Azalea sat in the richly colored forest with her face to the breeze and her eyes closed to delicate slits. She looked composed, compartmentalizing the raw pain that encompassed the left half of her face. Her left eye would open to a constant blur, one she wasn't sure was going to go away or not. She hoped so, definitely. She also hoped that her scars healed as cleanly as possible to help preserve her good looks. Of course, Azalea had chosen this life for herself and the scars came with it so she would need to learn to accept it. The towering redwoods swayed into the wind, whispering secrets and nonsense. Azalea would stand, tail rising over her back proudly as she looked around and gave a gentle sigh. It was time to call forth the pack, her pack. There would be changes to come as she worked to shape the pack into a well oiled machine with all parts functioning properly. Her head tipped back, her song calling forth the pack and anyone else who wished to join in. She needed to see who was still loyal, who wished to endure the changes to come. Who wished to see the pack flourish. NOTES: You have until August 29th to reply to this and not be considered late. I don't really feel the pack is /changing/ much but activity is going to be important :) Hoping to keep things nice and active and fun for players :D FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO LEAVE: You may do so here, anyone who stays and THEN wants to leave may face a fight for dominance/maim (depending on how they go about leaving)

As always, the boy tagged along at his mama's heels, nipping them gently: only the time, he didn't talk her ears off. He knew it was the eve of something supposedly great, though he wasn't quite sure yet of what it was. "What's going on Mama?" Change was on the wind, he could feel it. His pudgy little body would plop down right between the forelegs of his mama as he would sit down, hiding his obsidian mask behind one of her stilts so he could blend in. Maybe Sarka wouldn't see him. Maybe. "Where's Roman?" After this question, olive gems would calm and his mother would throw her marred face to the sky, letting out a loud call for all members of the pack. Waaaaaait. They were in a pack? COOL! A small yip would come from inky lips, a pathetic attempt at a howl, and he would lower his ears, curling up about his mama's paw, embracing it loosely so that if she felt the need to move the pad she may. "I guess I haven't found my voice yet." A small yawn would escape his tiny muzzle, but he would remain in place, awaiting to see what mama was calling wolves for. "Are you a queen now Mama?" He would ask quietly, in a tiny whisper, olive gems searching his mama for a reply and for his sister.

As usual she would hang ever so close to her family since not many wolves were around. After all, the girl didn't exactly mix well with strangers, her fears of the world were still there even when she was younger. Though she loved her mother dearly, as well as Raziel. While her mother had never heard her speak, Raziel had. The selective mute didn't find any joy in speaking, it wasted her voice in her eyes. As her tail wiggled behind her as she followed beside her brother. What was mother doing? The howl made her eyes suddenly widen in fascination. Could she do that? Of course Sarka wasn't going to bother trying, as she found herself hiding into her brother. The runt cuddling close to him. Was mama queen now? She thought the same question, looking at her mother who she looked up so greatly to. Her tail mildly wagged back and forth, bright colored eyes watched her mother and the outside. If more wolves would be coming, her body would instinctively press into Raziel if he would let her. After all, half the time she depended on her family for everything. It wasn't like she liked it, but her body just didn't do the things she wanted it to do. Why couldn't she be strong like her mother? ?I speak?

Soren had kept himself away from the fighting, he had once lost his family to the pale bastard and would not tempt fate by putting himself in the albino's proximity. He had of course seen his mother return sporting, he had been dismayed to see, some fresh scars. He had remained in close proximity, quietly lurking in the event that she needed him but also trying to stay out of her way. As it stood he had no idea that she had inherited the pack; so when he heard her calling for the pack confusion rose up in him.

Mixed ivory and ebony moved through the forest and he arrived before his mother, questions swimming across his expressions but he remained silent, opting to settle upon his haunches and wait for the answers to come.

talk, think

There was a pleasant wave of her tail when she heard Azalea's call erupt from the sky and towards her ears. She was quick about finishing up her herbal piles before running off so she would not be late. When she arrived, she would dip her head slightly to the new queen, the queen. "Azalea." She greeted with the slightest grin and in a friendly manner. "I hope you bring good news rather than bad." She begged that no ill will had come to Roman. She noticed the former queen was not there and while Elli did not know about the sliding of leadership, she knew that Azalea and Roman got along fairly well. She would fall back onto her haunches as she looked up to the high ranking female.

The babe had sat tongue tied and afraid at the last meeting, listening to both alpha's words with a mixture of fear and something akin to pity. Friends were lost, others discarded. It was fear that had kept her from walking out on Roman with the other white female that had spoken and lead. It was fear that had kept her rooted to that same spot through the entire meeting until everyone else had started to leave around her. And where had Talon been? She didn't know... She still didn't know. Worry was beginning to rot away her at her core, he young female spending most of their time in their den, sometimes dating to venture from pack lands to gather herbs and other various things she knew was helpful. The girl was a self taught healer, having had to patch herself and Talon up a few times. Mostly trial and error and only plants used on superficial wounds or plants to bring down temperatures. But that was what now adorned her den. Talon had not been with her for some time now but she would wait for him... A howl arched up this day, her third pack meeting since joining this pack and slowly nimble limbs would unfurl beneath her and she would lift herself from the den and head slowly towards the sound that had distinctly not been Romans. Her arrival was purposefully later then others this time, timid gaze glancing between the others in some attempt to find a familiar face before giving up and moving a bit to the side and away from everyone. How whole body screamed unease and discomfort. Shoulders hunched forward, head lowered and body curled as much into itself as possible as tail wrapped around her seated haunches. Softly she would clear her throat, attempting to draw the females attention to herself that had called them. "Excuse me ma'am... I don't know what happened to Lady Roman but I lost my Talon while living here... I would like to stay if you would allow..." Her voice was soft, small, wilting in the presence of even these few.

