Holiday Start:

Halloween

Events:

• Trick or Treating for Pups
• Ghost Stories
• Costume Ball for all packs where they get together
• Carnival Fair (bobbing for apples, face painting for adults & children, amusement rides, prizes)

!Ends October 31st!

It was mid-autumn and there were only two weeks until Halloween. Within all the packs, preparations were being made for two weeks of fun. Parents were beginning to create costumes for their children or going into the human city to purchase ready-made costumes for those who didn't know how to sew. There was to be many events this year and the first time the packs would get together in peace and mingle. A carnival fair with fun for all ages, ghost stories, trick or treating for the pups of course in each territory, and a costume ball which was the reason for adults either making or buying their own costumes. Though the costume ball was more for the adults than the children as the children would receive Halloween for themselves.

Seraph was watching preparations being made for Halloween. Omegas had gone into the human city nearby and purchased fake bats and skeletons to hang from the trees. The pups were watching with wide eyes, the children being in a mix of wolf and human forms as they watched excitedly. The alpha was not exactly impressed with the fact that his tree was also being included within the decorations. A few widows were making orange and black streamers to string up throughout the trees within the city, some adolescents were carving pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns which would be lit with candles and stuck on balconies and around the trees. A hoard of wolves had gone off to find apples to pick within an apple orchard within the countryside near the city as well, taking baskets and bags to carry the apples home. They would be used to make apple pie, candied apples, caramel apples, apple cider, and other treats. Even Seraph's mother was getting in on the holiday, the matriarch of the Rune family was currently helping make orange and black ringed streamers to hang throughout the forest. The prisoners would be allowed out to celebrate the holiday but then go right back in their cells, next to be let out at Christmas. These were the only two times they were allowed out of their cells and allowed to join the pack in their festivities.

Blodhren was stuck outside making a jack-o-lantern himself to set within the window of their wigwam. He had no idea why he had gotten talked into this or even how but here he was, scooping out the inside of a pumpkin to set the candle within. Of course, the candles wouldn't be lit until Halloween but all that would need to be done were to take the tops of the pumpkins off and then light the candles before placing the lit jack-o-lanterns back within the windows of the wigwams that made up the village of Zodiac. He heard laughter and saw a pup chasing another with a fake bat, the one being chased squealing in laughter.

Calyspo was with their father, helping the elder wolf to create pumpkin pastries, a type of British food she had read about in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Neither of them had had such a sweet treat before and were unsure how it would taste but they were doing their best to create it. They were using a recipe online to make it, first shaping out the pastries themselves and then they would add the spiced pumpkin filling, adding cloves and nutmeg to it to give it some flavor. "Father, when are we going to go get a costume for me?" asked Calypso.

"Not until it's close to Halloween...maybe next week," said Nugget. "There will probably be a big group of us going and we might even see other packs with their children going to get costumes as well. It will be a good chance for you to possibly make friends among other packs. Maybe your brother will be there as well."

Speaking of Ares...he was not amused. "Do I really have to wear this?" he questioned as he held still for an omega who was bat wings to a costume that Ares was currently in. "I look utterly ridiculous. Umi? Umi!" he shouted, glaring over the omega's head at his lover. "Why do you insist I have to wear this? I'll be the laughing stock of the costume ball." Not to mention his family in Zodiac as well.

Modesty, Susan and Virgo were busy baking apple pies while their children took the day off to help with festivities. Thus there was no training today for the young pups as they sat making streamers and decorating the caves to make everything look spooky and festive for the holidays. "Mother when can we make jack-o-lantern?" questioned Marius as he looked over at his mother as she began laying sliced apples within a pie.

Susan laughed. "When your father comes back from his patrol," said Susan. "Remember? He's going to teach you pups how to make jack-o-lanterns. It's his favorite holiday of the year and I'm sure he'll be glad to spend it with you."

10/13/2017 #2 Report

Holiday Start:

St. Patrick's Day (2 weeks)

Easter (month of April)

May Day, Mother's Day, Memorial Day-Month of March

Events:

• Looking for four-leaf clovers (for pups)
• Egg hunting (april)
• Dying eggs (april)
• Square dancing (march)
• Spring ball (all packs on March 20th)
• Celebrating mothers (all packs-May 15th), a day off from work for all mother wolves
• BBQ (May 28th-Memorial Day for all packs)
• Parade (March 17th)
• Parade (Memorial Day)
• Weddings in March and April for new couples

!Ends May 30th!

