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Happy birthday Dahlia de Mai. This is a non-mandatory thread, but everyone is highly encouraged to join the celebration. Get your character in here, grab a glass, and join your leaders in a toast. You know you want to! 500+ Edit; At the moment it is only Cercelee, Haku and his two sons present, just so that there wont be confusion. Sorry! This would have been Colibri Soul's dream come true. He had not been here entirely from the beginning like the snow white ex-leader, but it was not far from it. Cercelee had stayed. She had been here from the start. They had been five puny wolves that had claimed Wolfville and Berwick. Time had gone, packs had been born only to wither away months after. They had gone through a war. They had gained and lost members. Despite the difficulties they had encountered, Dahlia de Mai was still here, stronger than it ever had been. He had expected its downfall for quite a while, but he had realized that this would not happen. There seemed to be an odd balance that worked. Nothing seemed impossible anymore. The land was filled up to the limit, yet still rich on game and space as their borders had expanded together with the number of wolves. He raised his voice to announce to the rest of the pack that the celebration had begun. The clouds were painted in crimson and orange, silently voicing their goodbye to the sun that was going for the day. The evening was cool, yet a hint of the warmth from the incoming summer was carried by the silky breeze that swept over the silent lands of Dahlia de Mai. Haku Soul sat in front of a large bonfire together with the Rosea. There was reason to be proud despite the fact that the two of them did not get along as well as a leader and sub-leader should be. She had merely been a yearling when the pack had been created, yet she had proved to be worthy of a responsibility that weighted more than her. She was devoted in her own way, and served her pack according to her own beliefs. Truth be told, this only showed that she was not completely clueless. The male raised his glass to let it jingle together with Cercelee’s, toasting to the growth of Dahlia de Mai, and its first anniversary. In a world where uncertainty and chaos reigned, Dahlia was a beacon of safety, an icon of success. The air was filled with the heavy molecules of roasting elk, soon ready to be devoured by hungry mouths. The sickness had taken several steps back, so the Lilium had considered himself healthy enough to work his magic in the kitchen, and the meat was marinated with delicious herbs and spices, mixed together to create the ultimate experience in taste. Cercelee had rounded up with sweet wine made by the humans that once had lived at the wine yards. She had even found the champagne. The sparkling water was sweet and fruity, yet with a fresh touch that would sharpen the appetite while they waited for the meal. Tonight, the Rosea and Lilium were two equals, all differences and issues were temporary gone for the celebration. Tonight was to be dominated by joy and merriment.. Even the children had been given glasses, filled with water that had received a touch of nectar. They were too young to shift, but it was the thought that counted. Conor had already spilled his, and had started to stress himself up until he realized that daddy would not be angry tonight. No, not tonight. ”Congratulations, Cercelee.” The male mumbled, continuing to sip the cool, fizzy wine, leaning back against the cool bench they shared, merely watching the fire and the roasting meat.

Mew Sadira I didn't know whether you'd just decided that everyone were already there, like last pack thread? Word Count: 343 The image of roasted meat flashed through her mind as an olfactory sensation tickled her nostrils. What, roasted meat? She'd assumed something was going to happen one of these days - it had nearly been a year since they had placed this pack on the map. She'd come to its forming just in time, to find souls who opened their arms to her, despite her arrogant and exclusive ways. Oh, she did not deserve the net that surrounded her. She knew that she had so many she could trust with her life, her secrets, and anything else that would be of importance. Had anyone told her just over a year ago as she headed back to find the charred remnants of Clouded Tears, she would not have believed it. And with the recently joined Sadira children, who spoke in a language she couldn't understand, again a haven for the Sadira bloodline kept itself well and alive, flourishing with life, even. It was nearly incomprehensible to the woman, much like the mateship she currently enjoyed as well. The pack had brought her horrible things, and good things - lately mostly good things. Smiling broadly, Mew noticed the smell of her brother, his two boys and their Rosea as she drew closer to where they had to be. It would be the first time she would lay eyes on the boys since she'd seen them at Haku's place some time ago, and it made her curious. Did any of them have her eyes? It happened, a niece or nephew suddenly looking like their aunt or uncle, even if the sibling between didn't. Just following the turn of the road she walked on, the scene revealed itself to her, and she realized with some disappointment that no - the boys looked very much like their parents, and nothing like her. Oh well, it had been the faintest of hopes. Strolling right up to her packmates - and close friends - Mew smiled earnestly, shaking her hand casually as a greeting. So this is where the party is, then?

