Summer Den

A small clearing in the shape of an oval, and a cleared path leading out. The alpha's den is a large hole in a huge, hollow oak, with a curtain of moss covering the entrance. The other dens are underground dens, all around the border of the clearing, and in the center is a small boulder that the alpha can make announcements on. The hunting grounds are nearby, and the river is so close you can hear the rushing water. On the boulder, you can also get a view of the Blue Ice Mountain Ridge.

Alpha's Den:


Other Dens:

Raven paused, and padded out of camp. At a intersection of path, she let up a long howl, and a raven flied down to perch on her shoulder.

Shim trotted through the quiet woods, she was cautious, as there were no bird calls at all. She heard the occasional call of an eagle or vulture high up, but never dared to look. A rabbit scurried across her path, but she didn't chase after it. The rabbit was innocent of any crime, she would not attack it without an empty stomach.

Shimmer walked, slower and slower until the bird called began and the forest lightened, she came to an empty clearing with many dig-outs in the ground. "Hello? Is anybody here?" she called out quietly.

Raven heard a voice. She turned and stalked back, staying hidden in the shadows. The only visible things were her red eyes, and her Brother's brown eyes. "Who is there? You are on pack territory, so it'd be best you tell us your name, before we come out."

Shimmer whimpered and shrunk back, "I'm sorry, I-" she stopped noticing the bird, "you have a common black raven, how interesting! You come from the same pack as I have? Birds are protected in my culture," she circled the raven, "he's beautiful, what's his name?" she looked at the raven, "what is your name?" she questioned, her blue eyes meeting his dark brown hues and gentling.

Krist shuffled his feathers proudly. He would not talk to a loner.
Raven strutted at full height. "The Winged Hearts disbanded, but shall forever live on, as long as I lead. I am Raven, daughter of the previous Alpha, and my beloved brother, Krist.", she said, she hoped this wolf had Feather-Wolf blood. When the pack had split, the blood of the strong Winged Hearts was taken with it, and the pack needed good wolves.

Chase slunk carefully through the underbrush, avoiding the damp spots. He heard a long howl coming from a ways of. "Might as well go, if just for the company," He told himself quietly, and turned in the general direction, knowing that when he got closer he would be able to track the scent. But for now, all he had to go on was the howl. He moved forward quietly, watching a tree in the distance to keep himself in the right direction. It took him a while, but when he got there, he stepped into the open immediately. "Hello."

Raven opened her mouth as the wolf stepped out. It took bravery to walk out in the midst of a meeting. The fae figured this wolf looked pretty strong, so she said, "Hello," politely. Krist shuffled his talons. He was not to be as impressed with the black male.

Shimmer drifted away from the bird, "I am Shimmer, I haven't met my brother or sister yet, my pack, it broke up, that's what my mother told me. She said we had something to do with bleeding feathers? Feathers in our blood? Feathered blood? Something like that." Shim looked at her paws in embarrassment, she knew a lot, just not about herself.

The voice behind her sent her cringing behind the raven and wolf. "Eeeep," was all she said.

Raven looked at them both. "Winged Hearts Pack is to be alive as it once was before it fell apart. On my mother's soul, I swear you have Feather-Wolf blood, female. And you, male, we need members. Would you both like to join the pack?

"Um," Chase said intelligently. Deciding that he had no where else to go anyways, he smiled. "Sure!" What did the mean about Feathered Blood? "My name's Chase." He did not tell his full name, Chase the Wind, or that when he was very little his mother had told him that his great-great-great grandfather had Winged Blood- he wasn't sure if it was the same.

"Welcome to the pack, Chase. I am Raven, known by the past pack by Raven Singing to the Wind. You will choose a venue to find your Brother or Sister in flight after we hunt. And you, what is your name?" she asked.

Chase frowned. He didn't want to seem stupid, but he supposed that asking now would be less so than not knowing later. "Er, what do you mean by brother or sister in flight?"

Krist cawed loudly from her shoulder, flying up about a yard up and diving back down to the ground. "

"I mean your partner, your brother or sister, your bird. If the birds do not trust you, and you have tried to find a brother or sister in each venue, than you will be run out of the territory. Of course, most brother or sister bonds come naturally. You are a brave wolf, and you seem fleet-footed. You shall be the pack's first Flier, a scout. After we hunt and eat, I will take you both to find a bird." Raven said. Krist hopped back on her shoulder, and whispered in her ear, "The wolf does not know? Loners are odd."

"Er, alright." Chase sat, dipping his head. Though he was mostly respectful now.... he'd wait and see, but sometimes it's more fun to bug leaders than to obey them.

Raven nodded, and turned to the female. "And your name?"

"I told you, Shimmer," she looked at her paws again, "I can't remember my full name," she whispered. She looked at the raven and smiled, she was better with other creatures than wolves. Shimmer didn't fight with other wolves, or disagree, she just listened, followed, and spoke when she was spoken too.

The fae knew she could change that in a matter of seconds, but she didn't want to. She would if she had to, but only if she got a rank that required it.

"Come than, Shimmer, Chase, and we will have the hunt that will mark your joining. Afterwards, I will show you the venues, and you will pick a venue, and species." Raven said, leading the way to the summer hunting grounds.

"Yes, Raven," Shimmer nodded and trotted after Raven and Krist. She walked in silence, not wanting to start a conversation, she wanted a brother or sister, just like Raven had. She wanted a friend that could fly.

