Dragoncrest Cliffs jus drein jus daun

Please reply by Saturday 23rd. I have PP'd those tagged in the post already in play (hope you don't mind!). @Portia @Furi @Blixen @Artaax @Eljay @Hush @Rose @Dalia @Seri @Hvitserk @Arrille. Tentatively tagging @Prince and @Bean.

Thuringwethil wakes that morning with a start and immediately she sets out to find @Dio, @Eske, and @Tirgatao. @Ajatar’s presence is not far behind them once she makes the call to gather them, something she’s hesitant to do when she doesn’t want to draw too much attention to herself.

There is nothing else for them to wait. She has all the wolves she’s going to have and winter isn’t slowing down anytime soon. As the season progressed, she expected more resistance but she only got more unrest within Drageda and with the commanders speaking to her more and more each night. Last night, despite how she startled awake, had been a peaceful and easy sleep.

It’s time.

@Bobby, for once, is on time only because he happened to notice the group before the call is made. On another day, Thuringwethil might be amused. She licks her lips, glances to the others, and then lifts her nose to let out a long, loud howl for all of Drageda—including the outsiders—to gather together.

Something in the air was different that day. The bird awoke as the commander did, and shook the frost from its feathers as the commander set out to gather her wolves. As she did this, the bird took to the air and followed from the sky, head turned so that beady black eyes could track the movements of the dark blip below.

After a time, it seemed to realize what was happening. The bird winged away from the scene, still far above the heads of the gathering pack.

The day dawns not unlike the ones before it, but the commander's summons bring about a quick shift in the mood--one that spearheads towards a focus on what's to come, and how it will pan out from here.

He gathers with the others, the small handful first before the others join them. He has had plenty of time to anticipate this, and therefore, prepare as well as he can knowing what he does. It comes as little surprise that she is ready to move this forward, especially before winter's chill can bite any harder. There will be no resistance from him, for although he is less than impressed to leave home, he knows where his need is and finally a sooner, rather than later sort of attitude has made itself comfortable with him.

There are still many unknowns at play, from how much use Redhawk will bring to what all the Blackfeathers hide, to finally what their travels south may hold--just to begin. But since it is the nearest to him, and by far the most tangible, he has long since chosen to have faith in Drageda's strength as they are called upon to gather too.

There is tension in the air, he knew it, he felt it, as he made his way to the location of the call. Something big was about to happen and it caused a nervous stir in his chest, a thudding of heart against ribcage as he found the Heda. Wordlessly Eljay waited for what more was to come, unsure what was up. The only thing he knew was that it was something important and big for the Heda to call the pack together.

Arrille heard the howl, the first pack howl he had heard and had been here to participate in. He began moving in the direction of the call made by the heda, although once he got there, he saw that others were there. He stalked out from the surrounding area, looking from one to the other. It was the first time past the outskirts, and he wasn't sure how those that hadn't met him would react, considering what the heda had told him about the doppleganger of his.

When Seri heard the howl to gather the pack together she was eager to see what was going on. This was the first time the pack had been called since he joined the pack. She arrived shortly after the call went out, but saw that others had beat her to where the heda had them gather. She looked around and didn't see anyone she really knew until she caught sight of Arrille. 

She want over to his side and gave him a friendly smile. She was happy to see that he was still in the pack, it had been alittle iffy the first day they had arrived. 

Once she got a chance to look everyone over she could see that something wasn't right. The mood and tone was rather somber. She wasn't sure why, but she wanted to know why. She waited to see if this gathering had anything to do with it. 

Eske wants to go to war; this she expressed to Heda before the howl in a quiet tone meant only for her Commander’s ears. Eske has never had much issue with being bold and concise about what she wants but she does not want her …desire to go to war to be misconstrued as disobedience. In the end, if Heda tells her to stay behind then she will but ...Eske hopes that her desire has been heard and that The Commander will take her to battle. She draws in a deep breath as Heda’s call shatters the silence that hangs over Drageda’s territory. She feels anticipation like electricity crawl along her skin like the shiver of static over your skin right before it shocks. Perhaps it the anticipation of the coming battle, or perhaps it is the fury that bristles just beneath the surface as she knows that she will soon stand face to face with the traitor. Eske isn’t sure that having her anywhere near him is a good idea: it is easy enough to avoid the area he is confined to …for his sake more than her own; but he is undeniably on her radar now and Eske is far from the forgiving type. She allows her gaze to touch upon the two that arrive outside their small group already gathered: Eljay and the only other wolf to share the title of Branwoda whose name she does not know — likely she’s been told it but for reasons of calling him ‘Branwoda’ until he has proven himself has chosen to forget it. She squares her shoulders and looks out at the group in general then, waiting for the rest of them to arrive.

