Saga of the Fleurs d'Or/Gardiens de Minuit
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Posted 2021-05-30 09:44:51 (edited)
YEAR SEVEN SPRING The Fleurs complete their move to the desert successfully. They seem to have picked up a lot of strays— some from other packs, some merely from Tonnerre's enthusiasm in her new job as stud— and without Émilie, Aurore just lets them stay. Her heir Alouette has misgivings about this, seeing up close how much more difficult hunting is in their new home; Piaf assures his mate it will be fine, even though he hasn't tried catching a quail yet. But not all pups are merely empty mouths to feed. Several litters will grow to be new generations of hunters, as the previous generation gets older. They keep the pack from going hungry while the young ones grow but can feel their bodies aging and know their time will come sooner than later. Whether fair or not, this point is seemingly hammered home when Aurore moves the Fleurs yet again, this time to a lush temperate rainforest across the mountains. Hunting here is even harder, causing Alouette's worry to spike. SUMMER Though not hungry for leadership, Alouette finally feels ready to take it on, if also dreading her mother's death which will precipitate it. In the last months of Aurore's life her daughter comes up with a plan for the pack's future; time will tell whether it's a wise plan. She decides they should stay in the rainforest until Aurore dies, then move back to the desert, which will be their home except for winters spent in the mountains. When her mother does pass, Alouette does just that. It feels like a good choice immediately, because two other pack members die at the same time. Best to retreat somewhere they can catch bigger prey than just rabbits. The sudden shortage of pupsitters worries her, but at least the rate of pups being born seems to have slowed. AUTUMN Autumn stuff here. WINTER Winter stuf here. |
 Levi #33797 |
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Posted 2021-10-10 11:25:49 (edited)
YEAR TWELVEAlouette's first litter grows up; they don't seem to have heir potential. Chouette is sweet but lazy, Rossignol is disorganized and more interested in exploring than in leading. In the second litter there is a pup who shows more promise almost from birth. Farouche doesn't have either of his parents' warmth, but already he seems like he could at least make a competent leader whether or not the pack actually likes him. As he grows there is chatter that he resembles the founder's mate Émilie in character, although none of the wolves now living ever met her.Meanwhile, a new arrival has caught Chouette's eye and could cause complications. Hibou, unlike his girlfriend (for lack of a better word), has ambitions. He knows about the pack's tradition that the lead is always descended from the founder and perhaps this explains his interest in Chouette. After all, they seem like a strange match otherwise, his harsh cynicism and mean jokes with her passivity and dreaming contemplation. In winter after her mate Piaf dies, Alouette echoes her mother's actions and moves the pack to the rainforest. Whoever takes over amongst the three contenders (Hibou, Chouette, and Farouche) will then have to decide what's next. Back to the desert? The prairie? Or strike out for new territory? (The narrator knows this will be the taiga, but the wolves don't yet...) Further into the cold season, Rossignol disappears. His mother and sister are the only ones who were close to any degree, since he liked to wander off at the slightest chance. Alouette thinks he's gone off on a grand adventure, while Chouette harbors darker thoughts; some even might include her chosen mate. The arrival of summer heralds new leadership. Alouette had passed on most of her power as old age weakened her, so their new leader Farouche had already brought them to the taiga. The hunters find the new territory harder but not impossible. The mysterious new herbalist who nosed in well ahead of Mathilde's death grows more skilled by the day. Hibou seems content to scout... for now? And as Farouche begins to settle in to his new role, he also finds himself inexplicably drawn towards one of the pack's new members, Urbain— a wolf whose sunny looks match his personality. |
Levi #33797 |
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Posted 2021-11-18 17:44:43 (edited)
YEAR THIRTEENThe pack settles in to their new leader, who introduces a new organization structure and a new name for the pack itself: Les Gardiens de Minuit. To accompany this change Farouche renames the hunting parties after nocturnal animals. Among the chosen names are the Rats, the Bats, and the Rabbits, which doesn't go over too well with some members of those parties. But would they really go so far as mutiny? (Narrator voice: they would not.)With the advent of new leadership and a new name, founder Aurore's lineage continues to be important- after all, Farouche is descended from her- but is now distinguished by the wearing of owl talon necklace or owl feathers. Other wolves are not permitted to wear either. |
Levi #33797 |
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Posted 2021-12-01 14:08:16
YEAR FOURTEENFarouche first encounters the dream lands. Prior to this he didn't even believe in them; even now he deeply distrusts everything lunar. This extends to wolves in the pack too; although Lunaire is one of the best stalkers, it is Argenterie's attachment to him that keeps the lead from just chasing him off. As it is, Farouche would very much prefer not to have unnaturally marked wolves in the pack... including the current breeding male Voltaire. He's also prejudiced against dogs and those descended from them.Also in this year, the mysterious orbs and wisps started showing up along with strange wolves and even stranger disembodied voices. None of this sat well with Farouche, and when a wolf turned up on their den threshold who was friendly but clearly part of the recent mysterious events, only Urbain's vouching for the newcomer kept him from being turned away. So far the new wolf Ronan has proved enthusiastic if still very unskilled, and the pups all love him. Well, they would, seeing as he still acts like a pup much of the time. He does seem to mean well, at least... but Farouche is keeping a close eye on him. |
Levi #33797 |
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Posted 2022-03-12 08:39:12
YEAR EIGHTEENCaught off guard by Farouche's uncharacteristically rash decision to replace their skilled herbalist for a young, inexperienced wolf just before winter hit, the pack's unease only grows. After this he leads them a great distance south, supposedly to find more plentiful prey, but when they arrive in the swamp they only find more and new difficulties. In unfamiliar terrain, against unknown prey, they have more trouble than ever catching enough food to sustain the group. The problem is exacerbated by the death of some older wolves, leaving alarming gaps in several hunting parties. And then his cousin Chouette, half mad with grief over the loss of her mate, leaves behind one of her pups when they return north, and with it goes the rest of her sanity. She dies not long after. Farouche takes his responsibility to her remaining pups very seriously, but he has his own to worry about now too. Luckily his mate Urbain can worry for two (and does). The golden wolf is sure that Chouette's missing pup might still be out there, so the pack reluctantly returns to the swamp to look for it. During all this turmoil, two wolves claiming to be half-brothers (although they look nothing alike) show up. Farouche is desperate enough to accept them in spite of his suspicions. Meanwhile in the "uncomplicated good news" camp, more pups! One out of the line highly prized within the pack, that of their second stud Tonnerre; she will replace her parent as finisher and will be known as Maugre for short (her full name being Maugrebleu). The other is from a wolf Farouche distrusts because he looks like he stepped out of the lunar world. His pup, however, only got his startlingly azure eyes and a handful of his mother's markings, so the lead wolf of the Gardiens is relieved. Bad enough their stud talks to beings that aren't there... |
Levi #33797 |