Time For Change (MEETING)

[Sivoncé™]

^{A copper-golden pelt, ruffled with soot, laid in her den thoughtfully. She eyed the sooty outlines of her own pawprints in the dawn light, dim and pale through the blankets of gray, billowing smoke. How was it fair for this time of fresh coming to be tainted and stripped from all of its former beauty? No colors of the sun, touching its fingers to the earth for another day, would be seen through the smokescreens.
She had delayed the ceremony for naming the proxy for several reasons, the first and foremost of these was that she had originally been unsure of what Toss wanted to do. It was clear now tht he would much rather stay beta then go back to the seniors' den. An honorable decision that she would honor in return. Also, she hadn't really known who to select for the position quite yet. But it was sharply clear to her now; there was no questioning that this wolf was the one meant for the job.
Fluidly, she rose and padded into the thick fog, a splash of fiery color in the center of the grayscale universe. Hesitating a moment, she managed to leap onto the meeting stone without much difficulty. "Will the Destinian Pack please gather for a brief pack meeting!" She howled, hoping her denmates would be able to use the loud greeting to lead them to the central part of the clearing. She emphasized the word brief, deciding that for now, she would only announce the proxy, discuss conditions, and be done with the formalities. There was too much to be done for them to sit there and talk about it.}

[Destiny]

Two rather small looking wolves lay outside the Nursery. They were around the age when one would be named a neophyte and assigned a mentor, but they had yet to leave the Nursery. Jestos seemed to be asleep, sister Laxus lying next to him, her muzzle upon male's back. There was a hint of sickness in the air around them. The twosome had come down with something.. but what?

Silas had removed himself from the camp not long ago, and was off in the territory somewhere, searching for herbs most likely.

Vetra Vaticana looked up, but did not move. Entire body was shrouded in shadows, eyes glinting darkly.

Fyren jumped up from her place outside the resting dens. A quick swipe of tongue over muzzle to remove the last drops of blood from her meal. Nudging brother, the fae darted over and plopped herself down where she had a good view of Fireflight.

Michio finished off the remnants of the rabbit he and sister had shared, licking jaws when finished. The brute padded, a little more slowly, over to Fyren and sat near her. A little cough from him, but no other sound.

Sothis padded from the shelter of the resting dens, gave a little nod in the alpha's direction, then seated himself to listen to what she had to say.

A silver hued femme loped into the camp. Pelt was ruffled, and there was an unsettled air about the wolf. Unease in step as Svel made her way across the clearing. A glance given to Fireflight, something like surprise lingering in eyes from earlier. She shifted weight and shuffled her paws. Tail flicking back and forth anxiously.

[Ärï]

A fairly small blue-eyed femmora remained in the shadows of the camp, her misted gaze staring at nothing and no one in particular, simply looking in a general direction. Alert auds of carved ivory swerved to catch the sounds of Firelight calling a meeting and wolves grumbling as they detached themselves from whatever had preoccupied them. Through sensitive paw pads, Athena felt their shuffling pawsteps, some sleepy, others lazy and still others brisk and anxious. With a silent sigh, Athena laid her head on her paws. Why did she bother with such a busy pack? Because...oh she didn't know she just did. Beside the noise, no one really bothered her much which was just how Athena liked it.

She kept her ears perked, eyes staring into nothing more than a world of blackness as she awaited whatever announcements Firelight had to give. Probably it would be the usual for a new leader, naming a beta and proxy and whatnot, passing on unimportant or uninteresting news. Still, with things the way they'd been recently, Athena really wouldn't be surprised if Firelight told them trees were talking and rabbits wanted to have a conversation with a fox or something of that sort. Even if she'd never seen them, when Athena had been young she'd found a dead fox and knew the general shape and size of a fox and sometimes poked around the rabbits she chose for her meals so she knew the shapes and relationships of these two creatures so yes, even a blind wolf could imagine such a comical little impossibility.

[.Rabid Lycan.]

With his normal 'drunken swagger', Toss managed to stumble across the clearing and settle down next to Fireflight. Surprisingly, his posture was regal and his ears were erect... but the fact that his tongue was lolling to one side shattered the illusion of professional competency.
Still, at the moment, he was proud of his supposed 'inspiring' position... or so that's what he imagined himself.

Ashai rolled his eyes at Toss.
Silly old-timer he thought, but with soft eyes as he looked- again- at his dad. Ah well- at least he's pleased with himself.

In the back of the clearing- and as noiselessly as he could manage- a russet brute slipped in through the entrance. His tail dragged, his eyes were shadowed... and dark trails of drying tears blackened his cheeks. Yet he didn't want anyone to know-- he quickly slouched and took a shadowed spot in a corner of the clearing, hiding his face in darkness so that his inner hysteria would hopefully go unnoticed.

Soon after, Sumer trodded in- covered in ash- and padded to the opposite side of the clearing, a puzzled and guilty look on his face.
It was the first time the brothers did not sit beside one another... and Sumer was thankful that he would not have to explain anything because of his disability.
But Euphrates might...
He silently looked up a Fireflight and awaited the news.

[Sivoncé™]

Fireflight cleared her throat, feeling a bit awkward under the many stares of her packmates. Aliya, I hope you were in you right mind when you chose me to do this.... Sighing softly, inaudibly, she cleared her throat and began.
"It is high time we have a wolf who fills the duty of proxy in this pack, and it is also about time we've discussed our current situation. But first, and foremost, we will take care of the first, most simple issue so we can proceed to our conversations about more intricate things. A proxy is a wolf who serves as a watcher in a pack, someone who can relate and aid the troubled warrior, the worried bearer, the lost pup. Toss is our honorable beta at this time, as he has chosen to remain. Some forget the difference between beta and proxy, thinking it is only an interval of seniority that defines them. This is not at all so ; they are equally vital to the workings of our societies. While the proxy can aid the pack's members internally, the pack beta's advice and strategizing is what helps us with relations outwardly. I thank Toss for staying in this position for so long, as tiring as the hour is." She swallowed again, thoughts flickering over her decision, then nodding inwardly.
"So we come to the naming of our next proxy in a dark time, it seems, but within these camp walls, within our territory boundaries, and wherever else our paws should take us, this proxy will be there to do her duties ; Svel is the new proxy of the Destinian Pack."

[Destiny]

Heart rate was a pace above normal. Not to high, but high enough to make it more well known to her, then was needed, that she was extremely anxious. The wolves had been so familiar, so real looking. It had taken minutes for Svel to see the stars in his pelt, then in hers. Night and day, they were. But with the same type of coat, a similar body structure, the same eyes. Though the legendary alphess had been mad. That was clear to Svel now. This worried her, frightened her. No words had passed between them upon the encounter, though. The brute had stared at her, snowy fae following and doing the same. No. Not staring at her, staring through her. Like figure had been invisible to them. Like they were looking at something, someone, who was there. But when she'd turned to look, there'd been nothing. Upon turning back to the spirit wolves, femme had found that her eerie companions had dissapeared. A word had whispered on the breeze, spoken in the familier tongue of adoptive mother, of Destiny. A word, a name, she knew well.

Somehow, with all the thoughts rushing through her mind, Svel still managed to hear what it was that Fireflight had to say. A slight glimmer of pride in her gaze at hearing name spoken. Pushing the anxious feelings down into her stomach, Svel stood and dipped head to her alphess. "I am honored to be chosen as Destinian Proxy."