Stone Circle Discussing Matters

PACK MEETING! We will work in rounds! 29 DEC is next round.
@Murdock @Nikai @Banner @Stark @Aurelia @Mawk @Nanook @Ezekiel @Steph @Ezra

Valette heard recently about the impending war that would happen at Black Feather. The way the scout spoke it sounded that more packs were involved but she could only confirm that the scout's pack named Moonspear was fighting. She didn't know the pack herself, she believed, but Black Feather Woods was on the other side of the mountain range. They would need to stay sharp.

Valette howled for everyone in the pack, as she herself was at Stone Circle. Often this was the meeting place if there was a big announcement. This felt like a big announcement. She wanted to stay neutral in this whole war scenario. She hoped her pack members would feel the same. Once most wolves were there she started. "Welcome all. There is a matter I'd like your opinion on. I've heard from another scout that there will be a war with Black Feather Woods. The dark pack on the other side of the mountain range."

Valette took a pause to see everyone was following whom she was talking about. "From what it sounded like, it was almost like more other packs are involved. I'd like to stay neutral on this matter and not be involved in the fight of other packs. Do we all agree on this?," she questioned the adults. "With knowing that there might be a war in a region close by I'd like more patrols on the borders, mostly watching for danger instead of scent marking," she explained. She looked at her children for a brief moment. She was worried about them. She would talk to them about the borders personally, explaining that it was dangerous now to go out on their own.

Nanook came swiftly to her sister's call, undecided yet what to feel toward the beckon. Seldom did Desna rally them together like this to Circle, except for moments of grand announcements. She arrived neither first nor last, and settled amongst the others with ears of piqued interest - though, true to herself, her place retained a comfortable distance from anyone in particular.

The news shadowed her eyes. She had never crossed with the pack Desna spoke of. Truly, even with the relations she held, the woman had only heard the name once - the night of her parent's divorce - but far too much had happened since then for Nanook to remember that. But 'the other side of the mountain range' gave her an idea of their proximity. The distance didn't quell her as much as she thought.

She had little problem staying neutral on the issue. Nanook tipped her head in agreement to her sister's suggestion, but her own thoughts brewed. First the wolverine, then insolent loners, now the threat of a looming pack-wide war. They needed to step up their patrols - and perhaps more than that. "Even if we," her voice ran hoarse with the strain of nerves. Ears slicked, she cleared her throat and fixed her eyes on Desna, trying not to look at the others, nor think of what they might think of her suggestion. "Even if we stay neutral, it could be wise to hone our fighting. To be ready, in case they do come over the mountains and bring the fight to us."

I'm going to just post here since he should be back already but I'm lazy

Part of Murdock felt guilty for leaving his blood family while danger was on the horizon, but he knew that his place was here. Grayday was a big boy, now, and had to protect his own children. Who would protect Valette's? 

He'd heard quite a bit about the brewing war while at Morningside, but somehow, he hadn't thought it would touch Easthollow. There was a whole damn mountain range between them, wasn't there?
 
 Nanook seemed to think differently. Murdock hoped she was wrong, but gave voice in agreement either way. "We should all know how to protect ourselves, even if there wasn't a threat." he said, remembering Valette's tangle with the wolverine.

Just as the others, Banner made great haste as soon as Valette's call reached her.  It was serious - certainly the most serious she'd ever heard the Alpha be - and thus they all gathered at Stone Circle, just as Murdock had told her would be the case when they met several weeks ago.

She settled in immediately upon arrival and was just in time for Easthollow's leader to begin speaking.  Banner's ears cupped forward as she listened, her eyes narrowing just a bit while she concentrated.  Blackfeather Woods didn't sound familiar at all.  That didn't mean much, though.  She hadn't bothered to keep up on the other packs since she and Stark returned.. which apparently had been a huge mistake.  I agree, we should all know how to protect ourselves, she added, further affirming the opinions of her fellow pack mates.  I'll take the night shift for border patrol, she added with a resolute nod.  Might as well if she was up late anyway.

Still, something bothered her.  .. which other packs do you think are involved?  Banner's question was almost hesitant, as though she were afraid to find out if any wolves she'd known from her time at Marauder's Peak would be players in all this mess.

A call went out from Valete, summoning the pack. Her first pack meeting! Steph instantly dropped the animal she was attempting to track and headed towards Stone Circle. Several other wolves had arrived, she saw as she headed straight for her mother. She gave her a few happy licks in greeting before settling down on her stomach beside her. While she fully believed her place was beside her mother, she knew she was not equal to her. The pack hierarchy was becoming more and more clear as she aged, and she was coming to know how she fit in.

Her attention turned toward Valette as she spoke, a worried expression crossing her features as she listened to everyone speak. A war? It didn't seem like Easthollow would be involved, but it was clear they still wanted to be prepared. Steph didn't have much fighting experience, except with her siblings. She knew a real fight, against someone actually trying to hurt her, would be much different. She stayed silent, too young to understand the full weight of what was happening, but old enough to know it was not something she could really comment on.

