Please stop forgetting...((PACK MEETING))

Hailstorm approached the den that was old Sage Ghost's, her steps tentative and slow. Her head was slightly lowered, knowing if the old she wolf's tendency to go into aggressive-mode. Without her parents here, Sage Ghost was the only one she could turn to for experience and wisdom. She'd heard of a wise old grey wolf from her parents before...Firewind, what they had named their swamp after. Unfortunately, she'd never met the fellow. As the splotch-pelted young she Alpha neared the large broken tree trunk that leaned against its still standing base that served as Sage Ghost's den she felt a flutter in her chest. She loved her grandmother, yet feared her outbursts. Something was off with her these last few years. She acted oddly, sometimes she forgot Hailstorm's name, who she even was, or she spoke of an event happening that wasn't. Most days she was normal, but one never knew when they were.
"Grandmother?" Hailstorm called, pausing at the entrance of the den. The toppled tree was covered in years of built up branches, fallen leaves, and vines which gave it a semi-wall that came off the two sides. She could still see within, however, and could see that the overly large she wolf lay in the dappled shadows. A flicker caught Hailstorm's attention, and she realized that Sage Ghost had shifted her gaze to look at her.

"Come in." came Sage Ghost's crackled old voice. Her words sounded funny due to the lack of lip-flesh on the left side of her muzzle...gotten long ago in the great war between themselves and The Swift River Clan. There was still some tension between the older members of the two packs which sometimes tended to rub off on some of the younger wolves but apparently it's nothing like it had been at first. Hailstorm herself had no ill standing with the Clan, despite the bad history between them. The way she saw it, the war was over and their grievances had been resolved. Peace had been made and that was that. Hailstorm slowly entered the den, ducking her black and grey head as she stepped through. The she Alpha sat down before Sage Ghost, whom only lifted her eyes in response. Sage Ghost was a little intimidating, with her size and the nasty scar on her muzzle along with the number of minuscule scars over her body and face...however grey strands had been shot all around her face. From her entire muzzle up to encircle her eyes and to speckle some on her forehead. The old Alpha's eyesight was dimming. Well, what eyesight she had had that is.

"Grandmother, the borders are secure but there hasn't been much activity from the bigger prey animals. All we've been able to catch these past few days have been a few beavers, a couple opossums, and two measly muskrats. It's enough to get us by...but we need a real kill soon. If the large game isn't coming into our lands...what should I do?"

Sage Ghost continued to peer up at Hailstorm for a moment, then shifted to tuck one paw beneath her large chest and lift her scarred head slowly. A brief flicker of non-recognition passed through her eyes before she shook her head lightly,"Still in this food drought..." she grumbled, causing Hailstorm to furrow her brow in confusion. Drought? No. Well, sure they were having a difficult time right now but it was no food drought...
"I'll have to call White Ash to gather what wolves we have. You know, we'll make that rebellious Cold Mountain go to. If he's going to be well groomed to be our Delta then we need him to cooperate with us. We'll need to hunt outside of the territory since it seems the herds will not travel through the valley this year...again. Come, young Raintree. We'll need you on the hunt too." Sage Ghost then pushed herself to her old bones, the sound of the elderly joints moving practically audible, and began to slowly walk out of her den. Hailstorm's ears flew upwards, eyes bugging slightly. Wait...what?! She leapt to her paws and trotted out after Sage Ghost to veer around and block her path.
"Grandmother...no. It's not...we're not in the valley. We're in our swamp. Remember?"
Sage Ghost stopped and frowned, ears turning back slightly and head tilting,"Raintree, don't be a fool. What have you eaten? Because you're acting like you're sick and have forgotten where we are. And apparently who we are. I'm not your grandmother. I'm not even old enough to be a grandmother. Now, let's go and round up White Ash and the others for an out of area hunt." she then began to push past Hailstorm, but her failing strength slowed her attempts. Hailstorm did little budging.
"Grand...Sage Ghost. Please. Please stop forgetting. We're in a swamp now. A...a new home. I'm your granddaughter, Hailstorm. I'm the Alpha now."
Sage Ghost's eyes darkened then, her ears pressing flat against her skull and lips curling up as she braced her old legs..hackles rising.
"What?! So that's what you think, eh? You want to be the Alpha?" she snarled,Then fight me for it!!" Hailstorm's hackles raised in response, but not in aggression. She stepped back, shaking her head.
"No! No grandma!" Now, although Hailstorm was one that responded to aggression and a challenge in this instance...for one an elder and for two her own grandmother..she wisely backed down. She would never fight a wolf that was incapable of fighting, no matter their mental status, let alone her own family member. An elderly family member was a definite nono for her.
Sage Ghost's lips lowered again, though her eyes remained narrowed,"That's what I thought." she then gave a loud snort and turned back to disappear once again into her den..apparently having forgotten about gathering White Ash and the other wolves for an out of territory hunt. Hailstorm exhaled loudly, butt plopping loosely onto the ground as she hung her head some. Sage Ghost was having an off day, so no help there. She'd have to deal with this one without help from someone with experience. Hailstorm slowly got to her paws again and turned to head towards the main gathering area of the packlands...only a few hundred pawsteps from Sage Ghost's place really. She passed her own den, an decent sized area room enough for a few wolves made from piled branches and sticks around a low, thick brush that she'd created a sort of tunnel into. The gathering area was pretty flat, so she simply sat in the middle and looked out at the packlands somberly.

(Now, as a reminder to the few of us here, we're going to experiment with having your character in only one thread at a time and having to exit one thread before entering another. I realize this may mean I have to wait for a response in this thread :3 )

(I will reply to this thread with Amaranth, Stone Fur's mate, if you don't mind. I have a thread running with Firestorm and her in Legends of An Age, but it's when they first meet, here Amaranth would be about....12-13 winters old? She'd be an old lady. If you don't want me to reply at the moment, or if it doesn't fit in, just delete the post.)

"I am simply old now, there is no other way around it."

