[Pack Event] Let the seasons begin

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Mordi rolled a 9

 So many others were in attendance! It was amazing! He was happy at all the prospective new friends and faces. Then, when the other spoke to him, he thumped his tail at her and was about to launch into a whole set of words when the ceremony started! He watched the event with misty eyes and a sniffly nose. How sweet and romantic and beautiful!

 Then, he let loose a howl when appropriate with all the others... and then proceeded to gorge himself until he was almost inert with his bulging gut. Life was good...

  And, it was time for the event.

 After a little bit of time to recuperate, he participated in the event. Lumbering around, sniffing hither and thither until he found an interesting looking mushroom to bring back. Somehow he managed not to eat the thing before bringing it back to the new couple.

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Rolled D12
 

The ceremony was something Zula didn't expect to feel much emotion for but she couldn't help but watch on in awe, silent and smiling upon the couple as their union became recognised by all in attendance and the gods that Valeska preached to. As it came to the chorus of howls, so too did Urszula as she tilted her head back and offered her own song, vast approval of both the union and the wolves of growing ranks. She was a subordinate after all. Respect was to be given.

To have her name mentioned, the pelt in which she bestowed upon the couple... It made her smile only widen with pride, and her eyes fill with a watery sheen. Something she swallowed for now before it broke over the lip of her lids.

At the feast, she was endless in her hunger and laughed aloud with joy as she finally found the brim of her stomach met. So many others had also found such a peak, gorged by the gluttonous temptations. 

Despite all that, she'd dragged herself up at the mention of a scavenger hunt. Her belly practically dragging on the ground even as she raced into the forest. Searching far and wide for something of interest, the woman followed her nose to great success. She didn't often favour fruits but the sweet smell drew her to the purpled berry bush with ease. Blackberries were a good mixture of sweet and sour. Not completely in it for the taste, she knew they had purpose - perfect for the festival - so picked as many as would fit in her mouth before heading back. 

They tasted lovely, but the idea of swallowing more food only made her feel sick at the thought.

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Ragnar rolled a 1! Nat FAIL.

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Ragnar and Sindri were quiet as everyone gathered, awaiting for the Queens of Elysium to come and be wed. There was a fox, a child, and... “Can you squalk quietly?” Ragnar wrinkled his nose and chuckled lowly as Krakarak made his arrival and landed in between the Northfall leaders.

@Kuhn then arrived, along with the red-headed beauty @Valmúa and a child he did not know. Another came, smelling of Elysium. She was dressed in a coat of pale silvery blue and near black and smelling of lavender. She was beautiful and Ragnar could not help but stare into @Urszula way as she passed, giving a nod of his muzzle as she had.

Then Olive came, salmon within her grasp and Ragnar woofs out a low greeting as she moves to settle by Kuhn and Valmua. When the song began and the to be wed pair were brought to those gathered, Ragnar would join Sindri in a low howl. When all was said and done, it was the Northfall wolves which lifted their heads immediately, singing and yowling out in loud rejoice, biting and trying to catch the flower petals fluttering down on them. Obnoxious Vikings!

And so the feast would begin. Ragnar would speak to anyone who would let them, telling them that they were of Northfall along the coast in the west. That the Queens of Elysium were wonderful women and boasted at the beauty of the wedding and festivities. He would eat his fill, bat his icy blue eyes at the ladies and when all was said and done, lazily plop himself in a lay on the ground until the 'herbal scavenger hunt' began...

And then he fell asleep.
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Sindri rolled an 11.

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Sindri had set her sights to all of which smelt of Elysium and wondered if or when would be a time they would call themselves allies. They were visiting one another's homes, from lake side to sea side. Sindri hoped for the best though knew many shied away from the thought of war, especially when it was Northfall which so aimed to have their enemies bleed.

Then, her heavy heart, filled with loss and longing, turned to Harper, as he voice rang up to sing. The wedding pair in arms, Harper and a woman which Sindri did not know. Sindri did not know if anything would ever become of her and @Harper, but knew she would forever find her beautiful. But they shared little alike. Sindri loved to fight and had a hot temper. Harper was a healer and more of a pacifist, it seemed and though Sindri had yet to know it, one wolf being very religious and Harper shunning it.

