The Sunspire MEET · forging the bonds

This is a mandatory pack meeting. You're only required to respond to one round, but the more you participate the higher your rank will be. Muirrin will also be assigning co-ranks during this meeting. If you haven't already, please take a look at the Game State, Survey & Check-in thread and take the time to respond to it—you'll be removed on November 16th if you don't.

Round 2 begins Sunday, November 17th.

Typically, I'd skip the "gathering" portion of the pack meeting, but since we haven't been particularly active as a pack yet (sorry; my fault!) I want to give you guys a chance to get back into your characters. <3

Muirrin Blackthorn called into the dusk, a cloud of breath erupting from her throat with the sound. Her tone was firm and commanding; unapologetic. Come, she told them. It is time.

She would be surprised if they all came—she was sure some had moved on, perhaps some with the herds and some even before the ungulates had begun to move. It was fine with her. Muirrin preferred only those that would be loyal to her and to Tuatha Dé. There would be times when the Otherworld called her away, and times when the duties as Alpha kept her too busy for idle interaction. She had to trust that her followers would remain true without her constant watch.

Even so, she was the constant heartbeat of the pack—the source of its lifeblood. Without her, there would be no Tuatha Dé. Without her, the pack would crumble and fail. It was not too late to salvage her empire; but they would need to rebuild, a task made more difficult by the worrying movements of the area's herds. If she waited much longer to knit the pack together, none of them would make it through the winter.

And so she had lifted her voice to the darkening sky, the crisp and still air making her feel alive despite the growing hunger in her belly. Muirrin stood on the gentler, grassier part of the mountain they called home, just before it erupted into jagged rock.

Storm, hearing the call, raced to Muirrin. His Golden eyes stared at her, waiting for the other wolfs to arrive.

Luka hadn't strayed from the territory that Trutha Dé claimed. He had kept his hopes up on the idea that the pack would thrive even after this long dreaded silence that seemed to fill the void that the pack was supposed to fill. In a way Luka was disappointed, he hadn't got to fully meet most of his pack mates, nor his proclaimed alpha. During at what seemed to be the most silent of days, breaking through the void came a howl. He knew whose voice it was. Without question Luka rose from his den and ran. The wind rustling his fur and while doing so reassuring him that everything would be ok.  After what seemed like seconds Luka saw her. Standing upon an overlook of jagged rock and mountain, where the quiet joined with the dangerous and where they would finally hold the meeting he had been waiting for. Without words Luka dipped his head to his alpha.

Scimitar felt a disconnect to the pack he laid his loyalty to. He had not seen the she-wolf he called alpha since their original meeting, and the tight-knit pack he had hoped to be part of had somehow proven to be the opposite. He was uncertain what had kept him within the claimed territory of the pack -- perhaps that despite not seeing her, the Alpha's scent still had lay heavily upon the pack borders, as well as a few others, including his own. Abandonment was not something he believed in, and so the agouti beast kept position within the silent pack, hopeful that Tuatha De would rise to be the pack he believed it could be.

These thoughts seemed to spring life in to the land around him, eerily enough, and a song echoed across the sky, beckoning the wolves of the packs' ranks together. Unable to withhold the faint trace of a smirk upon his lips, the male leapt from the rock he had perched upon before, his ivory paws crackling the frozen ground beneath him as he maneuvered his way to her voice.

He was not the first to arrive -- his aqua eyes fell upon two other males, both ebony in hue. One he recognized as the male he had come across before while the other was a stranger to him. His eyes traced to the regal posture of the Alpha, her tawny pelt beautiful against the setting of the mountain. Stoically, the male crept forward, greeting his superior with a kiss and nip to her chin in submission before slipping away from her. Moving closer to Luka, Scimitar settled himself to powerful haunches beside his companion, his shoulder bumping gently against the other male's in silent greeting as he awaited for the meeting to commence.

