We’re Here for a Reason (MS Council Closed)

[Deleted]

-Skia Rykett
-Neoplitan @wiltingwallflower
-Travesty theragingstorm
-Acribus Meds

The Outer Reaches was theirs. The border was sufficiently marked and the prey cache was certainly climbing. Many wolves saw their movement of territories as an action made simply out of necessity. It was true that the pack was growing and the Barren Wastes could no longer support them. More wolves entered the pack each season; his own litter was about to be born. Skia was heavily pregnant and seemed to be grumpy about the undesirable length of the pregnancy. Along with room to spare, the Outer Reaches was very close to a certain pack. Secluded Sunrise was flourishing just beyond the way. They were nearly bursting their borders, overflowing with the riches of the forest. The close proximity to this specific pack lined up with many of Fjord blooming ideas. Ideas that would be shared and expanded on in this meeting. The first one Midnight Silence would have with a full council. Acribus had recently been appointed as Beta, Fjord right hand man. With a fully fledged Beta, the dreams about to be fleshed out would take on a more realistic form and come to life. With Acribus, Midnight Silence had become stronger.

Fjord now addressed those gathered. His mate and Alphess, Skia, his Beta Acribus, his Healer Travesty, and finally his Gamma’s Neoplitan and Lydia. He gazed upon each of them with a hard, yet joyful gaze. “Our new home has opened the door to many opportunities,” He spoke with a quiet tone, his voice curious, not without a twinge of excitement. “Which will be discussed presently. Many of our brothers and sisters are dissatisfied with our current home. They had been hopeful for a more lush environment to raise their pups in, a more appealing territory, worthy of envy. And so I have come up with a plan. The plan is of course not without it’s risks…I invite you to chime in as your conscience allows.” His red eyes swept over them again. He realized that he was not in his usual mood. His temperament was at a understandable confusing amiable state. However, he understood that he was not always right (though rarely), he knew that his plan could only be made better by the minds of these select few.

“Amora, botanist of Secluded Sunrise. She is talented in her arts and is able to make even this barren land flourish. However, i’ve realized that she has grown from her foolish, weak puppy-ish state. She will not come on her own. We need a ransom.”

(If you are not available to respond at least once a week please either pm me to excuse your wolf, or pm me to allow me to skip you as needed. Keep in mind that the plan is already plotted, however do not be afraid to bring new ideas to the table. If you would like a run over of the plot pm myself, rykett or fierfly.)

[Meds]

Acribus;

The ruddy white of Acribus' fur almost mimicked the murky banks of the river that day. There must have been a storm higher up the valley, because there was milky residue washing up on the clay-filled banks. His eyes darted back and forth between all present. It was a strange feeling for him, standing there next to Fjord—stranger still, that he was supposed to be there. He was new to being a beta, and looking over his new peers was a curious feeling.
The dirty grey scar across his neck that rendered his voice so grinding seemed not to glint, but instead to draw in the light. It was a dark spot, on both his body and his history. He had new scars, too, from his fight with Deimos. White Magic... He paused, feeling the rumor of a shiver tickle his spine. He blocked all of that out before it had began. Now was not the place to begin having feelings again. Anyway.
White Magic had healed him, of course, but the fur on his paw had stayed permanently mangled and torn up where he had continually walked on it after Deimos had all but shattered it. Above his eye held a new scar as well, puffy and still slightly sore. White Magic had healed his grating bones, but Acribus had not even noticed the deep cut above his eye to ask.

Perhaps that was why he made such a good Beta. Pain didn't stop him. He would go until he died or passed out. He was wiry, to be sure, but strong. Shockingly strong. Deimos had learned that, as all his opponents eventually did. He silenced his mind and directed his thought to the council when Fjord started speaking.

Amora?

...