Autumn and Winter had passed for the packs in a blur, the herds moving on to warmer areas which meant an influx of food for Maelstrom pack as the herds headed southwards. The Halloween activities had been good events and so a spring ball was planned for all the packs on March 20th. The temperatures were starting to grow warmer now that spring was here, the snows melting, flowers and grass beginning to come out of the earth, trees beginning to grow buds. There was likely to be some weddings and maybe some children born into the packs as well though it was hard to say how the numbers would increase but the food would begin returning soon and bring bounty to all.

Odessa had survived to be ten-years-old as a wolf or forty-six-years old. The woman's hair was more gray than it had been last year but age had not yet caught up to her in human form, the woman still going strong despite being another year older. She continued to advise her son on his duties as alpha though he was growing into his own right as alpha. Meanwhile, her children had turned sixteen and had children of their own though she never saw her daughter and daughter's child for they had not been at the Christmas Ball or the Costume Ball. It made her sad to think of her daughter suffering somewhere and she hoped Virgo was alright and would return home.

Seraph was curled up on the balcony of his home and reading a book, a blanket resting upon him. Mother had said she was going out and wouldn't be back for a while though he'd no idea his mother was going to retrieve Plague and bring him back to Seraph's pack where he could begin his training to become the next alpha. The status of alpha heir, with the birth of his own heir and his complete training no longer ruled the sixteen-year-old wolf...a boy who now had the body of an adult wolf. The teenager was enjoying his book and Mercury had finally settled into pack life. A cool breeze flowed throughout the territory, some patches of winter still hanging around the forest but it would become beautiful. Though perhaps now he would need to look for a new mate who knew the pack's customs and beliefs. Though as far as he knew, he was still mated to Umi of Keprion.

As spring came upon Maelstrom, it found some of the she-wolves ready to go into new heat cycles. It also meant that Ebeneezer, Zophar, Marius, Dallas, Anubis and Aiyana were now apprentices and would had moved into their own dens. With them was another pup that had appeared with his mother out of the blue, a she-wolf named Chastity and her son Ischyros who were now members of the pack. Only Tempest and Anubis recognized the female as being the one that Amon had mated in her first heat cycle, ending in her being pregnant and thus it was a shock to some of the newcomers like Modesty. The pup was eleven months old, soon to be twelve on the day of the spring ball, and also lived within one of the numerous dens. Chastity was currently within the alpha's bed, the wolves having built a mansion over the past months when it become apparent some of the apprentices were having issues with the cold weather. They now rested within it, a large room being created for the alpha's Serail with a large fireplace and some bay windows, rooms for the rest of the pack, a library, kitchen and large dining room with a couple pantries. There was the alpha's private library and study where there was a large bed in it where the alpha slept with his essentially concubines and of course the alpha pair's own room. A medical building had also been constructed near the mansion where the healers and Modesty would live in the winter, omegas living close to the dungeons.

Susan was reading a book in the Serail room while Modesty was in the dining room and making herself a sandwich. Virgo was also in the dining room though she was making a large thing of rice and spaghetti for the pack's meal, the adolescents of the pack of which they were pretty much the alpha's and the Shaman's kids, were conversing quietly or in the children's living room. There was a pool area for only the alpha's wife and females as well as their pups but no other being was allowed within it. Of course the alpha entered whenever he felt like and had even used it to punish those who were disobedient and rejected him, not that there were many. It made Virgo scared to think of.

Ischyros and Marius were playing a video game, the newest Need for Speed game. So far, Ischyros was winning at the game but Marius was slowly catching up with his brother.

In Keprion,The pups were of course under guard all the time when Ares and Umi weren't there to look after them though Plague, Comet and Clover were unaware how soon their lives would change as a result of their grandmother's and uncle's deal made when setting up the mating between their parents. The pups were aware of their paternal grandmother and father as papa as he sent them money and clothing, what money their father had anyway. They had seen him once when their father had been there after their birth but it was rare that their father came to visit in Keprion's lands, instead the pups were taken out to the borders to see Seraph.

