Pack Meeting: From the Ashes we Fly

[Cypress]

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[atrb=background,http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac298/Wonderwhy_wolves/cypress-1.png] The dens had not been frequented very much lately, what was once the hub of the tundra seemed cold and empty. Her own den was not even this close to the center of the pack lands any more. Her family was close by, and for that she was grateful. The small female yagi made her way to the top of the highest hill, where she had seen Bathsheba stand more than once to call the pack together. Cupressus was a runt in her birth family, she was not as large as the rest of the yagi breed. She was just as stubborn and proud though. Her home was in danger of falling apart. She needed to be strong and pull it together. She stood on the hill and threw back her head, to release a powerful howl that echoed across the land. She was calling the pack to her. It was time for a meeting. The pack needed to be closer and if necessary, Cypress needed to take the reins.

[Arkham]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][tr][td][atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/34fh89y.jpg] Fear Not Who I am. Fear What I am Going To Do To You. A desolate, moaning wind crept stealthily across the lands, its bare fingers inhabiting every nook and cranny in the landscape as it slid over the deserted plains. The tough, bristling grasses that broke through the snow carpeted surface clawed at the air, as if endeavoring to clutch at the wind, bring it down, cease its endless and lost meanderings through the abandoned terrain. The territory was bleak, as if it were a scene of a graveyard, painted in gray scale. There seemed to be just as much life stirring in these lands as in a graveyard, with nothing but the spirits of the wind to inhabit the forsaken grounds. The gray light filtering through the thick cloud cover dipped the terrain in drear and gloom, marking the place as one of desolation and despair. It was the sort of landscape that would easily lead an onlooker to believe it a place devoid of happiness and life, where the only creatures capable of survival were those that lived upon the misery and anguish of others. Heavy, rough pawsteps caused the brittle snow underpaw to crackle and hiss softly, as if each step that this creature took was unwelcome upon these lands, as if it were a sacrilege just for this beast to tread the grounds of the Ivare Tundra, still standing after all these years. Or perhaps, so the being pondered to itself, it was that the terrain itself knew that his presence alone graced these lands with a power, an authority that had been lost with the disappearance of the ancient creators and inhabitants of these lands. Piercing jewels of fiery ruby swept across the horizon, taking in the lay of the land, familiarizing themselves with the eccentricities in the topography. To say the least, there weren’t many that were immediately visible, which was no surprise. The terra was composed mostly of snow with sparse foliage, nothing commendable really. But there seemed to be something that the creature sensed in the atmosphere that pleased him, something of a faded and veiled power. These lands had something to give him, and he was more than willing to take it. Finally, the unrelenting eyes focused on one point in the distance, and without further delay, the muscles, warm with running, shifted, bearing their owner with an unmatched alacrity towards his destination. It did not take long for the being to arrive at the predetermined location; It was none other than the large group of rocks that his beloved had called from. The creature, moving in its smooth, gliding gait, alighted atop one such mass, seeming to slide in a serpentine manner to the peak next to his mate. Green and silver fur gleamed, contrasting dangerously against the dull gray rock, creating a striking image. His pelt was streaked at the shoulders and along the ridge of his spine with varying, blended hues of brown and silver.The patterns swirling and changing as the breeze swept through the thick fur. His bodice was built upon a tight, robust frame, his limbs long and supple, supporting a round chest and a large torso. His bodice cut an imposing figure against the stormy sky, his stance proud, head, ears and tail high, showing no deference, despite the fact the he was upon foreign territory. The cold, ruby gaze surveyed the expanse before them, a grim approval glinting in their dark depths. Cypress had accepted his suggestion, but not without many nights of questioning. Indeed this place had something to give him. His mate back. She would no longer spend all her time worrying, no longer be devoid of life just like this barren place. She would take it, nurture it, and make it a thousand times better than it was. And he would be there for her, every step of the way. Lest she meet some resistance. At this time, there was still no sign of the so-called leaders of this Empire. That would all change at her command, he had no doubt. He knew none would show anyway. That was why Cypress had to do this. She would not let the Empire die. Once again, he scanned her surroundings, getting a feel of the terrain. Soon, this land would be his domain. Well, sort of. He scoffed at the thought, round muzzle nibbling at Cypress' nape in a bid to calm her and push her on. She could do this. She needed to do this. Yes, this was the fanfare that would greet the lands with the arrival of a new reign. Her powerful howl was the sound that told of blood to come, fates and destinies awaiting, change and a new authority.