Raven lead the way back to the den. "Alright, for now, you are not members. You are recruits. You will simply be staying in the dens until you have complete trust for your brothers. I will bring food and water, but you are not to leave until you have gained two feathers that your brother allowed you to pick. Then, and only then, will you be considered a Feather-Wolf," she said, motioning to the three dens set up in the back. Her own raven feathers had been pinned in her ear, matching the black fur. A long time ago, the tradition was that you plucked the feathers, and the bird pierced your ear. But that had been dropped, as many wolves became deafened.

"Birds, you may relax as you please, but I ask that you do not leave camp. Krist will recive the food you need," the female said, giving her Brother, that now perched on her shoulder, two affectionate licks.

Chase stood, walking to his den. From inside, he called to Raven. "You mean, we stay in here until we get to feathers?" He asked.

Airis sat up straighter. "Not our wing-feathers, I hope?" She asked, unable to bear the though of not being able to fly. She hopped off Chase's shoulder, and into the clearing. Fluttering up to a branch, she peered indignantly down. Deciding she had liked it better on Chase's shoulder, she hopped back again, this time being careful not to dig her claws in when she felt the strange sense of deja-vu.

Chase shivered as the sensation went through him a second time. It wasn't an unpleasant sensation, just that he was unused to it. "I don't really want to stay in here for long," He confessed to the falcon perched evenly on his shoulder.

Airis bristled, then relaxed and sighed. "I don't really want to give up a wing-feather, it means I won't be able to fly."

Chase shrugged. "I never asked you to."

Airis sighed. "Pick them. I was never harmed from losing a few feathers." She hopped onto the ground so he could pick them.

Chase carefully selected two feathers, plucking them out as gently as he could. One beige and brown striped tail feather that she said she could feel falling out anyway (It came away the instant he pulled at it) and one of the dark blue feathers from the top of her wing, that she didn't need for flying. "Raven?" He called, sticking his head head out to show her the feathers, Airis once gain sitting on his shoulder.

"I'm going to get fat if I keep sitting on you this much," Airy commented sarcastically.

"Krist, why don't you go find yourself something to eat? I think the coyote I killed would still be fresh, just come back soon,", Raven said, before padding to the den. "Good, good, now they should just be able to stay in your chest fur or tail fur. I know some herbs that you can put on the tips if the feathers don't stay though,", she said. The feathers were part of the religion- when a Feather-Wolf died, it was said that their two feathers would be taken, and in place they would have wings in the afterlife.

Shim trotted into the dens, leaving Sedge to buzz around the camp, she walked over to the den she was assigned and laid down with a sigh. When raven said she killed a coyote she looked up in shock, "you expect us to eat another Canid?" she asked quietly, looking away o hide her disgust. This black wolf was vicious, she knew that, but to eat a coyote!

Sedge flew in, interrupting her thoughts. "Hey, I know that my feathers aren't worth much, but if you want them, you can have them. I know that you don't like being stuck in dens." he said, his voice gentle, prepared to take the pain of Feathers being plucked.

Shimmer shook her head almost immediately, "no, I really don't mind! I don't want to take your feathers, we can wait until you molt or something, OK?" she said, poking his chest with her nose.

Sedge nodded, "I will be right back," and with that, he flew off, leaving the camp momentarily, against orders, though he felt he had to. The little bird grabbed a bit of the elk and shot back to the dens. "Shimmer? Here, elk, not coyote." he passed it to the white wolf.

Shimmer took the meat and smiled, "I won't take the feathers, but I will receive them from you." she said gently, then waited.

Sedge nodded happily and plucked two of his lower wing feathers, one from each side. They weren't useful feathers but they were bright green. "Sorry, they're so small compared to the falcons, but they look nice against your colour. I can put them in for you if you want." he offered with a flicker of his wings.

Shim smiled and nodded, "lets go outside, brother." she said, picking him up so he could sit between her eyes.

Chase twined the feathers so that they hung from the side of his neck, right below his ear. The tail feather almost came down to his shoulder, the other ended a little higher up. "Is it okay if I have them here?"

Airis sat still as Chase pinned the feathers in place, then hopped onto his head. "Nice view," She said, somewhat sarcastically.

Raven had to chuckle when the she-wolf misunderstood her words. Her brother ate off of dead animals, and what was fresh was to be eaten by Krist. The wolves could eat as they pleased, however Raven simply ate as her raven did to avoid wasting too much. If that meant for the black wolf to eat another canine, so be it.
The pack had always been stricter- there had been a period of years where many starved. To avoid not wasting anything, all wolves were to eat as the brother or sister did. Therefore, the ones who had plant-eaters were usually starving.
Raven was used to eating the dead meat. But she wasn't going to force them to do the same, nor would they be as strict.

"You both have your feathers. Good, good, very good. Chase, I have consulted Krist. You will be the pack's first Flier. You will scout, and sometimes hunt with the pack. You will be known as Chase the Morning Wind." she gave him his pack name.

"Shimmer, I believe you would do well in the position of beta." she hoped Krist hadn't lost his sanity- if Raven died, the pack would be going vegetarian... great. "From now on, you will be known as Shimmer On the Moonlit Water."

(Sorry, Chase, you needed four words. You can change it to something else, but four words :X)