Ares was in the library. He hadn't the slightest clue where Apollo was, probably off somewhere doing royal adviser business...whatever that entailed. The windows were open to let in fresh air with it now being spring. The breeze was nice though it did make turning the pages a pain in the neck as the wind would attempt to turn the pages back to something that was already read. The bodyguard had his head buried in The Art of War and it was an interesting read.

In Zodiac the pack was in the Wet Season and enjoying a bountiful harvest. Nugget, along with the rest of the council, was busy as ever. Calypso was growing into her field of choice and Blodhren was...well Blodhren. Busy with leading patrols and worrying endlessly over Aphrodite and his younger sister, making sure both females in his lives that were important to him were safe and not harmed or taken advantage of in any way. It made Nugget laugh to think about.

3/9/2018 . Edited 3/10/2018 #4 Report

As agreed, now that the pups were older Umi had allowed Apollo with much difficult on her part, to take her first born son to live with his father. It had caused her a great deal of discomfort, and for a few weeks she had not spoken a word to anyone unless she absolutely had to. However, Apollo was the only one that was being given the cold shoulder on purpose. She still did not forgive him for arranging the mating to begin with, let alone forcing her to breed when she didn't want to.

Now however, she had her remaining pups to tend to, all of which were more lively now that they were old enough to run around, keeping her and their caretakers on their toes. The only one that seemed to behave himself so far was Neku, who surprisingly was not the child of Seraph like the others, but the son of Ares instead. Everyone had been shocked about that, though most were not surprised that she and Ares had been together. He normally stayed by her side and just watched everything take place rather than join, though when it came to helping out he was all for it.

Now that spring was here, all the pups including her own were out playing, guards watching them closely to make sure they didn't wander to far and end up in quick sand.

"I want all hunting parties out. With spring here, the animals will be returning and we need to restock of food supplies." Umi ordered as she padded through camp, Neku trotting at her side like always.

-----------------------------------------

Kathrine was enjoying the down time for the most part, laying stretched out in a patch of sun light warming herself. However, she would soon grow restless as always and start looking for work again. For now though she was happy where she was. She tended to avoid the alpha tree these days now that the alpha's son had come to live with them. It was rather awkward for her considering the kind of relationship she had with Seraph. However, if Seraph needed her she would do as told.

-----------------------------------------

Elena was outside at the waters edge collecting shells, while her children played nearby in the shallows of the water under her watchful eye. Currently Dallas was curiously studying a colorful fish beneath the surface, every once in awhile trying to catch it but to no luck. "Careful Dallas." She warned softly.

-------------------------------------

"Veil," Aphrodite called out as she came over to the father and son, having been on a patrol with others. Old habits died hard after all. Still, what she had found disturbed her a bit and put her on high alert. "I'm already finding predator tracks. Gonna have to keep a close eye on the pups if they go exploring. " She explained, reaching out to ruffle Legends hair playfully.

3/10/2018 . Edited by seamonsoon, 3/10/2018 #6 Report

Amon was in his study when Chastity entered, the girl having arrived when he had sent for her. He had been surprised to see Chastity and Ischyros alive and well, Chastity having given him Ischyros when she had been thirteen. As the girl was now in heat, he wanted to breed her and get another child from her...he had thought her and Ischyros dead when he had taken his pack over the ocean to the new world. Bidding her to close the door, he had gestured for her to come over to him and spent some time talking to her, inquiring about their son and where she had been. He had been disturbed to find out that his female and her son had been caught in a fire and it had taken them time to get out as well as what the land had looked like and how they had gotten to the pack's new home by sailing on a small raft that Chastity had made over the ocean for several months.

Alena was outside and playing with a few other pups under the watchful eyes of the guards as they tussled and romped with each other. If one of the pups went too far they were quickly chased after and brought back to the clearing where the pack's camp was and scolded.

Firnen yawned as he looked over at the alpha, one of her sons and the beta walking through the center of the clearing. "Morning alpha," he called tiredly, lifting a hand to rub at his tired eyes.

