I think you're pretty,

Mandatory pack meeting - please post at least once by 7/4
Not participating is a negative impact on the Queen's view.
anyone is feel free to take note of notable teats.
Meeting is forwarded to 6/30

@Meissa @Flynn @Teodora @Serpens @Remus @Florence @Vivian @Rosemary @Ellinor @Thistle @Corliss

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As time went on, her appetite till never returned. The Queen started to suspect perhaps it was an illness, but in general she did not know the appropriate signs to deem when one was.. Pregnant. A hopeful handful of heirs was what she so desired ; loyaltists to herself as the season had come for herself. Of course, she could've waited for the following year, yet the pack so stable and peaceful with numbers to spare, she felt it was a too perfect of a time. A slight dream though of herself, would be a man to take here side.. A flashing memory of an individual that soon faded, as romantic dreams were nothing but a laughable myth for a noble Déorwine such as herself. She could even remember her deceased brother laughing at such a thought when mentioned.

Though upon a following day did she notice the.. It wasn't her size that changed, but her once sleek chocolate brown fur protruded teats, now a noticeable look to her so. She looked like a young mother at the point, and when her awakening noticed such an anomaly, Célnes couldn't help but feel almost embarrassed. As she lived in grace of a blue-blood, being anything less was.. Hard to take in.

Though as now she hoped it would be a confirmation - anyone could see that now, the Queen would be expecting. She couldn't simply wander without a thought to be, to say that nothing had happened as days would follow and she would swell like a balloon. Who could twain their eyes away to the stomach that had an obvious line of teats, ready for the newborns ahead.

Upon the Queen's Crossing she sat, howling for all within her forest.

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“Good morning, my Queen... What a strange time it is for you to be smiling upon us.” Akawking with the innocence of slumber quivering in his throat, shaking boyish tones into syrupy octaves; Flynn stretched. The damp summer sun dappling his slowly warming flesh as he walked into stage light, bathing in the rich golden drizzle of life above. The heavens clapped for him, they did, but mostly for the woman in waiting. He sank forward, knee bent, downy brown antlers folding atop his skull to expose both sin and sainthood. He could feel the heat upon his back, whether it be from the Gods above or Cel herself, he did not know. All he knew was today was exceptionally different, he also knew why.

The young buck felt his teeth slip a sigh, letting the alluring might of his mahogany mane ripple through minty winds before placing himself once more at her side. He hadn't been a fool, and she'd be one to think he didn't already know. It wasn't her absence that stuck him, or the swelling of her breasts, no. He'd simply known all along. “ A strange time to offer both my congratulations and my condolences.” And though he'd had more time to grieve than the rest of them, it made not a difference in his disdain.

Today would be the first birth of her bastard children, to hold them up in a world full of hate and sin and gospels drenched in the blood of those who sought to please but were damaged from the start. They had not yet suckled life into their veins and still were they already so powerful and fragile.

Flynn would not be taking part in any celebration when the day came for his own flesh and blood to push out a supposed miracle. Not when it was obviously wrapped elegantly in death. Where Cel saw influence, he saw error, and while not a single doubt rested along his brow he still had the gull to mutter his realisations at her as if he'd gone blind since their conception. “Strange, indeed.” He'd sit idle, ready to listen to what his pack mates might say, and ready for the little words that would never leave his tongue. 

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The Queen was calling, and while Vivian initially stiffened and flicked her ears nervously, she soon recognized the howl to not be sounding the alarm, but calmly calling the pack to Celnes. So she assumed, she was not as well-versed in wolf howls as she was their tongue. 

But she came anyway, jogging light as a feather through the forest away from the herd she was grazing with. She slowed to a graceful wander once she neared where Celnes was, pausing a brief moment to ensure she didn't have any stray twigs stuck in her fur or anything like that. 

"My Queen, what a fine morning that smiles upon your Crown today." She offered a smile, to Celnes and then a less genuine but no less demure and sweet to the wolf beside her. She didn't know this one as well as Celnes. Though, Viv knew well that she didn't know the Queen all too well, either. Caution remained a wise choice when going forward, though she would admit the comradery of fellow cervids, the protection of the pack, and the fine eating made available by the lush wood certainly was doing its best to lull her into a sense of security.

"I pray the reason you have gathered us is a joyous one." She murmured this more softly, a flicker of concern crossing her features.
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 The call came at an excellent time, if it were possible.

