meats of all varieties. There were honeyed fruits and stewed vegetables to accompany the meats and she'd gone about making little individual fire top pies filled with nuts and fruit for dessert. Everything that a party needed.

While Sirius went and mingled, the cerulean fae was content to settle down beside the fire and watch. When others passed, she greeted them warmly, but other than that she was fairly silent. That was, until Andromeda came up to her. The young woman gave her an embrace which Isa returned wholeheartedly. She was very good at hugs. Andy whispered into her ear and tears instantly filled the older woman's eyes. Mom. Andy had called her mom!

Isa never intended to replace the mother that Sirius' children had lost. She would never dream of even trying. The place of a mother was very important. Reverent, in a way. She did vow that, if they needed her, she would be there for them. She would be there for all of them.

As Andromeda pulled back and placed a kiss on her cheek, Isa remained silent, not trusting her voice due to the intense emotion that welled within her. She smiled with watery eyes then raised a paw to wipe away the tears that were definitely falling. Happy tears, but also tears of sadness for Zee, the mother of Sirius' children. She couldn't help but wonder if the woman would be upset by the forged bond or relieved that her children had someone to rely on and care for them.

"Isa"

With the thaw of spring, travel had become a great deal easier at the very least. As he crossed the dividing territories, he had maintained an easy, but brisk pace. Though, even still, he had left the Polar Sound to ensure that he would arrive at the Armada border near the projected time he was meant to meet her there. Weaving his way through the forest did take a bit more thought in each step- a realm of gnarled trees that reached for the sky like twisted sentinels. The dense canopy cast dappled shadows on the ground, creating a mosaic of light and darkness beneath. He felt a mix of anticipation and discomfort as he approached the territory border, summoned by a message delivered from Aquila the goshawk.

Andromeda, the one who called to his deeply buried desire to be his best self, had extended an invitation to attend a birthday celebration. The thought of mingling with a crowd sent a ripple of unease through him, he had only attended his own birthday for the promise of alcohol. Yet, for her sake, he wouldn't deny her request- he couldn't stand the thought of disappointing her again. Even though he couldn't help but think it to be inevitable.

The scent of the forest surrounded him, a symphony of earth and growth announcing the arrival of spring. As he neared the appointed meeting spot, Aresenn's amber gaze quickly found the familiar lavender tones of her delicate figure, elegant and poised beneath the canopy of sprawling oak trees. Her presence was enough for him to momentarily forget his apprehension. "Andromeda," he murmured, his voice a low timbre blending with the rustle of leaves overhead as he offered his greeting. His gaze softened as he approached, though he didn't stop until he stood toe to toe with her. Offering her a more gentle version of his lop-sided smirk, he leaned in for an affectionate hug. "Happy Birthday."

"Aresenn"

The mottled girl did a poor job of hiding her eye roll when Dread insisted that she didn't have to come. First of all, she wouldn't leave him to face this on his own. Second of all, maybe she could track down that girl she tussled with in the raid and encourage her to go visit Flurry. Third of all, well, maybe it'd be a good time? Fighting was just as much fun as getting shit-faced in her estimation, and she had plenty of bottles slung over her hips to spare one or two breaking in a brawl.

As the warlord moved in to do... whatever touchy feely thing he was doing with Dread, Deluge moved aside to give them some room, but not before she caught a familiar face. "Charlie!" Her shortened tail beat happily at her back. The twinkle in her eye spoke of nothing good. "I came with gifts! Tell me, have yer ever-tried whiskey?"

"speech"