War was on his mind and had been since he’d been told about it; although his return was fresh, still, he could never forget the love he once—and still—felt towards the pack. The growing remnants of his loyalty for them drove him to act for them, as did the bond he still shared with Freyja; her old mentor was directly affected by Blackfeather, so he felt it his responsibility to help avenge her in any way that he could. As soon as the howl reached his ears, he set off in the direction it’d come from, wary of navigating the new territory but having faith in his senses. He could feel a great pressure within his chest, almost as if something was pressed against it, as Heda’s scent intensified.

Entering the space in which everyone gathered, he slowed to a stop and glanced over the group to have gathered thus far, recognising but a few faces—his sister’s included. Greeting her crossed his mind, though he never followed through with the thought. Even when they were younger, the two had never been particularly close—not like him and Freyja, or even him and Portia. They were related and he would have done anything to protect her back then—he still would, actually—but he had never known if she’d do the same for him; now that he was back, he doubted wholeheartedly that she would even spare him a glance, let alone fight for his life. Tearing his eyes away from her, he settled down a fair distance from the others, head turned and gaze lingering on the commander.

she'd told nomi she needed time to think. and she had - for a moment she'd really thought hard about staying behind, not because mother wants her to but because she wants to protect their borders and she wants to stay behind with furi. but... furi and her aren't fighting anymore, and while she still feels unsettled she trusts that they'll survive being apart for a little bit. 

she's not the first to arrive but she sidles up beside nomi, giving bobby a friendly tap on the nose as she passes him. "nomi," she says quietly, not paying attention to who else is present, "i decided and -- i want to go." the gona is not demanding - she knows already she has permission, technically - but her voice is still stubborn and firm even as she dips her head and falls into silence, waiting for the meeting to officially start.

The boy had been so tired lately, but he was eager to answer the Heda's call when he heard it. From what he had heard, a war had been brewing for some time before his arrival, and those participating in the battle would soon be leaving.

Perhaps it was a foolish notion, but Prince hoped to be among those departing. He approached the gathering area somewhat slowly, scanning the wolves gathered only to find that none were familiar, beyond a passing glance. But then, he shouldn't have been surprised-- he hadn't been introduced to anyone just yet, beyond the Heda. Prince sat down among the others, careful not to sit uncomfortably close to anyone as he waited for the meeting to begin.

She’s by herself when the call is made and her stomach drops. She knows about the impending war and that most of Drageda will be leaving again. Per usual, she expects to hang back and stay in the pack and though they will be left with the bare bones, she and Blixen and the others can keep diligent work on the borders. Everything quickly swirls around in her mind, not once considering that because she is a warrior, she should go. She is young, still, and though she trains with Eske sometimes, and anyone else when she can, she still feels miles away from war. 

A number of wolves are already there and Blixen isn’t anywhere she can get to, standing close to Heda. Furi frowns and looks around for someone else she knows, specifically Rose (though it feels weird to want to spend time with her now that she and Blixen are… sort of okay). She isn’t there yet, but Eske is. And Arrille and Hvitserk. She doesn’t move toward any of them, standing awkwardly on her own and glancing around as the other wolves begin to pile in. 

As Blixen pulls attention to Heda, though her voice is quiet, her ears cup forward to try and hear. I want to go.

Her heart nearly falls out of her butt. 

“Me too,” she blurts suddenly, despite not being in the conversation, and instinctively took a few steps forward to try and be part of it. The meeting hasn’t even begun and she’s already shoving herself—very unlike Furi—into it. She hadn’t even had time to think about it before it came out of her mouth and her eyes widen, uncertain where she’s supposed to look and settles on the ground in front of the higher ups while she waits the verdict.

He had been silent for too long. Well inactive. He had not been an active member in his pack in moons, and it had disgusted him. He was lazy, really. 

It was not a surprise to him that he recognized very few of the faces that had gathered there at Heda's call. He knew the faces of Heda and Wildfire's children, though they were far bigger now. He knew Dio, Portia, and of course Heda herself, but no one else. He frowned when he arrived, looking about and feeling solitary.

He knew why they had gathered, had heard enough about Wildfire's absence and her capture in the dreaded Blackfeather Woods to now join in the fight. He stood there, his confused frown becoming stoicism, thinking of the long journey ahead.

The call tore through the forest she had been wandering through and the girl immediately spun on her heels to begin heading in the direction the howl had come from. When she arrived on the scene it appeared she was one of the last to show but thankfully it appeared she wouldn’t be the final one. She glanced around to catch a few familiar faces and a whole lot of strange ones too but ended up focusing on Heda in the end. 

