Gathering the Pack

Ashes Of Faith · Lukois' Lucifer

Gathering the Pack

Ariadne · Hope of Rome

-Getting Ash's call. Even though he normally didn't show much emotions, the call itself was strange. It was even more dead than normal. It worried Lyric. Made her think about what a million some things that could have happened. He didn't say what happened. In fact Lyric couldn't get anything out of Ash. He just told her to meet at the pack house and she would.

It was after work that she came over. The bar was going to be in the hands of Montana; Andrew. She hired him after Harry gave the okay. She called Barbie so she could keep Andrew company, and help him out if he needed it. Bare feet walked across the living room. To take a seat on the couch. Greeted by Cypress, who sat next to her. Honey in sunlight eyes turned to her Ulfric. Lips were drawn tight, and fear came off Lyric like a fine perfume.

She was scared as to what he was going to say. When their eyes locked for just a moment. Lyric sent out her warmth to him. Tears started to fall before he even spoke. That one look break her heart. Lyric felt the beating organ stop. It stopped completely. Breathing eased. It was Ash's British voice that made Lyric take in a deep breath.

Mocha latte hand reaching for Cypress to hold. She wanted to run to Ash and wrap her arms around him. Not because of just what she was hearing. But because after they had talked that night in her room. They had not shared one minute together. Passing each other constantly. No calls, no text messages between each other. Nothing.

Lyric nodded. Head bowed listening. She would go out there walk next to Ash. Coyote had been family. Lyric and Coyote were never really close, but now he would be with her always. With the pack forever.-

-- Edited by Lyric at 02:19, 2008-05-14

Cypress · Ash's Doll

"In my dark dreaming soul, I wonder what he thinks of me. What strangeness has become of our relationship...."

Cypress wrote down the words in her journal. The cell phone ringing, playing Leonard Chen's 'I am your man.' Hues absent of color turned to the phone. Cypress knew who was calling. That ring tone belonged to only one man. Fingers gathered it as she answered. The time the place. Then he hung up with no goodbye. Eyes shifted to the sleeping form on their bed. His skin was tanned, so much darker than it had been in Salem. He was more and more becoming that golden color. Heart hitched looking at him. Pen was dropped between parchment recycled paper. Hands pushed against her small desk to walk over to Brady. His eyes opened seeing her. The colors swirling like moss green and aztec gold. Lips pressed to his neck, nuzzling against the heat of his skin with her nose.

"Ash needs me to go to the pack house."

He gave her a smile; to reassure Cypress. At times Cypress did not understand Brady at all. He was more complex than he appeared. Both men in her life were much the same. There was times that Cypress felt pulled by one and closer to another. Then a shifting of her life and she was closer to one and pulled by the other. An emotional roller coaster. Cypress secretly thought that running away from them would make her world stop this ride. Stop and allow her to breath. Yet, her heart would not allow it. Her beast would not allow it. Cypress knew that her rusty red wolf would tare her apart from the inside out.

"I love you."

Were her parting words, as she dressed and headed to the pack house.

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Hair cascaded down her back in ringlets of silvery black. Extension were sown into the thick mass of hair. Silver for Ash. There was only a coat that draped Cypress body. The drive to the pack house and once she exited the car. It was all she needed to wear. Coat was hung on the rack. Absent colored hues were all for her Ulfric. Thick legs carefully walked to the couch, taking a seat next to Lyric. The contrast of their skin; ebony and ivory.

Cypress allowed her scars to show. The heart shaped one she had done when she was still a teenager in Japan. Marking Cypress before her change. The other four that were given to her by Ash, faded in a pink that would rise and soon turn silvery in color. He did not speak yet. Their eyes would connect. Cypress allowed her scent to reach him alone. Giving him strength.

Lyric's hand in her own. The words. Coyote was gone. What would have Kangee said? That Coyote was hunting now in heaven? Cypress believed this.