Well now, that did have merit. What was this, now? It was such a simple solution to their dilemma, it almost seemed curious as to why they had not thought about it before. But then, Acribus' fighter's mind swung into action.
"Such displays are bound to spark animosity," Acribus tested speaking against his broken voice. "But if as you say, Fjord, we do not take her by force... Rather, if we gather a ransom quietly, and produce it to her in secret..." His mind was already at work. They could arguably have her for days—weeks, all the while improving their land, before anybody suspected them of her disappearence. His sharp teeth, stained red from so much blood, dipped out from his cracked lips.

[Rykett]

Skia:

Skia had settled in her place at the council. She still appeared quite pregnant as the birth of her pups has just recently occurred, but expected that should disappear soon. Her eyes focused on Fjord. She tell him about their birth as this meeting ended. For now, she’d focus on the plan Fjord was presenting.

Their territory’s state hadn’t exactly been what Skia had been expected either. She was pleased that her mate had a plan to improve the empty landscape. Though it didn’t included murder, Skia supposed extortion would still be fun. Amora, a skilled botanist, would be their slave. Creating the ideal territory plant by plant. Skia didn’t concern herself much with the goings-ons outside Midnight Silence, so she hadn’t heard of Amora. Fjord was much more informed about their neighbor, Secluded Sunrise. Stealing a botanist shouldn’t be too hard. Skia could just knock her over the head with a rock and… a ransom, yes, that’d be much easier. Maybe not as fun as kidnapping, but it’d be more efficient.

As for what sort of ransom, Fjord hadn’t specified. The open-ended statement seemed to imply that he wished for the other members of the council cash in their ideas. Skia turned the problem over in her head. They needed something that any wolf would sacrifice themselves for. A close friend or family, perhaps. They might be just as difficult and noisy to attain as Amora, herself. They needed something quieter vulnerable. Vulnerable… Skia’s pups were vulnerable! She’d left them with no protection in a den that nobody, but she knew of. A coyote could just waltz on in and… She had to go to them. Skia felt like bounding away. She shifted, ready to arise and leave, but froze. An idea formed in her head. If all mothers felt the way she did right now, they’d be absolutely frantic if their pups suddenly disappeared. Did Amora had any pups they could steal? Pups would be much easily to whisk away, unnoticed.

”Fjord, does Amora have any pups? A mother drive to protect her pups would certainly be strong enough for her to be willing to come to us.” Skia spoke in rushed tones. That same motherly instinct screamed at her to return to her pups, so she had to finish this meeting as soon as possible.

[Deleted]

Fjord showed his teeth in a grim grin, delighted by his wolves. Acribus seemed to really fit in well as Beta. Of course he did, Fjord chose him. He immediately picked up on possible repercussions in their actions. A strong and attentive mind for details; fjord nearly poofed up with pride, but instead opted for a contemplative nod. Before he was to reply with his won ideas, Skia chimed in, her deeper voice unusually on edge; Fjord lifted a curious brow. What would make his made so fidgety. Perhaps she disliked the crowded space, or the heavy clay roof over her head. Nevertheless Fjord dismissed the thoughts, turning his attention to his words. Amora, did she have any pups? A superb leverage, to use a mothers spawn as her weakness. At this, Fjord smirked. "I do not believe she has a mate nor pups to be spoken of, but perhaps another's will do? She is awfully tied into her pack is she not? Perhaps we could use another's pups, i'm sure with such a plentifulterritory there are bound to be a few...though this would considerably set us back with the secrecy aspect..." Fjords white muzzle creased as he thought. They could snatch a few pups from Secluded Sunrise, but then they would have to track down Amora and tell her that it was midnight silence who took them and what she could do to get them back...Perhaps it was better to make sure the entire pack knew of the ransom. Worried mothers and fathers would surely urge the Botanist to accept their terms. In order for that scenario to happen they needed a messenger. It couldn't be the same wolf who will have stolen the pups. They would need someone loyal, and...regrettably...expendable.

"Perhaps, instead of secrecy, we can proclaim the ransom in daylight, or so to speak. Afterall, with ones pups at stake, a mother and father would push any wolf to accept our price..." He trailed off, searching the eyes of the wolves before him for answers, hoping they knew what such a proclamation would entail. Quite possibly....war.