Storm had noticed the other 2 wolfs arrive. One sharing his ebony hue while the other one was cloaked in a pelt of cinnamon browns and ashen slate. Wondering they're names and what rank they hold within the pack Storm once again turned his golden eyes onto the Alpha, positioned in front of the jagged saw tooths of the Sun Spire Mountains where Tuatha De called home.

Indigofire is curious about the two strangers and observes carefully.

Luka being the second wolf there next to a same colored wolf as him noted everyone that joined after he did. Soon his friend Scimitar showed up and after greeting their alpha, joined him. Laying a bump on his shoulder to greet Luka. Luka acknowledged his brother in pack with a silent nod of his head before retiring his gaze to the other wolves that have joined. Luka was greatful to have a fimilar face next to him. All seemingly males except a sister that joined with white along her muzzle. Luka for some reason found this fact funny but kept his gaze straight. He had only know Scimitar but he was ready to meet some other brothers and sisters.

Every inch of Braegan's body ached, and ached, and ached. He had spent weeks holed up in an old badger set, ill with the worst stomach flu he'd ever heard of. It had taken his fevered mind an embarassingly long while to realize that the half-frozen deer carcass he'd been consuming whenever he could keep food down had actually been the cause of his vomiting, and even when he stopped eating from it, the roiling nausea and jumbled thoughts that accompanied him in long febrile hours didn't go away. The dreams he'd had were both his comfort and his curse; in turns he had seen beautiful rolling green hills, and waves crashing violently upon sea cliffs. A misty forest with a carpet of feather-soft grass was juxtaposed with the terror of falling into an endless hole beneath a tree's roots and finally landing hard in a dark, vast cave, an underworld to Braegan's own. The creatures that had stalked him there were tricksters, and seemed to feed off his fear, and yet their icy queen was ethereally beautiful with truly gold fur...

When at last the sickness receeded, Braegan had been greatly weakened and found himself both thinner than he recalled and unsteady on his feet. This afternoon, however, he'd found the mountain trails a bit less difficult for his dwindled form, and he'd resolved that with vigorous exercise and the determination he'd always been known for among the warriors of Loch Eoin, he would return to his usual state of health and fitness. He still couldn't quite bear the thought of real food, but he'd made do with bits of squirrel and rabbit rationed out over a few days. He felt strong enough on this evening to present himself to Muirrin, to ensure that she knew he still remained among her numbers, but no sooner had this idea occurred to him than she called to the pack at large, her howl a summons upon the quickly-cooling dusk air.

It took Braegan longer than he'd wished to come to the meeting place, both because he was as yet unfamiliar with the mountainside he called home, and because the steep incline soon left him breathless and his heart threatened to thunder out of his chest. Yet he arrived, finding himself preceded into Muirrin's presence by two ebony males, a tawny wolf, and a grey female. "I am Braegan," was his brief introduction to the pack he knew by scent alone and not by names. His accented words were raspy and felt uncomfortable on his tongue, so long it had been since he'd spoken, and he continued to pant even after bowing to Muirrin and sitting down to await the Alpha's words. Slowly, he felt his heart begin to calm itself, and his breaths became less ragged and more regular, but he was embarrassed to look so weak in front of them all, and he ducked his head to deflect attention. For once it was not only his missing eye or the scars that caused him to feel inadequate.

Now is the time to claim your co-ranks! If you're not sure what the co-ranks for Tuatha Dé are, take a moment to review our pack information thread. :)

Round 2 ends November 24th, 2013.

As her call had fallen silent into the quickening night, leaving the Alpha alone in silence and fading light, she felt a tension rise in her chest and throat. What if no one comes? What if I have waited too long, and there is no wolf that remains loyal? Muirrin was proud and felt confident in her role as leader; but even doubts plague the strongest of wolves, and with winter coming the lack of numbers was a very real fear. Before the anxiety could consume her, however, a figure approached.

He was a newer arrival, and Muirrin allowed herself to release the breath she hadn't realized she was holding in. Even if he was not yet trustworthy—had not yet proven himself and his worth—his standing increased immediately in her eyes. Fresh blood or not, he was here. After that, the remaining members of Tuatha Dé appeared more rapidly. Muirrin made sure to greet all by name—Luka, Scimitar, and Braegan in particular—and pushed her nose into the cheek of Scimitar, releasing a welcoming puff of breath, as he nipped her chin in respectful greeting.

