The Wolves of Leyhollow

Named for that touch of magic that spirals through the ground, like rivers under the seams of the earth--empowering, invigorating. Sometimes you can see the earth's magic in certain places of power right before dusk fades to night and the moon takes hold, in that space right before dreams open wide and nightmares run wild. Moonlight dapples the forest floor and the stars are but a serenade overhead. Other times that hidden magic becomes vibrant, unmistakable--drawn out by heavy lunar activity.

Serene was the first of this pack to walk within Dreamland. A pale wolf, gilded gold over her shoulder with sun-bright eyes. Ordinary to most, nothing special about her to the eye, and she seemed a quiet soul. But those who would join her and stay...found her to be different. A walker of dreams, she often woke stirred by visions or the sweet songs of the moon. They called to her. For the pack’s first year, vagrant wolves came and gone, but for those who chose to stay it was because they believed in her and what she saw in her dreams. 

They call her Moon Called. A Dream Walker. But regardless of what her pack call her, Serene knows they are all Wolves of Leyhollow. Wolves of Dreaming. .

OOC Notes: 
New player here, hoping I'm posting on the right forum!
Anyone is free to comment :)
As of posting this, I've been playing 7 days and realized I wanted a place to jot down all lore/records in one place. 
Tentative pack goals - focus on breeding from primarily first gen wolves so it's easier for me to track my wolves' heritage. 

Originally the pack was founded in I believe Summer, as of starting this Leyhollow has existed for 3 1/2 months (in game time)

Table of Contents: Lore Characters

The First Year

--Summer

--Autumn

-Short Story: Live to Fight Another day (Y1: Autumn)

--Winter

---Winds of Change: Mountains

The Second Year

--Spring

-The First Dreams - Short Story

--Summer

--Autumn

--Winter

Other:

Trophy Case

Serene is known for being a quiet, unassuming leader. She’s soft spoken, but has a sense of power behind her. When she asks, others typically respond in kind. She’s a fair leader and that’s fast earned her respect from the various wolves that have chosen to stay. She has a rich sense of adventure about her, but even as a young pup she's had the strangest dreams--especially on full moon nights. Born to the deciduous forest, she remembers nothing of her original pack or family...just these strange glowing creatures of her dreams.

The First Year

Summer

For the first month, vagrant wolves came and left. Most did not stay with the pack, but after a few months time, a few settled in. While most needed a pack to survive...very few could deal with Serene's odd eccentricates at times.

Two distinct hunting parties were formed:

The first, and more experienced, is run by Blackthorn (stalker), with Badger, Hoarfrost, and Wren as chasers, and Meadow, while inexperienced, took up the tentative role as finisher. 

Glacier, initially joined the pack as a puppy sitter, but as the number of wolves in Leyhollow grew, it became clear that a secondary hunt team would be wise, so Serene charged her with creating a second team. Glacier took up the role of stalker and then purposefully sought out one-by-one the remaining members of her team. Boulder came next and quickly settled into the role as finisher. He’d had a brief stint in the first hunting team, so it was natural to pull him into hers. Then came Ulla--a migrating wolf from another pack, but a very proficient chaser. Then Haze joined the team as another chaser, and finally, Glacier pulled Swallowtail from her brief stint as a scout and she rounded out the last of hte chasers. 

While the first team has been around the longest, the secondary hunt team is fast giving them a run for their money in bringing home the most hunts. Both teams are fairly successful on critter and small game, and are now slowly turning their eye to larger hunts as their teamwork and proficiency grow. 

There have been a number of brief scouts in Leyhollow’s short history, but the roles finally seem to have settled on two young males: Ghost and Summit (no longer with the pack). 

Flower took up the role as the pack’s herbalist in late summer and has fast set her mind to learning every recipe she can get her paws onto. 

First Autumn

Serene is keenly aware of the fact that winter will be upon them in no time. For the first few months, since they were in high summer, she was willing to let wolves come and go. Newcomers were given the choice if they wished to stay or not. But now that a steady handful have chosen to stay, she seems to have closed her doors temporarily to anyone new and instead has turned her focus to guiding her current pack to better strength. There are 14 adult wolves in the pack at this point and three adolescents. 

Swallowtail is the first to come into heat early fall, but she’s too focused on hunting to have an interest in mothering pups, especially with the oncoming winter. 

Their hunting stores are full and they have even taken to trading with Trash a raccoon who has an incessant need for buying, as well as neighboring packs.

Ulla suffered a harsh wound in one of her hunts, but Flower's studies under the ever-patient Herbert proved to be invaluable. She promptly treated Ulla's wounds and helped her on her way. Serene also suffered a nasty stomach upset, but Flower was able to offer her a cure almost immediately. Serene could not be more pleased with the healer's efficiency and forethought.