Her voice was quiet and lilting as she talked to herself while walking. Amaranth had joined the Black Mountain pack when she was around 4 winters old. She had been around the bend and back with her mate Stone Fur. She smiled briefly, the way that elderly smile when they are remembering something pleasant. Amaranth had served the Black Mountain Pack in her youth as a dedicated flier and hunter, given how light she naturally was and her long legs to boot. In her old age, there wasn't much that Amaranth could do.

The elderly wolfess moved slower than she had in her youth, her long legs serving her almost no purpose here. Unless she truly needed to run from something. As age had set in, so had the aches and pains that came with it.

She continued her morning stroll to try and loosen her old muscles and keep herself in something close to good shape. Her mis matched red and gold surveyed the lands in a serene manner. Amaranth took her usual stroll towards the gathering area, and upon closer inspection, noticed the young alpha Hailstorm sitting in the middle of it. She moved closer, hr posture relaxed. It wasn't like Amaranth could really pose too much of a threat these days.

"Ah, Hailstorm. Why is a young alphess like you looking so somber?"

Now, Amaranth was not senile in the least, her mental wits were still about her. And being a member of the pack for so long, she knew of the recent lack of large game. However, there could easily be other things weighing on the young alpha's mind...

[Just a quick OOC note since I don't have time to make a full post. Zero, having characters in one place at a time doesn't apply to Legends of an Age, as it's a past/present RP we put together for the purpose of allowing people to play older characters, and to join threads with the current plot.

Incidentally, I'll reply in a bit, with Corona. This could be... interesting. ]

(Right, I should have mentioned that xDD. Sorry I took so long to reply, I don't actually stay at home anymore so I reply when I do come to visit and whatnot.)

Hailstorm's ears flicked at the sound of approaching pawsteps, and she lifted her black and grey head to see who approached. Amaranth, a longtime and respectable elder. The young she Alpha took a slow deep breath and gave the Elder a nod when she walked up to her, ears flicking in indecision when the question was presented to her. Hailstorm's first instinct was to deny giving out such information, but she she that speaking her mind to the black female would do no harm. If anything, the female could give her words of wisdom...something she needed right now. When she'd been young her family, especially Sage Ghost, had pounded into her head the respect she must show to the Elder wolves. This being so, Amaranth would have rarely if ever heard a harsh word or seen the flash of Hailstorm's teeth. Though she wouldn't let her, or any Elder, overstep their rank she had the decency at least to treat them with the respect that they deserved.
"Amaranth...good afternoon." she sighed softly and cast a glance towards Sage Ghost's shadowed home.
"A couple of things. You know of the shortage of food, no doubt, but...fffff....I worry for my grandmother is all." she glanced over again, ensuring that Sage Ghost hadn't heard her, and when no movement came from the shadows she leaned in closer to Amaranth and spoke in a softer tone.
"She's losing her wits, Amaranth. She just challenged me, saying that she was Alpha, not myself, and that she was going to go get White Ash and the others for a hunt...she spoke of the Drought..." Hailstorm shook her head subtly and sat back, pursing her lips in concern. She knew who White Ash was, just as she'd heard of Firewind and his mate and Deepening Shadows and the terrible wolves of her ancestry. She also knew of the Drought and the Sickness of Sage Ghost's time. Yes, all of these stories and more had been told to her in her puphood, when the retired she Alpha still had her mind with her.

((Okay, I'm borrowing an old design for Corona... one of Cold Flame and WildFlower's pups. I realize that it probably went by a different name, but with both Imara and MightyMorphinPowerRanger (Vivian Maximus), seemingly gone for good, I don't have any kind of reference except some character art saved. Thankfully they weren't born yet, so it works. :p ))

Corona had returned from routine border marking just in time to hear Hailstorm's confession. He quickly made his way over and offered a soft greeting bark to the alpha and elder.

The Black Mountain Pack's beta, the son of the departed Cold Flame and Wildflower, Corona was himself a wolf of impressive size, just as his grandfather, Deepening Shadows had been. His fur was mostly black, but his face looked as though it had been struck with a snowball, and the snow had stuck, rendering a jagged white mask that extended back across his cheeks and a pair of white markings between his ears. The pattern continued down his neck and underbelly, with a long, thin reddish-brown strip separating the two colors. He truly seemed to live up to his name.

Corona had been born very shortly after the packs arrived in their new homes, and as such was almost a full winter older than Hailstorm. It was only natural that after his father and mother left the pack, he would assume their position. So far the arrangement had worked beautifully. Though he and Hailstorm didn't always agree in their course of action, they remained good friends... even when on occasion he seemed to blank out and become somebody else. Like Sage Ghost, he seemed to have memories from a previous era, but his mind was much more coherent... as though someone else were looking out from behind his eyes and making decisions for him.

"Her mind has been going ever since her mate was killed," Corona said, "We've known this is coming... it's just gotten to a very advanced state." He looked inward to the den, bright blue eyes scanning the darkness and just barely able to make out Sage Ghost's sleeping form. "The best we can do is make her comfortable now... let her think that things are as they were then. I'll go see Stone Fur later and ask if he has anything he can give her."

"Amaranth...good afternoon.""A couple of things. You know of the shortage of food, no doubt, but...fffff....I worry for my grandmother is all.""She's losing her wits, Amaranth. She just challenged me, saying that she was Alpha, not myself, and that she was going to go get White Ash and the others for a hunt...she spoke of the Drought..."

The night black elder listen to her young alpha intently, her ears shifting forward to catch Hailstorm's words. She nodded her head. Those things would put a good amount of stress on anybody, no matter who they were. Sage Ghost had been a great alpha, she had heard though Amaranth would not have known personally since she joined after Ebon Star and Aspen took over the roles of alphas. She was about to reply to Hailstorm when Corona found them.

"Her mind has been going ever since her mate was killed,""We've known this is coming... it's just gotten to a very advanced state.""The best we can do is make her comfortable now... let her think that things are as they were then. I'll go see Stone Fur later and ask if he has anything he can give her."

Amaranth looked to the young beta, her mismatched eyes watching him while her ears shifted to catch his words as well. Corona was indeed, towering over Amaranth; who had always been tall but even her youth was not a very large wolf by most means.