 The caped woman had been at the riverbed, lapping at the crisp water to refresh herself after a long night. She had awoken with a very dry mouth and no understanding of why - though if she had known that she had been panting in her sleep, she would have been rather embarrassed. Nevertheless, a quick drink did its job quickly enough. She rose from the edge of the water and turned towards the sound, following it silently.

 Once she had reached the delightful stairway, so foreign to her, she slowed and joined the group. From her entrance, she had noted Flynn's bow, so coming up beside him she mirrored it towards the ascendant queen. “Hail and good morning, my Queen. Congratulations,” Her eyes rested on the woman's distended belly, giving a quiet nod and smile. Regardless of the indecency of the father, whose stink still sometimes came to her in the night, the fact that there would be royal children of any sort was a delight. It had been far too long since she had come across children of any sort and she missed the experience, hearing the children chatter and play about. With the way the queen's gut grew so quickly, there would be a decent size litter.

 No matter if even only one survived, it would be a joy in her book.

 Other than the smell, she had no reason to think badly of the father. In fact, she hadn't stepped out of bounds to even ask about his identity, simply being there to replace the stink of rot and cover her queen with the scent of the pack. Remus had seemed put off by the situation but she honestly had a lot more to deal with than one grumpy guard.

 She made note of who was present already. One was the speaking deer of the pack, a doe she had yet to meet in person. If the doe looked her way at all, she would give a slight nod of greeting. Then there was Flynn, a fairly handsome man she figured to be quite loyal to the crown. If he looked her way, she would offer him a slight smile and a nod, though really she expected most of the attention would be on their queen and the announcements she had. Clearly, the pregnancy would be one of such announcements, if not the only one. Likely it would be tied in with plans on moving forward, whether there should be close guards kept around the mother and children or even special hunting parties to bring back prey specifically for the Queen.

 Of those present so far, Flynn seemed concerned and the doe seemed clueless, though friendly all the same.

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Florence is a healer, and smart. He knows the signs of pregnancy when they start to show - Celnes' growth was not surprising to him. Not after the scent of her heat permeated the place for a short time, and then the scent of death that most definitely belonged to one of their 'allies'. Celnes is playing a dangerous game and he's curious to see how it will end, but for now, he supposes the meeting is more important than collecting plants to bring back to his secluded den. He drops the poison and slowly meanders to the meeting place.

There is nothing of note to the man, who distantly notices a few members through his eye. Unlike the others so far, he says nothing - watching, waiting for the expected news. The girl with mutations seems to notice before the deer does, and Flynn mutters something under his breath Florence can't quite make out. Either way, Florence doesn't entirely care about what each of them have to say.

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Rosemary had been in his den, trying to fall back asleep. By this time, he was very familiar with the pack lands. There were stones he used to correct himself with, and paths he had found to follow. The healer was getting along well and had kept to himself. It wasn’t something he minded; he had always been to himself. When the call came, he gave a sigh and got to his paws.

Even if he had lost where the sound came from, he was not the first to heed the queen’s call. The healer followed the scent trails of his many packmates towards the queen’s crossing. While others got to use their eyes to spy that Celnes was pregnant, the blind man relied on the scent. He had suspected that she was pregnant, purely from having to learn all his packmates by scent, but he said nothing. It wasn’t his business.

It seemed that Rosemary followed Florence's pace. The rosey man didn’t make any move to get closer to the queen, standing on the outskirts of the group. If anyone looked at him, it didn’t matter. He barely even knew what a nod was. Instead, he held his tongue, sitting down in a spot that smelled free. If this was her big announcement on the pregnancy, then he guessed congrats were in order. But he wouldn’t out her like that.

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NPC'd in; Remus, Corliss, Thistle, Teodora, 
 Unexcused; @Serpens, @Ellinor

No post order! Please reply by July 11th
PM/Tag Cyprin if unable to post

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She watched as slowly did the group come in, blessed in warm hues of a summer day, and the occasional spot of otherwise. Elkshire, beloved by the elk that roam within it's forests, and the colors that they carry.. She noticed all but two had came in, one who was not as beloved in the hues and was quite spotty on his appearance to the Queen ; a man in love the Teodora, and seemed to hold no pledge to the Queen itself. Her tail flickered in an annoyance as she thought of so, and gave a glance at @Teodora to express her disgruntlement to him, before another scan noticing that Ellinor, was also not within the group. Though a guest and a Princess, she seemed to not been as active as once was. The two, were the Queen's bad grace.

