Blackfoot Forest MEET · Once In a Lifetime, The Suffering of Fools

bon dye pack meeting 1: september 30/13

Hey guys, welcome to Bon Dye's first pack meeting! This meeting is meant to be the typical meet-and-greet type of meeting, but is also sort of an information session where Jinx will address the Loa and what they represent, why it's important to serve them, the penalties for leaving the pack without word and the requirement of a blood oath for new joiners from this date onward, meaning BD will be moving to IC joining, and possibly a planning session for which pack to raid first. With the upcoming coyote invasion plot, the other packs will be preoccupied, so this would be an ideal time for Bon Dye to start causing some mayhem around Glacier National Park! Since all of you currently have a Loa for your character (all of you have the co-rank equivalent), you may either play as if you wolf already knows of the Loa and is aware of their co-rank equivalent, or you may play as if they will choose their Loa and their responsibilities at this meeting; the decision is yours! This meeting will be three or four rounds and the first round will end on October 5th! Failure to attend likely won't result in anything at this time, since most people are still Sigmas, however attendance to any meeting is weighted heavily in terms of IC contribution and will affect the ranks in the future.

At precisely 6:27am, on the 16th day of Cantlos, Jinx Kesuk shuffled her way out the entrance of her narrow den, situated beneath the roots of a 537-year-old whitebark pine, and stretched. The pine characteristically housed several Clark's nutcrackers, small cloud-grey birds with stark black-and-white plumage that often harvested the cones hanging in the needles of the tree. She took a moment to watch them frolicking amongst one another, wincing slightly at the grating, disruptive cawing they emitted, then moved on from her position, losing interest quickly in the irritating birds.

Blackfoot Forest was home to many such species of bird: northern goshawks and Cooper's, Swainson's, Ferruginous, red-shouldered, and red-tailed hawks, all uncommon sights; prairie falcons and their much rarer Peregrine cousins; golden and bald eagles often; merlins, a rare treat; blue and spruce grouse abundant along the forest's edges; rock and mourning doves; all species of owl, each rare and mysterious; black swifts and Vaux's swifts on occasion; and easily dozens upon dozens of others, many of them unknown to Jinx but for the sound of their cries echoing through the trees. This was the chorus she was greeted with this morning, as she took in the sights and the crisp air of her pack's new home.

But Jinx had not risen so early to listen to the birds as they went about their daily routines in the fog-laden boughs. She stepped gingerly over tangled roots and skirted around shrubs of impressive size with a purpose, and at precisely 7:36am, draped herself lazily over the fallen log she had stood upon when she first loosed her proclamation of Bon Dye's independence. She lay there for a time, reflecting on her decisions thus far and dreaming far into the future, where her pack would claim glory for itself. There was a long way to go, and many things to accomplish, before that could happen. Jinx knew this most of all; hard work was the only way to achievement.

That decided, the girl lifted her breast from over her forearms and sat up, with forepaws splayed in front of her to hold her weight against the log's natural decline, and threw her head to the sky once more. It was not a minute past 8:00am when her voice rang out over the misty woods, summoning her wolves to her: the fiery Ogoun, the sweet Agwe'en, the wily Bade'un, and the steadfast Loco'en. She herself had come to recognise her Loa in the form of the eagle of the winds: Bade, Second of Sos, and Primary Loa to which Jinx's devoted sacrifices, offerings, and prayers would be directed. Each of Bon Dye's nine remaining wolves would either have been visited by their Loa by now, or would decide their course and their chosen spirit shortly.

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For Leto, the Loa had been quite silent, or so she thought. For spirits that roamed the world, she supposed they were awfully absent in her very literal neck of the woods. Yet still she roamed the woods without realizing that every stone she carried to make a mound of them at the Forest's edge was a tribute not just to Bon Dye but to the Loa of Earth. She slept each night in the deepest of dens, dug into the rich dark soil with her own paws, where her dreams were scented with petrichor and loam. The half-coyote did not recognize that the perseverance that had brought her to this time and this place was in fact characteristic of the Loa that guided her paws. Her ambition, her shrewd calculation, and even her wry sense of humor might sing of Loco'en to a wolf who knew of such divine mysteries, but Leto was as yet uninitiated even into the ways of Atka and Sos, let alone to the more esoteric foundation that were the four Loa.

