Fairspell Meadow that's where the pain comes in, like a second skeleton

PACK MEETING! Please post here at least once. I'm going to vaguely PP wolves arriving and get the ball rolling w/ dialogue at the end of my post, so as to speed things along. This determines, IC, what they do next!

@Jakoul @Moonshadow @Nightstar @Venamis @Scarab @Sakhmet @Rowan @Midar @The Ghost @Minnow

Maegi was no leader. That was clear in her wearied howl, her hangdog posture and vacant stare as she waited for wolves to show up. The events of the past two or three moons had broken her; she was a shell of her former confident self, and who knew whether she'd gain that confidence back? Right now, happiness, surety, comfort. . .it all seemed elusive.

Reed was missing, now—another disappearance. Who would be next? There was no positivity in Maegi's thinking. She assumed the worst, always. Reed was either dead or had abandoned her, like everyone else.

Death, or betrayal. A binary, black-and-white world. So be it.

I don't know what to do, she admitted when enough of the pack for a quorum had gathered around her place at the altar of bones. She lifted her scrawny shoulders in a shrug. She hadn't eaten in three days. I don't. In the woods we weren't safe; out here, it's too cold. Nothing is right, and no one is happy. So tell me. . .what do we do? Where do we go from here?

She reclined back on her haunches with a reedy sigh, eyes slitting half-shut as she waited for someone, anyone, to respond.

pp-ing sakhmet

She was mending from the accident the best one could, still early in the healing process. Assumed that she had been given the proper things to help soothe the pain, it was a bearable life. The worst of it all was becoming so utterly useless. How could she be the Morta they needed in this moment if she was tucked away in a pitted bed of dead grasses? On her lucky days she could manage to tame the last young Melonii into spending a few moments with her, telling her what went on out of her silver view. More tragedy it seemed. Along with the cold and the complete absence of all big prey from their area.

It was who she had been keeping near that moment when the call rang. The rise of Jakoul was met with worried protests from Sakhmet but after a few disoriented grumbling sounds were exchanged, the growing child became her crutch. Breaks were frequent but they made it in time to hear the words that escaped from their Nona. A deep huff escaped her as she slowly slid to meet the earth, watching as she was left as a mere shadow on the fringes of the collection while the child undoubtedly moved to be closer to the grieving mother.

A few things drifted through her mind but...she had been wrong before. Wrongly led them here it had seemed. To escape the fall of the trees had only opened them up the elements of a meadow exposed. She bit her tongue (out of pain, out of resentment for her failures) and hoped that someone else would provide an answer.

the call had risen into the air and scarab was one of the last few to arrive — his delay because of the petrified sandpiper he had to hide in his newfound hidey-hole for it. admittedly, there were days where he'd missed the small cavern in the grotto which had been the perfect storing space for his once magnificent menagerie of creepy and pretty things. the petrified sandpiper was all he had left of it and ankyra sound, refusing to let go of it even when holding onto it brought a near unbearable ache to his jaw and the thought of assured death. he wouldn't part with it — couldn't! — and if holding onto it would've brought his death then so be it.

he keeps a bit of distance between him and the others — all of which, besides maegi, were virtual strangers; but he doesn't focus on that. instead, he focuses on maegi's words and the uncertainty they hold. she speaks that the woods they'd came from hadn't been safe and that it was too cold out in the meadow where they temporarily resided. surely, scarab thinks, the woods and this meadow weren't the only places they could settle. what about looking for a different territory to relocate to? scarab asks, after a moment of uncertainty. it seems to easy to him but what does he know? maybe one that offers shelter from the winds but isn't as dangerous as the woods? he feels a little awkward speaking up — because of his age, because of his status as new meat here; but so far no one else had yet to offer anything else.

words: 279

He considered ignoring the call, feeling his despair more today than usual. Most of the time he could block out thoughts of Alarian, but the few hours he of sleep he had managed to get the night before had been filled with memories of his mate. His scent, his scarred face, the first time they had met—all of the good things and conveniently none of the bad. So when he had woken, he had been frustrated and desolate. He had stuck to the outskirts of the meadow, hoping to avoid contact with anyone so that he wouldn't lose his shit and blow is cover. He was always so impulsive when he felt this way; he needed to find some kind of outlet, but it would have to wait. Right now, he needed to maintain appearances and respond to Maegi's summons, regardless of how it grated on his nerves.

