Redhawk Caldera nightshine

optional packtivity! future dated for june 1! we're going star watching :D teya wants to name some constellations <33 also official pup debut :)

brilliance filled the warm night with a thousand speckles of burning light.
with @Bronco, teya escorted ponyboy, @Bronte, and @Boris to a small clearing ringed by little pines. the grass here was soft, with hardly a stone to scuff a little paw, and it was here that teya called for the pack.
first @Maia and @Eljay and @Ceridwen, then bridget — she tried not to let her voice linger.
but this night, it was borne of the cardinal; borne of the faerie court and the highflung places of ravens, all the times teya had watched the stars and brought them into her spirit.
thereafter, her call was for @Atreus and @Amalia, welcoming them.
her heart hurt not to have sorana here; her mind held the girl close. and as the others arrived, teya's soft voice could be heard, pointing out the brightest stars to her children.

Amalia heard the call and for amoment she warred between indecision and unsuriety, but she finally decided and headed towards the howl. There were other's already there and the pups. She wagged her tail greeted and then slowly sat and listened as Teya spoke. Her own gaze going towards the stars.

Atreus sprawled in the mouth of the Hobbit Hole (he’d heard someone call it that once and the name had stuck in his mind). He felt completely relaxed as the air began to darken and the crickets and spring peepers filled it with pleasant noise. He was sleepy, even though he hadn’t done a whole lot today.

As he adjusted his weight from one hip to the other, he looked down and realized his formerly trim belly was rounder now. And his legs were still thick but no longer trimmed in muscle from routine training. Atreus blinked in the failing light and pressed onto all fours, head turned upside down to look down his own body between his legs. He had gotten fat!

Teya’s soft call rose into the air right then. Atreus huffed a breath, not sure how to feel now that he’d noticed his new physique. He supposed he felt a little self-conscious about it. He didn’t really want to see anyone—or for anyone to see him—until he’d dropped a few pounds. But, of course, that was a bit absurd. And he didn’t want to miss an opportunity to see Amalia.

He eventually slunk onto the scene, moving to stand behind his older sister. Atreus bumped her muzzle with his, grateful that it was fully dark now. Maybe she wouldn’t notice how chubby he looked. Perhaps nobody would. And first thing tomorrow, Atreus would rise with the sun and get himself back into shape.

The clearing that Teya called them to was truly magical. Eljay smiled as he arrived alongside @Maia. He first greeted Teya and her family, then all others, and then he settled down, waiting for what Teya had in store for the pack tonight.

At first, Bronco had thought that a night-time adventure might be tiring for the kids- and he'd tried to put them down for a nap earlier (with varying levels of success) but in the end, he felt like he was probably the sleepiest of the family. Routine had become familiar and comforting to him, though he was no less enthused about the event simply because it meant going out when he'd normally be sleeping. Once they got moving, out to the clearing, his bleariness subsided- and he felt himself regain some energy as soon as Teya began naming the stars to their children while they waited for the others. 

He looked up to the sky himself. On a dark night, they were scattered everywhere, some twinkling and some still, some gathered together in a haze while others looked a bit more lonely. He smiled at the sight of Maya and Eljay when they joined the group, and gave a friendly, quiet nod to Amalia and Atreus as well.

Going out at night was exciting! It would be harder for his parents to see him, he thought, and maybe he could sneak away when they weren't looking. The idea of looking at the stars didn't appeal to him, though he'd been cautioned by his father to be on his best behavior, because this was something that was very important to Mum. For her, he would put in a bit of effort- but he very quickly found himself impatient and unimpressed with the names of the stars. 

Other wolves started arriving, but Ponyboy wasn't by nature a shy wolf. He fixated on Eljay, who seemed for whatever reason the most likely to indulge his foolishness. He sidled over to the man, and sat beside him when he caught his father's concerned gaze. He straightened up a bit, feigning good behavior- before he lifted his muzzle, and whisper-spat a couple words near the man's ear, in a voice that wasn't nearly as hushed as it was supposed to be. 

"Youwanna seen me doin' a somersault?"

Maia moved carefully alongside her husband, letting him lead the way as they attended Teya’s call. It wasn’t as obvious as it had been last year, but it was still fairly apparent; her time was soon, and in the next few weeks there would be a few more little ones gracing the plateau.

She hadn’t wanted to miss this, however, and sitting to look at stars wouldn’t strain her. Maia settled in as comfortably as she could next to Eljay and watched the kids play, gaze content and alight with loving anticipation. Soon!

Bridget arrived late and kept herself back, though she watched with a quiet peace that held no resentment. It had crossed her mind a few times lately and she’d been ruminating on it, the idea that maybe her future lay elsewhere. This family felt like it could be hers, but it also in so many ways felt like it was doing fine without her. And perhaps there was a place out there that would hold some level of happiness for her.

She hadn’t moved on this thought, but the more she held it, the more shape it took.

She wondered how they would take it. If they - one in particular - would understand. She’d stood in place for so long. Her thoughts couldn’t help racing over such things as she listened to Teya and her children addressing the stars.

His eyes hardly left the sky.

Oh, why did they have to go outside? Boris worried the tree tops with a shifting gaze, having kept himself under mama’s legs as shadows became wings, teeth, monsters in the night. He jumped at every rustle. Shook with the shaking of the trees. Ponyboy seemed a’ight, but Ponyboy was always a’ight. Soft blue eyes turned to him once, before shooting sky bound again, but once was enough.

