Neverwinter Forest We'll overcome - together we are one

Thought it was time for the whole pack to come together :) Not a mandatory pack activity, but certainly fun. No post order after they have a target in sight, but please; post only once every 24 hours. @Rian @Maude @Shrike @Eimear @Amari @Dublin @Kaskara @Cypress - @Arrille if you want to make a cameo :)

Round will end on 17-2-2017 or sooner if everyone has posted

With the snow thawing and the rise in temperatures, Ondine was certain a herd would soon come to the Northern parts of their home. More than anything did she want to provide for the pack she now ruled, even if half did not know her all that well, and what better way than to show that she cared about their hungry bellies? She crawled out of the den she had stuffed with thawed moss and pine needles for little Arrille and Kjalarr to enjoy and went towards where she now she could find a good gathering spot. In her head, she had named it the Gathering Stump, but knew that someone somehow would come up with a better name to call the place.

She stepped up upon the stump, looking around to see if she spotted any coats before throwing her head into her neck to let out a summoning howl. Something was about to happen, and whether it was for good or bad was up to them all. The siren dearly hoped they would catch something big today, because surviving had been hard in a frozen world - as if time had stopped altogether.

Cameo :)

Arrille stirred when his mother moved. He watched her leave, and almost went to follow her. But, he felt safer inside the den that had been made more comfortable by his mother. So he remained, watching the entrance as he waited for her return with his father to care for him. Although he was curious to know what she was doing.

Cameo. ♥

For the first time in his young life, Cypress actively turned his back on duty and responsibility. His desire to avoid Ondine and everything she represented overruled the magnetic pull of her summoning howl to such a degree that he left the territory entirely, seeking solace in Rannoch and Lucy’s erstwhile hideaway. The water witch’s ascension had awakened his two greatest fears: perceived detachment on Kjalarr’s part and a complete shift in Neverwinter Forest hierarchy. Kjalarr was a Loðbrok despite his obvious affection and respect for Scimitar, but even if he’d kept the great patriarch’s surname, he’d willingly stepped down — and that meant that not a single member of the Frostfur family had retained its hold on leadership since Scimitar’s passing. It was bad enough not to have Scimitar at the helm, but to have a female who’d never even met him standing in his place was unbearable. There was a limit to how much Cypress could stomach, and this was it. Flattening his ears, he headed east — away from Alya, lest he give in to temptation.

The silver and ivory female hadn't been lingering far from where the howl had sounded, the she-wolf slowly lifting her head as she turned to look through the trees, her cerulean eyes gleaming in the dim light that managed to shine down through the thick canopy above her. She paused for the moment till her dainty paws began to guide her through the terrain and to the location of the Alpha's summons.

Neverwinter had been through a lot through the months, the female noting that times hadf been especially difficult for particular family of wolves within the forest, from dealing with disappearances and deaths, along with the sudden change in leadership. It was hard to keep up sometimes. And to add to the girl's frustration, there had been little success for Amari in getting to know those around her better. Also she couldn't help but worry that she hadn't seen much of Cypress since joining, for he was the only wolf she really knew within the pack and he seemed to be completely elusive to her. She pondered some as she strolled onward, she knew she could hardly blame the boy for wanting to be alone, for the she-wolf knew how it felt to lose someone close, but having to endure so many at once? Amari couldn't comprehend that. But the drastic change in leadership too?

Her paws walked for what seemed like seconds and Amari's bright blue eyes soon fell upon the sight of white wolf, stood alone beside a stump. Slowly, Amari approached the woman, gradually offering the snow white female a polite bow of her head as she gradually came to a halt, the little female standing just opposite to the unknown woman, ”Morning.” She said softly as she gave her superior a small smile.  

The warming temperatures made the pirate itching to hunt, but luckily she did not have to wait for very long. Instead, the pack was summoned to the water witch. Maude, for the brief moment she was alone, snarled, tearing apart a damp branch to empty herself of rage, before wearing her wild, giddy smile as she approached the stump where Ondine stood, above the gathered few. She was still early, or she was one of the few who actually wanted to see her. She preferred the latter theory. Don't fall now, She smirked towards Ondine as she sat down, her paws crossing in front of her.

A howl broke the silence of the woodland and Rian lifted his head from the rabbit warren he'd been investigating to cup his ears to the  sound—Ondine. He hesitated on the spot, torn between answering her call, and turning his back. But his heart, the honest man in him, won out and he broke into a run towards the source of the summons. The O'Malley boy emerged onto the scene and cast a glance over to shaggy sea-dog Maude and Amari. Were they the only two? 

Something cold snapped in him, and lanced his heart with an icy spear. A frown pulled at his lips and his brows knit together. This would not do—you're a good person; you're trying, he'd told her, and he believed it. Believed in her, despite everything. His plume lifted to hang parallel with his hips in a semi-dominant fashion as he hopped onto the stump and stood waiting beside the two already gathered. Rian looked towards the distant woods, willing more of those who called themselves Neverwinter to show their colors, just as he had.