As it were, opposites attached. Sindri lifted her head and began to howl out along with Harper and watched her closely when the ceremony began. Her tail thumped the ground behind her. Listening to the words spoken by Harper, the 'I do', the woven necklaces draped around their necks by the reluctant Sylvie and then the beautiful flowered skull adorned by Harper as a wedding gift. They even gave themselves new names, that which was fitting to the both of them and a start of their own family making. Sindri looks to Ragnar and smiles, as he had done the same for them.

Then, Harper is pledged Divine Thornweaver. The one and only. Sindri laughs, her voice light, as she thinks to one of their former conversations. Now who had the fancy title?

Sindri would follow through to the feast, smiling sweet at Harper, watching the newly wed couple and saying hello to any who might offer her a word. For the most part, she stuck around between Ragnar, Kuhn and Valmua and when it was time for the herbal hunt, Sindri was off like a bullet. When she returned, she had thought to present to the Queens a bundle of blueberry. Instead, it was saskatoon.
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Scored an 18

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She sat, steeping in anticipation, waiting for the ceremony to be conducted. A wedding, how absolutely phenominal! Olive considered herself the most lucky attendant in the congregation, as her invitation came from nothing more than a doubt of pure luck. Had she arrived early, she couldn't bear to be willfully away from Tiberius for that long. Had she arrived late, she would have missed it completely. So, here she sat, in a perfect little corner of the universe, at the most perfect moment in time.

The ritual-leaders began to appear, and a slow and melodic song overtook the crowd; Olive added her voice to the chorus of others, crooning a tilting tune as Valeska was guided elegantly down the aisle. Aside from the singing, there were flowers, and feathers, and elegantly carved skulls and braided vines, and titles were bestowed both wedded and not; it was all quite overwhelming, even for a women such as Olive who was adept at the art of the ceremony, but within the headiness Olive found something lovely, that she aspired to. Oh, how she longed to put herself in the place of the silvered priestess, and replace the golden vision of Amaranth with something more akin to an ink-blot, surrounded by close friends and family — the woman easily imagined there was no closer heaven.

The idea of a party filled the demure women with a small amount of apprehension; she was fine in one-on-one interactions, but she found when in large crowds, she shrunk into the background and was easily spoken over. She didn't fight it that hard, but she did wish the ritual had gone on for far longer. Olive urged herself towards the spread of food, smiling at a few others that she did not know as a way to push her own personal comfort zone. In the end, she carved off a piece of boar (when was the last time she had feasted like this?) and ate it towards the back of the din, pressed up against @Archon, wondering why anyone might want to talk to such a wallflower when there were other, far more interesting individuals around (the boy, however, was obligated ♥ ).

Olive's hunger was quickly sated, as she was far more interested in the following scavenger hunt, feeling far more comfortable around the chaos of Gaia than she was around the chaos of large crowds. The experienced herbalist knew to follow the scent and sound of water, as it was the height of spring and the herbal overgrowth grew plentiful; it didn't even require a trained eye. But if one did, they would be able to find and access a world others could only dream of — and this is where Esra found herself for some time, lost in a world of flowers and delicate, highly-charged leaves. She nosed through grasses and sniffed along the bases of trees, unsure what she was looking for, but knowing that she would recognize it when she saw it.

— there! Wrapped around a thin, young tree was a vine; a delicate green tendril, upon which were draped heavy, waxen blooms. It was an orchid, which she only saw but rarely (especially not this far north). As Olive danced closer, she noticed that the vine was laden with many seed pods. That was when Olive really started to get excited. The tree upon which is grew was so new that Olive easily gnawed right through the base, carrying the entire length of it back to the main party, the beauty of the vanilla orchid preserved for all to see.

The shaman-woman laid the small branch down at the altar, backing away from the offering with her head bent. "Vanilla Bean," she identified for them, "and this is quite a rare specimen." Really, most of what she knew of this spice was largely second-hand knowledge; but when one heard stories about what might be the most luxurious, delicious, divine taste in the entire world... well, that was information that one remembered. "Enjoy the flowers now, but allow these pods to dry in the sun. Then, crush it into a paste and leave it on your tongue to experience a taste like no other. I've never had it before, but I've heard that the sweetness is unparalleled..." It was truly a rare experience that Valeska and Amaranth would get to indulge in, and Olive was slightly jealous happy to have provided it for them.