"I am not sure what my mate has on hand, but it is worth a try. I can't think of anything off of the top of my head that could help her mental stability but I am of course, not Stone Fur, and not a healer by any means. Though I glean what I can from him, and he's taught me a few things."

The elderly wolfess turned her mis matched gaze back to Hailstorm with a gentle smile on her muzzle.

"I understand your concern for you grandmother, although I can't help but wonder if even in her loss of stability, if what she said could still be of help to you. Sage Ghost may have been speaking about the wrong time period, but what she was talking about would make sense right now. If the large prey will not come to us, then it makes sense to round up a group of wolves to go to them and bring a kill back here."

Amaranth spoke in an advising manner. While Amaranth had not lived her entire life with the Black Mountain Pack, she had been hear for nearly ten winters and could indeed speak from some experience.

Hailstorm glanced over as Corona approached, one ear tilting back and the other pressing forward as he spoke of Sage Ghost's deteriorating mind. She nodded at her Beta's words,"Thank you, Corona." she then looked back at the jet black Amaranth and both ears perked forward, head tilting as she considered the Elder's words.
"You're right." she felt embarrassed, but knew she'd missed the idea because of her brooding over Sage Ghost,"And it should be done sooner, rather than later. Let's start getting the word around, we'll set up the hunt for early tomorrow morning to give everyone time to finish their duties tonight and so we can send a runner ahead today to scout the outlying territories. Just remember not to intrude on Swift River's territory. Corona, you'll lead the hunt." She got to all four paws then, mind running through the wolves that they could take on the hunt. There weren't many, as the pack had shrunk in size ever since the disappearance of her parents and, let's face it, the guidance of a young inexperienced Alpha wasn't the best thing for pack morale. This being so, few pups had been born since her taking the pack. In truth, few had been born since The Black Mountain Pack had come to the territory. Only her own litter of herself and sister, Cold Flame and Wildflower's small litter, and Wind Feather and Falling Snow's small litter. The post Betas had moved away to forge their own pack, and some of the wolves followed them. Others had died in this harsher land, unprepared for the unstable patches of swampy land that they'd had yet to learn....such as her mother had fallen victim to (supposedly). All that was left was a pawful of wolves and a few were Elders such as Amaranth, Stone Fur, and the unstable Sage Ghost. However...even the Elders could pitch in as long as they were in good health.
I'll summon the pack to tell them that this is going to happen and to choose who will attend the hunt and who will be our scout. Corona, I'd rather you not scout ahead for the simple fact that we really don't know much of what lies outside of our territory. With so few wolves in the pack right now, we can't afford to lose a leading figure." they'd need someone swift and observant. In Storm Raven's younger years, Hailstorm had heard, she'd been one of the packs best hunters and swiftest wolves. These days, though, Hailstorm wasn't sure if it continued to be true.
Without further ado, the young female Alpha stood up and sent her call to the heavens, her melodic howl echoing throughout the territory and calling in the wolves of The Black Mountain Pack.

((I would have them split up and seek out wolves to take, but honestly I do not even know who all is in the pack anymore! So this will help me figure out who's actually here so I can make the ranking list for the info I intend to put up...eventually o.o.))

OOC: This will be long.....so many characters to post... I'm going to be mentioning a few new characters here, so here are all the links with their pictures so that you guys know what they look like.
Black Stag, Silver River, Whispering Owl, Twilight, Corvus


[Amaranth]

"You're right.""And it should be done sooner, rather than later. Let's start getting the word around, we'll set up the hunt for early tomorrow morning to give everyone time to finish their duties tonight and so we can send a runner ahead today to scout the outlying territories. Just remember not to intrude on Swift River's territory. Corona, you'll lead the hunt."

Amaranth nodded, a smile crossing her muzzle. She couldn't blame the young alpha for her having not realizing the truth in what Sage Ghost had spoken of. Hailstorm technically was at a disadvantage, given that her parents inherited the pack at older ages that she herself was, and had the guidance of the legendary Sage Ghost to boot.

The elderly female could still run, it was granted. She wasn't as fast as she used to be, though it would be worth a few days of being sore. Storm Raven had been the first idea for scout, though in her advanced age, Amaranth didn’t think that Storm Raven would be around much longer, much less survive the trip.


[Black Stag, Silver River, and Storm Raven]

OOC: (I figured she'd be really old by now, she won't be around to too long. Firestorm, do you want to bring in Black Ear, or if you want to, Cold Mountain?)(And I am going to just adopt Silver River for the moment, unless somebody wants her.)

There were three howls that answered Hailstorm from the east, the howls of two younger wolves and one rather old one.

Storm Raven looked upwards, a smile crossing her now whitening face as she slowly stood on weaker legs than she wished. A pair of green and calm blue eyes watched her closely. Silver River looked to her eldest brother, her eyes asking her question before it had ever left her mouth.

"Mom, are you sure you don't want to stay and rest some more?" Black Stag asked his now elderly mother. In size and shape, Black Stag was near the size that Cold Mountain was, and his personality seemed a cross between his mothers and fathers.

Storm Raven chuckled at her eldest son, always concerned for everyone else. “Black Stag, no matter my age, I will always answer the call of an alpha unless I am unable. And right now, I am able, so I will go.”

As her daughter Silver River came closer to help her, Storm Raven smiled at her present children. Black Stag always found it odd, looking his sister and mother side by side. Silver River had all of the markings of her mother, but looked so like their father as well. Black Stag could not say the same, as much of his appearance seemed to have stemmed from his grandfather’s genes on Storm Raven’s side.

“Silver…” Black Stag used the nickname for his sister, as between the three and Corvus, they often did. His sister turned to look at him, her beautiful green eyes questioning. “Why don’t you go ahead and I will help mom.” She looked at him a moment. “But...”

Black Stag sighed lightly. “You’re faster than I am and you can tell the alpha that we will be there shortly. And I will call Corvus, I don’t think he heard the first time.”

Silver River looked from her eldest brother before she nuzzled her mother lightly, with Storm Raven returning the gesture in kind. She loved her children dearly, and feared how they would get along when both she and Cold Mountain had been called home by Black Wolf.