ooc: I've got soul but I'm not a soldier Oh! There was the call; they were late already! Giving an anxious snort, Slay bounded about the church he and Cercelee called home, his blunt claws scrabbling noisily against the stone floor. "Come on, guys, are you ready? This is your first pack meeting, and you'll get to see other pups your age - it'll be fun! Cer's already there, we gotta hurry or there'll be no room!" Much to the arctic wolf's dismay, only two of the de Sadira children were home - the little girls Avarice and Catalyst - so he could only hope the others were heading to the meeting already. The family he and his mate had adopted not too long ago were more independent than he had expected, since the pups often wandered unsupervised through their pack land. With such a dense population, it was safer than he had first assumed - after all, it was hard to go anywhere without running into somebody these days, and they were honor-bound to protect the youngsters. Plus, they were learning how to catch their own food, a duty the hunter had assumed would fall to him. Still, even though it was not as time-consuming as he had dreaded, it felt like the abandoned siblings didn't want to bond with anyone else, despite Slay's efforts at forging a relationship. Maybe he and Cer would never be ready for their own future brood. After making sure the two sisters were presentable, he ushered them out the door, herding them towards the smoky signal created by the bonfire. They could play with Haku's boys, he mused, although someone would have to explain that they were cousins. Again, he hoped Catharsis, Roulette, and Palindrome were on the way; it would appear irresponsible for him to have brought only half the family to celebrate the first anniversary of the pack he helped to create! The big male padded along the springy grass, his pale eyes peering ahead to see who had arrived already. He offered a sloppy grin to Cercelee, feeling the warmth that flickered in his chest at the sight of her. She looked beautiful by the firelight. The gathering forgotten, the devoted mate edged nearer to his Rosea, curling up at her feet beside the stone bench she and Haku shared. It was his usual place.

ooc: Words: 519
The ruddy hued male was drawn to the celebration by both the sound of the Lilium's call and the scent of the roasting meat. He knew not what the celebration was for, although it was apparently a very big event. His long stride quickly carried him to the edge of the celebration, where he saw several wolves that he did not know. He knew they were all his pack mates, or at least he assumed as much, but he only knew a few of them. His gooseberry green gaze scanned the crowd to see Haku sitting on a bench near the fire sitting next to a white female who he had yet to meet. He guessed she must have been of high rank in the pack, although how high he did not know. He saw Slay lying at the feet of the woman and he saw Mew mingling with the other pack mates. The shy male could not decide whether or not to join the celebration. After all, he had just joined the pack. Was he qualified to join in the celebration of a significant event that he did not even know about? The white flecks on his pelt caught the fire light, causing them to stand out more vividly on his reddish brown pelt as he stood there, debating with himself. His hair was tied in its usual ponytail using a soft, small twig as a hair tie. The shaggy male self consciously looked himself over, wondering if he was even presentable enough to join the party. After all, most of the others had their coats far better groomed than his shaggy fur.
Despite his repeated attempts to dissuade himself from joining the social gathering, none of the arguments his mind presented to him were convincing. He was part of this pack too, wasn't he? That should be qualification enough. Nodding in affirmation of his decision with himself, the tall werewolf slowly strode into the crowd. One individual he did not see as of yet was Coli. He wondered if she would come. She was just as shy, if not more so, so it would make sense if she were to avoid the raucous festivities. Out of curiosity, Rath strode toward the bench where Haku and the unknown white female were sitting. He gave a polite bow to the two higher ranking wolves before clearing his throat and speaking. "Pardon my interruption, but what precisely is the cause for this celebration?" The socially inept male did his best to be as polite as possible as he asked his question. It was the right thing to do to ask wasn't it? After all, he was new to the pack and it only made sense to learn the various pack traditions and festivals for future reference. Directing his attention to the female he nodded again in a polite greeting and introduced himself. "I'm afraid we haven't met yet. My name is Henratha Gyrkin. Sir Slay was kind enough to let me join this pack," he grinned in a friendly manner to the large piebald brute lying at the woman's feet.

She didn't want to answer his call. She missed her pups. She was wearing Willow's blanket around her neck like a bandanna which was, in fact, what it had been before the girl had discovered it and made it hers. It still smelled faintly of the girl, and her scent was a comfort to the mother. She hoped someday she would follow the siblings. Odds were against her. She ran her fingers through her discheveled mane, and adjusted the bandanna. She lifted her chin and straightened her shoulders. She didn't realize it anymore, but she carried herself as if she were still the shaman of Phoenix Valley. She wasn't. But it was ingrained into her now that she was a leader, that she held her head high and didn't let anyone see her weakness.

She arrived, early as usual. There were already some other packmates there, which meant it would be easier to avoid scrutiny from the male who had fathered her daughter. Deuce looked around, spying a log apart from the gathering, but close enough she could feel the warmth of the fire. She nodded to the female who'd created the pack and made her way to the log, sitting and watching the surrounding area. She left enough room on the log for the girl she'd adopted, Colibri. She'd have to sit down with her sometime and tell the girl she would really like for her to call her mother. Deuce was a good mother figure, after all. She just had a horrible track record when it came to her children staying by her side once they were old enough to move on.

Words: 300+ Coli crept in quietly, keeping her head low. She had been scarce the past few days, wandering the lands outside of Dahlia de Mai. Without her little sister keeping her occupied, she found she had more free time than she would have liked, and the loneliness was edging in on her again. Biting her lip shyly, she scanned the gathering with her bright blue eyes, the firelight glinting on her silky mouse-brown fur. At the forefront were Haku and Cercelee, the two magnetic souls that kept her trapped in limbo. If it were only her sire in charge, she would have left long ago; if it were solely her dear friend Cer, she would have gladly made amends with the Rosea already. Embarrassed by her lack of initiative, and too shy to approach the leader with her intimidating mate so close, Coli averted her gaze. Auntie Mew was there, greeting her nephews; Coli had already met Emwe, and smiled at the little boy, hoping he'd remember her. Oh, and there was Rath - the carpenter who had promised her a greenhouse! She wanted to wave to him, maybe sit with him -- but he appeared to be conversing with the leaders, so she let her hand fall to her side. They could talk later. And there, seated on a log near the fire, sporting Willow's well-loved bandanna, was the woman she had been wanting to talk to for some time now. Coli quietly assumed her seat beside Deuce, smiling shyly. There were a few questions she had wanted to ask - she needed a parent's advice, and Deuce was as close to a parent as Coli had. The house was too quiet now without Taliesin or Willow around, and it seemed like both of the females had been avoiding it. But now, it seemed like both of them needed each other... "G... good evening," she murmured softly, below the crackling of the bonfire. She folded her hands politely on her lap, wanting to say more but finding it hard to. Perhaps with all the other wolves filing in to Haku's beck and call, now was not the time. Tonight, then, after the celebration. They could talk.