Round will end on 30 February

A woman she did not know was the first to join their very first "get-together". Respectfully so did she do it, earning a slight smile from the siren as she waited for more souls to come and celebrate the day. She really hoped a feast would bring them closer together while also filling their bellies. She hoped for much, but knew not everything could go as she had planned. This showed as the pirate entered the scene with yet another rather rude warning. Ondine paid it little mind, remaining on the stump with no fear of stumbling or trembling.

Rian then came running and Ondine smiled brightly at the boy. He seemed slightly more comfortable and she was proud of him for showing up despite everything that was happening in his mind. When no other soul showed up, her sparkling eyes slightly dulled. Would they have left now that she was the sole leader of their pack? For a moment did her eyes flicker with panic until she calmed herself and focused on all that she did have. A murderous pirate, a strange woman and a broken young man - a young son and a husband that had placed this burden upon her strong shoulders. Not much, but more than she could ask for.

I had planned a group hunt for today... She sighed, painting on a sincere smile yet again. If you are all up for it, that is.

The seconds turned into minutes, and the silence grew ever deafening. Rian felt a fury rise in him, more than ever before, as his supposed family left them to hunt alone. He didn't catch the smile Ondine sent his way, but could feel her eyes on him all the same. His hackles bristled and his tail cut left, then right, in a display of agitation. He felt as if his bones would soon rattle apart at the tremors racing through him—this time they had roots in anger, not in anxiety. 

He snapped his gaze around towards the pale Alpha when she spoke, sounding defeated, and it lashed his heart wide open. Rian growled. "Yes, but only for the ones who bothered to show up." He remarked cruelly, lacking any sympathy for even his elusive siblings. "The rest can fend for themselves." 

Maude perked at the thought of food. There was no need for snark knowing that Ondine was promising a meal. She waved her tail in anticipation, not minding the small group that had gathered, though she paid close attention to Ondine's defeated look as she counted the gathered. Oh, I'm up fer it,

The girl watched as few seemed to gather, a sinking feeling growing within her chest as blue eyes observed as Rian gradually arrived, the male seeming to be the last of them that had decided to heed their Alpha's calling. Slowly, a puzzled expression befell her as she glanced around at the small group. This surely wasn't all of them?

Gradually allowing a small sigh to escape her mouth, Amari turned her attention back to Ondine as she mentioned that she had planned for them to go on a group hunt together, but Amari couldn't help but look around once more at the small group. What was becoming of them? Her head soon turned as she caught sound of Rian's voice and Amari's ears flattened against her skull as she listened to the harsh tone that was held within his words. She knew he had a point, but the girl couldn't help but wonder what had happened to the others. Where were they? Why hadn't they come? 

”I'm willing to join the hunt.” The silver and white woman said along with the others, her bright eyes peering to each individual as they stood within the cold.

Ondine looked worriedly at Rian who seemed rather disgruntled about the fact so few of the Neverwinter wolves had shown up. His words almost brought silent tears to her eyes and she stepped down from the stump to look up at him. We can't do that, Rian... She said softly. We are a group - we have to care for each other. And while the most did not seem to care for Ondine or her efforts to numb the pain so many felt, she would never stop caring for their well-being. She had not taken the lead for nothing and was not about to exclude the ones that were against her. Someday, she believed, they would see the error of their ways. It was not her way of ruling to force anything upon anyone, except respect. Not that the ones not present had showed that...

She joined the Gamma upon the stump again and looked appreciatively at the small group that had gathered. She was sure they could catch something big for them to enjoy. We will take what we need and leave the rest for the others - that is, if we manage to catch anything. She said - and if everything was what they needed, so be it. The ones who hunted were to eat first and Ondine would not force anyone to leave something for wolves that had not even shown up. Thank you all for your support. She nodded.

Now - let's find us a meal! She tried to lift the spirits of both the ones that had gathered, and her own.

A wave of anxiety and hurt erupted from his spine when Ondine expressed her disappointment in him. He flattened his ears, and scowled to mask the panic blooming in his skull. A prickly, white-hot thing, that nearly blinded him. But the attention moved on from him and she stepped away to address the others while he remained standing where he was. He swallowed thickly, thinking of Cypress, his mother, and his siblings—why was he the only one who cared? Here he was, the last vestige of the former Neverwinter willing to stand with Ondine.

Rian looked to the group who consisted of himself, the violent pirate, the demure she-wolf, and Ondine. His heart sank further until he could no longer feel it and it was only then that he roused himself to step up to the side of the Alpha female, asserting his position in the pack with a nervous twitch of his level tail. "We can at least bring back some rabbits. There are warrens to the west, near the flowerbeds." He glance towards the Alpha female, hopeful his suggestion bridged the hurt between them, at least a little.