Blackfeather Woods what we do in the shadows [pup activity]

Maegi was pleased to see that her pale son was the first to heed her call, and she placed her nose against his forehead with a murmured greeting as he settled in. Her mouth quirked in a smile as Sobek made his approach with a sneak attack; she hid it, quickly, trying for a more reproachful look (but likely failing). The proceedings hadn't started, after all; they could wrestle a little bit, as children did.

Rowan brought with him a gift, and Maegi received it with a wagging tail, softly exclaiming, Thank you, Rowan! These are beautiful. She wondered just how he had gotten so many feathers, although she knew the crows shed them here and there. . .still, she worried, after how Abraxas had reacted to Mou's slaughter.

Before she could dwell too much on Mou, thankfully, Hela and her sister arrived, with the former giving Maegi an affectionate kiss. She returned it warmly, her heart swelling to be surrounded by so many children, all of whom clearly adored her. Then Sakhmet was there, keeping away from her brother's shenanigans as she was wont to do, accompanied by Jakoul. Maegi gave the woman, settled near the back of the crowd, a kind, curt nod.

Moonshadow and her girls completed the gathering— no, wait, there was Tundra; Maegi caught a glimpse of her pale fur in the shadows, and met the Decima's eyes for a moment before returning her gaze to all of the pups before her.

How many of you have been to this place before? she asked, scanning the youthful faces. Without waiting for them to respond, she continued, It's a very special place. A sacred place. This is where we honor the gods—where we leave them offerings and where their voices are loudest.

Did any of them hear the daedra? Maegi knew she had perceived their whispers for as long as she could remember, perhaps since birth. She wondered if any of these children had the same magic within them; secretly, she wished for her own trio most of all to be in tune with the gods.

My mother's mother, Meldresi, settled in this forest a long time ago. She brought with her the traditions of her family, the gods we call the daedra, the Nona explained. There are many different daedra, all of them a little bit different. Meldresi and many others followed Mephala, the Night Mother. There's also Sithis, the Dread Father, who rules the Void—the place you go after you die.

Maegi nodded toward the Altar, toward the mouse she had placed there. But other daedra were ignored, even spurned, by my family. My god, the one I'm named for, is Peryite, god of pestilence. That's why I honor Peryite with dead and decaying things. . .things closest to Peryite's domain.

The whispers encircled them, weaving in and out of the crowd like ghostly passersby. Maegi felt the hairs on her spine lift, and whispered, almost without thinking, Do you hear them?

next round begins the 22nd!

EDIT 8/17 tagging @Anansi @Sakhmet @Sobek @Rowan @Jakoul @Kynaræth (only those who indicated more than one post here) I am scrapping the posting order so things can go more smoothly -- once everyone has posted again I might start next round early