Blackfeather Woods For the night is dark and full of stories

What a turn out! Next round ends whenever everyone posts, or by next Sunday! @Twist @Lusa @Cicero @Burke @Ohen @Morgana @Grimnir @Damien

They had come calling, with food as she had asked. It was too early in the season for a large, proper feast, but that had followed her orders and brought the best meals they could. Later on, as the days warmed, she would call a hunt. By then, her pups would be old enough to run with the pack, and it would be their first hunt. But that could wait.

Twist was the first to arrive, with a rabbit in her jaws...but it's feet detached. Meldresi's eyebrow slivered upwards in curiosity, but she soon recognized the practice. Lucky rabbit's foot. "Thank you, Twist." She said, placing the rabbit's paw under her own. After her came Lusa, with rabbit and squirrels, who seemed confused at the meeting. Her confusion was not unwarranted. Meldresi did not do this often, what with all of the business that the pack had to attend to. It did not seem natural. Her son, Cicero, strangely calm, stuck to the shadows, but she sent a little chuff to him as a welcoming gesture.

Out of them all, Burke had brought the largest kill: a deer calf. It was one of the white deer that stood out amongst the black forest, and its coat shone in the light of the wisps. She nodded in thanks to Burke, then to Ohen and Morgana as they entered. For now, the Queen kept silent about the purpose of the meeting until everyone had gathered. She would hate to have to repeat herself. Then came...Grimnir, of all wolves. She had seen little of the wild and insane male for a few weeks, and was interested to know where he had gone, but that was a conversation for later. She nearly didn't notice her son Damien's presence as she focused her gaze on the previously MIA wolf. Finally came little Potema, bearing her own kills: insects. She flashed a smile at the white princess, but settled on her log and swept her gaze at the contingent.

"All of you are asking why I have called you here today, either silently or vocally." She began. "Winter has come and gone. Wolves have left our ranks, but many have joined and swelled our ranks. My pups are growing strong and our pack's name is whispered fearfully throughout Teekon Wilds. Is that not cause for celebration?" The queen paused for a brief moment, her eyes flickering to the edges to catch any signs of stragglers. When she found none in the silence, she took a breath and spoke again. "While we may call ourselves a pack, I find that some of us, especially the newcomers, have not had the chance to socialize with the others. Some of us have barely seen some of the wolves gathered here tonight." Her gaze found Ohen, Lusa, and then Grimnir. Those three came first into her mind when she thought of how disconnected the pack was. "Tonight we will celebrate the first new moon of spring. I, and many others of my religion, treat the new moon with reverence. We are creatures of the dark, Mephala's followers. Night may be our ally, but the darkest of nights, when the moon has fully disappeared, is our closest friend. Tonight, we will feast together, as a pack. We will share stories, sing songs, even, as a pack. Tonight we celebrate."

With her speech over, the dark priestess took another breath. She hoped this would go as planned, but that was not in her control. "I would like to begin with a story of the Night Mother, the mortal form of Mephala, my goddess. Does anyone else have anything to share?" She looked around the crowd and flashed a smile. "Don't be shy."