The mostly white female moved away from her mother before she turned and headed in the direction of the alpha’s howl, her grey paws moving over the ground nearly as fast as her mother’s had in her youth. As she had left, she heard Black Stag lift up a call for Corvus, their adopted brother who was actually the youngest of the children but sometimes didn’t seem so. It wasn’t too long after that she heard Corvus returning Black Stag’s howl.

It wasn’t long before Silver River came to the meeting area with the already present wolves. She approached Hailstorm, her grey ears folded back. By her nature, she was a very quiet and shy wolfess which in turn, made her rather submissive. Her bright green eyes looked at Hailstorm as she spoke quietly.

“My brothers and mother will be here shortly. Mom hasn’t been feeling well lately, it’ll take her a bit of time.”

It wasn’t too long afterwards that Black Stag and Storm Raven entered the gathering area. The elderly huntress moved slowly with her son beside her. Sitting next to her daughter, Storm Raven looked to Hailstorm and it was clear why she really could no longer hunt. She wasn’t blind, but her eyes had been developing cataracts which meant her vision was unclear but not gone. Storm Raven nodded lightly to the young alpha with a smile. “Hello Hailstorm.”


[Corvus]

Corvus indeed hadn’t heard Hailstorm’s call, but had heard the other howls that were cropping up from other places, including those of his adopted siblings. His bright orange eyes turned to the direction of the gathering area before he set off from the area where he’d been trying to hunt a couple of field mice to no avail.

If one were to hold a race between Corvus and Silver River, it would’ve been a close contest between the two in terms of speed. He quickly ran towards the Gathering area, his markings a clear call out of who he was before he ever came closer. The marking that covered much of his face looked like a white bird and the one that stretched from his neck to halfway down his tail did, too.

“Hey mom.” Corvus spoke, nuzzling his adopted mother, relishing the contact with her. Deep down, something made him feel so sad at the extent of her age and that she wouldn’t likely be with them too much longer. Turning after he had greeting his mother, Corvus gave a deep nod to Hailstorm before he sat on Black Stag’s other side.


[Whispering Owl]

Unlike Storm Raven’s children, Whispering Owl had been nearby to begin with. It wasn’t really any mystery to him as to why the alpha was calling everyone to the gathering area. The lack of prey as of late had been apparent enough to him. His blue eyes looked towards where everyone would be heading, his fiery orange tipped tail waving slightly as he began to lope towards the pack meeting.

He wasn’t sure where his brother Swift Storm or his sister Rain Bird were, or his parents Howlite and Shining Skybird for that matter, but Whispering Owl certainly hoped that they were well, and would be at the meeting. Shaking his head lightly as he walked, the male sent a puff of air upwards at his head, trying to move the two bits of orangey fur that insisted on falling into his face and inhibiting his vision. He sighed lightly as they fell back into place without much ado.

If anything, Hailstorm could even send Whispering Owl as a scout for this hunt, though he knew nothing about it yet. He was a brilliant strategist in the way of fighting, though it could be applied to hunting as well. Whispering Owl was a large wolf, reminiscent of his father Howlite and mostly white in color, with a long mark of orange that started with the hair tuft on his head, went down his neck, and stopped at the base of his tail, with his tail tipping on the very end with just a bit of the same orange.

He loped towards the already gathered wolves, his tail waving slightly as he acknowledged his alpha Hailstorm with a nod as others already had.


[Twilight]

Her head moved upwards to the sound of Hailstorm’s call, deep blue eyes watching her surroundings a moment, calculating. She looked nearly the spitting image of mother, with a mostly black coat with a tan underbelly and fiery orange markings. Twilight was built much like her mother, though retained the personality her father had once had in his youth.

She ran to the call of the young alpha. Twilight had been born after they had arrived in their new home, and was four winters of age, and been born about a couple of seasons after Cold Mountain and Storm Raven’s children had.

As Twilight enter the gathering place, it was with a heavy heart that looked upon Black Stag’s family, his siblings and mother. Her ears fell backward as she sat a little further away, missing her father dearly. Saeros had fought a cougar to protect Twilight when she was only one winter old. The cougar had left, but Saeros had died from his wounds, no matter what Stone Fur could’ve done for him. She didn’t know where her older brother Umbra was, nor her mother Kerridwen. Though she saw her cousin Whispering Owl across the Gathering Area. They weren't particularly close, but they got along well.

Twilight sighed lightly and laid down. A soft bark caught her attention as Black Stag turned to her, smiling lightly. She sighed, turning her gaze from him. Black Stag frowned, worry creasing itself on his face. He knew where her thoughts were going and he didn’t want to have to pull her from that particular black hole again...

OOC: Okay. Done.

Silver Eagle

At the call of Hailstorm, the elderly Spiritual lifted his head toward the origin of the call. Ever since his apprentice, Wind Feather had taken over, the aged wolf spent even more of his time in meditation. Of course, he was always there when his help was needed.

As he slowly rose to his paws to make his way to the meeting, his age was clearly reflected. Yes, he was old, but there was more to it than that. He still suffered each from his...curse...as there was no better way to put it. He had learned over the years how to cope with it, but it was still his secret that he had only notified Wind Feather about. His eyes had sunken and his fur had dulled; again, not just from age, but the years of stress.

The elder spiritual took a seat out towards the edge of the group. He would be of no use in a hunt, but he could at least be here out of courtesy. He could also not help but overhear Hailstorm and some of the others discussing Sage Ghost's state of mind. He merely listened quietly, not one to interject without first being asked. After all, his life had been dedicated to helping guide the alpha's when it concerned spiritual matters, which unless it was an emergency, would never be brought up unless they thought he could be of some use.

Swift Storm

The brown furred male arrived at the meeting unnoticed. As was usual for him, he remained on the outskirts of the group; seating himself behind his brother Whispering Owl. Swift Storm often kept to himself and was never one to socialize...he had tried that before and was only shunned for it. Now that he was of age and had learned how to control the spirit within him, he was tolerated by most (if not all) the pack members, but he would never forget his isolated puphood.

