Ráðgríðr | 5 | Alpha Female | Mentions: Akita, The Pack (ind.)

Today was shaping out to be a wonderful day. The female had given her pack the instructions for the preparations of the Full Moon Ceremony and it seemed everyone was busy. And she knew that even if they weren't that others would be doing just even the smallest thing for the ceremony. She was happy to have such a large and beautiful pack, but she wished things were better. The internal conflict was starting to rear its head a bit, and she didn't like that one bit. She'd have to eliminate it quickly and efficiently before it did some lasting damage. She hoped the ceremony would keep things off the edge for a while before she made announcements and changes within the pack. It was time for some major changes and this included rank changes along with how things were done around the pack. Yes, sacrifices were necessary to please the Gods yet she didn't believe in harming another one of her pack members for the sake of it - it was cruel and unnatural and probably why they were being punished for such atrocious behavior and unnecessary bloodshed. She hoped the gods could forgive her for her sins - a sigh release from her maw as she looked over what was remaining of her pack at the camp. She hoped most of them got some rest, and she smiled softly. The female was in very high spirits which was a very rare thing for the pack. Maybe it was the prospect of such a beautiful ceremony or maybe it was because of her youngest children Ah, how the dame adored all her children and how so proud of her boys was she, yet she was finally happy to have a little girl. Speaking of her daughter she heard the excited voice of her daughter calling to her and she looked down to see the excitement in her eyes and she smiled and nosed the little pup.

The female laid down comfortably, and gently picked her daughter up and tucked her close in a gentle manner with a mischievous grin on her face, "Calm down my little mockingbird." She cooed, this was her pet name for her daughter - she was as lively as the mockingbird themselves and she gave a big smile before continuing on, "the ceremony we're celebrating today is the Full Moon Ceremony. We are holding a grand feast for the Goddess Thando and her lover the God Mondli."

A twinkle came into her eyes as she spoke in a hushed voice - completely immersed in her story, " Legend has it if you pray to Thando when the Full Moon is at its brightest point she'll reveal to you your true love. Because you see - she is the goddess of pure and true love, a love that is eternal and forever - one that will never fade and will stand the test of time, no matter how gard the waves of life come crashing on your shores. She is there to protect your love and make sure it stays true."

A soft expression came on her face as she continued, " Her love is all types of love, like the bond between a mother and daughter." And with this she nuzzled her daughter lovingly, "or that of an Alpha for their pack. But most importantly the romantic love between mates. Maybe one day you'll find a living partner to share a Full Moon Howl with my dear." And then she said with a mischievous grin and voice, "You know we're attending a grand wedding feast, the Goddess Thando invites us to her feast every Full Moon, after all her lover is the God of Feasts and Festivities so why wouldn't he want to celebrate his beautiful mate every month. Would you like to hear the story of how Mondli proposed to Thando?"
A small smirk appearing on her features, knowing her daughter would readily say yes.

Ghost | 7 | Male | Rank: Warrior | Mentions: Sylphrena *Direct* // Aghaidh *Indirect*

Ghost ignored the Omegas tension allowing it to roll along his spime like the soft breeze that billowed the mist away from the falls. His golden optics never holding an ounce of judgement, only perhaps a bit of pitty for those who hold such a low class.

Ghost sees Aghaidh as a wronged juvenille spoiled of many of lifes goods. Goods a young wolf like him should have been blessed. A subtle sigh heaved from his jaws as he lifted a particularly large piece of tree to the side. His mind unusually busy today, perhaps it had been caused by his lack of sleep the night before.

Shaking his large cranium Ghost turned to his companion a respectable comarade. She often caught his eye, not in a romantic way though as Ghost often or rather perminatly had his intrests swayed to his own gender. Sylphrena was a skilled she wolf and he enjoyed her company however silent it was.

"Seems as though that was the last log, shall we move on to more sheltered areas? Ensure the path from camp here is free of all the brambles?"

Ghosts deep timber sounded as he leapt back atop solid ground. His massive bulk something to marvel at as he carried it around with undeniable ease.

Akala | 3 | Female | Rank: Beta | Mentions: Miska *Indirect* // Azra *Direct*

Akala nodded to Miskas words and pricked her audits back towards Azra. He was indeed a unique juvenile and she enjoyed hearing his opinions. Smiling she shook her pelt and turned her cranium back to view him.

"Do tell me Azra what are you views upon the spirits buried here... and why you think our gods are angry?"

Akala inquired as the fog around them seemed to thicken slightly making her pelt crawl as if she had beetles running along her skin. Her paw pads pressing into the either as she purposly dug her claws into the foilage below.

She needed the chatter for the silence was making things to eerie. It was allowing her mind to wander and her senses to over focus. Akala lifted her lips to breifly flash her tongue over her canines a nervous tick she had. One you wouldnt really pick up on unless like Miska you where normally around her day in and day out.