When the morning cry went out from the heart of the Forest, Leto turned away from the cache she had been camouflaging with fallen leaves and a piece of a rotting log. She made towards the sound of Jinx's voice and reveled in the release of energy that came from the pounding of her running paws upon the damp, hard-packed forest soil. By the time she arrived in the Bokor's presence, the Lambda was exhilarated, and the emotion spilled over in the form of a languid smile on her face, She bowed her desert-hued head low, and even when she straightened to attention, her features were suffused with pleasure. Heart fluttering in her chest, the half-coy greeted with an unusually bright grin: "It's a fine morning."

She spent another night curled atop the log, though as night gave way to dawn, it brought a damp chill which woke the slumbering Pied and forced her to rise onto all fours, bound off her perch and slither inside it. With a sigh, she let her chin drop to her paws, though she only drowsed for what felt like a few moments before a distant howl made her lift her head suddenly. It connected with the log's interior with a hollow thunk and Pied muttered quietly as she made a hasty exit.

After discerning the message contained in the howl, the Sigma began to lope quickly but calmly toward source of the leader's voice. The night had died away and, with it, the wails of the foxes. Now, the forest rang with the jabbering of birds. Pied knew little about birds, though her two-toned eyes lifted to find the magpie who never seemed to be far away. She did not see any sign of Mag, yet this didn't bother her. Pied continued making her way through the woods, her thoughts now drifting to her grandmother, who loved birds so much, she had a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of them upon which she based her ranks in Flightless Falcons.

When she arrived at the meeting place, her pink tongue probed forth to wet her dry lips. Pied spotted Jinx right away, seated atop a long not unlike Pied's own home base. She also saw the other wolf—who looked quite a bit like a coyote—bowing her head to the Alpha female. Pied made what she hoped was a graceful approach toward the two, yet she stumbled over some underbrush on her way and she rolled her eyes at herself. As she did so, she caught sight of Mag, perched quietly in a sycamore beyond the leader's shoulder.

"Hello, Jinx," the Sigma said, effortlessly respectful without laying it on too thick. She turned her mottled head sideways and smiled faintly at the red stranger. "I'm Pied," she introduced before seating herself with an accompanying crunch of fallen leaves.

The bright autumn morning was met with a sprinkle of dew across the fading yellow grass, the bulbous watery drops hanging off their tips. The blades tickled Cuan's legs as he rose from his shady bed. It had been some days when the beige creature had first joined his howl to the prologue of Bon Dye. Now a multitude of new perfumes flooded his nostrils, and the wiry wolf would need some time to sort out each perfume and attach it to a pack member.
He began to move through the smooth-trunked woods, the early rays of sun peeking through soft green leaves. The air itself was cool and crisp after the night, and now it was just beginning to reform the scents of the forest. With each diligent sniff, Cuan mapped the territory's layout in his mind. It would prove useful, and allow him to use the terrain to his advantage. Each pawhold allowed a firm grasp as he wove through the trees, hoping to come into contact with any other souls. He wasn't particularly one to announce himself, but the prospect of Bon Dye beliefs were intriguing. Magic? The Loa? Although he had assigned himself the perfect fit of Agwe'en, Cuan was on the boundary of exploring the virtues of his new home. He was extremely inexperienced, and new of only one way to present himself. A soft call heralded his attentions then, and the wolf turned. It was close. When he burst into sight, Cuan's demeanor shrank into one of submissiveness. His ears were flat against his skull and tail pulled between his legs. Although he was the only male, Cuan had already chosen his status and knew his place. There was not hesitancy in his yellow eyes, but something that refracted understanding.

Hawkeye's key-lime orbs glowed under the blanket of night. The sliver of moon peering through the trees was enough for her to see perfectly, and her loss of hearing let the shrieks of the sly foxes quiet to an almost pleasant hum. The darkness shrouded all but her eyes, her enormous black figure disappearing into its surroundings. She focused on wicked thoughts these days, the desire to perform "revenge" on the leader of the Dragonwatchers pushing its way forward in her mind. Her lips formed an evil smile in the dark as her brow narrowed. A small cackle bounced from her mouth at the morbid thoughts that formed in her mind. Hawkeye saw flashes of visions of her lust for blood appear before her eyes, and a murmur of indecipherable voices cast themselves forward, and from where they sounded.. it was as if they were behind her. She gasped and shook her head, not realizing that dawn had approached.

There, a seemingly close, raspy voice announced, making Hawkeye turn her head first, and then curious eyes, toward a howl that appeared not a moment later. "Fiery Ogoun... that's me..." she whispered to herself. The wolf took a deep breath that expanded her large chest, and before she let it out, she took off.