As the meeting began, Swift Storm maintained his fixed, emotionless, yet strong gaze. hunting was never his favorite thing, but he would do it if asked. He was quiet on his paws, but strong and quick with his strikes.

Shining Skybird

The older healer approached the meeting and sat near her son Whispering Owl, but not without first giving Swift Storm a quick nuzzle. He was never one to respond to her affections, but she was used to it now. He had endured so much throughout his puphood...sometimes, she blamed herself. Had she been too protective of him? She told herself that she should not overthink such things, but it did not stop her from wondering at times.

[Whispering Owl]
The white and orange male turned to look as his brother sat behind him. Though Swift Storm was quiet, Whispering Owl would always be able to notice him. He smiled lightly to his brother, secretly relieved that he was here.

"Hey."

his statement was simple, just a greeting. But it had been some time since he had seen some of his family. That could have been because the pack had been scarce, or because Whispering Owl was by nature an independent wolf and liked to do his own thing sometimes. Although he sometimes seemed aloof, he really did care about his family a great deal. Black Wolf help any enemies that decided to threaten those closest to him.

As his mother approached as well, Whispering Owl looked towards her before he posed a question, glancing across the gathering area to Twilight, who had kept her spot in the outskirts of the group before he looked back to Shining Skybird.

"Mom, do you think that I should ask Twilight to come over here? She been...." Whispering Owl trailed off a moment, looking to his cousin. "hasn't really been, herself since Uncle Saeros, you know..."

Whispering Owl had had only a few dealings with Saeros, but it seemed that age and settling down had mellowed the once constantly irate soldier. The day that Saeros had died, Whispering Owl had never seen Twilight so....not Twilight. She'd had her family at that point, but now? He hadn't seen Kerridwen and Umbra in quite some time, and if what a brief talk with Black Stag had told him, Twilight was not doing all that great even though she tried to put up a good front....

Sun Gaze had been just leaving from listening to his mother tell stories when he heard the summoning howl, and sent up his own howl in reply. The tawny wolf began at a fast trot toward the meeting area, arriving just after the old healer Shining Skybird. Sitting down under a tree, he sat alert to whatever Hailstorm might say. He didn't see his cousins here, so left plenty of room for the other wolves and kept his silence, being careful to remember everything around him. It was an exercise he'd decided to practice so that he could remember the events Dusk Owl described to him better.

Swift Storm

Swift Storm did not return the acknowledgement to his brother, which was not unusual for him. He rarely spoke to begin with, and as he got older, was a wolf of few words. He much preferred to listen. Even still, his days were mostly consumed with training and daily meditations, so he never gave himself the opportunity to speak with others.

Shining Skybird

She looked up to Whispering Owl, who had clearly inherited his father's size, as he asked about Twilight. Pausing for a moment, she looked over to the young wolfess, her only neice, before looking back up to her son.

"If you would like to ask, then of course. You are not alone in thinking that she has not been the same since your uncle passed, but this is natural. She puts up a good front...something she gets from your uncle...but it's not good enough to hide it from you. You have my intuition."

She smiled gently and nidged against Whispering Owl as she said this. And for a brief moment, she stopped to lean her head against his shoulder. His lush, white fur and strong build...reminded her so much of Howlite. He had been gone for some time, but she never gave up hope that she would see him again.

She looked up one more time to Whispering Owl with her soft, gentle eyes.

"Go ask."

[Whispering Owl]

"If you would like to ask, then of course. You are not alone in thinking that she has not been the same since your uncle passed, but this is natural. She puts up a good front...something she gets from your uncle...but it's not good enough to hide it from you. You have my intuition."

Whispering Owl smiled lightly at his own mother's observations of Twilight and some of her mannerisms. Whether Twilight really realized it or not, she acted now much more like Saeros had for years. Granted, she didn't snap at everyone that so much as looked her way; but she was closing herself off, letting herself slip into the black hole of her depression. Rumors and whispers had been circulating that Twilight and Black Stag had fought it out at one point when he, being her best friend; had been trying to either cheer her up or simply pull her from her depression. Either way, it seemed to work for awhile but then she drew back into herself.

Whispering Owl suspected that she needed some time with a real family of sorts, perhaps if she could spend some time them, then she would drop her front and come out of her shell a little.

He watched his mom lightly as she leaned her head against his shoulder. Of her three children, Whispering Owl was the one that looked the most like their father, though he acted nothing like him. He didn't say anything when his mother was clearly reminded of their father, knowing that she kept hope that he would return from wherever he was.

"Go ask."

The white and orange wolf looked at his mother from a moment before he stood and headed in Twilight's direction. Whispering Owl had at one point told Black Stag that he would at least try to help Twilight as well, but he wouldn't guarantee anything. The grey wolf had been immensely grateful that Whispering Owl was at least willing to try. Whispering Owl was larger than Twilight by a margin, the top of her head reached his eyes, so she wasn't much shorter than he was but she didn't have the kind of muscle on her that he did so he could easily restrain her if he needed to.

Though her temper... he'd heard a few things said about that temper of hers, mostly from Black Stag himself. Saeros had been a puppy in comparison to how Twilight was when angry. That said something.

"Hey Twilight."

The black, tan, and flame colored wolfess turned her head to Whispering Owl, one of her eyebrows cocked in question. The look on her face reminded him so strongly of his Aunt Kerridwen it was a little scary. "Yes cousin?" Whispering Owl smiled lightly, his blue eyes a soft reminder of Shining Skybird's own before he posed his question. Twilight didn't seem to be out for a fight today, so hopefully; this wouldn't be too painful.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come sit with us." Whispering Owl motioned to where Shining Skybird and Swift Storm still sat. She looked at him with her darker blue eyes, an eyebrow still quirked in obvious question. Twilight didn't seem entirely pleased with the prospect at that moment, but she was curious; and couldn't help but fulfill her curiosity. "Why the sudden interest, Whispering Owl? You have never seemed the type for familial bonding."

Twilight wasn't aiming to be pissy or snarkey in how she sounded. She really was curious, even if her current mannerisms didn't seem to portray that. Her voice was actually rather flat in her reply.

Whispering Owl sighed lightly, wondering again why he was doing this; it was so troublesome. "Because I though you'd want to sit with family."