Amaya | 1.5 | Female | Rank: Juvenile | Mentions: Akita // Ráðgríðr // Open

Amaya had be left in camp without any duties and after checking to see if Akita was around she was saddened breifly to see the young pup had scampered off. Of course she had tried to find some place she could be of assistance, after all she never said no or complained about anything to anyone. Which was just how she was, never standing up for herself and simply having no back bone. It often lead Amayas thoughts to become those of self hate. Which she didnt let on to and no one truelly ever knew what went on in her mind.

Amaya was almost thourghly disappointed untill she heard the beginnings of a story being told in her alphas den. Carefully and silently she approached the sounds her audits perking up. She hadnt heard this story yet and silently lowered to her belly.

Creeping closer Amaya lay down outside the Alphas den and fixed her audits upon the entrance hoping to hear the story to.... without interupting mother and daughter bounding time. Her banner tapping the earth three times in almost uncontrolled excitment at the idea of hearing a new story.

Despite how unsure she was of the gods, she was never one to turn down stories... it was often how she fell asleep. Thinking to her self the stories she heard and lulling herself to sleep with the ones she knew well. Amaya rested her muzzle upon her paws and waited for the story to begin.

Blath | Male | 3 | Hunter

Verine

4 - Female - Loner - Location: Weeping Forest - Mentions: Open.

Grey clouds spotted the sky, a slight chilly breeze blew through the forest. Fog gently floated between trees, and humidity was highly present in the air. The ground was soft, the soil a bit moist.

A dark damsel weaved between trees, her banner bouncing in rhythmic patterns at her haunches. She treaded lightly, as she was careful to land softly on her paws to ensure any noise she created was nothing but silent and hushed. Verine had been traveling through this eerie forest since before dawn. She tried her best to remain on the outskirts, however, everything looked the same, thus, she was sure she was turned around. As, she couldn't identify the sky due to the thick fog overhead, and the wind kept shifting. There was nothing she could use for navigation, except for her own intuition, which at this point was so twisted, she wasn't sure if she could even trust it.

As a branch snapped and the sound of a bird taking flight echoed nearby, her muscles tensed. Ver was a bit precautious lately, as rumors of an odd pack had traveled between loners and nomads, and the rumors weren't exactly benevolent either. It was said that this pack had truly eccentric beliefs. Whispers mentioned gods, ceremonies, and rituals. They were highly religious and superstitious, and relied on these beings to look after them. But whispers also mentioned that this pack was in a rough spot, as disease and famine had recently blanketed these lands, throwing this pack into... well... chaos. Verine should avoid these lands if she wished for a peaceful journey, but curiosity was swirling inside her, and she couldn't help but hope to stumble into one of these 'rituals' while passing through. As, watching this odd scene would be for pure amusement, and she could carry these tales into her next pack.

Verine's nomadic journey had begun when she abandoned her former pack due to the destruction that had occurred in it. For the past year she had been bouncing from pack to pack. It worked as such: she used her charisma and wits to be welcomed in; she socialized and built trust to feed off of their successes and resources; and then she left, sometimes leaving ruins in her wake. She couldn't help it, consider this behavior as a part of her. Though she'd never admit it, she craved chaos, bloodshed, and destruction. These sinister tendencies, however, remained hidden behind her charming, dignified, and vivacious front. Her horns only towered when the beast reared its head, and the butterflies and rainbows would remain until lightening struck.

This rumored pack wasn't yet in her interests, as she had heard that they were powerful and wary of outsiders. Simply infiltrating like a parasite wouldn't be an option. If she did wish to become apart of it, she would have to put on her best damn acting performance of her life. But, she wasn't in the mood to begin her next infiltration, so for now she was trying to navigate her way to the northern side of the territory, as she had come from south west. But, nonetheless, she was lost. If she ran into these pack wolves, she was prepared. If it backfired, then Ver's improv would be needed.

Verine's stomach released a knotted growl as she delicately stepped over a fallen tree. She paused for a second before analyzing the air. Small prey lingered, as well as the distant musk of a bear. Ver's mouth salivated, at which she shook her had at. She had one rule when passing through pack lands: never hunt. Most pack wolves found it disrespectful, and she wasn't here to batter her distinguished reputation. So, a meal would be due once she found the way out of this damned place.

Levi || 1.8 || Juvenile || M: Enya, Ruth, Calypso, Ezra and Fam (Ind)

Patrolling was boring. Hunting was boring. Life was boring. The young male had a neutral expression plastered to his face, but his insides were in upheaval. Without his brother, everything failed to pique his interest. There was no one to send a glance to, nobody to understand his subtle movements, not a soul who would get his mild jokes.

Maybe his mother had found out about the waterfall?

Mothers always found out about everything.