Speaking of rare plants, Olive found herself meandering over to the pungent, thicker vines that she easily recognized. Olive pushed the small pile about with her nose, looking around, wondering if anyone else was similarly interested in the medicine of mother Ayahuasca. It was not something to do alone.

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^^

archon rolled a 2 & Harper will not be joining due to her herb knowledge, just assume she's helping with judging or something.

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Oh man, there were so many people here and almost instinctively, the boy had wished that his mother had been somewhere within the crowd. And then she had literally appeared, kissing his cheeks in greeting, and Archon returned the affection, nuzzling into her with happy whimpers.

And when the time came for song, although he had never howled before, he had joined the chorus in welcoming the new wife and wife the second, as they had been introduced, with a new name, and everything. He wondered, briefly, if the silver round one knew that her wife was a zombie.

He decided against asked her about it, as this seemed to be a special occasion, and then there was feasting. He’d take pieces of the boar that Olive had selected, having his feast with her, of course - leaning against her in a boyish manner as he ate, glancing over every one and everything. There was a lot going on, and Archon didn’t really want to miss anything by having his heads in the clouds.

Next, there was a hunt for… flowers. Flowers? He tilted his head, watching everyone hunt in a land that they didn’t know. He’d gone in a different direction than his mother, and got lost in a sea of strangers and picked the first thing he could find — a weed of some kind, and followed the rest of the group to present it to @Valeska - as he refused to go anywhere near @Amaranth as she was the zombie he'd bitten in the face some time ago. Once that was over, he'd find his seat next to his mother, in hopes that she would be found near @Kuhn as he was feeling particularly vulnerable with the zombie being so close.

^^
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Rolled a 12 also sorry for crappy post XD

The boy sat quietly through the whole ceremony, remembering that he needed to talk to Dirt Mama after all this. He didn't know really what was happening but he wanted to know. Afterall, it was something that made Snow Mama happy. However, his attention quickly changed as they spoke of a scavenger hunt, his little body tensed and ready to go. At the start, he would quickly rush around, searching for something, anything, to bring back. 

He found the first plant he could, something that look rather simple but he didn't care. He had brought back Thyme unknowingly, something that grew everywhere around here. It wasn't anything cool and interesting like the others seemed to do, but it was something and that's what mattered to him.

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rolled a 15

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Grinning widely as the ceremony commenced, Aulis only watched in awe as the two were wed. The two wolves who had taken care of him since his arrival to the north were now united as one. He didn't know what a High Augur was, or what a Thornweaver was for, but he would remember the name they chose together: Callosum. A silly word to try on his tongue, but one he could only respect as the festivities went on.

While the feast was grand and his stomach was filled, Aulis found the temptation to drift off into sleep overpowered by the excitement of the scavenger hunt. "A hunt!" He'd exclaim, jumping to his knobby legs and wide feet. Surely there were only riches to be found. With a swipe of his tongue over his maw, the pup had set out as the others had, nose to the ground in search of something special. 

First, he had picked a stick to bring back. It was neither too narrow nor too thick and had just the right amount of leverage to dig for bugs. Then he had decided to bring back a rock, one smooth and round. Maybe Valeska would enjoy it. Yet as he made to return, a curious smell passed his nose, one that was strong and smelled nearly of wood. Finding his way to the plant, Aulis eyed it curiously. It was a tall, green plant with needle-like leaves. Nothing like the other more wide-leafed shrubs he had passed. Grabbing the rosemary in his teeth Aulis had settled on bringing a bundle of it back, stalks more or less carefully removed from the plant before he bounded his way back to the festival.

"Look!" He'd say past the prize in his mouth before he dropped it with the others.  "It was funny-looking so I took it. I don't know what it is though..."