The chiming sound the glasses made as the clanked together brought a smile to Cercelee’s face. The first toast had been a bit of a private celebration, a sort of peace that had sprung between Haku and herself for the time being. They could for once enjoy each other’s company and celebrate what both of them worked so hard for. Cwmfen had brought a lot of it about, lessening the tension between Rosea and Lilium merely with her presence, but Cercelee had wanted to just congratulate and thank Haku alone, who knew how long the truce between the two leaders would last? That was not to say she did not appreciate the woad marked warrior, a present for her had been stored away, ready to be whisked out at the Adonis’s arrival.

Thank you Haku, and congratulations to yourself as well. The taste of the wine was sweet. Not a drop of alcohol had touched her lips since the night with Red Sol so long ago, the liquid could really be evil stuff, but she was happy to consume it now. So much more confident and happy than she had been then, Cercelee was awed when she realized she how much she had changed over the past year. And how the pack had changed. Among the first to arrive were Mew and Slay and she beamed at them, setting up glasses filled with lightly spiked water for her charges and an optional glass of liquid for Slay so he need not shift if he decided to partake. Mew, Slay and she had been pioneers of the pack, and Hanna was still about, showing her face now and then. Colibri Soul was the only unexplained absence. For the first time in a long time Cercelee let herself think about the older women, who had created the pack, who had lead her into the life she had now. Later when more were gathered she would toast the women many of them hadn’t even met.

Where else would we be? Cercelee rose and embraced Mew as she rarely did, but she was feeling generous with affection today. Next she greeted Slay and the children in turn, taking note of that not all had arrived with their adoptive father but Cer couldn’t criticize him. She knew from experience how hard it could be to round up the pups. Taking back her place every now and then, between the others arriving she glanced to her mate and family, and then to little Conor and Emwe newly returned home. The pack was as full as it had ever been, her own home was as well and it seemed that good fortune came in waves.

Cercelee noted the arrival of Deuce and Coli, but they would have to amuse themselves until others arrived. There was no formality today, it was just a party for mingling, for socializing, for giving blessings and thanks and to remind everyone of what they all worked for. This was Dahlia de Mai and Cercelee had never been more proud. A male she did not know quickly approached and she smiled up at him warmly, listening intently and swelling with the sweetness of the alcohol and the celebration of their pack. I'm Cer, Rosea. It is a pleasure to meet you Henratha, and today, of all days, is Dahlia de Mai’s first birthday.

Mew Sadira Word Count: 325 Her gaze went to Haku for a second, smile directed at him as well - of course! - before two arms suddenly were wrapped around her in an embrace. It was a rare thing from Cercelee - the two were friends but they did not hug much. Or rather, Mew did not hug much. She never did hug anyone, almost. Perhaps Haku was the only one who had sometimes gotten a hug or nudge. Smiling as she pulled herself out of the embrace, Mew said quietly, for only Cercelee to hear. I'm proud of us, dear, and mostly you. Many more arrived, and Mew was frank enough to stand near her rosea and lilium - she was not that much below them in rank, after all! She was the only member left in the council now, and sincerely she wondered why, even if she had heard about Firefly. News like that flew. Mew hadn't approached the woman, afraid she would give in to the temptation of taunting her with her own failure. It would not be the right thing to do, but something in Mew still couldn't let such an opportunity go. She wouldn't make a scene here, though, if Firefly showed up. Not with everyone else around. Looking at all the members that joined them - Slay, Henratha, Deuce and Coli - an itch in her toes made her lift her head and throw her gaze around, searching for her own partner. Where was the slacker? Probably digging through a mountain of books as usual. Smiling at the thought, Mew strode over to her niece - what better to occupy herself while the guy was making his way over here, than to talk to Colibri? They'd only spoken once, after all. Stopping dead ahead of her, Mew spoke and fixed her emerald gaze on that chocolate head, waiting for a response. Hiya Colibri. How're you tonight then? It was a lame conversation starter, but it'd do, probably.

