Aftermath & Ascendings (EVERYONE!)

[Sivoncé™]

Nightshade limped unsteadily into the dormant clearing, the only other wolves occupying the Siverian camp being Annelise, who's limp was more practiced and was now busy at work in her den, and Mystic's pups, alone in the nursery but for a select warrior or two. Those pups should be made neophytes soon. And we need a proxy.....there's so much to be done. At least we have Annelise back now. Magic won't be as stressed then, hopefully. Looks like the Yozorans were mad as Hellfire though....rightly so. We need a moonless meeting, too. So much confusion....
She, somehow, by gift of Twilight, dragged herself onto the alpha's ledge. She called to the pack from the leader's position for the final time, "Siverians, please gather for a pack meeting!"

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Kar shuffled into the clearing, as bruised and battered as any Siverian who had ventured into the Twilight Clearing. Part of him worried over the death toll; how many losses did they endure? Did the pros outweigh the cons? But another half refused to acknowledge what had happened. The fraction of his brain pleaded with him to simply collapse in a corner and sleep off his exhaustion.
Of course, that would hardly be dignified, now would it? Nightshade was calling, and with a twinge of pain, Kar forbade the urge for rest a moment longer, and settled himself obediently beneath the ledge.

Lance followed closely behind Kar, a limp in his step and a stream of red sliding from his right eye socket. Although he had repeated to himself many times—like a comforting mantra—that he would return to the field of battle as soon as he was patched up, he knew it was a lie. He was too weary to make the return trip, let alone fight. And as he settled amongst the ranks of his denmates, he inwardly hoped that his children would fail to notice him or his missing eye.
He cast a longing glance at the nursery, and then returned his attention to Nightshade.

[Njack]

Nectar trotted into the clearing, shaking her head every so often. I wonder if the fight is still going on in the clearing...
---
Shaw padded in as well, watching Nightshade on the alpha's ledge. She looks pretty hurt... I wonder who won the battle. Then, thinking about it for a little while, he mused quietly to himself, "Then again, who can really win a war?"
---
Blink slunk in next to Shaw, who looked surprised at her reappearance. She'd have to make explanations and amends for her absence...

Catching Shaw's eye again, she winked and mouthed, "I'll tell you later."

[♫Flisk♫]

Melina gulped. Now was her time to shine, whether it be in a hailstorm of wolves, or a rainbow of them. What would they think when they found out? The wolf stood near a rock so that she could easily jump up at any given time and explain herself. After the recent battle she was stiff, sore, and tired, so nobody had really paid much attention to her. She wondered if they pondered her retreat call at the end of the battle, but never really thought much about it. Licking her lips, she snuffled to herself and fakely wagged her tail in anticipation, as if she didn't know what was about to happen would change her future forever. She itched her side anxiously before bowing her head and waiting for Nightshade to speak.

[Sivoncé™]

Annelise appeared in the central clearing, a pile of herbs in her maw. She stopped at Kar first, gently touching her nose to her brothers. "Let me treat your wounds," she woofed softly. "Do you have any major injuries?" A heck of a lot of scratches, but that's what's to be expected, I suppose. She began to unwind some of her cobwebs and smear the infection-preventing poultice over them. She looked around at the other wolves. "I'll make my rounds -- is anyone here seriously hurt? Nightshade, you shouldn't be up there, your left hind leg is broken," she chided the beta mildly. Annelise still ached herself, swathed in the heap of bandages Magic had fixed her with. Her stump of a leg remained unwrapped, however -- it had been removed by Babylonia too long ago to do anything about it now. I bear the same mutilation as Mom did before she died.... She wondered if anyone else had taken note of this, or just reduced it to bad luck.

Griffen and Kaylee poked their head out of the nursery, scanning the gathering of wolves for their father, Lance. It was Kaylee who spotted him first, and let out an ecstatic yip. She bounded over to him, Griffen on her tail. "Daddy!" she exclaimed joyfully. Griffen made a move to tackle him, then decided against, noting that Lance may be injured. The two had a barrage of questions about the battle, but for now, they settled down next to Lance to watch Nightshade.

