Blackfoot Forest MEET · Once In a Lifetime, The Suffering of Fools

you remind me of the babe (what babe?)

This round will end on October 10th! I believe you can claim EXP if you post in every round so make sure you get your posts in if you aren't on absence, if you want some extra EXP! This post is very long but the first 9 paragraphs are just responses to your wolves, so if you don't want to read a whole lot of irrelevant stuff, you can skip them if you'd like. :D The rest is the actual content of the meeting.

She was soon to learn that her pack was a varied collection of wolves who were on two ends of a spectrum of viciousness: on one end, Lecter, Clarice, and Hawkeye, with their respective bloodlust and insanities; on the other end, Pied, Kerberos, and Vires, the kind souls whose tongues dripped politeness as readily as the others' dripped ichor. There were some, including herself, hovering somewhere in between those two extremes, but it would become abundantly clear soon enough that some wolves were more suited to Sos, and some to Atka, and that was good. Shearwater Bay had seen only a handful of Sos worshippers to complement their abundance of Atka followers, and the imbalance had been the first of many downfalls.

The first to arrive was, surprisingly, Leto, the coyote-hybrid that Jinx had mistook for a pure-blooded, voodoun coyote. It certainly is, she agreed with a warm smile. I trust you find yourself well here? Jinx's vision of a pack was grand, and in time Bon Dye would grow to be the largest in the park — of this there was no doubt — but presently, she had to focus on the beginnings, and making certain her current members were comfortable. There had not been much time, what with fortification of borders and marking of hunting territory, to supply to pack's caches yet, but it was one of Jinx's next projects. Leto, she believed, would be instrumental somehow with her coyote heritage, but it was yet to be known how. Her primary concern when it came to the hybrid was her comfort, for now.

The second was a wolf she had met only briefly, a brand new female whose calling, the Kesuk thought, was definitely with Atka's swan. If Jinx had noticed her clumsy approach, she made no mention of it, for in truth she had stumbled over the tangled forest floor more than once, thankfully always out of public view. Good morning, Pied, she said softly, I'm glad you could make it. Like Leto, Jinx thought there was some hidden potential in Pied, who was not a hybrid but bore a coat most peculiar and certainly marked by the gods, but she had no inkling whatsoever of the other female's ability to see ghosts. She was unaware of the dead magpie that had settled itself behind her, and felt not even the slightest prickle of suspiciousness at its gaze.

Next was Cuan, the wolf who had come along in the crouched posture of a definite Omega, and someone she knew very little of. To him, she extended a nod and a smile; the Jinx that had taken Shearwater Bay in her early youth would have swept forth and bowled him over to make an example of him, but she had grown up since then, and better understood the responsibilities of an Omega. The Omega was one of the most important wolves; he kept order and stability, and vented the pack's natural aggressions when times were tough. He was instrumental to a pack's success; he was not the Alpha's personal punching bag, and she would not treat him as one.

Hawkeye arrived nearly on Cuan's coattails, casting her sharp emerald gaze around at the gathered as though assessing them, and for an instant Jinx felt a prickle of unease, as if the woman could see through them to their souls or something. Yet, it was not fear that manifested itself — Jinx was unafraid of those unacquainted with her gods — but rather, curiosity. What would this woman prove herself to be capable of, then? In the wolf's wake she thought she saw a flicker of fire dart by underfoot, but it was in her minds' eye, a part of her imagination… Or so she would tell anyone who had noticed the thoughtful frown that found its way onto her face. Ogoun, then, she predicted, though it was always a wolf's choice which Loa they would follow, and Hawkeye could easily surprise her.

Her features brightened slightly when the bloodied Shaman made his approach, taking the time to drop a broken rat before them all before taking his customary place aside from the pack. She was glad he had regained some of his former self, and she knew he would soon feel at home, when the gods returned their favour and placed their protections over them once more. Lecter, she crooned familiarly, smiling. He will be most pleased. She knew much had to be done: altars would need to be constructed, and they would need to regain their ritual knowledge, and on these things she would always and forever defer to his wisdom.

Kerberos was next, still conspicuously salted from the sea that she had to wonder how long it had been since he last bathed. Still, the way his scent was always tinged with salt brought on heartache and nostalgia, which she was still grateful for. Memories of home were fading quickly, and Jinx would do anything she could to hold onto them, even if it meant burying her face in Kerberos' hide to smell the seaside one more time (though she refrained from that). To him, she extends her nuzzle to give him a fond nudge to the side of his face, as he took his proper spot alongside her. Lecter could well have stood there as well; they were her closest friends, and more importantly, they were the ones who would teach the pack the proper ways of Atka and Sos, and not the corrupt ones that had tainted the Bay.

Next was another wolf she had not spent much time with, a dark-coated, blue-eyed female with conspicuous white smattered throughout her fur. The most obvious of these markings was the white that encompassed most of her snout and throat. Welcome, Vires, she replied, recalling the woman's name miraculously, as her memory had never been the greatest of her assets. She forgot things easily, especially names and faces, and so she enjoyed a private moment of victory at remembering this. Please, she gestured to the gathered wolves, but her attention was then abruptly snatched away by the most unusual of all of Bon Dye's members.