Serene spends most of her time patrolling away from the pack--securing their territory, and retracing her scout's steps. She's proven to be an adept hunter on her own, as well as a fierce protector. Her most frequent prey are beavers and other small critters, though she can and will take on larger prey--and in defense of her pack will take on formidable foes.

Late Autumn:

Wren is pregnant. Serene isn't pleased knowing they're going into winter. 

The hunting parties were getting pretty successful, but with Wren now out of the picture the main hunt team is down a member. Then Boulder was injured bringing down a Blacktail Buck...

So late autumn meant a large amount of changes hit the two hunting parties, but with the changes came some fresh blood, and new direction. 

Aquila, a  young vibrant wolf took over the secondary hunt team which became known as Hunter's Hollow, for their time resting between hunts was often spent underneath a large hollowed out oak stump. Quick wit and a sharp eye, she's fast became the team's chief stalker. (Will scout her later when a slot opens. Need to get her to lvl 20 and high up on stats, she's stunning for a NBW!)

Flower helped Wren build a nice nest in the main grotto where she can comfortably whelp when the time comes. The grotto is in the center of the pack's territory. Serene hopes the pups will come before winter, but she knows chances are they won't arrive until after the snow starts to fall. For the pack's first litter, it'll be a true test of their abilities. 

First trophy! Serene brought home an elk ear trophy and a good stash of meat. Needs a bit of a rewrite yet....

Leaves crunched underfoot as Serene wove her way through the twisting trees. She followed old deer trails worn into the dirt, indiscernible to the eye, but obvious to anyone with a nose. It had been awhile since the deer herd had last passed through, but for generations the herd had used the same route through the forest. It led to a waterhole Serene had come to know well.

She'd been born here, not in this spot, not even anywhere near where she'd decided to make her own pack. To be honest, she didn't remember much of her pack or their den. Just the hunger. The ineptitude. The constant struggle to stay one step ahead of death. In the end, when most of the pack had fallen gaunt and sickly, she'd left. One mouth had been easier to feed than several, especially for a wolf as young as her. She didn't remember their names--maybe because since puphood she'd only known a handful that had lasted long. Her mother had tried, but even she'd starved herself to feed her pups and by the time Serene was six months old...she had been all that was left of her litter and her mother had since died as well.

A subtle crack of a branch brought Serene out of her reverie and she paused, head tilted in the direction. Her ear flicked. It'd been too large to be a squirrel. A sharp hiss of air sounded from beyond the thick underbrush, a harsh snort. It sounded bigger than the whitetail deer who's path she followed, but it didn't matter. Serene recognized a warning when she heard one.

The reddening of leaves and the crisp autumn air had marked the turn of seasons and with it came the breeding seasons of several other animals. Her tail tucked, she slunk deeper into the woods, but not before she heard the sharp sound of an elk bugling behind her and the crash of foliage under hooves. Too late to run. 

The big bull broke into sight a few yards out when it careened through a large bush and headed straight for her. She could try and retreat, but only one of them was thinking with their brains here. Serene let out a snort of her own, before dipping around a tree. The elk spun after her, hooves lashing out, but she used the dense woodland to her advantage. She was smaller than him, and not driven with anger. Calculating, she dashed in and out of the underbrush, doing her best to avoid hooves and horns. Her teeth grazed flesh over and over again, each wound she drew made the bull angrier and her more bold. 

The elk's sides heaved, exhausted, when Serene finally grew brave enough to duck in and risk hooves and antlers to grip the neck in a finishing blow. Her own body sagged in exhaustion when the creature finally lay on the leaf litter, lifeless at her paws. Triumphant she paused, gathering her energy to call her pack in triumph, one elk ear clutched in her teeth. 

Sadly it was the only trophy from the battle she'd keep. The cry of a cougar drawing close drew a snarl to her lips, but Serene was in no shape to battle twice. With nothing but the ear, she disappeared into the forest, leaving her kill behind for someone else to filch. 

It was disappointing, but it was survival, and her pack had hunted well the night before. She wouldn't starve and she'd live to fight another day. 

Trophy Case!

Coyote tail, broken antler, canine claw,  elk ear, moose ear, wolf skull, deer ear, red fox tail, cougar tail, gnawing hoof, canine fang, rugged flipper, broken moose antler

First Winter

The first snow has begun to fall on the Leyhollow pack and despite Serene's unease at what the harsh season can bring, the Thicket hunters celebrated the first snow by bringing home a boar for the pack to feast on. The larders are full and though the full season lays out ahead of them...they're hopeful. (funny enough their first quest for winter from the snake was a 5-hunt test. So far they're 2/2! 5/7 hunts were successful, sticking with critters, so they managed to complete their quest early on.)

