Divided We Stand (A Packs Roleplay, OPEN and ACCEPTING)

[The Royal Mirage]

The still-damp female felt a cold shiver run down her spine as, without warning, the strange presence of the pack's shaman permeated the otherwise warm and welcoming atmosphere of the medicine den. While Dovev had been a member of the pack for far longer than herself, Ruby had always felt as though the male were more of a stranger to her than the rest of them - perhaps it was his garish headdress, or maybe the dark rumours that followed him in quiet whispers or pointed looks. Whatever the case, his voice seemed too slick in that moment, almost pretentious, and she responded unconsciously with a wrinkled nose at the bile he seemed to bring up in her throat. "I'm sure Lilu can take care of my injuries," she muttered coolly, shifting her head so her bangs covered the heavy bruising she had sustained around her eye during the moose hunt. Luckily, the ones along her side were more easily hidden by her thick fur. It was a gut reaction, one she didn't fully understand, but she didn't trust the brute. She had come to accept that Gemini was timid and well-meaning most of the time, that his bouts of fury and ill-temper were not of his true nature; the switches between personalities were strange, but comprehensible to her. The shaman however, whose presence was always preceded with a sense of foreboding, and whose visual tastes lent more to the esoteric rather than the worldly, put the fae on edge. Her stance changed minutely to put herself in an almost protective pose between the fae she wished to call her friend, and the brute who she had never trusted, her good eye guarded as she dared a response.

---

As the darkest member of his pack approached the little shop, Hamish couldn't contain his open smile and wagging tail. The youngster had never been privy to the rumours which spread around camp of the senior delta's mysterious past, never being tainted with mistrust for the brute; Abaddon's presence brought with it both admiration and deep respect. He was a member of the pack held in high regard, and from the pup's lessons with Phaedrus, he knew that Abaddon must exert an incredible amount of self control (for how he could stand still without wiggling his tail and sniffing the sweet scents on the wind was beyond the child); and yet he had saved Henrietta and his sister's flock from a ferocious coyote not very long ago. Hamish would never understand how such a genteel baron could, in a moment of need, become a fierce protector; he was a hero. "Yeah, Ellie's been baking sweet rolls all morning just to keep up," he replied, tail becoming still at the reminder that such a busy day kept his sister always occupied and away from him. "Are you hungry? I think a fresh batch just came out," he added, hoping to do something that would please the older baron.

---

A distinct vibration carried itself from the crest of her ears down the entirety of Lia's body as the strange fae approached, feeling awash with anticipation. Her tail twitched with interest, the plush strands of rippling fur catching the light and reflecting it with an iridescence that unconsciously drew the gaze. Even in trembling excitement her body seemed to glow with an inner light; if the approaching fae was entirely casual, it could be said that Lia was the opposite, taking in every minute dip and curve of her companion as she became more clearly visible. A low breath escaped her maw as the smoky voice reached her ears, the fae's accent incredibly exotic and enticing, made even more so as it poked a bit of fun at her. So intriguing. "You startled me," she returned, eyes widening slightly with a flash of butterfly lashes, her implications clear.

[Nellas]

Quinn's pealing laughter rang out like a bell as she took the shove from the lighter fae, pushing back a little despite the dimming protest of her sore muscles. She grinned back at Ruby, her bright teeth flashing in the light. "I sure will. It was quite the fight," she agreed, pushing away whatever caution she had to simply let herself revel in the hardly believable fact that she had actually taken down the wolverine. No doubt the young warrior would have thought twice about it if she'd known truly how difficult and dangerous it would be, but... she'd succeeded, hadn't she? It was quite something. Pleased with her company and lulled by the effect of the poppy seeds, Quinn lapsed into a companionable silence, her ears angled relaxedly to the side.
A smooth voice broke the peaceful quiet of the medicine den, its meaning reaching the increasingly hazy Quinn a couple seconds after the fact. Her body being as responsive to Lilu's medicine as it was was each a blessing and a curse. Quinn followed the beginning of the conversation a little too slowly, but her bright green eyes didn't fail to take in the cooling shift of Ruby's demeanor. Lifting her head higher in order to look up at the tall shaman standing above them, she felt a familiar chill at the back of her neck as she was faced with the forbidding wolfskull mask. She could sense an edge of tension in the air, but wasn't quite sure how appropriately to react to it; instead, she pretended to not have noticed, and voiced her assent to Dovev's help. "That would be great, thank you. Lilu's got so much on her plate already," she said earnestly, in truth feeling a little less sheepish than usual about accepting help from the forbidding shaman than from the gentle healer.