Why couldn’t he be more like Pony? Always gettin’ into trouble, but finding adventure. Or more like Bronte? Brave and strong. She’d been ready to fight the bird. They both had.

He remembered how he’d cowered, like he cowered now. Under the shelter of his parents as the night turned.

Boris was aware of others approaching, but instead of greeting them, he pressed himself into mama’s soft chest and continued to look up —

And his deepening eyes widened at what he saw.

One by one, little lights sparked up the darkness. Brilliant, though not bright like the sun. He could look at these lesser lights. And even more, mama named them. One by one.

He shuffled up a bit, peering heavenward from within the crook of Teya’s arms.

How d’you ‘member which one is which? he asked quietly, subdued in wonder and the smallness of himself.

His eyes never left the sky.

Boldly, Bronte trotted by the heels of her parents. Leading the way, right alongside her cheeky sibling, Ponyboy. She had not forgotten about the terrible night when the owl descended on them, but that didn't hold her back. Unlike Boris who cowered, she marched on but kept a sharp eye to the sky. Largely disinterested in the stars, o alert for anything vaguely resembling a pair of feathered wings.

When she was satisfied the coast was clear, she dropped her eyes back to ground level. Wolves emerged from every direction, gathering in the clearing. Her tail wagged furiously, but she stayed in place. That is, until Ponyboy went up to Eljay. Grinning impishly, she joined him. "I'll show yah how ta do a somersault!" 

And then she pounced. Like a mini mountain lion colliding with their prey, she tackled her golden brother. They flipped over one another, head over heels in a flailing tangle of paws and teeth. With an "oof" she landed on her back, giggling hilariously. She could have cared less about the disruption she may have caused. Or the stars. 

That is until she opened her eyes and saw something. One, was not quite like the rest. Bigger. Closer. A burnt orange-red. "Heeyy...wha's that one?" She waved a paw at it. The planet Mars, twinkling like an ember in the blackness.

Dwin had spent an eventful day full with activities that were useful for the greater good of the pack and then those she deemed valuable for her own particular purposes. By the end of it - tired and content - she had sprawled in a clearing to bask in the late afternoon sun and have a well-deserved nap. As all people, who claim to close their eyes just for five minutes, she woke up few hours later to the sound of Teya's voice and the darkness around her. 

Yawning and blinking sleep away from her eyes, she trudged towards the place, where the rest of the pack had gathered, idly wondering, what the Raven had in mind, and then thoughts and plans of yesterday and tomorrow mixing in. By the time she reached the rest, she realized that with the exception of Jay she was the last to arrive. The girl moved to sit next to her mom and leaned against her gently, resting her head against the older she-wolf's shoulder, while her gaze flicked from the starry sky above them to the people, who had come. 

She was still sleepy, but decided that she could still listen with her eyes closed and, if anything of true importance was going to happen or get announced, she was sure mom would nudge her awake. 

it was good to be surrounded by brecheliant, with young and old alike; it was good to be with her husband and children and eljay, and beautiful, pregnant maia. she smiled at jay and ceridwin, and felt a pang in her heart for sorana.
a grin too, for amalia and atreus, and then boris' little whisper floated up toward the sky. a paw raised to separate bronte and ponyboy, and she said their names aloud for the benefit of those gathered.
"look," and she too glanced toward the ball of glowing light. "mars. it a planet."
"i know the stars, boris, because i learn. look at them lots of nights." she kissed his little head and then raised her voice.
"see that group?" gesturing higher, wider. "that ursa major. big bear." a grin played across her face. "i know it not look like bear, but is."
and then, just above: "ursa minor. little bear. two bears in sky, to watch over us."
teya eyed the children especially, including the older kids. "what other animals you think are in sky?"

Amalia watched the children with a practiced eye. So many children had been in her former home and now here. It filled her heart with happiness. Children would fight it happened this way. She smiled as their mother separated them and then she followed the gentle she wolf's paw to the sky.

She traced the stars herself with inky paw. Wishing for a brief moment that her mother was here or Alaric, both who loved stars, but it was okay.

last from me! feel free to add closing posts <3

the stars glowed down and in beauty she thought of the faerie court and bridget herself.
the constellations; they held hidden patterns of pain and sloth and retribution, and peace.
teya would go on naming their titles until such a time as the little ones began to fall asleep, and the moon deepened in the skies.
brecheliant; at peace.

Amalia listened closely and helped herd children if they should need. Mostly she was simply glad to have a piece of her packmates time. It was lovely and it filled her with the largest dose of nostalgia as she thought of her brother and his love for stars. Asteria too. That was something those two had more in common with each other than Amalia.

She would settle and watch and listen, possibly even doze.

Mama named the stars, and Boris gazed starward in wonder. She knew, because she wondered, too. Wondered, watched, listened, and learned.

He guessed at animals — a bunny? A frog? A wolf like themselves? — and mama pointed out the ones they guessed right. She knew so much! He could not remember everything tonight, but Boris yearned to know and remember like mama did. To know the names of the heavens like he knew each packmates. To listen to the night like mama did.

To listen, and to know, the stories of the stars.

He would step in and focus his children back on task if necessary, though it seemed most were content to tolerate a little bit of their tomfoolery, especially Amalia who was naturally adept with watching over rowdy children. Boris, thankfully, redeemed his parents a bit by listening quietly to his mother and asking thoughtful questions. 

Silently, he listened too, and found himself developing a new appreciation for his mate and her profound knowledge of not only the stars, but the stories they told as well.