ind//for i bakvendt-land indentind//der kan alt gå an //Emwe Soul tar det siste verset av en sang han ikke kan Emwe stared at his glass, wondering a little bit what he was going to do with it. Well, it was obvious - he wasn't stupid after all! - but he didn't have any hands! And everyone but him and Conor had other stuff in it anyways. The boy eyed his brother, who had spilled his glass, wanting to best him. He wanted to drink from the glass, but it was a no can do case. Looking around to see if anyone were looking, the little pup abruptly stuffed his whole muzzle into the glass, hoping it would still stay erect if he did it that way. It was a success! The contents were not on the ground - and were quite tasty, actually. The boy didn't really get to drink it, though, but he dipped his tongue into it and could definitely taste that there was something to it. It was kind of funny to breathe in there though, and he decided to maybe stop doing it, and have a nice breath of air instead. Lifting his head, the glass followed, vacuumed onto his face by his own breathing. Dampness was forming inside the glass from his nose, and the air in it was getting recycled rather quickly. Plumping down on his bum again (he'd been standing up for better aiming and accuracy!), he raised his front paws and tried to somehow drag it off of himself, but it didn't work! He had no hands! Tears was in his eyes as he fought with the now deadly (at least in his mind - he hadn't noticed that he was actually breathing a little through everything, but his panic made the glass continue to stick to his face) thing stuck to him. Oh, wouldn't someone help him? Tears flooded his silver-blue eyes as he was (again) convinced that his death was only moments away, emitting sounds of panic that became muffled by the glass. He was going to die, certainly! //der er de like tøysete og rare alle mann //

--- The little child licked the remaining liquid in his glass slowly, but he has spilled most of it when he had tried to lean against the glass. His father had not been angry with him, thankfully, so the boy’s fear was on a minimum. He hadn’t thought his father could be nice, not even to other people. Maybe there were two different dads, one scary at home and a nice one with other people. He was still shaken after what had happened when he had brought his new friend home and everything had messed up, but the big man seemed to have forgotten the whole incident. That was a very good thing. Conor did not like it when his daddy hit him. The multi hued boy could only stare at the people that arrived. He did not know any of them, although there was a small man that looked a lot like daddy. The boy stepped closer to him, ignoring the puppies that the white and black man had brought. Then the man spoke, and it sounded more like a mommy’s light voice than a darker daddy voice. Strange. The scent was kind of familiar too, but he was afraid of his father’s smaller twin, more afraid that he was of his father himself, so the boy tucked his little grayish tail between his legs and stalked back to his father, hiding under the bench between his father’s legs. So many people. Emwe seemed much less disturbed than Conor, so maybe there was not that much to fear. Still, the child was nervous and he had never seen so many strangers at one place, so it would be best to be careful. The boy looked at the older puppies that had come together with the strange man, but whenever they threw a glance in his direction, he took care to avoid their gaze and look away. He just wanted to get back to the cabin and stay there. Haku had to carry him to the meeting because the boy had refused to leave the doorstep to go somewhere far away. Conor was afraid to get lost again, afraid to feel his body die. He just wanted to be safe and have Alexey close to him. He wished Alexey lived in the cabin too, so that he would never have to feel insecure again. One could not have everything, apparently. He flickered his ears slightly backwards towards his skull, simply staring at all the strangers with his blue eyes that were slowly turning into a melody of silver and violet. Tired and hungry, but he couldn’t sleep or eat here. He just wanted to go home. The child placed his paws over his eyes, keeping back a sob. The world was black and he couldn’t see anything. He heard strange sounds from Emwe, but the child did not remove his paws to see. He did not want to do anything. He did not want to be here.

ooc: Word Count: 403
Rath nodded as Cercelee introduced herself. The rank she mentioned, Rosea, puzzled him for a moment, but it didn't take him long to calculate the status which the word was associated with. The fact that everyone acknowledged her when they entered the celebration likely meant that she was the head of the pack. Good, he had finally met the pack's leader. Then, he heard her answer his question. Today was the pack's first birthday? How wonderful! Granted, he had only been part of the pack for a few weeks, but he still felt a sense of pride welling up within him. "Well, congratulations to Dahlia de Mai, then," Rath replied, smiling and bowing slightly before taking his leave. He noticed Mew speaking with Coli and smiled at the sight of the timid femme. He would have to wait his turn to speak with her however, as it appeared the pack musician was just beginning her conversation. Then he noticed the white woman sitting beside his shy friend. His gooseberry green opt studied her for a moment. She had a regal bearing about her, and it intrigued the curious male. He strolled over to her and smiled in his usual friendly manner. Normally he would not be one to start a conversation, especially with a stranger, but this woman seemed to be friends with Coli. They were sitting on the same log, so it was obvious they knew each other. If Coli was friends with her, she must have been a nice person and there was no apparent reason for him to be nervous or apprehensive. He strode up to the female and spoke in a warm friendly tone. "Good evening, madam," he greeted, his white tufted ears perked forward to focus on the conversation at hand, "I'm new to Dahlia de Mai, and I thought I should say hello. My name is Henratha Gyrkin, but please call me Rath. I find that my first name tends to be a bit tedious to repeat over and over again in conversation," he chuckled light-heartedly as he knelt down to be at the woman's eye level. That was polite wasn't it? He didn't want her to have to look up at him while they spoke, especially since he was so tall. His tail, hanging limp behind his form picked up a slight, happy wag. This was a party after all, no need to be tense.