N'Obi's praising comment inspired a rush of pride in Clarence, his dark chest swelling with the compliment to his beloved pack. He flashed a pleased expression of thanks to n'Obi, who, despite Clarence's protective nature and his initial wariness, the serious beta was hesitantly growing to like. His gaze flicked back to Gemini, and then the stranger, as he and the unknown white wolf approached; Gemini's original comment heard but only lightly acknowledged as all of the beta's attention came to rest on the stranger. He and Clarence were of a similar height, each clearly very powerful in their own right. The expanse of his short, shocking white fur was broken only by scars. Clarence held the stranger's smooth grey gaze evenly with his own intense blue as Gemini supplied his name: Jesse. As practiced as the beta was, it was natural for him to pick out the tension in the other wolf, one that the two shared are they assessed each other carefully. However, more than this, he couldn't yet tell- Jesse's angled face was well-schooled indeed.

"Welcome, Jesse," Clarence greeted him after a moment passed in which Gemini sat down close by, but Clarence remained standing. He was not one to question his alpha in front of others, but he couldn't help the twinge that ran through him when Gemini had said the loner was going to stay with them, something they agreed before Clarence had even met him. While he didn't quite trust Gem's gentle and unassuming nature to not be taken advantage of, he spoke nothing yet of his hesitance and instead gestured politely with his dark nose to the wolf at his side. "This is n'Obi, another guest of ours," he introduced to Jesse, "And I am Clarence, Gemini's beta."
While Clarence couldn't shake the protectiveness, born of devotion, that he had to Gemini and his pack, he did recognize that although he wished he'd gotten to be there with Gemini to first meet Jesse, their pack was strong and full of loyal, practiced warriors. Should something unexpected happen, Clarence was reasonably sure that although he would keep an eye out for trouble either way, they would be able to contain the threat should some fight or physical altercation start. They were able to contain Castor (Clarence repressed a shudder at the complex flood of thoughts accompanying that name), most of the time, and he was... worse, than a loner with potential bad intentions could be. Clarence reflected back on Gemini's initial introduction of him- that he was looking for someone- and that reassured the beta enough to finally let go of the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. If Jesse was looking for someone, it meant his business was with the other wolf, and not with Clarence's pack. He would probably be glad to keep moving once his shoulder had healed up somewhat more; the days were already getting shorter, and he knew from experienced that it was infinitely harder to travel in the winter than in the warmer months.

((Clarence. take a deep breath, buddy))

[The Royal Mirage]

((Yes Clarence, deep breaths :s Also, I can't remember if there was ever a Sparrow response for Lilith? Or if we were waiting on Kirsten?))

As Clarence and the newest loner in the pack became better acquainted, n'Obi could detect some form of hostility in the air, a kind of unnatural stillness which hinted at a possible storm, or something of like magnitude. Looking more closely, he could see that both Jesse and Clarence seemed to be somewhat tense, with Gemini oblivious to the large brute's appraisal of one another due to his own discomforts and attempts at being a responsible leader. The braided baron gave a slow blink, casually shaking out his hackles in such a way as to exude his own relaxation, in the hopes of calming the others, though it seemed Clarence had released much of his own tension in the few moments it had taken the tribeswolf to process the situation. "It's a pleasure to meet you Jesse; seems we're both passengers in the same boat, though with different destinations I'd guess," he grinned, ears flopping lightly to the side, in the hopes that his comment would bring the battle-torn baron out of his guarded stance. One wolf on edge put more wolves on edge, it was simply the way that groups of individuals worked.

[Nellas]

((I feel like I was waiting for Kirsten just so Goldie didn't feel behind, but I'm happy to do whatever is best!))

[The Royal Mirage]

((We can still wait for goldie, I just couldn't remember what was going on and didn't want to be the one holding up the interaction ^^'))

[Nellas]

((It's totally fine, no worries! It feels so good to be writing again. And oh man Mirage I've been so impressed at your colorful long posts. We all have so many characters and it's so delightful and it's just so exciting to be writing, I've missed this!))

[*~WolfSoul~*]

Amber eyes observed Hamish’s immediate, enthusiastic reaction as the senior delta approached, watching the pup evenly with ears perked patiently to listen to his reply. The obvious glee in the pup’s gaze fanned a little at the flickering flames of Abaddon’s pride, though he made no move to encourage Hamish further – Phaedrus worked hard to school pups in containing themselves; Abaddon would not undermine the tutor’s efforts.
The young brute stilled a little at the mention of his sister. It was likely that he rued her absence on such a busy day, and someone so young was likely tired from all the bustle. As Hamish asked after Abaddon’s appetite, the senior delta let his gaze sweep over the storefront, as though he were considering his options. The thick, dark fur of his ruff rustled with the movement of his head. He gave a thoughtful hum, the sound deep and clear like the playing of an organ key. “Which of these treats is your favorite, Hamish?” he asked gently, curiously, seeming to seek recommendation from the young baron.