Winter also yielded Serene a fox tail trophy!

Thinking in the dead of winter they're driven to move. They follow the main river into the mountains. My eventually goal is to alternate between the Mountains and the Glacier (or Tundra or Taiga, haven't decided--need to unlock the Tundra/Glacier first). 

Winds of Change: To the Mountains

The first month of winter brought with it the bitter cold winds sweeping in from the north. Wren's unexpected pregnancy brought with it unease and the hunting parties were in shambles. Serene seems especially unsettled early in the mornings, as if whatever night time wanderings her mind gets up to are niggling away at her thoughts during the day as well. 

Then one morning she promptly decides to move the pack. This causes a lot of unrest. Wren, with young pups in tow refuses to leave and Ulla, one of the pack's chasers leaves with her. Perhaps more would have stayed, but Serene's nighttime callings guide them north in the dead of winter. To bleaker hunting, colder temperatures, and lurking danger. 

In the end, Serene settles on the Taiga. For the first time in a long time she seems at ease. Most of the original wolves that had joined in Summer have left during the move, including a good chunk of both hunt teams...but along the way they also picked up some new member. At this point, it seems the pack provides temporary home to dispersal wolves and no more...but time might change that. 

Aquila, a vibrant young wolf was the first hunter to join their moving pack. A capable young hunter, she was a skilled tracker and fast took Wren's spot on the secondary hunt team...but even her joining wasn't an easy transition. Glacier had been the team's stalker for a few months, but she was fast out skilled by Aquila and had to drop to chaser as the young newcomer stole her spot. Sleetfoot, a young adolescent Serene had found awhile ago reached adulthood on their journey and took Boulder's spot on the main team. Polaris is another of the new wolves to join. 

Gonna ramble to myself here...

OOC Goals:

Try not to breed wolves under lvl 10-15. 

Wolves to Lvl to 20: Serene, Ghost, Luna, Polaris, and Aquila.

Possibly sex-change Summit-->now Luna?

I need to stop messing with my hunting parties because it makes my brain hurt. 

Move Aquila to be the stalker of the party with Polaris/Meadow, that way there are three permanents there and I can focus on just getting them leveled. 

Spring/Summer of Y2 were uneventful. Settled in the  Taiga. Keeping the pack going with critter trails and still selling excess food. No pups. I need to work on character development but new puppyyyy at home is eating my free time LOL.

Hnngh. I'd already been working on some dream walker/nocturne lore and the event just nail it, so some delicate re-writing going on up in here. 

Trash panda moves with them to the Taiga...or well...he's one of the lunar creatures but appears normal during the day to the rest of the pack. 

I alsoooo wonder if there is a dreamland snake that could make a good visual reference version to the questing snake's night persona?? Because I'm thinking that's where she gets her 'quests'. From her dream walking! The ability will pass in various lines too. Polaris has it in hers as well. 

Another 'rank' I want to play with for the pack is a Dreamteller and Dreamweaver.  

Pack dynasty could play into this too. Herbalist could eventually be more of a shaman... using herbs and such from dreamland to help see through the veil. Would this be Flower or someone else??

Lore wolves/permanents:

Serene - lead/my first wolf. Her coat lightens shortly after their arrival on the taiga. At first they think it's sun bleaching, but hopefully with the next event she'll get some cool blue markings. 

Ghost - has a raven familiar named Grim. Need to expand on him. He's most likely getting the first Selene base I get. Serene tells him most of what she sees in dreamland and has him scout ahead. Ghost is more of a 'night walker'. He can see through bits of the veil on occasion in sleep but only on really big lunar events.

Polaris - I think she knows more about what Serene sees than most. Her and Ghost seem like Serene's closest advisors. 

Flower - herbalist. In the beginning she tried to give Serene potions for her 'insomnia'. 

Swallowtail - 

Aquila - steadfast hunter/stalker. 

Loon - despite her name, she's sharp and intelligent. a valuable hunter. 

Meadow - second starter wolf. Meads is a soft soul, who while doesn't understand Serene's sudden bursts of intuition she never doubts her. 

Shimmer

Eclipse

AHHH! There is a Lunar snake. This poor thread has turned into a massive brainstorming dump, but I'll get the actual polished lore up in TOC when I figure everything out. 

This dude has been talking to Serene for awhile now. Needs a name....

Susurrus, I'm thinking....