500+ Cwmfen walked across the land shifted and unarmed. Perhaps it would have been dangerous, for the shadow of the crow wolf was ever lurking within her mind. And yet, it had been sworn by two souls. It had been sworn that he would not find her, that he would not be permitted to do what it was that he sought. The word of both Haku and Onus would have been enough. But she could not shake that feeling of foreboding. He had already found her place of residence; how long would it be until he would actively come after her? The black fae knew that he would not be idle for much longer regardless of his reasons for choosing to be so. Her mind wandered over the scene in which she had first discovered her father’s presence; he had left choosing not to take her or attack her, and she did not know why. The fear that she felt now was different than it had been in the past, somehow dormant and sedated, but it was there nonetheless, remaining there as a warning. The sun had already begun to die, taking the light with him as the voice of her Lilium rose upon the air. The warrior paused, her thoughts shattered and scattering upon the wind as the black auds lifted to listen. For a moment, she was stilled, listening to that song and contemplating that celebratory tone. And for a moment, the warrior set aside the darkness of her past and began to move towards the sound of that voice, knowing quite well where she would end. She traveled quickly across the expanse of the territory knowing that she would not make a prompt arrival, but the fae knew that she should be there. And she wanted to be there. For her discomfort around pups she had missed the arrival of all the pups of Dahlia de Mai. Somehow, the Adonis felt as if she were disrespecting her pack in that respect, but she could not help it. She had blessed their coming silently in her mind, asking her gods to raise them well. But she could not overcome the need to distance herself from those youths. As she neared the gathering, the scent of meat and fire and her packmates was thick in the air. The woad bound tail waved casually behind her, expressing her light hearted mood for this Dahlian gathering. She moved in, grabbing a glass to toast the pack but not drinking from it. The warrior could not drink for the impairment of her senses, but she held the glass in ceremony and would do so without realizing that it may have seemed strange. Cwmfen stood near Cercelee and Haku, a soft smile gracing her lips in greeting before she turned those white orbs to gaze upon the coming members. The woad marked fae recognized Mew and Rath, but she recognized the other adults only from the previous pack meeting; regardless, she greeted each with a brief but amiable glance, unable to be the social creature that Rath seemed to be, before moving through the other moving creatures. There were many pups, more than she could remember, and the warrior could not help but place herself in a place that would create enough distance for her own comfort. They were cute from a far, she admitted.

Deuce eyed the other wolves quitely, feeling relieved as Coli walked into the gathering. Coli was much like herself, and chose to largely avoid the others, opting instead to join her, murmuring a soft greeting. Deuce gave the girl a reassuring warm smile, touching her leg lightly. Deuce's eyes sharpened as a male walked up to them. She wasn't on edge, just curious as to who he was.

That mystery was solved as the male introduced himself. "Good evening, Rath. I'm Deuce Rhiannon, Lierre and Shaman to Dahlia de Mai." That he didn't introduce himself to Colibri seemed to indicate that perhaps he already knew her. She cast an inquiring glance to her psuedo-daughter, then returned her bi-colored glance to the male. He'd knelt to come down to their level. She gestured to a near by log. "You could pull up a seat, Rath. Kneeling becomes uncomfortable after a while." Her lightly accented voice was slightly amused as she spoke, but it held no rancor.

Out of Character WOOT GO DAHLIA WE ROCK! XD Word Count: 886 In Character It had been early afternoon when she'd awakened from her gentle nap. A few weeks had passed since that terrible fight with the child-eater, and Kol's wounds had been healing nicely. Of course, that was mostly because of all the resting she had done, despite her frustration and desire to be useful. Her recovery had begun in her own bed inside her little house by the cemetery, but a few days after she'd voluntarily moved to the treehouse Elliott had made with his own two lupine hands. He had insisted she stay with him, at least while she healed, in order for him to better play nursemaid to her battered form. Of course, Kol would never admit that her inner answer had come without hesitation, regardless of the feigned argument and reluctant consent she'd appeared to have given him. The truth was that Kol wanted to be near the male, along with desiring to be away from her house for a little while. Over the course of the past month, perhaps longer, something had seemed to have developed between the charcoal woman's best friend and her crimson-hued brother, and Kol couldn't help but be happy and excited for the both of them. As much as she teased and chided Drey about his fast and loose ways of his adolescence, she knew deep down that if he truly was developing feelings for Lexey, that there would be no other to cloud her image in his eyes. He was a playboy in his youth, but a few midnight conversations had firmly solidified his sister's confidence that his growing affection for Alexey was both absolute and exclusive. Kol had always known that loyalty and devotion was inside her brother, it just took the right woman to bring it out. Now that the two had seemed to be growing more comfortable with whatever was developing between them, the last thing they needed was a recovering Kol to be in their way. Besides, if things between her and Elliott kept progressing the way they were, Kol believed she may honestly decide to let her brother and Lexey take over the house for good. The Stormbringer had risen from her midday nap feeling a bit better than she had in days, and she couldn't help the smile that creased her lips at the sight of Elliott still dozing away beside her. For awhile, she'd simply stayed there, lying beside him in her fully shifted form, watching his chest rise and fall as he lost himself in his dreams. However, when he showed no signs of wanted to awaken himself, Kol decided that it was time to stretch her muscles and take in the fading daylight. Well aware that the male would probably be concerned at her absence when he woke (she was well aware of her former habit's effects on him), the dark girl took the time to scribble a brief note and shove it on a nail on a post near the ladder. As she did so, it crossed her mind that she had never asked Elliott whether her could read or write any of the human languages, but at least she was making the effort. Besides, she had no doubt that the ember-eyed male was smart enough to figure the gesture out. Regardless, she took an extra moment to draw a quick picture of their spot near the river, and drew her family's long-beloved feminine symbol of the triskele beside her name. He'd recognize both of those depictions at least, if he couldn't read. It wasn't long into her solitary walk that the call crossed the sky. It was Haku, though by the sound of it his request for a gathering was not militaristic nor official in nature. Tilting her head slightly, the scout changed direction and headed back toward the treehouse to see if her goofy companion had heard the call as well. Upon reaching the treehouse, however, the brute was notably absent, and Kol knew that he could possibly be anywhere in the area. Well, if he was awake, he'd undoubtedly heard Haku's call, so rather than waste time searching for Elliott the shifted Stormbringer headed straight for the usual meeting ground. The scene that awaited her against the backdrop of the setting sun was one of merriment and celebration; a gathering with the unusual mood of joviality to it. It was a pleasant surprise to the conflict-weary Stormbringer, and her lips pulled back into a warm smile as she casually entered the scene, having arrived just in time to hear Cercelee's explanation for the celebration to a packmate. She nodded greetings to several of her packmates, some of whom she'd never met apart from the last catastrophic gathering, and gave a half bow of greeting to the three leaders at the head of the group. "Well, this was certainly a welcome surprise! Happy anniversary, to everyone who makes Dahlia the family it is. I can't imagine ever calling anywhere else home." As she rose from her greeting, a wink was directed at Cercelee and Slay, and she grabbed a glass and strode over to sit near the oddly-marked male with the rough-and-tumble gathering of pups, wondering if Elliott would show up. Drey and Alexey were notably absent as well, and she chuckled to herself at their expense. Table by Fishie!