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{I apologize in advance for the sheer length of this post, but I wanted to make sure everyone was acknowledged properly and paid attention to. <3}

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As her various guests scattered to forage for gods-knew-what (half the fun was in the obscure items they brought back), she felt a little thrill go up her spine. This was the sort of thing she enjoyed arranging; less so the great feasts and the circumstance, and more the games and merriment that followed.

Picking a very nice leg of caribou for herself, the silver wolf dragged it over toward her new wife and laid down next to her, munching idly as she let the warm glow of their happy celebration wash over her like sunbeams in spring.

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@Valerie was the first to return, and immediately presented a most stunning crimson flower to the brides, laying it reverently before them as she stepped back. The little fox was certainly light on her feet and had a keen nose to find such a beautiful treasure; such a thing would be hard to top, given how it stood out against all of the decorative florals that surrounded the party. While Valeska may have held her reservations over inducting a fox into their midst - not that anything was wrong with them as a whole, it was just simply a first - she had grown fond of the golden female, finding her an efficient hunter of small prey and clearly a gifted forager.

She smiled encouragingly, dipping her head in thanks, and motioned for her to return to the feast and enjoy herself while she waited for the rest to return.

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@Kuhn surprised her by participating at all. The interests of tigers remained largely unknown to her kind, but she had no idea that he would have ever been keen on a scavenger hunt for plants - though given the way he'd been coiling around Valmúa like a serpent all morning, perhaps the festive air had made him a bit more receptive than he otherwise would have been. He hadn't been gone for too long when he returned in his leisurely, rolling stride, shoulders slicing through the air like knives as he deposited... something... in front of her.

Valeska looked down at it, scrutinizing the green mush, and if she squinted hard enough she could almost make out the crumpled remains of a few four-leaf clovers.

Well, it was sweet that he participated, anyway. She thanked him graciously, placed the mush next to Valerie's flower, and returned to her snack.

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@Valmúa had been relatively quiet during the event, and the High Priestess noted how uncomfortable she seemed, shifting from paw to paw and shrinking in on herself until the large figure of Kuhn came and wrapped her up in his sinuous embrace. It was an odd sight, but Valeska reckoned she and Amaranth were peculiar in other ways - and the red woman looked happy with him near. Growing up with the very pinnacle of closed-mindedness from her father, she had made a point to go through life as an adult with eyes wide open, and as long as no one was hurt... love was love.
Even if love made a strange purring sound from time to time.

The firelight had risen after her partner and trotted off in a different direction. Valmúa returned a short time after he did, looking a little put-out at her own finding; a chanterelle mushroom, large and rich in color, and known to be quite delicious, if common. Valeska dipped her head in thanks, and made a note to save that one for herself...

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@Mordecai was the life of the party, which was absolutely expected. Picture a frat house and that one guy with a PBR in one hand and a bag of Doritos in the other going around slapping people on the back asking if they wanted to play cornhole - the main difference was the lack of thumbs. He kept much of the party vibe going, throwing himself into every moment with gusto, and at the announcement of the scavenger hunt he'd taken off (rather heavily) into the woods like a boar hunting for truffles.

Which, honestly, wasn't too far off, because he'd come back with exactly a truffle hanging out from his damp lips, and he plopped it on the ground with an exhausted sigh next to the other items of interest. Valeska eyed it suspiciously, unable to remember if it could kill her or not, and made a note to ask Harper for her thoughts - but he had done his best and looked very tired after the fact, and she made a point to thank him both for making their party memorable, and for finding... something, out there.

She let him rest.

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@Urszula had been an absolute blessing from the moment they had met, and it was still difficult to believe that the Five had allowed a wolf of such pure spirit to grace the mortal earth. Her extravagant gift of the bear-pelt was overwhelming enough, which the two brides would rest upon for the first time once the festivities had ended, but she also possessed a wealth of knowledge and was equally eager to share it with anyone who asked. At the mention of a hunt, she dutifully rose and heaved herself up into the mountains that sloped up behind their festival, surprising Valeska with her continued strength and ability to do so after eating approximately five Mordecai's worth of deer meat.