Nightshade dipped her head, smiling as Annelise slid back into her healer tactics, the place where she belonged. "I'll let you treat me once you have seen to the others and we've discussed the important business at hand. There are several things that need to be said...first off being that Annelise and Weed our back -- our missing wolves have returned to us, and there is no quarrel with the Yozorans!" She beamed down at her pack, happy for at least this bit of good news. "And we need to hear what Annelise and Weed have to say...but I will not be the wolf to warrant this." A few wolves blinked at her oddly as she said this, Weed tilting his head curiously.
The warrior sat next to his best friend and sorely missed partner in crime, Kippy. I wonder if it has anything to do with why her and Melina were in the Twilight Clearing?
Nightshade pressed on. "Freya was taken, the battle raged across us unexpectedly with unprecedented foes, wolves are to become neophytes, wolves to be mourned, a proxy to be named, and our pack is to form plans and organize.....but I am your beta. I will serve to aid in these tasks, but I will not be the wolf to lead them. No, that duty belongs to your alphess." She looked around the pack, wondering if they would question what the heavens showed her. She was only a beta, after all, so why would they send signs to her. Because we need an alphess now more than ever, and I was the only wolf with the power to decide who it would be.
"I asked Twilight for help, and they showed me the wolf who was meant to lead us." Without further words, she took a step down from the ledge, and sat at it's base to the right -- the beta's position. She dipped her head respectfully to Melina.
Good luck! Her eyes shined.

[♫Flisk♫]

Melina's heart beat so fast, she imagined every wolf hearing it. There was no fear, only anxiety as she listened to the voice of her beta, Nightshade. Having not been treated yet, the alphess had done her best to lick all the spattered blood off. The only known source of a battle was the slight wince she made when someone brushed her shoulder and the dried blood that lay on top of it. Otherwise, her tannish, cream colored pelt was spotless. It looked like she had just stepped out of her den after a nice grooming, but a little messier because of the battle. When Nightshade stepped down, Melina froze. The new alphess had thought that Nightshade would be up there too, helping her along. But obviously not.

With an inaudible sigh, Melina hopped up, ignoring the pain in her shoulder. She looked to the wolves, seeing smiles, shocked faces, and other different expressions. Okay...what do I know about speeches? Um...Nothing. Alright....I'll just go by what Nightshade said and also introduce myself and such. Stepping forward, Melina smiled softly, before opening her mouth to her pack.

"Wolves of the Siverian Pack! First off, congratulations. As I fought, I caught glimpses of you giving your all against the other wolves. However, at the same time we mourn the loss of Freya. May she somehow return back safely."

At this, Melina blinked slowly. As soon as she felt ready, she began chattering away again.

"You may be just as surprised to find out that I am alphess, I was honored by the decision and now take my position very seriously. Everybody knows that there is much to do. But before anything, I'd like you all to take a moment of silence for your fallen companions."

Melina bowed her head and thought of all the brave wolves who had given their lives to protect their packs. When the moment was over, she looked up again.

"I am sure that we will be having a moonless meeting soon. There we can discuss our plans to defend ourselves from the Hellfirean wolves. But as of now, I am very proud of you."

With a bright grin, she let out a loud bark.

"We are Siverians!!"

Melina looked out to the crowd, trying to find the wolves she was looking for. When she pinpointed Weed and Annelise, she smiled and quickly called out, sharp and commanding.

"Please Weed, Annelise, come up here and tell us what Nightshade has just stated."

With that, the wolf jumped off the ledge and onto the ground. She nudged Nightshade and whispered barely audible.

"How'd I do?"

[Sivoncé™]

Nightshade gazed over the crowed, watching for their reactions to her announcement Annelise smiled, a twinkle in her eyes as if she'd been expecting it for a long time. Weed raised a brow and glanced up at her, she nodded in affirmation, and he shrugged smiling a little, too. She scanned to see if anyone was seriously displeased, relief flooding her as she looked. The Siverians needed a leader badly. I thought about it long enough for them to know I took it seriously and wanted the right wolf. She bowed her head in silent sorrow for the wolves who had been injured, lost, and captured -- Freya swimming through her mind. She was Annelise's best friend. They don't even get to see each other....she was a brand new warrior! Life shouldn't be cut so short... A flicker of hope stirred in Nightshade. Maybe she's not dead yet... She let out a sharp bark of pride as Melina spoke the name of their pack, the hope increasing and heating her spine. Melina bounded down from the rock, which, at first, surprised her. She smiled at her alpha, dipping her head to show she had done well, then turned back to Annelise and Weed. She'll probably say something after they've finished, but she wants the pack to focus on them now, Nightshade guessed.

Annelise reluctantly moved from her position of binding and cleaning wounds. she nosed the bandage towards her brother, then padded to the center of the clearing, eyes meeting, momentarily, with Weed's knowing ones. Please don't say anything of Shade....you promised!
Weed looked away from her as they padded and sat at the front of the group, both seemingly distrubed by their current position. Weed looked at Annelise, a clear sign she should start. She took a deep breath, then began.
"Before we even begin our story...there is a fact that goes against nature but is still, unfortunately fact. There are wolves here who remember their ancestry, and wolves here who have forgotten. It is a dark shadow over the majority of wolves in this age who have forgotten....but those who remember are here to bring back the legends. The legends are very much alive," she barked. She swallowed hard, silence following her words, and she pressed forward, "Blood Mist has returned to the living world of wolves, the original members with several new add-ons. They are the foes you fought in the clearing. I know, because I recognize them." She turned towards Nightshade, who was nodding her head as Annelise spoke.