Clarice had made her way up the log with a boldness that Jinx would not have tolerated in anyone else, but her childhood friend held the sway of madness in her eyes as she approached, which Jinx had come to learn to heed over their lifetimes. Although she stiffened with displeasure at the directness of the approach, and her posture was a clear warning against doing it again, she accepted Clarice's cryptic message without further rebuking her, breathed a quiet, excellent work, in response, to show her reaction was not one of unfriendliness but merely of business and correctness, and allowed her deranged Omicron to weave her way towards Lecter without further comment.

When they had all settled and it was clear no others would be arrived, Jinx let herself drop off the log, that she could stand at their level, though she held herself with her ears and tail raised so that authority was still hers. We are Bon Dye, she began, brought together by the will of the gods, Atka and Sos. Some of the members would recognize the names, having been debriefed, while others might be confused. Sos is the Dark Bear, Devourer of Souls, King of the Underworld and spirits. He is greed, vanity, trickery, power; all vices are His designs. He rules Darkness, and His wrath is inescapable. His fury must always be appeased, or He will come to devour your soul, and leave you as nothing but a husk. By the end of this explanation her voice was so quiet it bordered on whispering, and her gaze was heavy, flicking between each of them.

Atka is the White Bear, Giver of Life and Queen of the Sea. She is light, goodness, truth, honour, and all the things that you may consider virtues. She rules firmly, with the power to remove as well as give, and She is just in this. She is the Great Mother, from whom all life originated, and She is benevolent, but requires utmost devotion. Her wrath may be more dangerous even than His, being so difficult in awaking, but She is the frigid tundra, and only barrenness find any who oppose Her will. It was not impossible to oppose Atka and live, though; Jinx and Lecter, protected always by the Dark God they served solely, were living proof. Likewise, Sos was not always vengeful and hateful, as was proven by Kerberos' continued existence; this would become known to the wolves of Bon Dye as they began their practices.

Each of them has breathed to life two Loa to serve them primarily, though there are many, many loa, and all in service of the Great Bears. We serve them, and they allow us to live, to prosper, and to succeed. She breathed deeply here, reclining now to her haunches as though preparing to launch into a great story. Sos has introduced me to His Loa: Ogoun of Fire and War, His First, whose spirit burns eternally, whose energy will never wane, and whose fury is absolute. Bade of Wind and Deceit, His Second, whose speed is unmatched and whose cunning is sharper still, who can never be caught by mortals or immortals alike. Followers of them must be strong of will and spirit, for they serve not only the Loa, but Sos himself, and will face off with death and defeat at every turn.

Atka has also shown me Hers: Agwe of Water and Clemency, Her First, whose manner is calm as the stillest lake, whose touch can cure the deepest wounds, and whose soothing waters can still the most passionate of fighters. Loco of Earth and Vigor, Her Second, the unmovable fortitude of a mountain and the strength of a landslide, whose ponderousness makes him the most adept of thinkers, whose will can never be broken by any earthly force, and whose resolve is so firmly rooted it can never be shaken. She glanced over to Lecter now, and to Kerberos, waiting to see if they had anything to add before she continued. She had not held council with them yet, and did not know if they, too, had encountered these Loa — did not know if their forms differed, or if she had been given divine knowledge beyond what she deserved. If they had, they would speak it, she trusted.

The Great Bears rule over all the world, physical and spiritual, but their Loa rule over us, here, in this forest. It is to them we pay our tributes, and through them the gods will hear of our devotion, will hear our pleas and will answer our prayers. They will protect us and shield us from enemies, veil us from prying eyes, and their Loa will aid us in all conquests and battles we may face. Her tail flicked behind her as she cleared her throat to keep from coughing; it had become dry as she spoke, as though something was now speaking for her, although it was still very much Jinx Kesuk present in her body.

We serve the Loa, that we may serve our gods, she concluded. Now her eyes roved over the collected, as she began the entire point of her story: you will serve them not only with offerings and prayer, but with responsibility, and duty. Their followers will be given special names and special tasks suiting their personalities, tasks best suited to pleasing their specific personalities.

Ogoun, watchers of the woods, those who guard our pack from outsiders and from onslaught. Those whose fire cannot be extinguished, whose paws burn with power during the hunter and whose ferocity is unmatched. Pause. Bade'un, those gifted with stealth and fleetness of foot, with wit and daring courage, who pass by their enemies unseen and fall upon them from behind. These were tasks Jinx though fitting of Sos, and so, suitable for Sos' Loa.

Agwe'en, those with the special power of healing, mastery over light magic and knowledge of herbs, who excel at teaching others, who are at home with elemental water, and whose kindness is a light of hope for all. And Loco'en, tenacious strategists whose minds are always at work, whose paws are immovable and whose strength is in observation, whose logic rules them, and whose power is in their defiance. She rose to her feet now, sweeping quietly back to her spot atop the log, well aware that her lengthy dialogue may have bored the less devout and less interested, but knowing that they would all find their calling eventually.

These are the paths laid before you, that you may choose your calling, and serve them to the best of your abilities so they will protect you and cherish you.