Arriving in the clearing, Hawkeye accomplished what she did best in a manner of seconds: she checked out her surroundings, this time wolves being the main attraction. A coyote-looking female that seemed to swell with happiness and the color of sand; the slim, white and blue-grey dappled female she had gotten to know once before; and a multi-colored male that seemed as if he was about to wet himself. Talk about over-doing it--maybe this guy was at the bottom tier. Lastly, her sharp eyes laid upon another small white female--this one purely white, except for her blackened toes at the end of long legs. Her orangey yellow eyes glowed red and Hawkeye smiled and she bowed low in deep respect for her new leader. She had a feeling that this pack was exactly where she belonged.

set by sophie
ooc: sorry for the strange-ish post, I wanted to do some character development.. obviously Hawkeye is going a little crazy with her desires! (blood-lust and being a "darker" wolf) I can't wait until we raid :D

Jinx.

She called from on high, and his ears swiveled atop his crown to cup her voice; the shaman listened, pausing in his systematic disemboweling of a large rat he had caught. The tiny thing squeaked and wriggled in his grasp, but Lecter would not spare its life, even if he moved already in the direction of the Bokor's summons.

Pointedly, he cleaved its spine with a savage tightening of his heavy jaws around its body; the rat gave up the ghost almost immediately, sagging in his maw as blood dripped from various punctures along its form. Swallowing the lushest of the droplets, the pale madman made his way to the gathering-place, where several others had already made themselves known to their porcelain goddess.

With a confidence he had not felt in some time, Lecter moved through the growing throng toward the foot of Jinx's throne. His icewater eyes raised, to meet the burning of her own gaze momentarily, before he let the rat drop from the clutch of his teeth into a crimson-soaked, wretched heap. An offering of fealty.

A small curve decorated the grim wolf's mouth as he turned then, to sit aside from the wolves of Bon Dye — he was at once both beside them, but distant.

sorry this is bleh. :x

Jinx’s call rose into the chilly morning air, summoning them all to her. Kerberos paused in his patrol of Bon Dye’s borders, muzzle moving automatically in the direction that Jinx had summoned them from. Triangular eyes swiveled to the side as he looked back at the world outside the borders, sea-green eyes taking in the peace and calm of them. After assuring, and accordingly re-assuring him that he could finish his patrols after the meeting (which he did not want to be late to, surely that would not look good as he was Jinx’s second-in-command). Without any further trepidation, Kerberos began a quickened pace to the meeting spot. Some had already gathered, and though he recognized some of them if he were asked to recite their names he would fail horribly, and in reality he did not like that he knew next to nothing about all of them, except for Jinx and Lecter. The sandy colored Aok, fur frosted with dried salt water (a comfort of home so far from the Sea), let his sea green eyes touch each of the wolves assembled so far as he moved past. He glimpsed at the blood stained Shaman, giving Lecter a slight dip of his head out of courtesy. It was hard to deduce where, exactly, he stood with the Shaman -- though at least he was above being threatened and intimidated by the Sos Priest. To Jinx, Kerberos offered her a soft lick under her chin and a sheepishly, apologetic little grin that he hoped conveyed that he was sorry he had not arrived sooner. Wordlessly, Kerberos took a spot beside Jinx, to her right, figuring it was okay, since he was her Beta. It was still something he was getting used too, being leadership, especially considering he had never expected it, and it had never been a particular goal of his. But it was in his blood, his mother had been the Siren Queen, after all, and he had watched Nanuq as Warchief of Shearwater Bay from his quiet shadows.

. Upon awakening Vires went on a little run around the Blackfoot forest to look for a meal. This past night the dream had reoccurred but with a little twist. The red raven had died. A large bird of prey flew out of the fire and consumed the raven. She smirked upon leaving the dream knowing that the pesky raven would not return again. Vires had been  briefed about the Loa and their meanings. She just had yet to decide which one was hers. She had not a clue which one she would choose, she has hopes to seek out Jinx for guidance, hoping the dream was a clear clue on where she would go.
Vires dipped her head to the ground and took in all the scents. The scents filled her nose, Wolves of her pack days old, a few birds, coyote, and a rabbit! She lifted her head and looked closer for the rabbit scent. It was towards the north. Vires started at a jogging pace hoping to catch up to the rabbit. As she did Vires went into a crouch, hidden within the trees and under brush. The rabbit, a brown male was grazing absent mindedly. Vires with no hesitation leaped through the air and landed above the rabbit, With a clean swipe the rabbit was dead. She consumed the rabbit slowly and after a few minutes she rested.
Soon after she has rested for a few; Jinx, her alpha, called out to her and her pack mates. Eager to return to the alpha Vires sprinted as fast as the wind through the prairie grass. It took her a few minutes but soon she arrived to the area where Jinx and some of her pack mates were sitting. Making her way through Vires approached Jinx and bowed out of respect.  "Morning my lady." she announced. After showing respect to the alpha she took a seat amongst her pack mates.  