"It's true," the beta woofed hoarsely. "I recognized almost every wolf we were fighting in that clearing -- I was alive when Blood Mist first came to the old Mirror Lake. I was fighting Regulus with Kar and Melina, Freya was fighting with the female from the old prophecy named Kill, Moonset would've been taken out by daughter of Babylonia, Assyria, had Eurasia not killed her herself. They were everywhere....just like the day the forest burned...they came to the camp, no one knew what was happening....Mystic...Mystic and Corsivo were executed."

Annelise was trembled now as she continued with her story, "I was taken from the Moonless Meeting the night the forest erupted into flames, taken by the female of Blood Mist named Snare. Snare -- one of Verlust's gaurd in the battle of the mountains. She took me to Babylonia, they were hiding in Destinian territories. Babylonia bears wretched scars from the time she was killed with her unborn children -- scars my mother, Siveria, made. They wanted me to heal her so she could have her children, and figured I should do it....I should fiz what my mother destroyed. I refused, naturally.....but they punished me for it. They ripped off my leg, as Siveria had hers torn away by Verlust on our journey here. It was symbolic. They don't want just revenge on more or because of Siveria, they want revenge on every wolf alive and dead for the losses they suffered. They want us annihilated, one by one," Annelise spoke with cold certainty, voice shaking and eyes watering as she spoke of Siveria. Mom, can't you help us now? Winter's over, but what if Verlust comes back, too...? "I barely escaped, and I only did because of a wolf near the Twilight Clearing. We were closer to there than the Destinian camp, and the warrior -- Shade -- heard my screams before they did. We thought we killed Snare....but the battle is proof that these wolves regenerate after time. The only reason we survived is because I asked the Eternal Tree for entry -- something that isn't given except for healers and alphas, but exceptions are made from time to time. Shade and I hid in the Eternal Tree for moons, coming out only to hunt, then retreating immediately, while we healed." She shuffled her three paws, and blinked towards Weed.

"I was taken by Regulus while I was hunting near the border with the Twilight Clearing," he started. "I was almost sacrificed for an entry ritual into the Blood Mist pack -- by now, you know that the warrior Arkantos has deserted us. When he did, he joined up with Blood Mist. I would've died had it not been for a loner she-wolf who distracted them. She was joined by a dark wolf that looked almost like a Hellfirian, but fought against them. Shade and Annelise took me into the Eternal Tree with them, and there we hid. We hid in the back, and when Melina came, we were out hunting. We were returning fast -- Hellfirian scent was everywhere -- when we ran into her."

Annelise heaved a silent sigh of relief that Weed had not given away her secret.

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Kar grinned tiredly upon noticing Annelise, his heart fluttering with joy despite his tattered appearance. My sister is back… thank GoldenWolf. “Mostly small scratches and bites, nothing too bad,” he answered quickly. “…it’s great to see you… I missed you, Annelise.” He smiled gently at her, meaning every word to its fullest extent. His eyes swept over her form, and he noticed the absence of a leg. He was about to comment, but held his tongue. Other wolves need help right now. She can answer my questions later.

Trailing after her siblings, Natoma yelped an additional “Daddy!” and circled her father with a grin. Her smile faded, however, when she noticed his eye. Or, rather, the lack of an eye. “Daddy, you’re hurt,” she whined, frowning deeply.
Lance smiled gently at his children, but when Natoma voiced her discovery, he gently nudged her to sit near the other pups. “I’m fine,” he whispered softly, lifting his head to focus his single eye on Nightshade, and then Melina. He nodded approvingly when Melina was announced the leader and uttered a deep bark at “We are Siverians!”, doing his best to ignore the burning sensation that consumed the right half of his face.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, Lance’s pain was momentarily replaced by sorrow at the mention of his deceased mate and pup. He lowered his head at the memory, but his ears remained erect for the rest of the announcement.

Kar was wholly shocked by what Annelise and Weed told them, although it sure seemed to add up. No wonder she’s been gone all this time… and damn, I’m going to tear this ‘Snare’ apart if it’s the last thing I do! Wanting to speak but unable to find words, Kar remained in silence and gawked at the wolves who had spoken.
But, Mom… and now they’re back? How can we get rid of them if they keep coming back? That’s like trying to fight smoke!