There was still time for others to appear, if they still remained on the mountain—it was large and labyrinthine in its own way, and Muirrin would not begrudge any latecomers. But she would not delay any longer, and she stood tall as she addressed those that had gathered around her.

"Tuatha Dé," she began with an impressive rumble, "Winter comes to test our bond and our strength. That you remain, despite the long quiet, proves your loyalty and determination. We will survive the barren cold, and we will be ready to feast when the life of spring blossoms once more." They had passed her test, if it could be called that—and now they would have to pass the land's. "If you have the smallest doubt that we shall survive this, leave now. I will not tolerate weakness of resolve."

Her golden eyes, fierce and burning, swept across each of the gathered wolves—she would make an example of any that dared walk away now.

"Those that stay will become family, and this night we begin to forge and temper the bond that will keep our hearts and blood intwined," she continued. "We will share stories of glory and victory—of lessons that will keep us wise and just. We will lift our voices together in song of both sorrow and joy. We will celebrate the turning of the seasons, and the gifts that each provide. As one, we will rise against our enemies, and embrace our allies." Her own heartbeat quickened with this impassioned speech, and her proud eyes burned like embers. These things were the lifeblood of Tuatha Dé, and would keep them strong. Muirrin fell silent for a moment, allowing her words to be heard and digested.

"Within each of you beats the heart of either a Warrior or Druid," she continued, looking at each of them in turn. "Speak to me of your talents, and which heart beats in your chest."

Hearing his alpha speak so proudly brought Luka confidence. Before today he had wondered if this pack even existed anymore but now he could feel their strength all running as one. For once in his life Luka felt like he belonged somewhere. Luka hoped this feeling would never pass. Muirrin spoke about Druid and Warrior, and what talents each of them had. Luka began his internal conflict about what he would choose. While he loved to fight Luka also had knowledge in medicine. His mother previously being a medicine wold before becoming a lone wolf taught him many things. Being a lone wolf was dangerous, having skills in healing helped keep luka and his mother alive many times. Abandoning this skill seemed costly to Luka. Doing this and becoming a Druid would make his mother proud. Luka took a step forward and spoke, drawing confidence from the wolves around him. "I have the heart of a Druid. My talents are medicine, I have learned much from my mother and all the wolves that came before her." Luka gazed up at Muirrin. "It would honor me to serve this pack in means of healing." He concluded.

He sat rigidly as he awaited to see what wolves had claimed Tuatha De as home – as he had spoken with Luka previously, he had not seen much activity within their home, and the thought was disheartening. And yet more emerged – a darker she-wolf with flecks and markings if ivory and another male, his pelt a rich chocolate. Scimitar regarded the wolf with curiosity, noting the missing eye, the thin state of the stranger.. and even more intriguing, the myriad of scars that adorned him. Better mannered than that, however, the cinnamon and silver male forced his eyes to drift back to Muirrin, waiting for the meeting to commence.

The Alpha seemingly decided it was time to begin, and while the Frostfur felt a tinge of disappointment at their small numbers, it was also more comrades than he had expected. His eyes drifted over the others briefly once more, though it was Muirrin’s words that rang out strongly across the silent mountains.

She did not leave him disappointed, and as she rallied her pack, the male felt a tingle of excitement course down his spine. This was what he had expected of Muirrin upon his first meeting of her, and his eyes, alight with the impression she made on him, fell on her with a gleam of appreciation.

Luka, a wolf he considered himself closer to than any others he had met yet, spoke, and Scimitar allowed his eyes to scan over the male. He was not surprised of the ebony wolf’s choice, and as he finished, the cinnamon Frostfur cleared his own throat so his baritone vocals could capture the silence for his own claim. “I would take the path of Warrior, if you would deem it so, Alpha. I will humbly accept whichever task you feel is required.”