One offered an congratulations as almost a pardon of sorts, like a disdain to what was given. There was always a stigma to a mother without a mate ; and double-so for a Déorwine woman. She could flash him but a smile, alongside with Vivian who unknowingly at the time ; was also expecting her own batch of fawns. The rest, remained silent, awaiting for Célnes to speak.

"As now we are more stable, with the numbers and the pack that we claim - we are deemed safe by not only the elk welcoming their young, but by the blessing of the High Elk." Her voice boomed across, grand as it was, she held her head high in a pride to what has come so far. Once a lost woman within the woods, slowly did her numbers grow, and so did the loyalists that came with it. A pride came forth, an honest smile as she took a sweep to them all.

"I'd like to announce in a few months we will be welcoming heirs ; Princess's and Prince's."

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A normal meeting, held by that of a Politians: posturing and nice talk.  Hail this... Congratulations that... just a venire, the ass-kissing was enough to make him sick, yet he felt used to the idle sounds of a political situation.  As usual, the guard kept his stony appearance, playing his role as a protector, alert.  

Remus already knew the news long before most of the others, it was far from a privilege.  To add to that, he knew exactly who the father was.  Nonetheless, the guard kept his mouth shut and played his role.  Scanning the crowd there where a few he haven't met before, even a deer.   Momentarily, he felt delighted that so many where coming together to form a future together, regardless of the despicable nature of the political reality.
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Another wolf arrived, painted in sinful white and, more notably, with twin tails trailing behind her. 

Vivian uttered a quiet what-the-fuck, all contained neatly within her pretty little skull and certainly none of the shocked emotion daring to flicker across her visage. Vervain Windflower was a prim, pretty and proper princess. She knew how to conduct herself with poise in all situations. The wolf offered congratulations, and Viv turned her gaze to the Queen. 

Oh.

So that's what a pregnant wolf looked like.

Florence and a reddish wolf arrived next, and she tilted her head in silent greeting to them. Celnes went on to officially announce the pregnancy, and Vivian beamed at her. There was a chance that more young would join the Elkshire ranks eventually, tiny little fawns, but Vivian couldn't be sure yet and so kept such hopes to herself. 

Yet another wolf arrived, looking a bit grumpy, but Vivian paid him no mind.
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 Whether the brute was ignorant or not of the easily recognizable looks of confusion and disdain upon her, she did not let a breath of a clue out. Truth be told, she was used to the scrutiny and she did not wish to be the center of attention by any means - that was reserved for the queen before them. So, despite her size, her decorations, and her other such oddities, she remained as still as a stone.

 Though, her eyes did wander, to faces familiar and not.

 And flashed back to the Queen upon her voice.

 She still didn't quite understand the beliefs here, though she had picked up on the importance of the High Elk and all that. She was... sinful, apparently, though not enough to be sent away, not enough for the queen to not trust her to be a guard. Salmon eyes rested upon the queen's face and she offered a bark: “For the glory of Elkshire!” She didn't speak more, instead falling silent with a smile. After all, she was new here and many of the others seemed to know much more about the situation than she.

 There were tensions in the air, she could feel. Tensions she had yet to unpack. A task for another time.

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feel free to exit!

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Some cheered, some remained silent.. In particular her smile went toward Meissa who paraded to the glory, and was rather proud of gaining her as a warrior. Though gazing at the rest, and a slight narrow to those who remained absence. To her now, she distrusted them, and inwardly, demoted them back to the beginning - the untrusted wolves who she could no longer call to her own. Eventually though, if it continued, the Queen felt she wouldn't have a choice but to simply ask for them to leave ; a waste of resources to those who pledge no loyalty to not only the crown, but the wolves gathered here together.

Though that was for another time, now was a time of rejoicing, "As the upcoming months come, the borders will be checked on more and secured - as the week comes, no wolves will be allowed to come inside for the protection of the heirs. Rejoice, for our future." Though perhaps cheers may fall short, she still had her chest out proudly to them all. Though with a final sweep of glancing to them all, the she made her announcement with pleasure. Though not noticeable yet, as the weeks go by she would be plump, ready to burst into motherhood that many dream of ; and she would despair to.

