Larksong Grotto Floating fast like a hummingbird

Mandatory Pack meeting thread! Next round begins Monday, April 25th or until everyone posts! Tagging: @Jhala @Lunar Eclipse @Skeet @Ditty @Aspen

After speaking with Luna, Reek no longer thought about taking his own life. With a pack to lead, he realized how selfish he had been. There were things he needed to change, that was evident -- today would be the start. He was a poor communicator; he knew that of himself even back when he led the maplewood, when he made deals with the dragons on his own inclination (resulting in Esaro unwittingly getting mauled). Even now, with his latest blunder resulting in Tavi's departure, Reek knew something had to give.

He still felt broken, of course. That would not change, but he would try to be strong. As strong as he could be for them.  

No longer would he be a recluse confined to his grotto where he could wallow in sadness. And so, limping to the lakeside, Reek settled to his haunches and howled for his pack to join him. There was much to discuss.

Jhala was the first to arrive. She sat curiously nearby and watched her alpha as she approached. She gave him a respectful head dip and lowered her tail wondering what was going on. She noticed Tavi's absence, but thought nothing of it immediately. Perhaps she was out, perhaps she was tired-- Jhala was not one to judge so quickly. Her tail flicked behind her as she sat, head tilting to the side. She waited patiently for the rest of the pack, curious to see what would come.

He was not the first to arrive at the scene, Jhala was there and sitting quietly. Skeet first noticed how Teek seemed very serious with the meeting, he was positive it had to do with something big.

Feeling the heavy aura, he walked in a casual expression. He dipped his head towards Reek, then sat beside Jhala. Be nudged her shoulder with a small smile before returning his full attention to Reek.

He also noticed the absent of Tavi, but she was probably coming soon anyways.

Aspen was on route to the lake again she was hoping to go there and wash her fur. She had been hunting most of the day and wanted a good bath because she was just a tad dusty and she had run into some muddy patches from the spring rain. 

As Aspen padded around the territory of the larksong pack she heard the howl of the Alpha  male calling all his pack members for a meeting. Unfortunately and fortunately for Aspen the meeting was at the lake to which he was headed anyways but it appeared a bath was not on her current schedule for the day. 

She picked up her pace to a brisk trot until she reached the clearing where she found she was not the first wolf to have shown there face to the meeting. There was the male Skeet whom she had met here just recently, and a wolf she did not quite recognize. Being one of the lowest ranking, if not the lowest ranking wolf in the pack she gave a polite and respectful nod to the two wolves and a bow to Reek, before taking a seat next to Skeet and waiting to see what the Alpha had to say. Oddly Tavi was nowhere to be found.

Lunar was the second tolast to appear, entering the clearing in a rush as she had run across the territory upon hearing the call where she was hunting. Now that she was finally here she knew the meeting would begin when Ditty showed up. Tavi wasn't here, her scent had been vague around the territory and she was nowhere to be found.

Glancing at the others, she wondered if they could feel the heavy ambiance in the air. Something big was happening, and something bad too. Dread settled in her chest like a heavy boulder as she waited for Reek to speak.

New round begins Tuesday, April 26th! (Or, you know... when everyone replies and stuff.

One by one, the wolves of the grotto came out of woodwork to join Reek at the lakebed in response to his summons. His eyes darted from wolf to wolf as they arrived. Four subordinates in total. Reek shook his head and continued to wait for Ditty to arrive, but after a few minutes of silence, Reek gave up on his hope that the bubbly coywolf would show. In fact, his scent had been fading fast from the territory and Reek figured he had left too. The pack was dwindling... Reek could see it.

"Is this it?" he asked, voice nearly apathetic in an attempt to hide his own emotional scars. "This is— this—" Then there was silence. He wanted to say pathetic, but all that passed his lips was a tired and disappointed sigh. Shaking his head, Reek tried not to let his disappointment with himself get the better of him. Broken spirit or not, he still had a pack to lead.

"Tavi is gone," he began, jumping right in to reason he called his wolves forth. His voice cracked from strain as he spoke, but he held his composure. "I have not been the leader any of you deserve. Communication has been... uh, limited at best, but I intend on changing that today. I promise to be more transparent with all of you from here on out." It was painful admission, but the problems that faced the grotto were all Reek's fault. 

"But first off, we need to address our numbers." Or lack there of, Reek thought. "We cannot hold this grotto with only five of us, nor am I in the physcal condition to protect any of you." He had reopened his injuries in the panic attack that ensued both before Tavi's departure and after. The scar's of Reek's mental instability would always remain dappled on his flesh. 