It wasn't fair that he'd been separated from his littermate; in fact, it was torture. His current company was fine and all, but walking to hunt for the ceremony, as important as that was, lacked the adventure and excitement that doing anything with his brother entailed. By the gods -- what had they done? It was upsetting the natural order of things. Chaos would ensue; that much was certain.

The lackluster male pricked his ears at the scent of squirrel and he chuffed a small notification to Calypso and the others. His movements became softer and more calculated as he moved forward, on point and focused on the trail. As he neared the strongest gathering of scents, he found his quarry. The animal had paused its browsing; its paws were frozen around a particularly large nut, and the squirrel itself looked as though it may have had one to many already.

Levi crouched and launched himself at the plump prey -- and missed. He tumbled to the side in confusion and whipped around in time to see a flash of feathers and long, curled talons embedded in the limp, red body. The massive hawk -- or was it an eagle?-- was already climbing into the sky by the time Levi had regained his composure, and he bared his teeth at the air, swallowing his curses. Now was not the time to scare off what prey was left.

Syl || 3 || Warrior || M: Ghost

"Yes, that would be appreciated, I'm sure," she responded to Ghost's suggestion. She herself had grown so accustomed to just sidestepping the overgrowth there that it no longer worried her. Other wolves who frequented the area less, though, would have more difficulties navigating the brambles, however small and premature the plants were. Sylphrena moved to the opposite bank where she could walk with less caution and focus more on undergrowth removal than slipping into the rapids.

As she came upon a bramble patch nearer to the path than necessary, she began chewing off bits of plant a little at a time, effectively trimming it rather than ripping it all out. This one, in particular, was lodged between two massive rocks and far too deeply embedded in the earth to easily pluck out. So, this would have to do. The smaller sprouts that protruded from the cracks further towards the water, though, were much more easily discarded. They would probably grow back, but that would be dealt with when it needed to happen.

As she worked, she looked over to Ghost and asked, "Which is your favorite ceremony?"

It was a random question. She hadn't really thought it through before asking. Quite the conversation starter for a wolf who didn't speak too much. Sylphrena was mildly surprised at herself, but it had been said, and she would not take it back now, especially if the older male wanted to talk.

Mayavi

Former warrior: Banished - Female - 5 - Mentions: Issa

It was mid-day, the sun was just about at the crest of the sky. Mayavi dug aggressively at a fresh hole beneath a rock. If her senses were correct, some rodent was hiding out, possibly stocking for winter. Her muzzle was powdered with fresh dirt and her silver paws were discolored with mud. Maya paused as the hole emitted a high pitch squeak. Her ear flicked at the telling sound. The Nordic damsel remained still, not daring to move a muscle. Timing it right at the sound of little claws scraping against the earth, she suddenly lunged forward. Maya sent her opened jaws into the burrow, but with no avail, as the vole had shot out mere moments before she had her teeth around its body. Backing her head out of the vole's home, she spit out a mouthful of moist dirt. She rubbed her paw near her muzzle in an attempt to remove some of the Earth from her maw. Mayavi's features remained expressionless as she reflected on the situation. With a heavy huff, she turned and began to trot up a nearby hill.

Maya had been banished from Lonely Creek for awhile now, and it was apparent due to the few pounds of weight she had lost. Hunting wasn't ideal outside packlands, and her, and her comrade, Issa, were experiencing the matter first hand. The truth was, the land didn't supply the same amount of resources that the pack's territory did, which made practically all sustaining prey move inside the border. Maya had been living on small rodents, and sharing what she could find with Issa.

She trusted the former sacrificial, as she was the only other wolf that had the gumption to point out the oddities of the pack. The pack, especially the leaders were fogged in the mind with illusions of gods and miracles. Mayavi knew first hand that these miracles did not exist. The 'gods' were supposed to care for and watch over the pack with benevolence. Bullshit. If only the rest of the pack saw what her and Issa saw. But the leaders of the pack, and leaders of generations before, had brainwashed their members with those damned rituals and ceremonies. With the disease and famine slowly overtaking the land, before long the pack would have to worry less about disbelievers and more about survival. If they didn't wake up, they were cursed for a violent end. Mayavi wished she could help, as she cared for her former pack members, but if she dare step foot back into the borders, god... she'd be ripped apart in an instant. Truthfully, she was damned if she did help, and damned if she didn't.

She huffed as she exited the recent past. There was nothing significant she could do now. Maybe some spontaneous idea would form in her cranium? That usually works, all she had to do was be patient. Stopping at that, she continued her way up the hill before following a slightly beaten path towards a rocky area. Large boulders were scattered everywhere, some which she enjoyed due to their sunbathing benefits. The area was situated in a small bowl between multiple hills. The hills sheltered the area from wind, which made it temporarily ideal for Maya.

Finding her favorite rock, the Nordic damsel heavily collapsed on her stomach with a grunt. Remanence of grime remained on her body due to her unsuccessful vole hunt. Maya awaited for some sign of Issa, in hopes that her banished companion would return with either good news or food.