That as well, not allowing wolves to come entering Elkshire once she was nested. The Queen did not trust anyone too dearly to entice anyone to join by themselves, as she always judges before they enter. Rather then relying upon the others for a recruitment, the Queen would rather shut down the borders for the mean time. She would hope Remus and Meissa, would understand that the most - for they were the guards to keep out the strays.

Walking of the stairs, her tail flickered, signaling the end of the announcement.

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Remus wasn't much for cheering, he was on the job.  Always vigilant, especially when the queen was near a crowd of this size.  Though it did tickle him a bit to see the crowd fall silent, save for his fellow soldier.  All and all it wasn't a great sign for this fledgling nation, they needed a common vision to keep them strong.  The queen had her religion, while most respected it, few where actually followers.  It seemed like most here had their own motivations to be part of a group aside from a fanciful tale of elk and such.  If only the queen would be more open minded, if asked for his council, he would forge a nation.
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For some reason it had slipped his mind that the way the pack was structured, that it meant that the offspring of the leader would one day lead the pack. Hearing the term ‘heirs’ actually reminded him that such a thing was normal and that these pups she birthed would be something important, more than a mere member of the pack. Part of him was curious, but the mind that he was forced into from training made him lose interest, instead have a face of indifference.

Celnes seemed to be concluding the meeting, having only mentioned the heirs and the tightening of borders. In truth it had nothing to do with the healer; he wasn’t the one guarding the borders. But still, it was nice to know. As others would make their way away from the meeting, Rosemary would carefully pick his way up towards the queen. There were only two healers in the pack, as far as Rosemary knew, and he was one of them.

“Make sure to come by my den, or Florence’s den, sometime soon, your highness.” It was an order, but obviously, it was intended for the best. Pups were important to Rosemary, no matter who they were born to, and he wanted to properly track how far along, how healthy seemed, and such before the birth, and even after. It was his job, after all. He wasn’t going to disappoint his home pack, and he wasn’t going to disappoint his new home.

If the queen simply agreed and nothing more, Rosemary would make his way towards his den. It was time to truly start sorting and gathering herbs for an expecting mother.

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 The queen's smile towards her was noted and she straightened up a bit, glad to be noticed, though it was a glance towards the rest, as silent as she was, that made her insides coil a bit. She had been the only wolf to voice enthused support instead of confusion or even... disgust? She supposed the stench of the father was offputting but there had to be some sort of history here and she wondered who she could ask without sounding like she was speaking some sort of treason.

 "Hey, why does everyone seem awkward about the babies?" but no she wouldn't say, she'd have to find someone to ask eventually but then again, maybe she'd have to piece it together herself.

 Orders of closing borders came and she gave a nod of assent, glancing towards where Remus sat silently. Her eyes traveled over the rest, noting a red wolf she hadn't met before offering medicinal support and mentioning a name she recognized - Florence. She recalled meeting the half-black wolf once and she glanced at him, wondering his take on this. So too did she look at Flynn, wondering how he was taking it.

 Nevertheless, it seemed the meeting was over, with Celnes moving down the steps and dismissing everyone. The soldier would glance between Remus and the queen, wondering if they would need to be at her side, as they had been during her heat. She suspected she would be told but in the meantime, she rose and, with a wag of her tails in goodbye, headed off to have a drink and a think before starting her next patrol.

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Exit

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Not a peep exited his mouth; looking around at disgruntled faces hidden in shame and curiosity. The Kingdom that surrounded her was flawed, and yet they stood together like some sort of tattered bunch of souls that knew not why they were here. Even after the Queen made her announcement, it appeared to only add a layer of distrust to the atmosphere rather than the joy he'd imagine her to have expected.

“Oh, how wondrous!” No matter, it was. “I knew you were acting different, I expected you to be tired from all the recent developments. Oh, how happy, how blessed the High Elk must feel.” Flynn would continue to gut himself for the sake of his family. As he hoped, one day, they'd do for him. “Congrats, your Highness. I can't wait to see new faces waddling around.” However long it would be for that day to come, he didn't know. “If you need anything more of me, let me know, I won't be too far.” He spoke, lifting himself before waltzing out with an almost painful skip in his step.

What better time to sleep than now?

[ exit ]

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