The air seemed to crackle with her anger though she didn't move, her eyes simply became cold and hard and Whispering Owl couldn't help the deep growl that rumbled in his throat in reaction to her palpable anger. His own blue eyes became harder, the soldier part of him coming into play before he got closer to her face, the growl interlacing with his voice, making him a very intimidating wolf indeed.

"I am not watching a member of my family become hell bent on her own destruction. Would it kill you to spend a little time with us?"

Twilight stared at him a moment, her sharp eyes bearing into his, seeming to want to search his soul. She growled a moment, her own a little higher than his, but holding more threat behind it than his own did. It was surprise to Whispering Owl when she stood from her spot and began walking in the direction of her extended family. Whispering Owl was so surprised in fact, that he had to turn and catch up with her while she mumbled something about "damn persistent buggers" under her breath, whether Whispering Owl was listening or not, she didn't really care.

She had never been particularly close to her aunt's family, and didn't understand why Whispering Owl was on such a kick to get her to spend time with them. But, she knew he would continued to persist and so would Black Stag until she did spend more time with either one of them.

Whispering Owl took up his previous spot next to his mother and in front of his brother while Twilight begrudgingly sat next to Shining Skybird, her orange tipped ears folded backwards while she glared a moment at Whispering Owl before looking back to the meeting.

Interestingly enough, she seemed to resemble her father so much more right at that moment, her eyes sharp and glaring as his had once been; though she was much smaller than he had been, and carried her mother's coat colors rather than her father's black and dark brown.

"Hi Aunt."

An elderly grey wolf with red ear tips was strolling on the edge of river bank, having his reflection in the water walking with him. Feeling the soft sand between his toes. His pace is slow but steadily.
The smell of the fresh water did good to the old wolf, although he had quite a few things on his mind. One of those is the shortage of large pray, only you can’t really control that, unless the pack moves to a better place or capture a horde and keeping it in your territory.

Personally, he knew that both options where a no go, especially the last one, as it is an impossible task to keep that up for a very long time. This kept the wolf for himself to a few other Tall Pine members, as he can’t go openly to the Alpha’s without being snarled to. If you can’t have a normal conversation, without being pointed to your rank, then it is useless… hmm… perhaps that this was the reason why he liked Shifting Winds?

Urgh.. that whole pack merging…. Was he really happy with that? Well, looking at what was left of the pack, it was the only choice of surviving, of leaving. That last he couldn’t do, abandoning the remaining members, including that he had done lots of things for them, then only being their healer, when it was still a separate pack.

The wolf stopped, lowered himself for a drink of the river, as he looked at his reflection he saw light grey hair in his fur, but also the totem symbol of the healer, as that wasn’t an easy task to accomplish, with angry Gods at that time.

Just after his drink, his ears perked up as he heard a distant melodic call of the Alphess of the Black Mountain Pack, followed by a few reply howls scattered in the forest. Self not replying, he got up and trotted of in the direction where the howl came from.

On his path he came across a younger wolf with something white-grey in his yaw. After a sniff at it, he smelled that it was a hare, that the wolf had caught. It smelled fresh also. So it was something he just had killed and not had gotten the time to eat.

“Nice catch, Ciriaco.” Told the older wolf to the younger one, who nodded a thank you as he could hardly speak with a mouth full.

Both wolves walked to the outskirts of the open field, where there where all some wolves. Kotie told Ciriaco to bury his kill somewhere before the whole group would turn to them and the kill. After that both sat down on a free place, waiting for the things to come.

((OOC: I don’t know how exactly the merge played out and everyone acceptance to the TBMP, so I gambled with my char. Let me know if I have it wrong.))

Hailstorm

Hailstorm's ears flicked back and forth, to and fro, as answering howls echoed in the forest. She waited patiently as the first wolves filed in and she gazed at the aging Storm Raven with regret. How she wished to see one of the pack's finest hunters in action in her prime. Rustling behind her made her turn her head to see MudSpider enter the gathering area and she gave him only a brief glance before turning back to the others. MudSpider, previously MudEye of Tall Pines, and her had had a 'thing' between them once...but it was something long past. She no longer had affectionate feelings for him, but she couldn't forget the quiet evenings they used to spend watching the sun disappear behind the horizon which in turn invited the lightning bugs to emerge and begin their nightly dancing. They'd shared no physical intimacies, being too young at the time, but it still made for an awkward moment between them.

MudSpider

The brown splotched male skirted around Hailstorm, his eyes trailing on her only momentarily before he turned his attention to the gathering wolves and situated himself among them. MudSpider had grown into a healthy wolf, with little fat on his body and firm muscle packed over his bones. He was a handsome fellow, with what could be described as a strong looking jaw...'manly' if you will. Sitting there, he let his gaze drift over the pack. The merging between them was mixed in his souls. He still firmly believed in his own religion, nothing would change that, which was one of the reasons it would never work between himself and Hailstorm, and the fact that his beloved mother whom he had so idolized had in fact been somewhat an ineffective Alpha made the changeover a little bitter. However, on the other paw he was glad for the fact because The Black Mountain Pack as a whole accepted them with open paws and with nothing against their religious differences for the most part.

Wind Feather

A white pelt appeared at the edge of the Gathering Area, and the she wolf paused to peer through the growing crowd. She did not yet see Falling Snow, but she did see another wolf that was important to her. The Spiritual picked up her paws, smile upon her face, as she picked her way through to stand next to the roughly aging Silver Eagle.
"Hello, my old mentor." she greeted in a soft, but cheerful tone, leaning in to groom his disheveled old head affectionately. Though the time of his teachings were officially over, she still sought guidance from the old wolf as well as friendly companionship. Over time, he had become somewhat of a fatherly figure to her after White Ash had died in the war with Swift River. His loss still pained her heart greatly, as did the absence of her beautiful mother, but that's what being in a pack was all about. You had many others around that loved you, cared about you, and that she cared about in return.