Three times she circles. Then, three more. When that was done, five. And she reversed the circle, moving in sweeps, her dance a deranged one as she dizzily swept her paws roughly against the earth, heaving a heavy breath from her chest to expel something from her being—
xxxxxxBut it was interrupted by a call. Clarice was not so used to this, being called; her former pack if it could even be called that had a leader, but they were together so much of the time that meetings were never held. Not true ones. And never were they summoned as a whole. They were found. One by one. It was different, here, and Clarice was ruffled by change. And so she moved at first with displeasure.
xxxxxxIt soon changed. The yearling was one of many moods that struck her whenever they would; but ah, it was gone, and she slunk toward the meeting without a physical gift. Her shoulders—poking from her skinny frame that would again fill out in time—rolled as she moved in a feline-like fashion, and she moves to dip toward Jinx, circling her so that she could find an ear and whisper a most delightful thing: I am casting a circle of protection! We will need it, she breathes hungrily. She did not know that they needed it truly, but the voices demanded it of her. Rub, rub. Protect. Mark. Instinct in that time became what the voices always were, and so she was creating something of a spell to protect and veil their pack. A sharp, high-pitched laugh is pulled from her, and when she notes her father she looks away and heeds the others for an instant. She is compelled to speak to them, to tell them to each simply hush and wait for their leader to speak what she would, but she holds her sharp tongue and instead prowls toward her father, deciding to sit with him. She does not know, yet, that this other male is a leader; but her posture is appropriate to her current rank. She has no desire to challenge, yet.

you remind me of the babe (what babe?)

This round will end on October 10th! I believe you can claim EXP if you post in every round so make sure you get your posts in if you aren't on absence, if you want some extra EXP! This post is very long but the first 9 paragraphs are just responses to your wolves, so if you don't want to read a whole lot of irrelevant stuff, you can skip them if you'd like. :D The rest is the actual content of the meeting.

She was soon to learn that her pack was a varied collection of wolves who were on two ends of a spectrum of viciousness: on one end, Lecter, Clarice, and Hawkeye, with their respective bloodlust and insanities; on the other end, Pied, Kerberos, and Vires, the kind souls whose tongues dripped politeness as readily as the others' dripped ichor. There were some, including herself, hovering somewhere in between those two extremes, but it would become abundantly clear soon enough that some wolves were more suited to Sos, and some to Atka, and that was good. Shearwater Bay had seen only a handful of Sos worshippers to complement their abundance of Atka followers, and the imbalance had been the first of many downfalls.

The first to arrive was, surprisingly, Leto, the coyote-hybrid that Jinx had mistook for a pure-blooded, voodoun coyote. It certainly is, she agreed with a warm smile. I trust you find yourself well here? Jinx's vision of a pack was grand, and in time Bon Dye would grow to be the largest in the park — of this there was no doubt — but presently, she had to focus on the beginnings, and making certain her current members were comfortable. There had not been much time, what with fortification of borders and marking of hunting territory, to supply to pack's caches yet, but it was one of Jinx's next projects. Leto, she believed, would be instrumental somehow with her coyote heritage, but it was yet to be known how. Her primary concern when it came to the hybrid was her comfort, for now.

The second was a wolf she had met only briefly, a brand new female whose calling, the Kesuk thought, was definitely with Atka's swan. If Jinx had noticed her clumsy approach, she made no mention of it, for in truth she had stumbled over the tangled forest floor more than once, thankfully always out of public view. Good morning, Pied, she said softly, I'm glad you could make it. Like Leto, Jinx thought there was some hidden potential in Pied, who was not a hybrid but bore a coat most peculiar and certainly marked by the gods, but she had no inkling whatsoever of the other female's ability to see ghosts. She was unaware of the dead magpie that had settled itself behind her, and felt not even the slightest prickle of suspiciousness at its gaze.