~

A sarcastic little snicker answered the petite fae’s teasing question – the sound held no ill will, rather it coupled with the suggestive lowering of the baron’s lids over electric eyes to communicate that he certainly, most certainly, was not complaining. Tall ears perked forward attentively as the stranger delivered her name to him, seeking to catch the sound of it. Beau let the name wash over him thoughtfully, temporarily setting aside her subsequent request for his own name. The loner fixed Katrina with a curious look as he tilted his head pensively, a little smirk curling the corners of his mouth upwards. His expression was playfully critical, and a thoughtful hum rumbled in his throat. “Katrina…” he tried, testing the taste of the syllables on his tongue. He gave a little nod, as though he had decided that the name would do well enough for now, and did not offer his musings on the matter.
“I’m Beau,” he answered, feeling automatically a knife’s slow twisting in his chest at the bluntness of the sound – all that was left without his last name, which he no longer used. He gave no outward signal of this ache, however; instead he only let his chest push forward, making himself appear prideful where he felt shame. Again, he left the air open for the dove to react however she pleased and lead their encounter onward if she willed; the very manner in which he conducted conversation being abrasive to the pack’s culture.

~

The bone-chilled dove braced herself against the gales as firmly as she could, trekking onward with her companion steadily. Listening to Amos’ words over the wind, a picture materialized in her mind – not accurate in her ability to picture dense forests, rather she saw blooms of color warm color palettes like opening flowers. She gave a noticeable pause, feeling again that writhing little dot of worry buried deep in her chest – would it be worth it? Would she really like it in the forest? Quickly, the dove turned away from these thoughts before the anxiety of them could sweep her away. She lifted her gaze to peer ahead and sample the wind.“We’re nearing the camp now,” she murmured to Amos, turning her head nearer to his own so that her words would be sure to reach him. “I hope you built your den well enough to keep you warm.”

~

For as long as the dark beta held his gaze, Jesse did not look away; even as he could hear Gemini introduce him, the white loner resisted his usual instinct to look in the direction of another’s voice. When at last the beta, who was perhaps just a breath or two taller than Jesse himself, looked away to introduce the braided gray wolf beside him, Jesse let his gaze flick automatically to meet the warm hue of the baron’s eyes. He gave a little dip of his chin in acknowledgement to the neutral-toned baron, before the unreadable grey of his eyes flicked back to the beta as he delivered his own name: Clarence. Jesse gave another nod of acknowledgement, but he was no good at small talk. He remained standing just as Clarence had, out of both uncertainty and unwillingness.
Another heartbeat of time passed, faintly electric with tension, before some of that energy was released almost imperceptibly with the subtle relaxing of Clarence’s broad shoulders. The energy of the air eased off a little bit, though each of the two brutes – contrastingly dark and light in color but imposingly similar in strength – remained standing.
The grey baron, n’Obi, spoke up just then after a light shake of his ruff. Jesse’s gaze was pulled to warm eyes again – both n’Obi and Clarence had far deeper, more even voices than Gemini; it was a relief for Jesse to be able to understand them a little more easily.
“I won’t be staying long,” he answered, and though he spoke most directly to n’Obi, in his words was also an indirect response to the tension that had sparked between himself and the beta. “Gemini has given me permission to travel with the pack to the gathering in a few days; then I’ll be moving on.” Though Jesse's voice was a deep rumble, the breaking of his silence helped further ease the atmosphere. It was the best he could do in the moment, unable to completely erase his wariness around so many unfamiliar wolves.

(These are a little rushed :s And unfortunately Acadia will have to wait, but I wanted to give something at least)

[The Royal Mirage]

((It really does, I'm glad my muse is seeming to keep up with me right now! I'm just as excited to see you posting, I always let out a bit of a squeal whenever I see it *sometimes in public, it's embarrassing. you guys embarrass me* so you're definitely not alone in the excitement <3))

Amos' relief at knowing the comfort of the camp was close by was blown carelessly away by the reminder of his den. A grimace painted itself across his lips, recalling the hole-in-the-ground he had been working on all morning. It was by no means in the same unlivable conditions it had been in before, but it still didn't seem particularly welcoming to his slowly warming body. "It could still use some work," he replied, thinking again back to the bear that had started this whole thing, and wondering how hard it would be to find it and skin it for the night. He could worry about working the pelt later, he just wanted some warm furs to curl up in. But then, if he didn't bring the meat back - for he surely couldn't drag even a small bear to camp on his own - would the alphess be upset that he had wasted it? Maybe another member of the pack could help him, he didn't want to bother Amara with the task after the harrowing ordeal they'd been through. She deserved a rest.

---

A gathering? Now how had he missed out on information like that? N'Obi looked to Gemini then, brow raised with his questioning smile as he wondered about the new development. "What kind of gathering might this be?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him in the still-tense situation. Would there be more packs at this gathering? Loners? And then, why would a wolf who is looking for someone go to this gathering? Gemini must have thought that the wolf Jesse was pursuing may have also been invited - a social event.