OOC: PP approved by Jess for Alexey. XD

It had been yet another lazy day. Having no other duties to attend to when they'd awakened in the late morning, Drey and his unlikely companion had spent much of the day out in the forest beyond Dahlia's borders. Lexey was still getting used to her newfound ability to shift, and Drey was delighting in showing her the boundless possibilities that talent could open doors to. Her clumsiness was fading more with each passing day, though her occasional follies never failed to bring forth a warm bout of laughter from her usually far-too-uptight male shadow. Over the past several weeks, Drey had come to learn more about the honey-eyed woman, and a few misplaced teasing remarks had proven to be far more hurtful to her than he'd ever intended. As a result, she was possibly the only soul in the world with whom he reigned in his temper and acid tongue, and it surprised him just how easily he was able to do so with her. Aside from his sister, Alexey was the only person with whom he felt he could just let everything go.

Today had proven to be another wonderful day in her company. Now, however, the sun was slowly settling into its hiding place beneath the western horizon, and the pair were making their way back to the house beside the cemetery. It still bothered the male that his sister had felt the need to excuse herself from living there at the time being, but he knew there was no talking to Kol once her mind was made up. It was simply a question of logic, however. At the house, she had her own comfortable mattress while she recovered, and she had the added protection and nursemaid abilities of her best friend and her brother. Hell, why couldn't this mystery male just come stay there while she healed? That way, Drey could have kept an eye on him as well. Then again, maybe that's exactly what his sister was afraid of.

On the other hand, he really couldn't blame her for her distance, and it also provided the opportunity for he and Lexey to really spend some time alone. Not wanting the Koios girl to be completely alone in Kol's absence, Drey had taken it upon himself to move into his sister's now-vacant room for the time being. He gave Alexey whatever space she'd needed (though she'd softened to his presence, to say the least, over time) and found an odd sort of comfort and rightness in living with her. His growing feelings for the woman still fascinated him, but he'd decided it was a losing battle to fight them and had finally just given in after a very long talk with Kol. He could no longer deny that he had indeed fallen in love.

No sooner had the pair reached the outskirts of the cemetery than their Lilium's call pierced the air. Raising a brow, the male turned his soft emerald gaze to his companion, displaying a crooked and charming smile as he offered his arm for her to take. The warmth of her hand and her presence beside him washed over him as he set his feet in the direction of the call and the gathering that awaited.

It took only a short time to reach the meeting grounds, and Drey blushed uncomfortably beneath his fur as his green eyes caught the knowing look from his younger sister. She tossed him a wink, and he rolled his eyes at her, a soft grumble emanating from his throat. Most of the pack members gathered were unknown to the male, and though a respectful bow was given to the three leaders at the head of the circle, he made no more show of introducing himself. Besides, his sister was well acquainted with most people, and through her he had no doubt they were aware of who he was anyway, particularly the leaders. Separating himself from Lexey for a moment, the male took on the responsibility of gathering them each a glass of the celebratory spirits, passing one to the Koios woman and winking teasingly at her as he headed over to take a place beside Kol. Alexey was far closer to the wolves gathered than he was, and he knew she would probably have her own greetings to make before she (hopefully) took a place by his side. In a rare show of restraint, Drey left his glass untouched while he waited for her, choosing instead to take up his time playing "catch-up" with his sister.