*shamelessly plugs related thread that's lonely*

At the time the Alpha's call broke through the sky, Aurelia was prepping to curl up into a ball and let her eyelids close. She had been up all night, her disturbed sleep pattern making her a more nocturnal creature. However as the call was heard, the preta pulled herself up and made her way to the meeting site as quickly as she could. 

Just in time to catch the leader's words and worries Aurelia settled at the side of the group of gathered wolves.The familiar shape of one of the babes made her feel a little more comfortable among the numerous set of strangers. She greeted Steph with a quick boop on the crown of her head before turning to listen to Valette.
 Her blood suddenly turned to ice. Though it was the first time someone spoke of a possible war or confrontation, Aurelia felt as if she already knew. It had been only a few nights ago, she had read in the stars something that had made her skin crawl as it did now.
A threat that lingered in the air. 

Other wolves began to speak up, and voice their opinion but Aurelia couldn't even swallow comfortably.
How could she even try to put into words that she had foreseen this without making all her packmates think of her as crazy.
She shuffled in place, obviously uncomfortable, as she wondered if maybe it was best to approach Valette by herself after the meeting.  

Another ew post, I'm can't seem to find the motivation to write something decent :/ But I wanted to get this up anyway, couldn't have him miss it!

He had just buried a small rabbit corpse in one of the caches as the call sounded out, and he smiled a little at the timing. Perfect. His paws began to move him there, noting it was a summon from Valette - a pack meeting, perhaps, or maybe a hunt. Or something entirely unrelated, who knew.

Mawk arrived at the scene with a quirk of his brow as he settled alongside the others and waited to see what this was about, amber eyes landing on the alphess. When she spoke, he listened silently, pondering. The first thing mentioned - a war, with Blackfeather woods... he'd have to commit the name to memory. Dark pack, on the other side of the mountain range... could that be.. surely it was not... The wolfdog frowned as he realised that that could indeed have been the pack that stole his son from him. A flash of anger swept through his eyes but he washed it away with a deep breath.

When talk of patrols arose, he nodded. "I think it would definitely be a good idea to have extra patrols. I usually do them early in the morning but I can start doing extra in the afternoon too." It was true he was a worker at heart - most of his time was spent simply patrolling and refreshing the borders, but he was willing to double his work in order to ensure everyone in Easthollow's safety.

 

Stark took a bit longer to get to the meeting point, he'd been running the borders again but by the time he'd gotten there it seemed a decent number of them were already gathered. He took his spot next to Banner, meeting Valette's eyes with a brief smile. No doubt what was being discussed was important and Stark reached over to press his snout against Banner's plush cheek before they got into the thick of things. When he had been sure that Duskvale was encroaching right on their doorstep, so to say, he'd done much of the same. More patrols, tighter ranks - the whole matter what come along with the prickling feeling of unease. That problem had dissipated in an entirely other way though - and Stark wasn't going to go down that road again. Not now. 

Banner offered to take up a night shift of patrolling and Mawk proposed running another patrol during the afternoons. "We should keep an eye on the surrounding territories too. Just as a precaution - keep a couple checkpoints so if we do encounter anyone out there, we have a heads up before they're on our doorstep." He couldn't help but think of the stranger who'd refused to leave their borders and wondered if that wasn't a ploy; but then, things had been relatively quiet since then so maybe he was just overly cautious and a touch paranoid. 

There was mention of a war at the start of this meeting, and Nikai listened as various wolves chipped in saying what they would or wouldn't think were good ideas. He nodded along as some were mentioned, and thought idly of how Alya would be doing; was Moonspear involved in this in any way or was she safe right now? He felt the urge to visit her but Blackfeather Woods was smack dab in the middle between their territories and he doubted Valette'd want him to leave right now.

Nikai nodded as there were mentions of upping patrols and checking nearby territories. "I can help keep nearby territories safe," Nikai suggested.

NEW ROUND! Post order reset! :3

Valette was glad to see all the faces that showed up. She realized then that Ezekiel was not here. She pushed that thought away. She would see later if the male was still in the territory. For now, they had to focus on the problem that they could be facing. Luckily, all her members agreed that the extra patrols were necessary. "I only know about Moonspear. But I have no clue if other packs are involved as well," she spoke to Banner.

Stark made a good point as well. They should check the neighboring territories. "Good idea, Stark. And yes, Nikai. I would like everyone to go in pairs while going outside the borders," she admitted. If there was something wrong then they would be together instead of alone. Two were more capable than one. "I agree that we could all brush up on our fighting techniques. Though, I hope it won't come to that. Who would be willing to give lessons? Banner? Stark? Let's just keep our eyes open for now and hope this doesn't head our way," She spoke with a firm nod.

Nikai swallowed dryly when he heard that Moonspear was involved in the attack on Blackfeather Woods. He hoped that Alya would be safe, but with everything going on right now he couldn't really leave Easthollow to check on her; he was needed here to protect his baby siblings and other pack members. Patrolling the outer territories in pairs seemed like a good idea to Nikai, so he nodded when Valette mentioned it.

Nikai looked at Banner and Stark when Valette mentioned them possibly teaching the pack fighting techniques, curious to hear their answer.