[Meds]

Acribus;

The ruddy wolf tipped his head to the side curiously. He kneaded the ground with the claws of his red-dipped leg, allowing the other three black ones to remain still. Skia had a new smell to her. It awakened old memories in Acribus. Though he would never put his thoughts into practice against his alphess, he couldn't staunch the tirade that began spilling through his mind.

Blood.
Piles of ripped up fur.
Yelping in the distance.
Pups.

Yes, Acribus had killed his share of pups, of course, but some of those memories were from his own life, too. He supressed a growl. Skia hadn't announced them yet, so perhaps she wanted it to remain quiet for now.

However, when she suggested that they steal a couple of Neutral pups, Acribus' purple eyes flashed green. It was clever... evil... almost too horrible to think about.
And yet—

"This has hold with me," Acribus growled his thoughts, rather than whisper them in the grating excuse he usually used for speaking. "An axious mother and father would surely move mountains for their spawn." He glanced at Skia, almost too quickly to be noticeable. "Save perhaps my own." He lifted his chin, flashing the white scar along his neck. It was the closest he had ever come in recent memory to making a joke, and he gave a dark smile. He cleared that broken throat of his and stepped forward.

"Botanist Amora is the alpha's daughter, correct?" He pawed foot to foot, the dark smile fading to be replaced with something even darker still. "I don't imagine the mothers and fathers would even have a need to demand the botanist listen to our wishes. The alpha, Blaise, is quite diligent in her duty—if the rumors I have heard can be trusted." Another throat clear. "Isn't it plausible that the moment she heard of our deceit, that she would all but throw us her daughter all too willingly? After all. A daughter of the Alphess has a certain standard to adhere to." They could use their own ridiculous rules against them. Amora may not want to go, but he could picture her aloof mother demanding she bend to Midnight Silence, if only to clear the family name.

[Rykett]

Skia:

Fjord spoke first acknowledging that pups would be a proper ransom though they couldn’t be Amora’s as she had neither mate nor pups. Her Alpha next addressed how their element of secrecy would be dissolved by stealing such a prize Skia didn’t really care much about that. Why should Midnight Silence work in silence after all? Every action they took displayed the pack’s strength and prowess. Besides how else would they take advantage of a parent’s protectiveness without announcing the ransom to the parents as well as Amora. Acribus suggested that the Alphess would be the one pushing to send Amora to Midnight Silence rather than the parents. However, Skia didn’t buy it.

”We can’t depend on the Alphess to give up her daughter. We’d betting against the very instinct that this ransom would be playing on. Who’s to say what Blaise would choose her pack over her daughter. We should focus on appealing to the parents. Besides, if they pressure Amora into coming of her own free will, she’ll be easier to keep captive.” If Acribus held firmly to his conviction that Blaise would be a better subject of pressure on Amora than the parents of the pack, Skia realized this could possibly descend into an argument, something Skia had little time and patience for though usually she was all for a good row. She had to get back to her pups. Best to diffuse any opposing words early. She’d have to figure out a way to appease Acribus before the possibility of him even resisting her words arose. ”Perhaps, if Blaise, herself, is a parent of small pups, we could take advantage of her motherly instincts and sense of duty to her pack all at once.” The combined pressure of her mother and the other parents of the pack would surely be enough to get Amora to come running.

[Deleted]

Fjord listened to the others intently, his crimson eyes beadily flicking between them. The dirty white Acribus made a rather grim joke concerning his cruel past and parents, Fjord, not finding it very funny, just gave a snort of a grunt; which perhaps could be translated as a laugh. Acribus then proceeded to speculate on the nobility and loyalty of Secluded Sunrise's top ranks. Alphess Blaise, would she push her daughter to obey their ransom? Or would she let the other pups perish under his icy claws? Skia swiftly cut off Acribus' thought with one of her own. She claimed that there was no knowing of a certainty which way the Alphess would sway, Fjord agreed with a small nod of his head, ears flicking towards his mate. She followed after her aggressive negation with a preposition of her own. Was Blaise a mother of young pups? Fjord's gaze flicked to Acribus before he spoke.