Rose had gotten a good idea as to what was about to go down and unlike some of her fellow packmates, the aspiring medic held no desire to fling herself into battle. She simply wasn’t built for it and as an aspiring medic, she would rather save lives than take them. So she kept quiet when others spoke up and instead offered an ear to listen for any orders that were given.

Artaax had taken a bit longer to arrive than he liked, having been on the far edge of Drageda doing a patrol. He moved quickly though and was relieved when the curious looks on the gathered faces told him that nothing important had yet been said that he'd missed. He strode in, peering around at those who had gathered - straightening when he spotted Rose but attempting to be nonchalant about it. He frowned when he spotted Bobby and stepped towards his brother, nipping at a dark cheek as though reprimanding him for being on time for once. That was Artaax's thing. Bobby grinned and bumped his shoulder knowingly, but they both turned their attention to the others shortly.

He knew already what this meeting would be about, simply by looking between Drageda's highest ranking wolves. He settled onto his haunches and gave the heda a dutiful nod. Artaax had agreed already to go with the party and so he did not feel any need to speak up as his sister and Furi had. Though he knew that this trip would be certain to lead his family to violence and danger, the hompleia felt relatively calm. He had complete faith that Drageda could annihiliate any enemy that stood before them. The butterflies in his stomach were beginning to flutter merely because he was anxious to get on the road.

And also, Rose was like right there.

Bean was careful to sit on the outskirts of the gathering. The few whispers she had caught earlier in the evening had suggested that there was war brewing before she'd even arriaved. It seemed like this was the night that the Heda decided to chose her fighters for it.

The girl felt no desire to fight or die in this feud. She knew little to what would have called for this sort of measure to be required. Bean was careful to stay near the outside of the gathered wolves as she waited to hear this meeting.

Tension was thick in the air as the girl slipped into the rear of the meeting, half-hoping her late arrival wouldn't be noticed. War seemed a concept so huge and destructive that she could not imagine all that must have happened to lead to it. Blinking a little at Blixen and Furi when they announced that they would leave with the fighting party, she plopped onto her rear, tail twitching anxiously. Her gaze shifts to her father, and worry bites at her heart, though she is silent - she can do nothing to stop those who wish to leave.

After the discussion between the higher ranked wolves is over, and Thuringwethil makes the call, Ajatar separates herself off to the side for the time being. She watches as they approach, one by one, and the brief exchanges made as they arrive. It is not the first time they’ve gotten together since she’s been here but the theme has remained, circling around Wildfire. Hopefully it’ll be the last time they come together, putting an end to the war once and for all and to get rid of the wolves that have caused the problems. Plus, she doesn’t like Drageda being so empty for so long without knowing what’s happening in the outside world. As everyone arrives, Ajatar turns her head and looks upon heda, waiting for her to address the situation.

Sorry, poorly timed the round ending right over Christmas. Hopefully this one won't be so delayed. Please reply by next Wednesday, January 3! @Dio @Eske @Ajatar @Portia @Furi @Blixen @Artaax @Eljay @Hush @Rose @Dalia @Seri @Hvitserk @Arrille, @Prince and @Bean.

The pile in, one by one, and she watches and greets them as they scatter about and make themselves comfortable. Blixen comes up close, deciding that she wants to go, and as much as she feels a wave of anxiety, she slowly nods her head. It does surprise her that, a beat later, Furi speaks up and announces she wants to go too. She hasn’t heard the outcome of the most recent interaction with her daughter and her friend but by the sounds of it, things are okay. Thuringwethil stares at her for a second seconds but she does not answer right away, waiting for the others to finish their approach before she stops.

“In the morning, an army will depart from Drageda and we will be going back to Redhawk Caldera where the last of the preparations will take place. The Blackfeather wolves do not get to take one of our own and get away with it,” she tells them, eyes scanning over the crowd. She has spent a lot of time thinking about what they are going to do when they get there and what she’s going to do specifically when she gets her paws on the wolves behind this perhaps. “I have great faith in the warriors chosen to go, and with the caldera by our side, they will be no more,” she adds, a growl forming in her throat.

Her fur bristles and she looks out, wondering—hoping—they all have the same anger as she but she only sees newer wolves that don’t even know her mate at all. She swallows and hopes they understand they’d be doing the same thing for any one of them. “In our absence, Ajatar and Tirgatao will be charge. Patrols will double and you will keep the borders secure and we will return as quickly as we can. A messenger will be sent if anything goes wrong our goal is to return in one piece.”

She has discussed briefly with Dio and Eske about their plan but they can solidify anything until they reach the Caldera. She hopes the strength she brings together are enough to work together, despite making the risky decision to bring Hvitserk along.