She would stand. Lyric rising with her. Taking her position next to Ash as they headed outside to where Coyote's body was. The smell reaching deep within Cypress, pulling her beast. The others would change before she would. Her beast rushed out of Cypress in a fury of rusted red. There was no pain now, there was just the fluid shifting from human to beast.

Coyote would be now apart of them. Taken into the pack living and now in death.

May you Rest in Peace Coyote.

Alex Sinclair · Senior Member

When Ash gave her the choice of hideing in her room, Alex was oh so tempted to take it. But she followed into the living room, curling up on the floor near Mahina and Silent. Eye's on the floor, and Helix laying on her lap, whineing softly and licking at her face, trying to cheer her up. Silent tears slid down her pale cheeks as she listened to what Ash said. And she tensed a little when he spoke of what they were going to do with Coyote's body.

She looked up, first at him, then at Silent behind her, starting to shake a little....T..This was what they had done when Xavier had died? They'd eaten her brother?? Once again given the option to hide from this, she had to...As much as she'd cared for Coyote, she couldn't bring herself to follow the others to the lupanar. Couldn't bring herself to be part of this ritual. Perhaps it was due to the fact she'd never been in a well functioning pack...a healthy pack. Or perhaps it was because this hit to close to home for her...to soon after Xavier...

When the rest had gone out to the lupanar, she disapeared upstairs, closing herself into her room. She knew Ash would be disapointed in her, but she just couldn't do it...Not yet...

Not yet....Staring out the window towards the Lupanar, she let her eye's close as she let her mind fill with the memories of Coyote. Takeing a slow deep breath, she whispered softly, looking up at the rising moon

"...Rest in peace, Coyote...you will be missed more then you could know..."

Mahina · Hawaiian Wolf

It all felt like a dream, the past 24 hours. She wasn't going to break down for Ash was right, if she did that each and every time there would be nothing left of her and she should on those around her. His words gave great depth and meaning and the tears immediately stopped yesterday but it didn't stop feeling like being in a daze.

She was seated on the couch, eyes lowered but really not fixated on anything, Silent's scent of the french quarter of New Orleans (all that goes along the scent) was right next to her. Alex was by her feet for she could feel licks from Helix every now and then. Slow breaths were taken in and let out. She can do this, for it would be the same as it was for Elsa. Bringing them to be apart of the pack forever. Like a year ago Mahina did with Akuna and his soothing voice along with Ash's brit one was what got Mahina to rise and follow behind Cypress to par take in the lunapar. Making a mental note to see to Alex afterwards. Maybe invite her out for lunch and some shopping with her and Anna Marie, bring life back into the she-wolf. Afterall they were family and family is there for each other. Plus Mahina felt she could use the company and what better way then having a girl's afternoon. And even help Anna Marie pick something out for her date. Focus on something fun and just forget the bad for just a little while.

Lous Garage · Lou & Peter

-Lou wasn't really sure how to respond as they all sat there in the living room. It wasn't exactly a surprise for her, but she had the innappropriate urge to make a big surprise face like you would for a surprise party. She hadn't really known Coyote. She'd seen him around, been involved in pack stuff with him, but other than that nothing. He hadn't been that interesting so she hadn't really made an effort to get to know him. Now he was dead. It bummed her out cause she knew he was a pack member but beyond that there was no emotional upheaval. So Lou stood off to the side, back leaned against the wall just waiting for everyone to troupe out to the woods. When Alex went upstairs she watched her go. Confused why the girl wouldn't join the pack. When everyone moved though she went with him. It was duty. It was tradition. And it was the only way to honor the pack that has passed before. So she went to the lupanar to give this relative stranger a proper send off to Valhalla.-

grigori wolf · Angelic Wolf

Angel was at the pack house when the call from Ash came in. A meeting at ten? what would it be about? this was on his head the entire time.

At the time specified he was there in the living room sitting across from Mahina next to Anna Marie when Ash began to speak of Coyote he looked towards Mahina and saw how she looked at Ash and the words escaping him.