Not many had beat him there. Just the other leader, the injured one he hadn't met, and two pups were gathered around the gaunt woman who had called this meeting. Her weakness irritated him; she was not a leader in his opinion, and he wondered how she had manged to keep the pack serving her for so long. He caught enough of the boy's words to get the gist of the subject of conversation as he took a seat near the edge of the gathering. She wanted to know where they should go now. He didn't disagree that the meadow was a bad place to spend the winter. But they didn't have many other options. Why don't we wait a little bit longer and see how things go, that way we can move back to the woods if things ever calm down. And if it gets much farther into winter, then we can move to a different forest. Somewhere close by so we can keep an eye on things at home. He offered his words calmly and with a shrug despite the pit of darkness festering inside him.

He was late to arrive, not meaning to be, but... He was. The meadow was not hard to traverse and it wasn't like he had missed the looming figures gathering together like some kind of cult beneath the grey sky; there was no real excuse. Being exposed within the meadow was a drawback for him though. Mou was still afraid that the darkness would sweep down and take him. The giant black raven which had bestowed the collar would arrive and splinter the family beyond recognition, stealing them away from him after he'd finally reunited — it was foolish to be so worried, but he could not help it. So his arrival took time, and when he finally approached them he kept his distance until he could hear Maegi's words; the confidence she once exuded was gone now. She sounded defeated, so filled with sorrow that she had no course of action left to her, like she was pleading for a new path. Mou slipped around the gathering silently and as he approached her, he sat by her side and brushed his snout against her shoulder — I am here, he was saying, we are here.

A quorum did not appear. No, it was only her daughter, Jakoul, Scarab and then Midar, the latter pair being the only ones to speak up. Oh, and here came Mou, too, and she accepted his touch with a gentle embrace of her own. She gave a nod in acknowledgement to Scarab, mulling his words while the older wolf spoke. They were at odds, and Maegi found herself agreeing more with the Melonii.

She didn't have it in her to move again. Not after all that had happened.

I think Midar has the right idea, she responded, blinking softly at the dark-gold boy. He'd been heard, and his words were appreciated. I don't know where we'd go, anyway. The woods to the southwest are occupied; we would have to travel into the mountains to find somewhere with adequate shelter.

Maegi flexed her toes upon the ground, trying to feel even an inkling of the quaking that had rocked the earth for so long. There was none. It had been a while since there'd been a twitch—but who knew when it would all come to a head again? Has anyone felt the earth move, lately? she asked, lifting her chin in query.

still time to join if you haven't already! no posting order! next round begins 11/12

edited bc I shadow-posted Jitter whoopsies!

On his arrival, he noticed no one but Midar.

Venamis had been avoiding literally everyone since his father's second turned up in their dark woods, and the pack's relocation to the meadow had been enough to almost drive him away. All that kept him was an unspoken appreciation for Maegi, though even she was likely to feel the burn of his alabaster glare should their paths cross.

He didn't even remember what Midar had done to rouse such anger in him, fuelled only by a gut feeling of dislike. His appearance among them wasn't right, upset the balance in him, and teeth gritted together as he settled on the outskirts if their meager group.

With nothing to say, Ven turned his sharp stare toward his leader in silent judgement. 

After returning from her trip, the dark female seemed to have been keeping her distance everyone. Lurking around the others and watching Rowan from afar, never really getting close out of fear that he might push her away as Moonshine had done.

The male who spoke was one who she had not met yet and she decided to speak and answer her friends questions. "I haven't felt anything." She stated simply and just loud enough for them to hear.

Last from me. Will archive in a few days

Not much input was given to her second question. Only Moonshadow answered, and Maegi nodded toward the woman, satisfied she had arrived. Venamis, too, was here; she felt his gaze burning into her and wondered why. 

Then we'll return to the forest, she said wearily, eyes sweeping across the little crowd. At least while things appear to have settled down. If the shaking has truly ended.

And if another tree falls, the blood spilled will be on my paws, Maegi thought as she adjourned the meeting, settling down near her altar. 

She looked down at Anansi's tail, and then up at the living wolves. She began to pray.