ooc: Word Count: 304
Rath's gaze turned to the nearby log that Deuce pointed to. "Oh, I suppose sitting would be better." He smiled, embarrassed. Here he was, trying to be bold and social and he had already produced a mildly awkward situation for himself. How wonderful. Being careful not to tip his glass, Rath reached his free hand over to the log and pulled it closer to him before gently sitting down upon it. "N-now that that's all straightened out," he stuttered, struggling to restrain his nervousness from totally controlling his speech. "It's a pleasure to meet you Deuce," he finished, taking a sip of the fizzy beverage in his glass. This was his first encounter with any form of alcoholic beverage, so as the small amount of the drink ran down his throat, the mild burning feeling led him to cough slightly, only unnerving him further. "What an interesting substance. I wonder what it's called." He thought out loud, not particularly meaning to do so. Realizing he had just said what he had been thinking he quickly tried to recover the conversation by asking Deuce a question. "So, are you a friend of Coli's?" He asked friendily. He wasn't sure why he had asked this question. Perhaps it was the fact that his green gaze had wandered to look at the timid wolfess just before he was about to speak. Anyway, he redirected his gooseberry green eyes to the two-toned gaze of the shaman in front of him. He had already observed that both Colibri and Deuce had come to the celebration together, so he could have likely guessed the answer to his question. However, he was trying to make friendly conversation, something that was becoming increasingly difficult for the socially impaired male. His white tufted ears were perked, readily listening for the white woman's answer.

ooc- 300+ words There was a summon in the air; some sort of celebration. Shortly after, the scent of roasted meat tickled Tokyo's nose. Now this was more like what being a member of a pack should be. Free food! It had been a bit easier to hunt since she had joined Dahlia de Mai, but there weren't exactly as many handouts as her vague memories of pack-hood as a puppy suggested there might be. So, this was awesome. Her stomach grumbled in anticipation and urgency; why was she still standing around? Tokyo started off walking briskly in the direction of the call, but slowed her pace when her breath began to catch in her throat. She shouldn't be dumb, not with that scare she had last week. Just stay calm, walk slowly, she'd get there soon enough without needing to exert herself and exacerbate her breathing problems. She had no idea what this party was for, but there were certainly a lot of people. Hell, for all Tokyo knew this could just be a weekly, monthly thing. Mm, that would be certainly tasty if it was. The roasting meat looked amazing, and she wanted nothing more than to take some, cooked enough or not. But no one else was eating, and the sheer number of people somehow muted her normal desire to be the center of attention. There were too many unknown factors at work, here. Too many strangers. Too many...ew...puppies. There - that was a familiar face. And she seemed to have the right idea about avoiding the dumb little furballs, too. It was the wolf that had greeted Tokyo at the borders, Cwmfen. Everyone was drinking something out of cups; she wasn't too sure how to work with such advanced human utensils, but it didn't seem hard and she could do anything if she tried hard enough. Not wanting to be left out, she grabbed a glass and hurried away from the puppy-infested area, retreating to the side of the familiar dark warrior. "Hello again." Tokyo said pleasantly. She'd wait a minute to sip the drink she was clasping too tightly; she didn't want to mess it up and spill on herself, and plus it smelled funny.

300+

All of this felt like prom. She had a really handsome date to show off; her unfaltering smile demonstrated how happy she really was. Alexey had never expected to feel this intimated by the ridiculously large amount of wolves at the gathering, but she couldn’t help it. She too, blushed under her fur as she clung to her companion, wondering if anyone had caught on to their romance. Kol most obviously did, but that was to be expected. Although they’d initially tried to hide it, her moving out of the house temporarily only confirmed the fact that she knew.

Eyes of honey swept over the area, assimilating both new and familiar faces. Her gaze caught Cercelee’s first, to whom she mouthed a discreet “congratulations”. The same respect was shown to the Lillium, something she often neglected to do on a regular basis. She understood the fact that he was her boss, but she’d grown so accustomed to having him around while babysitting the pups that she now considered him to be more of a casual acquaintance; and more often than not, a pain in the ass.

Mew was the person she sought next, a woman she’d come to appreciate as both a friend and a teacher. She also deserved to be congratulated. After all, she too was a founder. Slay also! Her lips curled into a cheerful grin. After all, a smile was worth a thousand words. Her golden gaze shifted, finding Cwmfen amidst what seemed to be a million other faces. Lexey was fond of her, especially since she’d helped Kol recover so quickly. She acknowledged everyone else briefly, before seeking the Lillium’s children.

Emwe caught her attention first. It was hard to miss him and the glass stuck to his head. The Caregiver moved over to the chubby child and pulled on the container, freeing him from his worthy opponent. “Silly goose,” she chastised lightly, setting the glass aside. She was about to ask about Conor when she noticed him hiding between Haku’s legs. Not surprising. Lexey had expected the pup to react this way and she’d stopped by the Lillium’s cabin to take his blanket, which she gently set beside him. It would hopefully soothe him for the time being.

Moving over to her lover, Lexey waited patiently for things to quiet down before making a little announcement. She stared down at the glass he’d offered her, momentarily fascinated by the foreign liquid. It smelled a little funny. She would have to ask the chestnut-colored male what it was a little later. “Drey and I are together now,” she suddenly revealed. This was the happiest she’d been in a long time.

300+

All of this felt like prom. She had a really handsome date to show off; her unfaltering smile demonstrated how happy she really was. Alexey had never expected to feel this intimated by the ridiculously large amount of wolves at the gathering, but she couldn’t help it. She too, blushed under her fur as she clung to her companion, wondering if anyone had caught on to their romance. Kol most obviously did, but that was to be expected. Although they’d initially tried to hide it, her moving out of the house temporarily only confirmed the fact that she knew.