She came back with a full mouth, and as she bent down, Valeska briefly worried she was about to vomit - but instead a hefty pile of blackberries poured out from her cheeks, an impressive display given the sheer quantity. Zula looked a little woozy at the sight and swayed ever so gently from side to side, and the silver wolf laughed and motioned for her to sit down before she reached critical mass and perished.

Blackberries were a favored snack of the Priestess's, and she managed to discreetly sneak one away when no one was looking.

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@Ragnar was, well, himself. Valeska grinned broadly, seeing the way he cavorted and socialized his way around the others with such gusto, making himself into a regular ladies' man with the way he was eyeing some of the women in attendance. He did have a roguish charm, she had to admit, and his clear way of speaking and complete sincerity in everything he said was always welcome in her midst. He wasn't the sort of wolf who would say one thing and mean another - he was every inch himself, and Valeska found herself drawn to such characters. It pleased her to give him and the other Northfall wolves a chance to relax and think about something besides their impending war.

The new bride was keen to see how he fared on the hunt...

... And was not disappointed. She pursed her lips, shook her head, and shrugged. He deserved a break.

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@Sindri was something of an enigma to her. Harper seemed to have a special connection with the northern woman, as every time there happened to be a lull in activity, they were often seen chattering and nudging each other playfully near Ragnar and Kuhn nearby. It was good that her sister had made a friend; it seemed her time in Northfall had borne more than just a general goodwill between the two packs for her aid in tending Kuhn's wounds, and the connection she had with Sindri looked almost sisterly (Valeska didn't necessarily know Harper swung that way, having only knowledge of her past marriage to Crux).

At least she seemed eager to begin the game, and tore off full-tilt through the grass like a woman on fire. She returned in fairly short order, panting lightly while dropping a sprig of what appeared to be plump blueberries at her paws. Valeska considered sampling a few, but thought it wise to save them for later when they could be shared and savored - unless someone had the foresight to identify them sooner and stop her.

She had no idea they were saskatoon berries. Anyway, she was delighted and thanked her profusely, and would suffer the consequences of her ignorance later.

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@Olive, petite and quiet as she was, disappeared into the crowd like a fine mist. She would glimpse her white pelt occasionally, gliding toward the feast and staying close to a young brown wolf she had yet to meet, though Valeska didn't fail to pick up her soft tones in their celebratory chorus; she was discreet, yet highly memorable, which was a peculiar combination that lent her a lingering presence even when she wasn't around. The High Priestess worried if it was all too much for the sylph, but felt relieved when she caught her laughing and playing with the yearling she seemed so attached to.

Valeska held absolutely no doubt in her mind that Olive would destroy the scavenger hunt. It almost didn't seem fair to have her in it, but this was her guest's moment to shine, and it seemed only right and just that she be allowed to shine in her area of expertise. She was missing longer than the rest, but returned as triumphant as expected, eyes sparkling with barely-concealed glee as she gracefully bent down to offer her find.

Vanilla bean... the little wolf took a deep sniff, marveling at its sweetness. The description alone was tantalizing in itself, and she breathlessly promised the pale woman to adhere to her instructions and make the most of such a prestigious gift - and made a note to ask where on earth she'd conjured it up in the first place.

Olive truly had a gift for her craft.

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@Archon was an utter mystery.

He skirted around Harper as if she harbored some terrible disease (which, in his mind, was true), and when he hustled away to fetch something for the hunt, he returned with a wad of flowering dandelions and spat them out at Valeska's feet with a strange urgency. He even seemed afraid of Amaranth - Valeska had no clue they'd met before - and the haunted way with which he regarded her golden wife was baffling. Even the hair along his spine stood on end, and the High Priestess could hardly squeak out her thanks before he'd scampered back to the safety of Olive's side.

What a strange boy. She made a note to ask Olive about him later, if only to know... why.

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@Akira she held with a much closer appreciation than when he had initially appeared within their borders. The near-death experience he had with her sister formed a bond with Valeska in their shared (and thank the gods, misplaced) grief, and although he brought back a relatively common herb, Valeska accepted it with real joy and gave him a smattering of kisses by way of thanks - the boy had a genuine heart and didn't deserve the rough beginning he'd had here. Besides, Thyme was incredibly useful and held a pleasant aroma.