"Blaise should still have two younger daughters, we could take them, but I want the assurance of other pack members, perhaps we take a few from the Gamma's they seem to have no trouble producing an excess of pups for us to steal," Fjord Smirked, thinking happily of the way his plot was unfurling."However, there is still the matter of delivering our message...Perhaps, since we are leading away multiple pups we should leave one behind to deliver the threat." A spark caught in Fjord's eyes, a stark change in comparison to his icy form and and power.

[Meds]

Acribus;

Skia made a good point, noting the flaw in Acribus' logic. Immedietly he hung his head, his purple eyes flashing green for a moment before he glanced to the ground as well. He would not question the alphas—despite contrary belief, he did not have a death wish. Then, quickly moving away from stealing the pups of lesser pack members, Skia jumped right up to stealing the enemy alphess' offspring. Acribus said nothing of the quick switch in logic, but his eyebrows lifted softly. He wasn't judging her—merely impressed. He could smell the reek of new life on her (he had killed enough fresh pups to recognize the scent in a heartbeat), and the fact that she would be willing to steal a pup from another female so soon after having her own filled Acribus with a sort of disgusted reverence. What kind of animal would wish that on another? He grinned wickedly.

Fjord agreed, adding that perhaps they steal a few more pups as well. He brought up the gammas, and a memory came to Acribus' mind.
"I was roaming the borders not even a moon ago. I saw an impossibly large russet wolf closely flanked by a quiet pup. As fascinated as I was by an animal the size of the red monster, more fascinated was I by the pup. Dumb, it appeared to me. The beast was doing most of the talking, and the young pup was replying in a grotesque form of mime. They seemed to know each other—even discussing the pup's mother, Tear..." He left the rest unsaid. Of course, he was speaking about seeing Kanga and Rontu, who, unfortuently for the pup, was the offspring of the gammas. Acribus smiled sharply once, though it was only a mask. Fjord even suggested leaving a pup behind to make sure the message got across.
"The mute one would be laughably easy to obtain—but whoever took the pups from the gammas would have to be careful not to leave it behind. The tongueless halfwit would not do our cause any good, being unable to relay the message."

[Rykett]

Skia:

Fjord had agreed with her about the unknown variable about how Blaise would react to the Gammas’ pups being held for ransom with a quick nod while Acribus hung his head as he realized his oversight. The Gammas’ and Alphess’s, however, was a different matter. Surely, it would be difficult for Blaise to refuse Midnight Silence’s demands with her own pups in peril. Fjord confirmed that Blaise did indeed have pups young enough to kidnap. Acribus had also discovered that one of the Gammas’ was mute, a disability that would certainly help kidnap him.

”The dumb pup would be the perfect target. I’ve known parents to have a special soft spot in their hearts for such pups as disabled pups require more of their attention. The Gammas might be even more frantic to retrieve him if we stole him.” Skia smiled as the pieces of their evil plans flew together. Was it complete, now? Was there anything they were missing? Or had all be planned out? ”So to recap, we’re going to kidnap the Alphess’s pups and one or two of the Gammas’ pups, one of which will be the mute one. We’ll hold them for ransom to get the botanist Amora to trade herself in for them, forced to action by the pressure of her mother’s and the Gammas’ grief over their missing pups. Amora will then grow this territory into a flourishing paradise. Are we missing anything vital or is everything decided?”

Maybe Skia was rushing the decision, but the urge to get back to her own pups still burned within her. All this talk of stealing pups and frantic parents didn’t help either. Skia was happy enough to subject another parent to that panic and despair, but she couldn’t help but imagine something similar happening to her own pups while she tarried at this meeting. That only strengthen her feeling of urgency. She just needed this meeting to end, so she could tell Fjord and rush back to them.