Next was Cuan, the wolf who had come along in the crouched posture of a definite Omega, and someone she knew very little of. To him, she extended a nod and a smile; the Jinx that had taken Shearwater Bay in her early youth would have swept forth and bowled him over to make an example of him, but she had grown up since then, and better understood the responsibilities of an Omega. The Omega was one of the most important wolves; he kept order and stability, and vented the pack's natural aggressions when times were tough. He was instrumental to a pack's success; he was not the Alpha's personal punching bag, and she would not treat him as one.

Hawkeye arrived nearly on Cuan's coattails, casting her sharp emerald gaze around at the gathered as though assessing them, and for an instant Jinx felt a prickle of unease, as if the woman could see through them to their souls or something. Yet, it was not fear that manifested itself — Jinx was unafraid of those unacquainted with her gods — but rather, curiosity. What would this woman prove herself to be capable of, then? In the wolf's wake she thought she saw a flicker of fire dart by underfoot, but it was in her minds' eye, a part of her imagination… Or so she would tell anyone who had noticed the thoughtful frown that found its way onto her face. Ogoun, then, she predicted, though it was always a wolf's choice which Loa they would follow, and Hawkeye could easily surprise her.

Her features brightened slightly when the bloodied Shaman made his approach, taking the time to drop a broken rat before them all before taking his customary place aside from the pack. She was glad he had regained some of his former self, and she knew he would soon feel at home, when the gods returned their favour and placed their protections over them once more. Lecter, she crooned familiarly, smiling. He will be most pleased. She knew much had to be done: altars would need to be constructed, and they would need to regain their ritual knowledge, and on these things she would always and forever defer to his wisdom.

Kerberos was next, still conspicuously salted from the sea that she had to wonder how long it had been since he last bathed. Still, the way his scent was always tinged with salt brought on heartache and nostalgia, which she was still grateful for. Memories of home were fading quickly, and Jinx would do anything she could to hold onto them, even if it meant burying her face in Kerberos' hide to smell the seaside one more time (though she refrained from that). To him, she extends her nuzzle to give him a fond nudge to the side of his face, as he took his proper spot alongside her. Lecter could well have stood there as well; they were her closest friends, and more importantly, they were the ones who would teach the pack the proper ways of Atka and Sos, and not the corrupt ones that had tainted the Bay.

Next was another wolf she had not spent much time with, a dark-coated, blue-eyed female with conspicuous white smattered throughout her fur. The most obvious of these markings was the white that encompassed most of her snout and throat. Welcome, Vires, she replied, recalling the woman's name miraculously, as her memory had never been the greatest of her assets. She forgot things easily, especially names and faces, and so she enjoyed a private moment of victory at remembering this. Please, she gestured to the gathered wolves, but her attention was then abruptly snatched away by the most unusual of all of Bon Dye's members.

Clarice had made her way up the log with a boldness that Jinx would not have tolerated in anyone else, but her childhood friend held the sway of madness in her eyes as she approached, which Jinx had come to learn to heed over their lifetimes. Although she stiffened with displeasure at the directness of the approach, and her posture was a clear warning against doing it again, she accepted Clarice's cryptic message without further rebuking her, breathed a quiet, excellent work, in response, to show her reaction was not one of unfriendliness but merely of business and correctness, and allowed her deranged Omicron to weave her way towards Lecter without further comment.

When they had all settled and it was clear no others would be arrived, Jinx let herself drop off the log, that she could stand at their level, though she held herself with her ears and tail raised so that authority was still hers. We are Bon Dye, she began, brought together by the will of the gods, Atka and Sos. Some of the members would recognize the names, having been debriefed, while others might be confused. Sos is the Dark Bear, Devourer of Souls, King of the Underworld and spirits. He is greed, vanity, trickery, power; all vices are His designs. He rules Darkness, and His wrath is inescapable. His fury must always be appeased, or He will come to devour your soul, and leave you as nothing but a husk. By the end of this explanation her voice was so quiet it bordered on whispering, and her gaze was heavy, flicking between each of them.