She briefly considering offering for him to go play with Archon, but worried the other's paranoia might rub off on him in a bad way and held her tongue. Instead, she motioned him back toward the snack table, feeling he was probably far too excited to remember to eat.

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@Aulis - the fallen Celestial. He'd made an appearance today, honoring the High Priestess and her mate with his holy presence, and she made special care to ensure his comfort during the proceedings as he likely hadn't been around such a large crowd of mortals since his untimely departure from the heavens. A gift from the gods or not, he still had the heart of a child, and bounced away on legs that seemed far too long for his body that still struggled to catch up with his paws; given the lightness of his bones, it was honestly a wonder he couldn't fly yet.

She resolved to work harder on his training to return to the Five.

He returned victorious, placing a wad of rosemary along with the rest of the collected items, looking suitably proud of himself. He had done well, and she thumped her tail in merry approval; she couldn't actually remember what that stuff was called but she remembered Harper had given it to her once when she'd had a minor head cold, and it seemed to shorten the duration. Aulis still held the knowledge of the ancients, it seemed!

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And so the game had ended.

Standing up, she cleared her throat over the gathered hunters, and doled out their rewards accordingly.

Elysium members were judged and addressed first. Harper assisted Valeska in this process, having gone through and categorized each item in terms of usefulness and rarity, and so the High Priestess announced the following:

Valerie had won first place through rarity alone, and her special flower granted her the title of Windseeker. Swift and silent, she would now be one of their messengers and prime hunters of small game.

Aulis had come in second with his gift of rosemary, and for this, Valeska granted him the title of Spiritwalker. His close connection to the gods would be recognized and consulted, and although he was still young and had much to learn, he had earned his right through the will of the Five.

Urszula and Akira had tied for third place; the High Priestess remedied this by rewarding them both in equal measure. To Urszula, she granted the rank of Windseeker as well, knowing the woman was a skilled huntress and moved with a quiet that surprised even her.
To Akira, she brought him to the ranks of Shadowsbane, though what that actually meant was that he would now be training directly under Mordecai until he had come of age. Mordecai could at least lightly spar the pup and take him on border patrols going forward, which would also help soothe the child's restless nature.

Mordecai had returned in fourth, and... well, it didn't seem fair that he went without proper credit, given how he was the only guard Elysium possessed. Besides, it was a day of celebration - it wasn't only for Sylvanus. She touched noses with him gently, winked, and informed all gathered that he would now be counted as the first Blessed Shadowsbane.

She now turned to her guests who had participated.

Olive received a chunk of glittering raw amethyst Sylvie had foraged in her efforts to find trash to give Valeska. Incidentally, she had only succeeded in finding more beautiful things.

Sindri was gifted the fine-boned skeleton of a rattlesnake; it looked right with her, somehow, and she thought it might at least make a fun souvenir to take back to their frigid home.

Kuhn was granted the plumpest, juiciest gods-damned wild pig she and her hunters had found. He didn't seem like the kind to waste energy on trinkets anyway, and he could always save the carcass for later consumption if he was too full presently.

Valmúa was tricky. The firelight was something of an enigma to her for now, and so she used her best judgment in gifting her the top portion of a young deer skull, antlers and all; she wasn't obligated to take it with her, but if she had any decorative inclinations, it would make an excellent centerpiece for a den.

Archon... ah. Valeska trotted over to Olive quickly and whispered in her ear that he could take anything he particularly liked with him, because he seemed a touch on the anxious side and she didn't know where on earth to begin.

Ragnar, last but not least, received the ongoing gift of undisturbed sleep.

“Thank you, from the hearts of Elysium, for coming from all ends of the earth to celebrate with us!” she announced at last, the white feathers circling her ruff seeming to glow in the sun's soft rays. “It has brought so much joy to our lives, as you also have - please, continue to enjoy yourselves, and may you find rest in our home for as long as you need!”

Valeska bowed low to all present, muzzle almost touching the ground as she did so, and finally turned to fully partake in the festival with her new wife.

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{I'll leave this open for a few days if anyone wants to add a parting reply, but otherwise, that's a wrap!}

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