[houndoomwolf]

Oakami had been near by hunting small jackalopes when he heard the howl. It was a long meaningful howl that he recognized as cypresses. He knew that if she was calling the pack together the need was urgent and he must go there as swiftly as possible. He set off running through the snow, it sprayed behind him but there wasno one there to care, he felt the wind cold and bitter against his bare nose and ears. After ten minutes of flat out running, passing many resting places and prey. He arrived. Beads of sweat dripped down his flanks and his body shook from exhaustion, running in these conditions was hard and he was unexperienced in such matters. He stood panting before cypress, he nodded in greeting and then sat a few metres away, waiting for the rest of the pack to arrive but not wanting to intrude in cypresses space.
Ooc. Is this the current meeting?

[Cypress]

((Yes this is the current meeting ^_^))

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[atrb=background,http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac298/Wonderwhy_wolves/cypress-1.png] She stood silently for what felt like ages. Finally someone showed up, she could not hide the look of relief when she saw it was her beloved. She closed her eyes as he nibbled her neck. She nuzzled him in return, licking the underside of his chin as he stood by her side silently. She glanced behind him, as if expecting two shadows to be on his tail, when she didn't see them she looked up at him. "Where are the children?" She wanted them to at least see that there mother had some semblance of power. She hoped this meeting could help fill the rift that was between her and her daughter. She noticed movement not to far off, she turned her head away from her mate to see Okami, the hunter she had saved from a bear not too long ago. The gashes that the bear had marred her with were barely visible on her shoulders. She nodded to him. Was this all that would show? Her heart dropped a little. Maybe she had waited too long to try to fix the pack. She could only hope that more would appear....

[Cedrus]

Whispers of wind flickered past, ruffling green and silver fur as a young adult male raised his angled head toward the sky. Tall ears perked, a familiar voice carried effortlessly inside them. Although familiar, it was rather different this time. It was his mother, Cupresses no doubt, but her daunting notes sparked interest in his still growing mind. Something was happening, something big.

Emerald eyes flickered nervously over the Tundra, nostril twitching to get her scent. It wasn't all that hard to find, the stronger scent of a once proud pack only lingered now, the snow threatening to finally cover them completely. Tensing his sore muscles, Cedrus headed toward his mothers call. He had only just got back from his little wander, in which he had met a fine young brute much like himself. He had made a mental note to go back and see him soon.

Finally arriving at the scene, the male peered at it with a peculiar sense. This was definitely a pack meeting, but next to none were there to prove it. And why was mother calling the shots? His heart thundered as he spotted his father. Tall and proud he stood, like he owned the place. Eugh. He had no rights here. If anything Mom had more sense of purpose than he did, maybe even himself and Maggie too. His round head swiveled at the thought, Maggie wasn't here yet. He had missed her. Sure she was a bossy brat, but she was his older sister and he would forever look up to her. She had more guts than he did, and he admired her for it.

Making eye contact with his mother, Cedrus nodded, allowing his tongue to hang from his taught jaws to cool his heated body. He also nodded to the other brute, then to his father. But only out of respect, or lack there of. He didn't dare approach the snuggling couple, he just idled up to Okami, placing his backside firmly on the snow covered floor. He didn't quite get what was going on, but he sure as hell knew he was about to find out.

[roarangel]

Colors swirled in the sky, ominous colors that gave the raven myou a nauseous stomach. Something was after him, biting at his heels with venomous teeth. Not any animal he had ever seen but a monster! No matter how fast he ran, it was always there. Always ready to eat away his dreams. "No! Go away! Please!", Karter cried as he tried to run away, his face was the picture of horror. The shadows moved faster, harder, stronger! They towered over him with a daunting effect, readying to devour his dreams and hopes. To take away everything...

And that's when he woke up.

The loud howl woke him out of his deep slumber, making him jump to his paws. Every ounce of his hair stood on end, breath labored from fright. How could a dream get under his skin so much? His chest filled with a shaky breath as she tried to shake the tremmors away. He couldn't stand here being a twit all day. Someone had called him to a pack meeting and even the youngest wolf knew never to miss a pack meeting. So ,with what felt like needles in his paws, he trotted forward towards the howl. The other wolves came into view and Karter slowed down to a long strided walk. He gave Cypress a respectful nod and swept his raven tail under his rump to sit down comfortably.

[maggie]

ooc: hope you don't mind the slight PP, Whosie ^^;;