“We do not have a lot of information the Blackfeather Woods so currently one of our own, Étoille, is gaining as much information as he can, while those of us going—myself, Dio, Eske, Hush, Blixen, Furi, Artaax, and Hvitserk—will set the details when we arrive. We hope, once this is all said and done, we can bring Wildfire home,” she finishes up. In the morning they will depart, lest anyone else has anything else to say, and so she falls silent for any word from the others.

He listens with intent plain on his face, hanging on every word Heda imparts to them. It annoys him that they do not know their enemy's territory well, but he knows the risks behind entering. That is why, when she mentions that Étoille was gaining information, he snorts with surprise at the boldness of the man. Was he infiltrating Blackfeather Woods as they spoke? Was he found out? Was he dead? He vaguely knew the man — only that he was a Rauna like him. But he was one of their own, and that was enough to raise his concern. If they did anything to him, even gently bruised him, Hush would kill the lot of them. He was angry enough that they had captured and tortured Wildfire. That they would hurt anymore of Drageda's ranks only riled him up.

Eljay listened nervously as he waited for the names of the wolves who'd had to come along. He somehow thought that he would be chosen, though the only thing he looked forward to was going back to Redhawk Caldera, if only for a little while, to see his parents. But when the names were recited, his wasn't in there and Eljay found himself breathing a sigh of relief. Two wolves whose names he'd already forgotten were in charge, he remembered, but he hadn't remembered their names because he had been waiting to hear if he had to go or stay here first.

What he did notice was that Blixen and Artaax were both on the list of warriors. A worried frown found his way to his face but he could see that they were eager to go so he would not try to talk them out of it; it was their own decision and Eljay just hoped he'd see them back at the end of the war.

Arrille was surprised to hear this. Indeed, he had not been there for long, and already there was something big going down. He vaguely recalled that being told of Blackfeather. And that his doppleganger resided there. And, despite how much he wanted to go, and meet this doppleganger once more, he had other duties as stated. More patrols. So that meant he would miss out on the excitement. He looked about the faces for Ajattar and Tirgatao, to see who these temporary leaders were.

Artaax listened dutifully as Thur began to share the plan with them. He looked at his packmates in turn as their names filed from her mouth, considering the roles she had assigned them. He would not personally have delegated command to Tirgatao or Ajatar, but he soon enough realized that he would not have given it to any of the others that were being left behind either. He momentarily considered changing his mind and offering to stay and take command himself, but it passed shortly. Nomi had said to come, and so he would. And in all honesty, he would have been just as bothered to not go as he was to not stay.

The information dispersed, Artaax began to ponder what he would do with himself next. The morning seemed so painfully far away. He looked towards Bobby, trying to catch his eye. He needed a distraction for a few hours and there was no better activity for that than hunting with his brother.

me too, a familiar voice says, and blixen jumps. 

what?

i mean - i mean furi is a very capable warrior, of course. they're both gona. and before everything got weird she'd had every intention of making furi come with her to the caldera in the springtime to see her mother anyway. so really, this should be ideal. rose is staying here, furi is an asset to their cause, blixen wants to be with her friend.

and her stomach turns over anyway. she looks over at furi, eyebrows raised (she's never been good at hiding how she feels after all), but doesn't say anything because nomi begins to speak. she already figured on most of it - she's a little surprised to hear about wossname, ette, gathering intel, but that guy sort of rolled into their lives mysteriously so she guesses it makes sense he's got some more tricks up his very broad sleeves. nomi confirms that both blix and furi will be going with them and -- well, that's that. she waits for the expected cheer she should feel, the camraderie to be gained, but instead, she feels mostly ... nervous. ugh. feelings!

The Heda doesn’t acknowledge her request to go other than a single look, then looking elsewhere. She’s worried to look over at Blixen to see her look but she does anyway, holding her breath and quickly looking away. She looks on either side of her net as they fill in and she shuffles back so that she isn’t so much on the spot anymore and just waits to see what the leader has to say. She doesn’t suspect she’ll actually get to go along when she hadn’t been acknowledged and she accepts it, trying to focus on the words until she does hear her name. Staring hard at the ground, her ears slowly fall back against her head.
 
She’s going.
 
Shit.

Ajatar only half listens to Thuringwethil as she draws in the wolves and starts speaking. Her own eyes scan the crowd, watching as Hush’s anger expresses easily across his face. He is one that has been part of Drageda since their reincarnation but she knows so little about him. His lack of a voice doesn’t offer a chance to learn about his history but the current she has been able to gather.

She trails off, scanning over the faces of the other wolves. The wolves she has met and spent time with, she lingers on them a little longer. Her curiosity for their reactions to the situation, differing from those that have shown up after the woman went missing, leaves her with a gentle answer that they all have some connection to family the others may not be able to match.