Her dark headed son and daughter followed along closely, Raziel grabbing at her heels and asking questioned. "What's going on Mama?" He would ask first. She did not answer, not even looking at him, but internally noting that way he had felt the shift in things. Instinct was good. When she would come to a stop, the chatty boy child asked about Roman, who Azalea had spent the most time with lately. She would look down at him lightly before rallying the pack, "Patience," was all she would say. As she howled Raziel would attempt to join in but Sarka only cowered into her larger sibling. The girl didn't speak but to howl was different and she hoped that she could eventually coax her into doing just that. The new queen would seat herself, one pup wrapped around her wrist. "Are you a queen now Mama?" She would look down at them now, smiling and nodding. "Yes, I am. But remember we must still be nice to others, right?" She wanted him to know that. Sometimes puppies took rank to mean picking on those below you and she didn't want to hear about him or his siblings hassling anyone. Amber eyes fell on Sarka. Perhaps it was being a runt that made her so timid, but now she was again cowering, leaning into Raziel once more. She would lift her free paw, pressing light against her daughter's side and offering her a relaxed smile. It was bidding for her to calm, she was safe her. Soren appeared then, having not been far away since she came back. She turned her head slightly to fix him with her "good" eye so that he would not appear so damn blurry. Her yearling son seemed to be questioning her silently and she would only nod to him, knowing he at least was old enough to wait for things to get rolling. Elli would appear then, coming up to greet her, friendly as always. That was the thing about healers, she had never met a mean one. "I hope you bring good news rather than bad." She would smile at the tawny wolf, nodding to her. "I'll try not to disappoint," She would say lightly, her tail waving a bit behind her. An interesting looking wolf was the next to approach. Azalea had seen her before, at the last meeting, but had never gotten her name. It would seem that she was nervous, afraid even, to come before her and the others to greet Azalea. "Excuse me ma'am... I don't know what happened to Lady Roman but I lost my Talon while living here... I would like to stay if you would allow..." She smiled politely, letting her tail drop some. "Roman is fine, I assure, she just needed a break. You are of course welcome to remain here, but do me a favor: pick your head up. You are a strong, beautiful individual, always remember that." She would give her a reassuring look, letting the she-wolf to go seat herself. Sadly that seemed to be all the wolves that would be joining them. She had to wonder where Roman was currently, Satis was another one missing. Of course, the situation of the pack had been dire after so many wolves deserted and it would not surprise Azalea if Roman and Satis were the only two other wolves who were missing from this meeting. She cleared her throat, gently loosening her paw free from Raziel's hold so that could stand, taking a couple steps forward. "Thank you all for coming... as you can tell, I am not Roman. She made the decision to hand the pack to me. We may find her around but mostly she needs to time and understanding as she had been through much lately." She would gaze over them a bit sternly, hoping no one would think Roman some type of coward. "With the change of leadership will come other changes. Regium will now be Ethereal. Our numbers have grown few and everyone will be expected to do their best. Wolves over a year of age will need to prove themselves worthy of the ranks they desire." She would pause, her eyes going to Elli, "I would like to welcome Elli to remain the lead healer, Medicus." She hoped the wolf would accept, knowing she was proficient in her job. "You two,""should see me after to discuss the specialties you wish to pursue." "There will be some other changes, joining will be harder and if any wolf proves to be too cowardly to stay they will face retribution for wasting the pack's time. Ethereal will NOT be a pack that backs away from a challenge, but to be clear, if you are not in a fighting rank you will not be expected to fight. I want this to be a place for wolves to become the best of themselves, to realize their full potential, and to be proud of who they are and what they can do." She stood a little taller now, "If anyone has any questions, you may ask them now. I will be taking trips to the other packs, to see where we stand with them." With that Azalea stepped back again, letting the wolves do as they willed. It didn't need to be a long meeting, there really wasn't that much to discuss, or many to discuss with.

Azalea had never met a mean healer because she had never disappointed, betrayed, or hurt Elli or someone she cared about. Elli would sit there, waiting for the rest of the wolves to appear before looking disappointed at such small numbers. There were nine maybe. Less mouths to feed, yes, but less mouths to catch the food. Azalea would start the meeting and some of the news came as a shock to the healer. Roman had handed her crown away completely? She had not quite expected that one to that extent, though she had mused that Azalea had been promoted to a leader rank. The new queen started to assign ranks and Elli was declared the lead healer, which sparked pride within her heart. She would pay attention to the rest of the meeting with a small grin present on her muzzle. She had the strangest feeling that Ethereal was going to grow strong.