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True to Magnoliaceae style, a nice little nap left her dead to the world. Her fright on the lake had really tuckered her out and after finally ditching that spazzy Myou she had plopped herself down for a nap. Sure, falling asleep in Empire territory unescorted probably wasn't a safe thing to do. The one year old didn't care though. She always called her own shots, and right now that involved snuggling into a sunny patch of snow. So when her mother's cry first broke the silence, Maggie wrote it off as part of her current dream. She'd always been a heavy sleeper. There was little doubt that that trait would ever chance within her. But when the scents of many others began to tickle her nose (for she had fallen asleep relatively close to the meeting ground), it finally clicked that not all was as it seemed. Her eyes slowly opened with a sleepy yawn, and a quick shake of her pelt dislodged any snow. If others were gathering at the sound of her mother's voice then maybe that was a sign that she should as well. Not that she really wanted to... Mother was, well, Mother. The pup didn't like having to please her mother. She went anyway. Her curiosity was peaked and she had nothing better to do. What was wrong with spying on Mother for a little fun? The trek wasn't as long as some of the others, and when the clearing finally trotted into view she was a little surprised to see both her father and brother present. If Arkham and Cedrus were here, did this mean whatever going on was more than just silly pack business? For a minute she tilted her head to the side in confusion. Then she pressed forward again, tail swishing lightly as she stealthily crept up behind her brother. A short yip was the only warning she gave when she pounced upon her brother. Laughter tumbled from her maw as she tackled him, nuzzling against his neck briefly in greeting. Instead of getting up and moving to her own spot in the snow, she made herself comfortable. Cedrus made a pretty good chair. As she took a moment to let her eyes sweep over the gathered crowed, she childishly stuck her tongue out at the sight of Karter. She then beamed up at her father happily, tail wagging a bit at the proud sight of him. Not once did she bother to acknowledge Cypress while she waited for her brother to either get comfortable or throw her off. Their relationship was still rocky at best, and Maggie was too stubborn to try and fix it.

[Cypress]

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[atrb=background,http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac298/Wonderwhy_wolves/cypress-1.png] As if to answer her previous question, she spied her son coming into the clearing, that made her smile very much. He was such a good boy and she knew that he deeply cared for her. She remained standing, head and half-tail held high like the proud yagi she was. She knew that there were more wolves in the pack, but they did not show up. She didn't anticipate that so few would show. Life in the tundra was rough though, she knew the pack had been crippled recently. All she needed was a majority to witness and accept her taking over. Running the few numbers through her head she figured that this was about it these days. "My friends. Bathsheba is not well and Nero is too scarce. The Empire is floundering, I will not let my home become lost in the snow." She wondered if the wolves present had even met Sheba or Nero. It disheartened her to think that the most likely hadn't. She kept going though, her voice strong and unwavering, "I hereby take control of the pack, to make it my own and nurture it back to it's former glory." She fluffed up her hackles to bring her point across, showing that she was strong and capable to control the pack. She had been with the pack for half of her life now, it was her home and her family. She would take care of it.

[Arkham]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][tr][td][atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/34fh89y.jpg] Fear Not Who I am. Fear What I am Going To Do To You. What day is it? And in what month? This clock never seemed so alive. A few others finally showed up. After a tense, cold few minutes, a small gathering showed their furry faces. Another silent scowl tugged at the brute's maw, this is what Cupressus wanted to fix? What was there to fix? It would be close to impossible to resurrect this Empire. This tiny, pathetic excuse for a pack. They were all better off on their own. Maybe this was what Cypress needed to witness before she could fully understand just how far gone her home had become. I can't keep up, and I can't back down. To his surprise though, the male shot his mate a bewildered look as she continued to claim the Tundra as her own. It was hard enough to just live in this dastardly freezer, let alone with a clan of wolves you could count on one paw. What if she could never get it back to what it was? It would break her more than she already was. That's why he never had dreams. That's why he never had expectations. You wouldn never experience failure. Arkham suppressed a growl of frustration, damn the Yagi stubbornness. 'Cause its you and me, and all of the people. His anger slowly retreated as his nostrils caught wind of familiar scents. His kids. Head snapping up, he spied them, play fighting of some sort in the distance. He hadn't, they hadn't taken a moment to even ask what they wanted. But this was the only chance they had at a normal life. One with much less hardships than that of loners. But there was nothing to support them. He didn't need any either. He'd come thus far and he'd be damned if failed on them again. His son, Cedrus. Strong, loyal and caring. So much like his mother. His daughter, Maggie. Fearless, determined, smart. His babygirl. The brute sighed, he would still stand by his mates side. And if it all came crashing down around her paws, he'd still be there. To pic up the broken pieces, like she had done for him. For once in his life he hoped, hoped that it wouldn't end that way. With nothing to do and nothing to lose. Ruby optics burned out at the gathering, Cypress had made her claim, and her intimidating display closed the deal. Standing taller still beside her, the brute threw his proud crania back, haunting notes drew themselves at their own accord from his vocals. It was a toast to the new Empress, the new savior of the Ivare Tundra. And he invited others to join his song, join this moment in history. Indeed from the ashes they would all fly, and there wasn't a damn thing that was going to stop them. And it's you and me, and all of the people and I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you.

[Cedrus]

Tall ears twitched, emerald optics sparkling in anticipation. Unfortunately for Maggie, Cedrus had known her to be drawing close for a while. Like their father had scented them, Cedrus had scented her. The wind still battering his back, and continued to do so without a hint of changing it's direction. A tight smile appeared on his maw, while hard muscles braced for impact.