Sage Ghost

The elderly she wolf did not move from her position, despite the summoning howl of Hailstorm. She was in a deep sleep, and her hearing had also begun to deteriorate as well. With those two factors, the howl seemed to be far away and began to transport her into a world of dreams. Sage Ghost was young again, trotting through the old valley, ears pressed forward as her nose worked the air...following an unknown scent. After a moment of tracking, a flash of white caught her attention and a loud snarl rippled up from the Alpha's throat. There, past the brush, stood a brown and white wolf and a white wolf with grey splotches. Time seemed to flicker in the dream and Sage Ghost had suddenly leapt upon the white wolf, teeth taking a chunk from the male's ear. The brown wolf dashed off in fear, ignored by the Alpha, as she snarled into the white wolf's face,"Welcome to The Black Mountain Pack...you've just been drafted."

[Storm Raven and Silver River]

Storm Raven's vision may have suffered in her aging, but it wasn't gone as of yet. She could see the regret in the young alpha's eyes. A gentle smile was present on her muzzle as she spoke to the much younger wolfess, her white tipped tail flicking to and fro calmly on occasion.

"Why is there regret in your eyes upon looking at me, Hailstorm? My vision may not be what it once was, but I can still see that look. What troubles you so?"

It had not escaped Storm Raven's attentions that the prey seemed to have dwindled to little more than a trickle this year. Having been a hunter for so many years, and a fine one at that; of course it hadn't escaped her notice. The prey moving in was something that she tracked every year in her youth. For them not to come in, of course would not escape her attentions, whether she was an active hunter or not. The scent of prey had been scarce this year.

Her slightly whitend over eyes gazed at the young alpha, blinking every so often. There were a few wolves that told their children stories about Storm Raven, especially if they were the children of other hunters. Storm Raven knew this, but never let it go to her head. She woke up, did her duties, and usually retired for the evening. As such was the same everyday, hunting had been her job and she had been good at it.

"If you're looking for some capable hunters, I can't say for Black Stag there, because of his size, the prey may see him before he can give chase." Storm Raven was joking of course, but she glanced her aged eyes to her son next to her, a laughing smile on her muzzle as her son gawked at her a moment while she chuckled lightly, the laughter seeming to take years from her aged face.

"But my daughter here, I know; is much more like me in way of hunting skills..."

Silver River sputtered a moment, staring at her mother in disbelief. "Mother, I'm nowhere near as good as you were!"

Storm Raven smiled lightly again, turning to her daughter.

"I have already taught you everything that I had ever learned in my years as a hunter. The only problem you have is that you are sometimes simply too hasty. Something I am convinced you got from your father."

The aged wolfess turned back to the alpha, smiling lightly still. "I am sure that Silver River would be of help to you, even if she doesn't have the same confidence in herself that I do."

Beside her, Silver River shifted her paws on occasion, feeling very put on the spot at the moment, her green eyes nervous. even as her adopted brother Corvus spoke, looking out from next to Black Stag. "C'mon Silver! You're better at hunting than I am! And we're convinced that I'm faster!" Black Stag turned his brother as he spoke, chuckling. "You mean that you're convinced of that, Corvus! Silver River would beat you and has beat you any day!" Silver River seemed to become less nervous as the two brothers bickered among themselves for a moment before they had resolved the disagreement. The nervousness in her eyes had diminished a little, but she still didn't have a great deal of confidence in her own skills, something that would be remedied with time.

The truth behind it was, Silver River did have a great deal of promise to become the kind of hunter that her mother had been and was already well on her way. She had the speed, talent, and focus which Storm Raven had seen in her youth and began teaching her everything that she knew. Silver River however, could be impatient at times but given the right motivation, Storm Raven firmly believed that her skills would blossom, and that her daughter would finally believe that she wasn't as useless as she sometimes though she was....

((Quick note, as you all may see I am finally setting up the new stuff for TBMP...titled here as The Black Mountain Pack's Stats. Take a gander over the updated Ranks and tell me where your character needs to be fit in at please Since you guys have kept with us this long, you can choose any rank for your characters..first come first serve. Meaning, if you'd like your character to have the Delta position, better grab it while you can . The other Beta position won't be open until Hailstorm has a mate...which by the way does not count towards the first come first serve choosing xDD.))

[Alright. I'm not sure which characters of mine are left. I know I was going to play some pups, but I don't really have them established yet. I do know however that Cold Mountain is dead, and Stone Fur's generation is beginning to age out, so it seems likely that Ebon Star and Aspen would have retired themselves, if they are not yet gone. As it is, I'll make a post after I get off work tonight or sometime early tomorrow. If someone (Zeroki and Fauna more than liekly) could PM me with the pups I was originally going to play, I'll work somethin' out. ]

*pokes teh Firestorm wit a steek* *

Don't forget us over here! *puppy face*

((I haven't forgotten this thread! I'm only sorry it's taken me so long to get to this! I should have a reply up by the end of today! ))

Corona sat down to wait out the rest of the pack, but he paid so little attention to the gathering wolves. Instead, he continually gazed into the chamber where Sage Ghost rested. "I'm sorry," came his whisper, though he was not sure why he said it. He knew only that he felt a great deal of sorrow at her condition, almost as though it was his fault. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. There were other things to focus on for now.

-----------
Stone Fur didn't take long to arrive. Things had changed for him. He was one of the oldest wolves in the pack now, a position once held by his mentor, Broken Light. He took up his position next to his mate, Amaranth, and nuzzled her. "Hailstorm's howl sounded urgent," he said softly, "Care to catch me up, darling?"

[I'll have more arrive later. This should be good enough to get us started. I want to check up on a couple more things before I have the rest of my characters come ]

"Hailstorm's howl sounded urgent,""Care to catch me up, darling?"

Amaranth turned her head to gaze at her mate, returning his nuzzle fondly, ears falling against her head a moment while she took some small comfort from his presence. Stone Fur had that effect on many, it seemed.

"Hailstorm is calling for an out-of territory hunt since the herds have not moved through the packlands this year and the prey has been lacking. Corona is to lead the hunt, and he is going to ask you later about something for Sage Ghost, to make her comfortable now, considering her state of mind. And....I think Storm Raven just offered up her daughter Silver River to join the hunt. Apparently she has alot more confidence in her daughter than Silver River herself does."