Atka is the White Bear, Giver of Life and Queen of the Sea. She is light, goodness, truth, honour, and all the things that you may consider virtues. She rules firmly, with the power to remove as well as give, and She is just in this. She is the Great Mother, from whom all life originated, and She is benevolent, but requires utmost devotion. Her wrath may be more dangerous even than His, being so difficult in awaking, but She is the frigid tundra, and only barrenness find any who oppose Her will. It was not impossible to oppose Atka and live, though; Jinx and Lecter, protected always by the Dark God they served solely, were living proof. Likewise, Sos was not always vengeful and hateful, as was proven by Kerberos' continued existence; this would become known to the wolves of Bon Dye as they began their practices.

Each of them has breathed to life two Loa to serve them primarily, though there are many, many loa, and all in service of the Great Bears. We serve them, and they allow us to live, to prosper, and to succeed. She breathed deeply here, reclining now to her haunches as though preparing to launch into a great story. Sos has introduced me to His Loa: Ogoun of Fire and War, His First, whose spirit burns eternally, whose energy will never wane, and whose fury is absolute. Bade of Wind and Deceit, His Second, whose speed is unmatched and whose cunning is sharper still, who can never be caught by mortals or immortals alike. Followers of them must be strong of will and spirit, for they serve not only the Loa, but Sos himself, and will face off with death and defeat at every turn.

Atka has also shown me Hers: Agwe of Water and Clemency, Her First, whose manner is calm as the stillest lake, whose touch can cure the deepest wounds, and whose soothing waters can still the most passionate of fighters. Loco of Earth and Vigor, Her Second, the unmovable fortitude of a mountain and the strength of a landslide, whose ponderousness makes him the most adept of thinkers, whose will can never be broken by any earthly force, and whose resolve is so firmly rooted it can never be shaken. She glanced over to Lecter now, and to Kerberos, waiting to see if they had anything to add before she continued. She had not held council with them yet, and did not know if they, too, had encountered these Loa — did not know if their forms differed, or if she had been given divine knowledge beyond what she deserved. If they had, they would speak it, she trusted.

The Great Bears rule over all the world, physical and spiritual, but their Loa rule over us, here, in this forest. It is to them we pay our tributes, and through them the gods will hear of our devotion, will hear our pleas and will answer our prayers. They will protect us and shield us from enemies, veil us from prying eyes, and their Loa will aid us in all conquests and battles we may face. Her tail flicked behind her as she cleared her throat to keep from coughing; it had become dry as she spoke, as though something was now speaking for her, although it was still very much Jinx Kesuk present in her body.

We serve the Loa, that we may serve our gods, she concluded. Now her eyes roved over the collected, as she began the entire point of her story: you will serve them not only with offerings and prayer, but with responsibility, and duty. Their followers will be given special names and special tasks suiting their personalities, tasks best suited to pleasing their specific personalities.

Ogoun, watchers of the woods, those who guard our pack from outsiders and from onslaught. Those whose fire cannot be extinguished, whose paws burn with power during the hunter and whose ferocity is unmatched. Pause. Bade'un, those gifted with stealth and fleetness of foot, with wit and daring courage, who pass by their enemies unseen and fall upon them from behind. These were tasks Jinx though fitting of Sos, and so, suitable for Sos' Loa.

Agwe'en, those with the special power of healing, mastery over light magic and knowledge of herbs, who excel at teaching others, who are at home with elemental water, and whose kindness is a light of hope for all. And Loco'en, tenacious strategists whose minds are always at work, whose paws are immovable and whose strength is in observation, whose logic rules them, and whose power is in their defiance. She rose to her feet now, sweeping quietly back to her spot atop the log, well aware that her lengthy dialogue may have bored the less devout and less interested, but knowing that they would all find their calling eventually.

These are the paths laid before you, that you may choose your calling, and serve them to the best of your abilities so they will protect you and cherish you.

Even as Pied seated herself, a fourth wolf arrived, the first male to join the group. The piebald she-wolf glanced over her shoulder at him, noting his cowed approach. Behind him, others arrived, one by one. Pied bobbed her snout upon recognizing Hawkeye, whose eyes seemed rather fiery this morning. She did the same when Lecter stalked quietly onto the scene with an offering clenched in his muzzle. None of the others were familiar, though Pied gave each a lingering look to memorize their faces, her nares a twitch to catalogue their scents.

When it seemed the entire pack was present and accounted for, Jinx addressed them and Pied faced forward, her gray ears pricking to take in the Alpha female's every word. And Jinx spoke many of them. She began by describing Sos and Atka, the bear gods, and then went into an in-depth description of the various Loa. Pied maintained an internal commentary as Jinx spoke, drawing parallels between herself and, particularly, the mentions of the Agwe'en.