It finally came, her excited yip bringing soft laughter to his lips. No matter what happened, he hoped they would remain like this. Despite the obvious differences in attention to either parent, they never let them get in between their relationship. And although Maggie might not have adored Cedrus as much as their father, the young male knew there was a special place for him. Just like there was for her.

He gently tugged on her ear with his maw as she came over him, nuzzling his chest with a happy growl. He returned the favor, licking her forehead a little more excitedly than he had expected. He hadn't seen her for quite a while. After a few minutes of this happy re-greeting however, Maggie piped down, and made herself comfortable on him. A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he sunk to the ground, her weight almost comforting on his back. It was then his mother spoke, and the brute jerked up, heart racing.

Was this true? Her rough conclusion confirmed his scrambling thoughts. A proud growl echoed around him as he let Maggie slide off him as he stood. His mother. Taking control of what she loved. What she needed to protect. Oh how he loved her bravery. And stubbornness. And her heart. They had all know the Empire was dying, and none stood up to stop it. Tail wagging furiously, Cedrus joined his father in his commemorating song without hesitation. His howl lifting higher and stronger than his fathers. He didn't quite fully understand what was to follow this whole situation, all that mattered right now was Mother. And he doubted he could ever be as proud to be her son than at this very moment.

[maggie]

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Cedrus made a nice seat until he decided to dump her into the snow. Very ungracefully the young female slid from his back, landing with a quiet thud on her side. Her brow would have furrowed in distaste had her mind not be practically jolted from her body. The announcement of her mother was so unexpected, so confusing, and so readily greeted by the other members of her family that her brain was having a bit of trouble processing it all. Cypress was going to be Empress? Arkham and Cedrus were in full support of this new-found pack life? And who the hell were Batshitta and Neuron? Talk about a lifestyle upheaval. Righting herself, Maggie stared up at the figures of her parents in utter confusion. She was the one who had an opinion about everything, and as the information slowly sunk into her thick skull she was beginning to yet another one. The mother she disliked was suddenly top dog. Her little family pack was suddenly doubled (or at least increased to a small extent by the presence of a bunch of strangers). And no one had taken the time to ask her if she was okay with this! Well, she most certainly was not! The familiar had just been turned on its head, and if her family thought she was going to support this decision then they had another thing coming. The expression written across her face was some sort of mixture of resentment, disbelief, and maybe even a bit of horror. Listening to the orders of Cypress was never something that was high on her priority list. And whenever Arkham told her to listen to her mother, she only did so grudgingly. But now, instead of just listening to a mother she wasn't all that fond of she would have to listen to a bunch of strangers that thought they knew better simply because they were older than she was? Oh hell no! She was going to use her new rank of "daughter of the Empress" to its fullest. The only one that would be bossing her around was herself (and occasionally her father during those times he'd catch her misbehaving). On top of that, what was all this about having to belong to a pack now? She was quite content to be a little loner child. With loner status came freedom and freewill. Now she was expected to be some drone in a much larger operation? She had to give up her cozy little den in the mountains and move into this frozen wasteland she'd only ever heard of in passing conversation? Her parents had always kept their discussions of the Empire very low key when Maggie and her brother was present, or maybe the female just tuned out most of the information because it bored her. Either way, there wasn't all that much that she knew about her mother's home and now the place was getting shoved down her throat. "This is not my home!" The words were out of her mouth without first passing through a filter, and the intensity with which she spoke caused it to be loud and clear. A little loud and she probably would have echoed. Either way, it showed her vehemence towards this whole little idea. It was a decision she could not bring herself to support, not even partially. She liked things the way they were and refused to except such a dramatic change. Her parents were just likely she hadn't voiced one of her more negative opinions. She could have easily disowned her mother right then and there, in front of the pack Cypress was trying to claim as her own. Thank the heavens that she had a very small, innate sense of tact buried somewhere deep inside her.

[Cypress]

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[atrb=background,http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac298/Wonderwhy_wolves/cypress-1.png] Silence was all she heard. It was oppressive. She felt a chill go up her spine as her mate raised a howl that echoed over the land. It gave her strength once more. How would she do this? With him by her side. She raised her own voice to his, a duet that would claim the lands as their own. As she finished her song she heard her daughter shout out. The outburst surprised her, her intense green eyes met hers with the silvery ones. She looked into her daughter, as if she were seeing her for the first time. They didn't think to ask the children. However, she would stand by this decision. Her children were born here, even if they did not remember. Until they were grown, they would stay here. Her eyes seemed to speak her mind, For now it is. When you are grown. Then you can decide. She kept her hard gaze on Maggie. It was not cold, just stern. She loved her children, but she had to be hard and strong to rule the Empire. She hoped that she would understand...someday.