"We need to hit recruitment hard. I want each of you to go scouting around in search of lone wolves. I don't care if you have to drag them back by force, something must be done." No longer would Reek allow himself to retreat to the depths of his grotto to escape his problems. No, now he would face them head on. "Meanwhile, I will search for Tavi." He exhaled slow, sure of the fact that she didn't want to be followed, but he felt he needed to do so anyway. "And I will do my best to bring her home."

eep sorry idk how i managed that

Jhala nodded along with her alpha, unsure of what to say. Tavi had left? that was sort of disappointing. The dark gamma really had no complaints about that though, Reek seemed to be a better fit for her-- Tavi had somehow rubbed her just the wrong way. She'd never hated the woman, just felt closer to Reek. She felt she'd go to hell and back for Reek... Tavi, not so much.

She wanted to tell Reek to forget about Tavi altogether-- clearly she was not worth chasing after. She left for Christ's sake, why go after someone who won't work things out? The girl didn't understand. She kept quiet, simply nodding along as he spoke. She understood the situation, she would work on it. She'd make the pack better.

Eslani was quite thankful that her heat was over, and had been stalking around hunting and killing coyotes and whatnot. A howl called, but she was in the middle of a rabbit chase, so they would have to wait, a minute or two. She did arrive, though, in time to hear the heartwrenching words: "Tavi is gone." The jet black and blood-scarlet femme fatal stalked into the clearing, her powerful aura now even stronger, as she was thoroughly upset. What had Tav been thinking? First she nearly started a brawl with Eslani to protect her mate, then she leaves him in the dust? Her eyes narrowed and discontent was obvious on her face. If one was blind, they could still feel the absolute burn of the blood-goddesses anger. Her lip twitched, on the point of curling and she raised her sleek head. This was a situation Fallen should handle, not her.

Very important news. Numbers were low, which was surprising since the grotto was once full of life when Skeet came along. Another important snippet, Tavi was gone! Why would that woman leave her mate and pack so unexpectedly? Was she angry with Reek or a pack member?

Skeet covered up his angry look with a clean and boring slate of a face. He heard about needing to recruit, and he was sure as hell gonna recruit. Whether he knocked them unconscious or dragged them, he would bring members. Hopefully his charm was enough to snag them in.

He looked towards Reek to speak (heh H20 made that rhyme). I will do anything that is needed for the grotto.

Aspen listened as the alpha male spoke. He explained that the she wolf Tavi whom Aspen hadn't exactly hit it off with had left the pack. What the... Aspen couldn't seem to think what could possibly have made the silver female leave. A thought occurred for a brief moment in the back of her mind that it could possibly have been her fault. She doubted it though. She gave the alpha a slightly sympathetic smile before he moved on to the next task at hand. 

He brought up the numbers in the pack, which even Aspen had noticed were dwindling. Where could the wolves possibly be going. Was this like her previous packs, full of deceit and loyalty. The male sat beside her spoke before she even had a chance. He stated that he would do anything for the pack. "I'm with Skeet on that one, I will be sure to go out to scout for some potential recruits for the Grotto. However, I will not be dragging them here because then they are more likely to just up and leave again," Aspen spoke. Some part of her knew that statement was probably rhetorical but at this point it was too late to take back the words that had exited her maw.

As he spoke, Reek noticed Eslani's approach. He had not seen her since he had returned to the grotto a battered mess from his brawl with Luke in the Phoenix Maplewood. Having assumed she had run off to copulate because of her heat, it was a pleasant surprise to see that she had stuck around. So, the assumed five of the grotto became six. It was better, of course, but their numbers still dwindled. Once he fell silent, Reek offered her a nod of greeting.

Some others spoke (both Aspen and Skeet). Reek turned his attention back to the rest of his pack and a twinge of pride to see how much the remaining members cared. "Good," he said, all whilst levying a sad attempt at a smile.

"One last thing," he added, eyes casting downward. "If you plan on heading east to scout, avoid the mountain pack that resides there." Their presence in the north in Reek's eyes was still relatively new, but the scent of the soot and Dragon Wolves was strong on the north-east. "I entered negotiations with their leader and I botched it. We don't need any more tension with the locals, especially now when we're so few in number."

Reek was happy to see that his follower were willing to help, but he did give a word of wisdom to them. They were to avoid the pack that resided in the mountain. They were probably not too thrilled with Reek''s botch of negotiations, and probably out for blood. That was enough for Skeet to be put off. He merely nodded.