Whisper was on a walk, the female not feeling up to her usual stuff so had been given a few days off by Roux in case the female was sick. Corvus trailed beside her, looking worriedly at his mother from time to time, but Whisper didn't offer any reassurances or look at him in any way, nor was she up for speaking which only worried the youngster more. He didn't want to lose his mother like had he had lost his father.

With the pack having been given a few days off of work, Yakone was still asleep while King was spending time with his foster mother Khaalida in the steppe as some other wolves basked in the sun or raced each other. Pups were about and running to and fro under the watchful eyes of the adults, everyone happy about the spring air and still getting accustomed to the fact that the alpha had a child...three children technically but that one child was the alpha heir and living within the pack.

3/11/2018 #8 Report

"Eden, I want a small group of scout to head out and remark the boarders. Some hunters should be sent out as well to check on the herds." Umi instructed softly to her beta, as Neku trotted along beside her without a word as he normally did, though she was sure he was paying close attention to what she was saying. When they were approached by another, Umi simply nodded her head in greeting at first before finally stopping and smiling a bit. "Morning."

-------------------------------------------------

Kathrine gave a small sigh as she heard a chirpy voice greet her. So much for having a lazy day by herself. Opening her eyes, she rolled over onto her stomach and turned to the wolf who had spoke, irritation clear as her ears lay slightly back. "Hello." She answered back, getting to her paws where she shook herself to rid her fur of dirt.

------------------------------------------------

"Hello, Modesty. Enjoying the weather so far?" Elena returned in greeting, a smile on her face.

"Hello Lady Modesty, are you gonna come play too?" Dallas laughed amusingly from the water as fish tickled his feet.

----------------------------------------------------

"Alright, I'll see to it." Aprho returned with a nod, before she remembered something and turned to Legend. "Oh, almost forgot. I found something for you to add to that collection of yours." She told the pup, reaching into her pocket before passing him a blackened arrow head made of rock. It was a pretty good size and still shiny.

3/13/2018 . Edited 3/13/2018 #10 Report

Firnen came over to the alpha and her son, watching as Eden left to round up some scouts for a patrol. He could see one heading towards Kareem's den and soon the Iota emerged before setting off into groups around the territory. He then looked down at Neku who was standing there quietly. "How are you young one? Get any sleep with the ruckus last night?" he questioned.

Yakone felt Echo stirring beside him and yawned, rolling over to kiss his wife. "Morning dear," he murmured sleepily. "Want to get something to eat?" he questioned as he heard Echo's stomach grumble, Araceli's scent being nowhere within their home.

Amon led Chastity to the bed as he examined her, the teenager in a black lace off shoulder dress with her hair done up in a bun on the back of her head and held in place by an ivory comb. Susan had outdone herself in ensuring Chastity was pleasing to the alpha. It was good that he had Susan to watch over the Serail, let alone placed the woman in charge of them and not some of his other females. "You look lovely," he murmured to her.

3/13/2018 #12 Report

Ares continued pursuing his book, the bodyguard eventually jotting down notes in a notebook as he had been forced to move from his spot by the window to somewhere else within the library surrounded by bookshelves in order to get to read in silence without fighting with the wind, unaware that his son was coming towards him.

Odessa turned her gaze towards Apollo as he greeted her and dipped her head towards him respectfully as he smiled at her. "Flattery will get you nowhere Apollo," said Odessa with a smile. "I came to see my other grandchildren and if they need anything from Seraph."

"They say they are too big to be seen around me all the time like when they were pups," said Modesty. "You'll understand when you get older and your sister as well. Now, what are you doing?"

Seraph slowed as he reached the council tree and turned to look at his son. "Be respectful. Don't open your mouth unless asked a question or even speak until told to do so. Be honest with your answers. The council will serve you until their death and your successor through each generation of our family for as long as our pack lives. Your grandmother happens to be on the council but even then you cannot talk to her if she is busy."

"Why?"

"Because it is seen as disrespectful. Now, let's go in and you can meet them. Just follow what I do. Okay?"

Plague nodded, turning to look at the door of the Giant Sequoia and papa pulled the door open.

3/14/2018 #14 Report

Ares looked down as he felt something tug at his shirt. Spotting Neku, he closed the book he was reading. "Yes Neku?" he questioned.