Gemini's own amethyst orbs widened, pulled from his semi-anxious stupor by n'Obi's question. At least the gathering was something he knew well, having learned directly from his parents what was expected of him. "It's a tradition of the three packs in the area, to come together for the full moon," he started, having nearly forgotten the bitter aftertaste in his mouth now that he could be of use to someone. "We trade goods and stories, feast together, catch up with friends in the other packs; it's a great deal of fun, though it's also a bit of a contest. Or it used to be, in the earlier days. The wolves who looked the fittest, brought the most kill, and had the finest goods were often afforded a higher rank during times when relations between the packs were tense. After all, you were better to align yourself with the pack that had the best chance of withstanding war." It was a part of the gatherings that was mostly ignored in the current day and age, but Gemini could recall the vivid stories of his father as he sang the praises of his warriors, how they were the finest wolves at the gathering. Or how many pelts of ferocious creatures they brought to trade in comparison with the mountains and shores. There was still a great deal of pride in contributing to the festival, but the original reason for such pride had been lost in these times of peace.

((Gemini's history lesson))

---

Hamish's lips pursed in thought, the serious expression almost comical on his scruffy face. What was his favourite? He loved everything his sister made, except the chicken dishes. Well, he liked them, but ever since raising Henriette, he found them unpalatable, the scent giving him a twisting sensation in his gut. Shaking away the thoughts, he looked to the small display case, the glass which encased several treats made of lower purity sand, giving it an almost bluish tint. "I really like the sticky buns Ellie makes, especially when she lets me help gather the honey for them. But I like the cannoli too, it's fun making the cheese for the filling." Even though Hamish slightly resented all the work that went into the shop, he loved the time with his sister spent making things for it. The experiences improved the taste, to him at least, so the ones where they worked together tended to be his favourites.

((this reply for Hamish made me want sticky buns so bad))

[Nellas]

((a bit rushed because I'm going out but I wanted to give something before I left))

Another breath eased its way into Clarence's tense chest, and another. All through the length of time since he and Gemini had been parted, he had been worried. His emotions were still trying to catch up with what his mind already knew: that Gemini was safe and well. Trying to put this aside for now and let himself be present in the easing atmosphere between the four males, Clarence took in the information Jesse related, then focused the intense light of his deep blue eyes instead on n'Obi and Gemini in turn as the traveller and then the alpha spoke. In the space of time that it took for Gemini's soft spoken voice to share briefly his knowledge with their guests, Clarence retreated within himself, only dimly registering the alpha's words. By the time Gemini finished speaking, he had coached himself into forcing aside his concern, to process it later in order to stay present now.
"Shall we let our guests eat and rest?" Clarence prompted gently, feeling the tired ache in his own muscles twice as strong now that he and n'Obi had let the arduous weight of the moose aside. He didn't pretend to know what n'Obi was currently feeling, let alone the tight-lipped Jesse, but he could think of nary a situation in which it was wrong to offer the best of their hospitality.

[galaxy cat.]

Dovev simply fake-smiled and nodded to Ruby, flicking away the tiny comment that punctured yet another hole in his heart like a piece of dust on his pelt. He watched her go, his eyes saddened underneath the foreboding false face adorning his head. Gently, with movements as smooth as a brook tumbling over pebbles, he turned to meet his gaze to one of a hazy Quinn, and turned towards the tunnel where his main healing den was, a silent communication; follow me. The den of the shaman was somewhat different from the den of a healer - it contained herbs, of a common and rare variety, bandages, a magnitude of poultices stored in glass (valuable items, only found in the Eastern Shores), and more... peculiar items. Hand-sewed effigies, multiple talismans, feathers, skulls, gems, three capes, different colored leather pouches, and even metals were stowed away in the cubby holes cut out in the walls of the underground den. The floor was lined with the soft pelt of a two grizzly bears, a bizarre sight to be found in the den of a healer instead of a fighter. The ceiling was crafted to be high, thanks to Dovev's towering height, and it was rather spacious. The black and maroon wolf pulled the moose pelt that covered the entrance so that the copper fae could enter. "Do lie down. It's been an exciting day for you," he said, and fluidly pointed both his and the muzzle of his mask towards a silky fur. Though he concealed his excitement to be treating his very own heart-throb as flawlessly as he covered his tracks, the baron was doing barrel rolls in flight in his stomach. Dovev was deftly snatching poultices and bandages from the rows of items in the wall when asked something of the fae; "What's it like? You know, the thrill of an extraordinary kill like that. I'm sure you've retold this story hundreds of times, so, I apologize, but truthfully I'm very curious."