By the time Jinx finished, Pied felt she'd made the right decision for herself and her Loa, in which she decided to believe fully. She knew that ghosts existed, of course, so she did not have trouble accepting gods and becoming a spiritual disciple. It gave her a sense of purpose she'd never experienced elsewhere, least of all the very secular Flightless Falcons. And, unlike in her grandmother's pack, Pied felt that, when the time came to reveal her special gift, Bon Dye would embrace it faithfully, rather than scoff at it. She loved her family but she had never felt a sense of belonging like she did just now.

Pied started gently when she saw Mag suddenly spread her wings, tip her head back and open her beak, presumably to send a cry toward the heavens. Pied heard nothing—she never heard Mag make a sound—but the bird's emphatic behavior was notable. She blinked curiously, then allowed her lips to twitch into a smile as her heterochromatic gaze wandered back to Jinx and her half a dozen acolytes.

Hawkeye's chest swelled. The pride that engulfed her felt as if it could burst from her large frame at any moment. Visions of offerings to Sos and protecting the pack's borders from filthy intruders flashed as a transparent image in front of her eyes as she listened to the Alpha speak.

Young as she may be, Jinx fits this role perfectly, Hawkeye thought inwardly after the white female finished her piece. Ogoun was her calling, with no doubt in the least. Her eyes burned with fire and she was confident she would not let her pack down, no matter what the cost.

set by sophie

short ugly post, sorry ;__;

He was silent as Jinx spoke, listening, though his lips tipped into a quiet bow when Clarice approached, settling herself alongside her sire. He was proud for a long moment, and then it dissolved into awareness of Jinx's implications.

Here she delineated the powers of the Loa, the Gods, even giving mention to the Goddess of Light. And still he remained stoic, gazing up at her with scarce glances roundabout him at the others who listened. Icewater eyes met the Bokor's as she at long last looked to him, and he rose to his paws, digging claws into the rich loam of their recently claimed woodland.

"Sos gives, and He takes. He will bless you beyond measure, but your offerings to Him must be greater still. We are of Blood, Ogoun and Bade, and we worship with all the lust and verve of our hearts. I will teach whomever comes to me these rites and rituals."

Having spoken rather more than he intended, Lecter lashed his tail catlike and cast a last lingering glare over each wolf gathered before he took a seat again, hackles prickling somewhat with the rusted eloquence of words he had not fully meant to speak.

set by sophie

*throws this in* Sorry its late and short, i bought a new car and have been working extra shifts at work. :-)

Kerberos was not known for his outstanding social skills -- which was likely one of the reasons he had been so utterly floored when Jinx had approached him about making him the Beta Male. Of course the ex-Mariner understood that she trusted him, and for that he was entirely grateful. He had sworn his loyalty to her, as both a subordinate, as a friend, and as a brother. Even though he knew, thanks to Nutaaq, that he was not blood related to her, or really any of the Kesuk’s, it had been Nanuq who had raised him, and it was her that he thought of as Mother. As Jinx spoke, she commanded and held his attention, and as he listened to her words, he let his sea green eyes touch each one of Bon Dye once more, silently assessing. He did not know many, but he looked to rectify that by meeting each of them one on one after. Jinx spoke of Sos and Atka, and of the Loa, and even after Lecter spoke, Kerberos, though remained silent. He could feel Atka’s presence, still, a soft shiver running discreetly down his spine at the feel of her so very near him, so strong. But, still, she did not bade him to speak, and so he did not. Jinx had covered it well enough, Kerberos thought (and was fairly sure Atka was satisfied) and if any were interested, they would seek him, and he would do his best to explain the infinity of Atka, and that which, in reality, he could never do justice in explanation.

Because I'm trying to avoid dead threads at all costs, lol, I'm going to narrate a conclusion for this really quickly and badly. :)

After her long speech, there wasn't much left for Jinx to add. She allowed her pack mates to speak amongst themselves and pose questions, giving the meeting a distinctly informal air as several conversations took place at once. Eventually, though, the pale leader drew the pack's collective attention back to herself once more, made a few closing announcements—including offering herself and her second-in-command, Kerberos, as spiritual guides—and then dismissed Bon Dye to its own devices.

Some of them—Pied included—lingered and wrapped up their earlier conversations. Eventually, they all drifted away into the woods, each of them pondering the great bears, the Loa and everything else their leader had covered in their first and most empowering meeting.