The elder woman shook her head at him but gave the male a smile as he began to lead her towards the gates of the western pack's camp. "Aren't you as charming as ever?" she questioned only it was with a light tone. The female's smile disappeared though as Apollo told her that Comet and Clove were growing like weeds, saying she could visit any time and then asking about Plague. She heard the worry in his tone for the pup and hummed to herself. "That is good and thank you," she said. "You have clearance to come into my territory to see your nephew. Plague is growing. Still getting used to being with just his father and I...but my son's still getting used to the fact that he has kids and keeps coming to me for advice. It's rather amusing to watch how he freaks out when Plague scrapes himself," the woman laughed.

"Well then perhaps you should show me how to do it," said Modesty with a chuckle, only guessing that by slimy water snakes, the child meant eels.

"Is she?" questioned Seraph, his lip curling. Now where had she gone off to? As he shut the door behind him, he pushed his son down into a bow as he did so himself. "I thought it best for Plague here to meet you all and you him," he said as he then straightened, causing Plague to grumble to himself before following his father to the center of the tree where the two males sat down. "Or is it too early to show him the council?"

3/14/2018 #16 Report

"Did she?" questioned Ares as Neku answered his question about why he was within the library. Seeing his son's body language and then the child's next words, the bodyguard's grip tightened on his pen. "Wonderful. Well those two don't get along, actually the northern and western packs haven't gotten along for generations but your mother can give you more information on that if you ask her. Actually you probably should one day and make sure Comet and Clove are there to hear the issues between their father's pack and your mother's pack as well."

"You're welcome," said Odessa as she continued after Apollo. Soon the trees of the forest vanished to be replaced by tan sand lying everywhere she looked. She couldn't really imagine such a harsh life of living here with her other grandchildren but it would possibly make Comet and Clove strong as they adapted to the harsh life of the western part of the world. "Are your issues between each other going to interfere with me seeing my grandchildren? Should I come back at a later date or have you bring them to the Great Tree?" Odessa questioned.

Modesty watched Dallas closely as he played in the water. Holding up a wiggling fish in front of her and declaring it was one point, she chuckled and shook her head. "Good job Dallas," she said.

Seraph sighed in relief at hearing that he had been correct in introducing Plague to the council and vice versa. Plague looked at the man who smiled at him and called him something he didn't understand. "He is referring to the fact that you're my heir and thereby the heir of the pack," said Seraph.

"Oh, okay. Hi then," said Plague. "Who you?"

3/14/2018 #18 Report

Neku had thought he'd done something bad? The bodyguard growled to himself. "Neku you aren't being punished and didn't do anything wrong. Odessa and Seraph do not know of your existence or that you are the...miracle and surprise child between Umi and myself," said Ares. "I am not sure how Odessa will react towards the fact that Umi has a child with another wolf, let alone me when Seraph and I do not get along with each other. Even though that young whelp hardly deserves having kids with your mother when he can't even manage a pack correctly," he said with a growl.

"By all means, we could have just continued the war between our packs if she thinks that would be better," said Odessa. "Losing countless other wolves in the process." She shook her head in disappointment towards the actions of the young female. The female huffed to herself as Apollo explained why Umi was mad at him as he waved a hand in front of her face, the elder she-wolf shaking out her pelt that was beginning to develop white threads of hair on her body. "If Umi ever came, that bodyguard of hers wouldn't be allowed anywhere within the territory and be chased out by the guards. I'd suggest knocking him out if needed if Umi ever wanted to visit Plague."

Modesty shook her head as Dallas flopped belly first into the water. "Well he's certainly not afraid of anything," she murmured.

Blodhren was out with a patrol of Sentinels within the territory, remarking the pack's borders and had brought a couple hunters to look for any traps by humans and figure out where the herds were located.

Nugget yawned as he woke up and made his way out of the home, going to help some omegas as they began making decorations for St. Patrick's Day. Veil had said the holiday was going to last the pack two weeks since it was pretty much the only holiday within March and that it might be the same way as the other packs. For Nugget he had been fasting with Lent having started in February. The elder yawned as one of the omegas showed him what they were doing and so the Nugget sat down and began taking cutting out dark green and yellow sheets of construction paper to fold them into rings to string up around the village. They couldn't hang much up due to the lack of trees but the acacia grove was always a good place to hang up things if they wanted.

