[event] In the back of my car,

@Remus @Teodora @Nikitas @Niklaus @Alcott @Cynefrid @Calliope @Corliss @Warwick @Edith @Calhoun @Rohesia @Aldritch @Maral @Vermillion

Next round, November 22nd.

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The Queen rose from her den, careful to not disrupt her sleeping litter as they huddled from the gradually colding season. She could see her breath in the air with each passing, a dripping of the upcoming season of winter that would bless their land. Trees barred, stripped from the color array of leaves and giving off dead-like trees, though reality is but a deep hibernation for them all, and other critters of the land.

A cloud hung in the air, giving a gloom to the Crown.. Slowly did it drop, the fluttering motion of white specks into the sky as they landed onto the chocolate ebony pelt, melting away into her warm body. Her tail swayed in the background as the Deorwine gazed into the sky — and surely the rest who bore the name was doing.

A howl to set at all ; for the time of hunt has arrived. A chant so said within her head, as the Wintertide Jubilee has been announced to the land as resounded in the urge to come, to come and hunt — as the Queen galloped her way to the forest, a running streak so all that may here.

"It is our time to hunt for the king!" She announced with pleasure, for though Elk was banned from their forest.. On a special occasion did the High Elk relinquish just this small bit to their primal desires. A blessing, to all, as a devilish smile aligned to her face on this chant and hunt of desire. To set a group of hunting, an alliance of all those claim to Elkshire to participate in this annual event.

"Those who do not hunt, do not eat."

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He wasn't sure why now all of the sudden, they where allowed to hunt the elk.  Remus wondered if the mad queen made all of this up as she went along, figuring it was just some veneer for her own whims and desires.  So apparently today, the bitch had a desire for elk flesh.  One way or another Remus didn't care, he would diligently tend to the safety of the pack.

Walking into the area, it looked like he was the first one to respond to the howl.  Hopefully others would show up soon, so he didn't have to endure to much small-talk in the mean time.

skippable

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^^

Niklaus had decided that for the moment, it had been better to lay low and to draw together a proper plan whilst he waited to see if any of his siblings would arrive to this strange land. As of yet, he was the only Cirillo to arrive here and it had put the blue-pelted man in quite a terrible mood. Not entirely to the point where he became useless with his irritation for he was smarter than that, seeking to know the lay out of the land and the surrounding area and committing it to memory -- alongside short cuts, main points to know and trying to listen to the whispers on the wind of wolves he needed to keep an eye on. Eventually their dynasty would return but for now, Niklaus was alone and would do what was necessary to survive, thrive and remain strong.

He came to call sounded out by @Célnes as small flurries of snow started to fall from the sky, speckling his fur with spots of white before they melted from his warmth, only to be replaced by another. Niklaus swept through the forest to arrive to the Queen and a fellow man, his darkened ears cuffing forward as he listened. They were hunting the very creatures that the Queen thought so highly of, to the point her home was named after it? Curious, Niklaus thought as he offered a smirk in greeting towards the man of timber, an attractive man so different from the earthen tones of their Queen, "Niklaus Cirillo, pleasure." His English was not perfected, not having spent so long around wolves who spoke the common tongue with massive breaks in between, but it have been worse.

Niklaus almost called her Pumpkin, a nickname he had adopted with glee, furthered by her not demanding he never use it but alas, he knew better than to do something in front of others. "You surprise me, my Queen," he drawled with a slow wag of his tail as he dipped his head, a mischievous smirk settling upon his blue-grey lips. "A hunt for the... how you say, sacred?" Nik mused, "I'm interested." It would do him some good to forge some bonds whilst he waited to see if his blood returned, so forge he would. ^^

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^^Nikitas was patrolling when he’d been summoned. When he arrived, he noted the others with the dip of his head, though an arch of brow was given to the queen as she made her announcement. His ears lowered, and Nikitas blinked over towards her and the others for a moment.

That was it? They were to hunt for the king? The king that Elkshire did not have? “Nikitas Onasis,” Nikitas grumbled his introduction towards the other gray coat, as he sat down, an unamused expression on his face as he debated leaving to continue his patrol.

^^
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Though he had slept as his mother departed, he would not stay slumbering in the confines of his den for long. Her shifting away pulled the larger amount of body heat that radiated between the bodies and with the growing chill, Calhoun would blink open bleary eyes. Of course, all he saw at first was the darkened bundles to either side of him, but it was at the last moment that he caught sight of their mother departing. After debating if he was too tired to care or if curiosity would get the best of him, the young elken boy squeezed out of the puppy pile to follow in his mother's tracks.

Not two steps outside of the den would he get before he paused, the ground colder than usual as a dusting of white sprinkled the ground. His nose scrunched in confusion as the pads of his paws soon felt wet. What the heck was this stuff? He glanced up to find the skies heavy with grey clouds and the powder they dropped. It was almost hard for his eyes to focus on the fleeting flakes, each drifting down to wet his face or fall into his nostrils, eventually causing the boy to sneeze. Was this why their mother had come out?

It would quickly become apparent that he hadn't watched for her departure past the den, but with his practiced skills, he had noticed a few things to help aid his quest. Between her lingering scent and the darkened trail on the ground he was able to make an educated guess of which way his mother had gone, and if he had somehow veered off track her call would soon right him. Celnes howled for the pack to gather claiming a hunt would take place. Already he could feel his excitement bubbling as he hurried to catch up. He might have been young, but she had complimented his hunting before so surely he could help.

