Hushed Willows tonight, i'm gonna have myself a real good time [YULE]

This is such a cool idea—thanks for making it happen, Miryam!  :D
... Note that Talos is not with the other SWCers, 'cause she's distinctly too busy being an antisocial little ass. ...Anyone who would nonetheless like a separate thread with her a little ways away from the festivities here though, please let me know!  ;)

Talos hadn't heard the news, but the scent and sound and, as she drew closer, sight of so many wolves from so many different places all gatheirng together was notable and strangely alluring. And it wasn't as if they were trying to hide their presence: it was the soaring notes of beautiful and harmonious song that, like the mythical Sirens, drew her inexorably in, though she stopped short of dashing herself onto the rocks or emerging fully into the clearing whence everyone else was mingling (same difference, really). The coal-coated youngster kept to the shadows of the trees, eyes as silvery as the gleaming moon above hungrily watching the cheery gathering of wolves as they chattered and laughed and enjoyed one another's company. It was a far cry from her own, largely self-induced recent tumultuous experiences, and a large lump gathered in Talos's throat as she skulked restlessly along the farthest edge from the other, more-sociable wolves. It didn't seem very fair to her that she was by necessary stubbornness excluded from joining in on the comingling... But there was one of her brothers, Akavir, and even more concerningly over there was her father Constantine. The scent and sight of them caused Talos's restless paws to draw an imaginary line which they would not cross, however much the joyous joining of other wolves called to her.

She kept a wary eye trained steadily on Alpha Constantine in particular, holding herself tensely ready to flee should he make a move in her direction or so much as show himself aware of her presence. She didn't particularly want to speak with her brother either at the moment, but it was her father, especially, whom she still blamed for the instability in their little family and carefully nursed her grudge against, fair or not. For an instant the moon played peekaboo with the clouds and distracted her by alighting upon what had to be the biggest and fluffiest wolf Talos had ever in her life seen; she was unreasonably jealous as he strode over to speak to another wolf she didn't know, one who was also holding herself back somewhat, if more visibly and closer in than Talos. That wasn't fair either, though—lurking all ninjalike on the outskirts was her idea, and her overdramatic demonstration of stubborn antisociality! Obviously no one else was allowed to do anysuch thing, therefore, gosh. Talos shot the grey-and-white lady (one @Treason) a defiantly sullen glance with more than a hint of resentment before her eyes drifted inexorably away back to her father.

The song they'd shared had been so very pretty. And aspired to such beautiful ideals, too, ideals she might have scorned as overly utopian if the wolves before her hadn't seemed to actively be putting them into practice before her eyes here and now. How were they able to will such peaceful and wonderful relations into being simply by singsongily wishing them to be? Combative young Talos didn't quite understand it, but she did envy it. Deeply. ...And she only resented it more as those gathered were invited to share stories and songs of their own. Talos had stories of her own, maybe even a song—she remembered how wonderful Wraen had been in helping her concoct such tales, and it stung badly not to feel truly welcome to share them aloud here and now. Worst of all was that on some level she knew that it was really only herself that was stopping her from doing so ...herself and her continued, self-mandated inability to cope with her own family and pack.