Plague was quiet as he looked from person to person as they were pointed out to him, each one bowing to him as they were introduced. "Why are they bow..." he yelped as his father cuffed him across the head.

"They just do that," said Seraph. Plague was getting off easy, his father would have done a lot worse to him and Iron had they spoken during council meetings or interrupted the elders Plague rubbed the back of his head, his eyes lingering on the female called Beta.

"I don't get why I have to be here when Comet and Clove get to stay with mama," said Plague.

3/15/2018 #20 Report

Hmm, how was he to explain something like that so the pup could understand? "A gift from God," said Ares, "a being that humans...and your grandfather...believe created the world."

Odessa looked around the desert encampment as wolves bowed to her and Apollo as they walked through the camp. The elder wolf's paws shifted on the sand as she walked over it, stinging her paws like ice did in winter when she walked over that. As they neared the group of wolves who had gathered, she could see Umi standing there with a couple of pups who were opposing colors, one a black shade like Seraph and the other white like Plague. The wolf trotted past Apollo towards her other grandchildren and lowered her head to look at them. "They appear healthy," she said to nobody in particular. "How are you two doing? Fairing well here with the vast sea of sand?"

Modesty laughed at the up as he resurfaced and smacked the water with his hand. "Keep practicing and you will get it," she said.

Seraph's mouth tightened as Beta spoke up and said that his other children were welcome to visit. "So long as that bodyguard of your mother's doesn't come with, she may visit as well if you wish. But yes, I won't stop your siblings from coming home and spending time with you," said Seraph.

Plague was not entirely sure what his father was talking about with his mother's bodyguard, the pup being somewhat aware that mama was with her bodyguard a lot but the pup hadn't understood that was a relationship or that his mother loved someone who wasn't his father. He had picked up on the fact that papa didn't have a papa of his own or a female at his side like is mother apparently did with Ares but the other male wolf seemed a sour point for his papa so Plague tried not to bring the wolf up. The pup turned his attention back towards Beta as she spoke, not sure why papa was suddenly upset as Beta attempted to explain that every firstborn male in the pack took over the leadership when their fathers were unfit to run the pack. "What does unfit mean?"

3/15/2018 #22 Report

As the pup replied to him and was then sent away, Firnen yawned again. He excused himself from the alpha's side and headed out on a patrol with some other wolves.

As Echo said she was indeed hungry, the Sentinel got some clothes and followed his wife to the bath house where he entered, seeing that King was already there. The pair began talking to each other, Yakone having been busy during the winter months and so not having a lot of time to speak with his brother.

Chastity didn't respond to the alpha but he didn't mind as Amon just began being intimate with the girl.

3/17/2018 #24 Report

"Oh...okay." Neku replied still not fully understanding but went along with it anyway. "Why am I a miracle? I don't look ifferent from my rothers or ister." He questioned more.

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"Odessa, glad so see the journey didn't tire you to much. You're welcome to stay to rest if you need it though." Umi stated, giving a respect dip of her head to the elder wolf.

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"I know." Dallas returned with a sigh. "You wanna try now?" He asked her.

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"Hm, well how do I explain it." She stated, having to think about it.

"It means they don't have what it takes to be leader like you do. In a sense they are the weak and you the strong, or at least that's what we hope you will be for this pack in the future." One of the males stated roughly.

---------------------------

"You're welcome." Aphro returned to both, giving the boy another hair ruffling, before she headed off to inform the wolves of their alpha's order.

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((Moon, Odessa is already there and talking to them.))

3/17/2018 . Edited 3/17/2018 #26 Report

(oops)

Comet looked nervously at his mother and then back at Odessa as the wolf asked how they were doing within the pack. "F...fine ummm...g...'ma," he said nervously, his ears flattening against his head. Clove just stared at the old wolf in front of her before voicing a question. "Why didn't father come?"

3/19/2018 #28 Report

Aiyana was having fun though she wished that father could take time off to play with them.

3/20/2018 #30 Report