Angel didn't know Coyote but he was pack none the less so he would respect the choices of the pack.

He followed close behind Mahina with Anna Marie behind him as they made their way to the lupanar. There the scent of their dead pack member came and he followed suit as his fellow mates sifted and went to take in the fallen brother.

Let the good times keep rolling for you Coyote where ever you are.

Kota · Death's Handmaiden

(picked up from Ash answering her call in the Town Square Forum)

Ash's voice made her grab Memphis's arm and had them stopping even before they could out the drive. His voice sounded a little stressed and his words filled her heart with dread.

"Dakota, it's alright. We've got it taken care of on this end. You and Memphis stay at the house and tell Memphis to get things set up like we did for Elsa. He'll know what to do. I need you to just keep the pack in the house if you can. Don't alarm them. We'll let them know what's going on as soon as we can."

Make it ready like they did for Elsa. It sent a cold chill down her spine and she knew that a member of the pack was gone. Took her a moment to get her thoughts together All she said to Ash in reply was All right and hung up the phone. She felt sorta numb. It did not matter that she did not know who was lost yet. All that mattered was a piece of her heart shattered knowing that a member of this family was gone now.. That she would hear another voice in the trees of the pack lands to remind her every day of their life with them.

The message was passed on to Memphis, she buried herself in his arms for a moment taking comfort in the warmth of his body and that smell of his flesh and Landry detergent that still clung to his clean shirt. He gave her the comfort and strength she needed to pick up where she left off the day before. To not give up and run away from her problems any more. Face the challenge Ash had set before her to become a better Vargamor so she could give the Pack what they needed.

Together they headed out back, walking silently though the woods hand in hand in to the vast circle. She had some bad memories here, but it would always be a place of family. She did not get to join under the full moon but longed to, she did not get to see the pack in their lunar glory. Did not matter they were still as much family to her as if they had been born blood kin. Every thing was ready before Harry and her head back to the house.

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They stood close by, Memphis had wanted to be near his Ulfric and Kota was not letting the winter eyes wolf go. She stood silently letting Ash find his words so he could address the pack as a whole. Her heart sank hearing who it was. Coyote had been a pain in the ass as of late, but he had fought to save her life once nearly losing his in the process. Seemed fate had plans for the young red wolf and they were on another plan.

Alex was the one that was taking the hardest hit it seemed. and remembering their conversation Kota left Memphis's side to go and lend her a shoulder to lean on. Memphis headed for Ash. Placing a hand on the tall mans shoulder. Kota slipped upstairs behind Alexs tapping on the door but let herself in. Hopefully she could give her the shoulder she needed, and help her face this so she could partake in saying good bye with the pack. She had watched with Elsa, it was not easy for her to stomach that night. But she had a history of the wolves whispered in her head so the understanding helped see past the carnage of it all.

"Alex, Want to talk dear? "

Did not take much for her to see the girl needed someone. Just a couple of orphans the two of them. More in common then they knew. A few steps brought her closer. taking a seat beside the slender blond to wrap her arms around her. If anything, she could be a shoulder to burry her face in and just cry.

Big Johnson · Crazy Clifford

Cliff got the call from his Ulfric. Since he lived at the house, he just stayed and didn't bother showing up till he had to. When the pack gathered. He was there. In the background watching the back of people's heads. He didn't know the Dude that died. Sucked though. He would have been a cool guy to go skating with or maybe smoke a bowl and play some XBox.

Cliff went out with everyone else. They only did this once back in Cali. They ate the old wiseman. That's what his old Freki was called. The Wiseman. He was more like one of those old good fellas. The smell of flesh, blood and everything that called to the shaggy beast was brought to his nose. Only when Ash gave the okay. Would he change like all of them. It hurt like hell. Bones breaking reforming. The goo man that stuff was nasty. Had no real smell, it was just nasty. Cliff didn't dive in till Bone Daddy got the first bite. Then after he did. Cliff did what was right took a piece of Coyote.