When he arrived at the gathering he was quick to notice he only knew two of the faces present. His mother of course, and then Remus, the man who had been training them to be stronger. Eager to show what he had learned, the boy scooted closer to sit by the guard's side, red eyes glancing briefly at the soldier like man before noticing his posture and quickly correcting his own. Even if he wanted to impress him, he would avoid talking for now, his ears perked to catch what Celnes would add as more filtered in. Eventually, though, his attention span would fall short like any kid's and he would find himself looking amongst the wolves that had gathered.

His eyes would instead land on the weird man, dark in coloring though his hue was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Instinctively he wondered why he was here. Based on what his mother said, his pelt seemed suspicious to be desired by the High Elk, not to mention the white that coated his unders. He wasn't really a part of Elkshire was he? He wasn't young like his siblings to be free of sin, he was old and probably committed a lot of crimes against the High Elk. Calhoun wouldn't say anything though, instead his gaze just hardened on the weird guy with a disgruntled expression.

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A freshness unfamiliar to him breezed through their den, and he tightened his frame closer into a round ball. An ear still popped up, hearing the clack of his mothers claws tapping through to the entrance, and he blinked a few times, the harsh bitterness of the arctic weather causing a tear or two to well up within his eyes. Head tilting upwards, he caught the latter of his mothers movements, seeing her swishing tail depart. 

The duke frowned, wondering why his mother would want to go out into the cold and leaving her children without their layered blanket of warmth. When he saw Calhoun go after her, that gave him more of an invite to rouse and run out of their chambers, just in time to hear their queens bellow. An unusual sight halted him in his stride, a mystical eeriness befell onto their forest, and he watched for a moment before scooting off.

Racing alongside his brother, he heard her words. And Warwicks eyes widened in horror. He'd grown to love their herd, to adore them from afar. A protectiveness that wanted to shield them. He needed to catch up with his mother promptly - to make a stop to this.

They arrived to a gathering, a group of wolves of their pack. Were they all here? His eyes searched for Teodora and she hadn't arrived yet, realising he actually hadn't seen her for a while. Casting those thoughts aside, he rushed to his mother, breathless and eyes full of plea and worry.
'No mother, you can't do this. They know we protect them. This is wrong', he hadn't the eloquent vocabulary of an adult, but it got his urgent point across.

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next due date is within 2 weeks!
December 6th

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She stopped her run, and looked  to the group of all who looked into confusion. She mused silently, knowing her wrongness to properly inform of traditions — especially her son, as she watched Warwick run up to her with a concern. She had taught her children to love the elk and walk with them ; it was not unusual to bring a confusion, or a desperation to stop in her madness of this hunt.

"With tradition of Deorwine customs," the Queen started, addressing the group, "the first snowfall dictates the Wintertide Jubilee — the one time of year, the Deorwine God, the Elk God, the High Elk — gives an allowance of his wolves to hunt an apostle, an antlered elk." No more did she refer to as 'our' God, as now the prominence of adults who were not from her clan were evenly matched, and not all would follow her ways. She knew that even before Elkshire, and to the start of her previous nation.. Who would look upon this with eyes of scorn?

"To signify the difficulties of the season that approaches us," her paw rose as high as a wolf could take it, and head pointed toward the sky. Celnes's gaze watched the snow gently drop, one by one.. Though melting to the ground, for though the sky embraces the chill, the core itself was still warmth to the touch, "though we will not touch those who speak or tongue," for divine as they were, even she would fear the wrath of the Patron of them. Alas, those who did speak were long gone, and the Queen had not seen any of them for quite some time.

A pity, for she did make the no-hunting law, soley for the divine.

"We will challenge one King, and dine for the blessing of the season. Those who do not participate, do not eat — running with the pack, is with the pack." She eyed those in the back, a subtle nod in particular to @Cynefrid and @Alcott, two who would most likely not participate in the killing.. Though their presence around, especially near their pups as the mother bent down and gently nuzzled @Warwick — they would stay behind, and observe.

"We will all chase Him," her paw then ventured to the darkness of the forest, where the scent of elk was rapidly there. Though it was not the denning area the herd rested, she could smell plenty of them lingering between the range and crown.

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Mother never mentioned the ability to hunt them. She sometimes said the outside was for free but never to touch those who held antlers — yet the inside was completely barren. They weren't allowed to touch any, in-case one may appear as a 'divine,' and gain the ability to speak to them. There was confusion amongst, and even Warwick protested to such an event. Yet an assurance ; a Déorwine event that mother would not let be forgotten.. Some part of her looked forward to it, she hadn't seen the adults hunt together, only occasionally catching glimpse of others. Not to mention something so large - yet within her heart it felt.. Dirty.

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next post december 18th

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No one protested or spoke more, there was a mixture of a stoicism, a worry and an amusement. It wasn't a surprise especially with such strict rules to present, no hunting of the divines and especially so to this land. The Queen did not expect those not of the Deorwine-kin to understand ; and yet it was a tradition she valued, and enjoyed of most. Especially since she was the one, as head of the family, and ruler of Elkshire itself, to be the leader of the hunt. A pride within her soul, remembering as a child how she tinged with jealousy to those who led, and where she would fall behind.

"Those who do not hunt may watch the children — and run with us," a gaze to her litter. They were far too young to hunt but she wondered how excited they would to see a pack work together, a strive to take down a foe. A lesson they could watch as in the next year, they too would end up participating. Though she wasn't the best mother — there was a few positivites to being one, and that was to watch her children grow and soar. Bring use, to the pack.

"To the north of the woodlands, where he lays, all shall follow, and commence separation."

Then she turned away from them all, the usual smile ployed upon her face as the Queen then dashed to the northern woods of Elkshire.

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