Eyes of honey swept over the area, assimilating both new and familiar faces. Her gaze caught Cercelee’s first, to whom she mouthed a discreet “congratulations”. The same respect was shown to the Lillium, something she often neglected to do on a regular basis. She understood the fact that he was her boss, but she’d grown so accustomed to having him around while babysitting the pups that she now considered him to be more of a casual acquaintance; and more often than not, a pain in the ass.

Mew was the person she sought next, a woman she’d come to appreciate as both a friend and a teacher. She also deserved to be congratulated. After all, she too was a founder. Slay also! Her lips curled into a cheerful grin. After all, a smile was worth a thousand words. Her golden gaze shifted, finding Cwmfen amidst what seemed to be a million other faces. Lexey was fond of her, especially since she’d helped Kol recover so quickly. She acknowledged everyone else briefly, before seeking the Lillium’s children.

Emwe caught her attention first. It was hard to miss him and the glass stuck to his head. The Caregiver moved over to the chubby child and pulled on the container, freeing him from his worthy opponent. “Silly goose,” she chastised lightly, setting the glass aside. She was about to ask about Conor when she noticed him hiding between Haku’s legs. Not surprising. Lexey had expected the pup to react this way and she’d stopped by the Lillium’s cabin to take his blanket, which she gently set beside him. It would hopefully soothe him for the time being.

Moving over to her lover, Lexey waited patiently for things to quiet down before making a little announcement. She stared down at the glass he’d offered her, momentarily fascinated by the foreign liquid. It smelled a little funny. She would have to ask the chestnut-colored male what it was a little later. “Drey and I are together now,” she suddenly revealed. This was the happiest she’d been in a long time.

There was no reason for her to make an appearance but the woman was in enough trouble as it was. She growled to herself and figured that she might as well make the lord and lady of the lands happy to know their little pathetic Solum was still alive and kicking.. and hadn't killed anyone recently. She would rather not see Haku and she figured that he felt the same. The copper and gold woman was still pissed at the fact that he'd taken her children from her. Though she knew that she could go visit them she felt that there was little reason to. It just gave Alexey and Haku more of a chance to glare at her and show their disgust for the actions she'd taken.

She would never say she was sorry for what she had done because she was not. Haku had deserved what he had been given and she was rather glad to have recently found out that Deuce had sent her little bastard brat off. Though she was disappointed in the fact that she couldn't find some way of harming the little bitch atleast she still knew that Deuce was around to terrorize if she really wanted to hurt someone. Though her place in the pack was already teetering on the edge of goodbye she was starting to think getting a chance to sink her teeth into the bitch would be justice enough for being dispelled from the pack.

Firefly stood on the outskirts of the party and watched with an cold hard stare as Alexey once more seemed to take over her position as mother to her own children. She couldn't stop the soft growl that build in her throat as she watched her children from afar. The rest of the pack could have their good time and play at their happy lives. She wasn't so sure she even cared to be near the lot of them anymore. She wasn't even certain if there was a woman in the pack that hadn't slept with her mate, her once mate. Though she had no claim to the Lilium any longer she still assumed that he had probably been with more than just Deuce the whole time they were together.

The sight of the whole pack drinking made her lips lift slightly in a sneer as she imagined that half of them would probably get a little too tipsy and stumble off and find themselves in situations they normally wouldn't even morally consider. So the pack had survived a year, big deal, they could always fall tomorrow.

The mahogany male had approached the whole celebration with a weary thought. He didn't think that he wanted anything to do with the glasses that the Luperci of the pack were playing with. Once again he was reminded of his unique station in the pack at not being able to shift. Finding out that both his siblings were now Luperci had not exactly settled well with the male but he hadn't spoke his thoughts out loud. He doubted that Cercelee would uphold the promise she'd made to him so long ago and he wasn't even certain he wanted to be thinking of that just now.

His eyes darting to the Rosea as he gave her a bow and offered her and her subleader a murmured congratulations on maintaining the pack and how well the pack had grown. "Congratulations are in order I think. It looks like we may need to lay claim to more lands with all these puppies running about underfoot." He grinned as his gaze shifted over to the two Soul puppies that were back in the packlands where they belonged. Though he didn't know much about the Lilium or his ex-mate who once held the council position as Acer he could understand in some perverse way why she'd done the things she'd done.

He caught sight of Cwmfen , not having realized that she'd been so close to the two main leaders of the pack when he'd greeted them. Offering her a slight smile the two toned male nodded briefly before wandering off. She was a leader now, she didn't need to deal with his silly little games and jokes. She was serious in her job and duties as he was carefree and lighthearted. He didn't know why he was even drawn to her, he knew he was just a shadow of the other males in the pack.

Ignoring the glasses of liquor he made his way around the chattering folds of packmates and settled down on the outskirts of the flickering flames. He didn't want everyone to notice that unlike them he was unshifted. It was beginning to tick away at the back of his mind the growing jealousy for what he couldn't have. Sighing softly Sankor glanced around, wondering where Ade was, though he'd already seen Alexey all nice and snug with her assortment of friends. He was beginning to wonder if he really fit in anymore. Perhaps like Ade he too didn't really belong, though he was probably just being bitter from jealousy.