Her graying muzzle turned to look at the gathered wolves, her bi chromatic eyes searching the familiar faces.

"Speaking of children; my love, have you seen any of our own wayward ones? I have not seen them in some time, and it worries me."

She looked back to her mate, before an oddly gruff greeting bark sounded from Stone Fur's left while Amaranth sat on his right. Looking in the direction of the newcomer, she saw Rowan approaching, his night black fur deep and dark as Amaranth's own had been in her youth. His deep red eyes looked to his parents, though he didn't outwardly smile at them, his tail wagged back and forth slowly as he came forward to nuzzle his mother, then his father.

"Sparrow should be here in a few minutes I think. She's not too far."

Amaranth nuzzled her son briefly in greeting, her nose running against the four scars that decorated the right side of his face. It had been some miracle that Rowan hadn't lost his sight, with how close the claws had come to his eye. She remembered how Rowan had managed to scare the wits out of both Stone Fur and herself when Sparrow showed up at the healer's den with Rowan stumbling against her shoulder, barely conscious at that. It had seemed that the incident had been a cougar trying to prey on little Sparrow while she slept, and Rowan had chanced upon them in time, before his sister was taken from the world.

Though Rowan was the eldest of their five children, he was not the largest; so the fact that he escaped the incident with his life intact had been some insane miracle in and of itself. Rowan hadn't cared for Amaranth's ranting on how could've been killed. It had mattered only to him that Sparrow was alive and well. For some reason or another, Rowan had taken it upon himself to protect his younger siblings as best as he could, regardless of his own safety or well-being. Amaranth had tried to figure out where he had gotten his overdriven 'protect' manner from, and Amaranth could only think of her father, who had done much the same with his children.

Shining Skybird watched Whispering Owl as he approached Twilight. Deep down, Shining Skybird knew how much her niece was hurting, but she also knew just how much she was like her mother and father. Both wolves had had very strong and tough personalities, which stood in stark contrast to Kerridwen's brother, Howlite, and herself. But no matter what, Shining Skybird could always sense when something was awry, and not even Saeros or Kerridwen could ever hide their emotions well enough. As such, she could immediately sense the tension between Whispering Owl and Twilight...although it was a bit hard to miss.

Shining Skybird sat quietly as her son and niece came back over, only moving when Twilight said hello. Shining Skybird looked over to her with her tender, loving gaze and briefly nuzzled up against her neck.

"Hello dear. Thank you for coming to sit with me. It's always nice to have some extra company."

Silver Eagle

The elder spiritual sat quietly as his apprentice came over to sit next to him. He did not protest, not even in the slightest, as she began to groom his fur. Gone were the glory days where his fur was soft and glowed in the light of the moon, now it was just dull and worn that came with the signs of old age. For the most part, the sparkle that he once held in his eyes was gone. He was tired, but not just from old age. He was tired from holding on to his secret; tired from the drain it all took on his emotions and spirit; tired from trying to hold it all together; tired of the temptation...

Eventually, he snapped back to and looked back to his apprentice in thanks. She was all he had left in this world. She alone knew what he had endured for all these years, and thus she was his only source of comfort. Even in the darkest of hours, she reminded him of why he needed to hold on, why he couldn't give in...and why he never gave up a long time ago.

Hailstorm

The young Alpha gazed down at Storm Raven as the Elder spoke to her, ears pricking to catch the soothing voice.
"I only wish to have been able to witness you in your prime, Storm Raven." she wanted to say more, but kept her muzzle shut to allow the Elder to continue to speak. She raised a brow as the family began to banter back and forth, and she cleared her throat before speaking to them again,"Indeed, Silver River is a very adept hunter..so perhaps I have not missed what I thought I have." her burning orange gaze then turned on the young Silver River,"I will not make you go on the hunt. A wolf whose heart is not in the hunt will not perform as effectively, despite their true skill. Volunteer only if you want to go. Needless to say, you would be of great value on this task."
Hailstorm then returned her attention to the continued trickling-in of the packmembers. Stone Fur's family was coming in now, and as he and Amaranth spoke she felt her chest clench slightly when the black Elder she wolf mentioned Sage Ghost's needs. Make her comfortable...as she thought of those words she in fact had to fight back a smile. There was no doubt that any attempt to make Sage Ghost comfortable in her numbered days would result in the comfort-giving wolf having a very rough day to put it lightly. Of course Hailstorm, herself, would lend a paw whenever she had the free time to take on her grandmother.

-Twilight-

"Hello dear. Thank you for coming to sit with me. It's always nice to have some extra company."

Twilight had to keep herself from running then and there, as Shining Skybird looked at her with her loving eyes. It reminded her too much of how her father had looked upon her when she and Umbra were children, how he had continued to look at her even after Kerridwen and Umbra could no longer be found. It seemed that age and being a father had mellowed Saeros to an extent, but no wolf in the pack could see under his hard exterior as Twilight had. She was his daughter, and Saeros had died for her.

Her nuzzle made her tense, and she had to force herself not to jump then and there. Twilight was no sure how to reply; so instead she settled for a thanks.

"Uhhh, you're welcome Aunt. I guess."


-Storm Raven and Silver River-
"I only wish to have been able to witness you in your prime, Storm Raven."
"Indeed, Silver River is a very adept hunter..so perhaps I have not missed what I thought I have."

Storm Raven smiled gently. "Unfortunately, my prime was done long before you were born, Hailstorm. If my old legs could carry me and my lungs and heart not so tired, I would gladly hunt beside you."

"I will not make you go on the hunt. A wolf whose heart is not in the hunt will not perform as effectively, despite their true skill. Volunteer only if you want to go. Needless to say, you would be of great value on this task."

Silver River looked to the alpha, her green eyes a deep green, nothing like either her mother or fathers own. She was as much of a hunter as her mother had been, but the only thing that Silver River truly lacked was any confidence in her hunting skills. Living in the shadow of Storm Raven would make any wolf doubt their abilities.

"I would love to go, but I fear that my mother may have overestimated my skills. My heart and mind is always in the hunt, but I fear for disappointing you."