The Wolves of Leyhollow - Pack lore, records, art, etc

Lore Characters:

Serene

Lead. Info here.

Ghost

with raven familiar Grim.

Polaris

"The North Star"

There is more to this world than most know. Some wolves can walk another while they sleep. Polaris grew up in the Tundra, listening to pup-tales under the northern lights about how when the moon cried at night a whole new world would open up to some wolves. As a young wolf she was fascinated by the tales, but when it came time to move out on her own and find a pack...she realized the stories must have been just that...stories. 

For her sleep was always just sleep. The moon never seemed to cry. And the wolves she came upon seemed to know nothing of the stories she'd grown up with. Until Serene. There was something different about her and the way she seemed to stare up at the moon sometimes, or the way she'd ponder deeply in the morning, and set her hunters upon strange requests. 

It wasn't until Polaris saw the moon cry for the first time that she understood... Shooting stars danced over head but more than that, glowing orbs seemed to arc along the night sky...and Serene and Ghost definitely knew of the world beyond. Dreamland. 

The first lunar tear Serene brought back with her left Polaris pricked with wonder. The more Serene brought back, the more she traversed that veil, the more the wolves of Leyhollow began to grow together--united. And Pol, well she had finally found her home. 

Swallowtail

Sly, crafty. In so many ways, Swallowtail is not to be trusted. Perhaps most packs would have turned her away...especially after the first time she lied through her teeth. Except for as vain and self-centered as Swallowtail can be, her sly cunning is more often directed outside of the pack. 

She is an incredibly valuable merchant. Able to wheedle her way to a good bargain she can seem downright pleasant and friendly at the bargaining table, though don't let her happy tail wags fool you, she's looking to scam you out of your best cuts of meat. 

But...that means the pack eats well from her spoils. 

The fact that the dream world existed was of no surprise to her...in fact she just smiled and passed along some things for Serene to trade. If she can walk through the veil herself she's made no mention of it. 

The First Dreams - Short Story

She couldn’t settle. Serene tipped her muzzle up towards the night sky, stars glittering against the deep blue of the midnight sky. The dreams had started to come with more frequency over the past year.

First had been the snake. A gleaming blue anaconda, with eyes that seemed to spark like lightning. Susurrus. It had always been the same dream in the beginning...him wrapped around a dark tree branch, brilliant glowing mushrooms dotted the trunk. The leaves seemed vibrant even at night, like a sheen of neon had been wiped over each leaf. He’d stretched low and hissed a request in her ear. 

“Three successful hunts,” had been the first. She’d woken in a start that day, uneasy, but shook it off. An omen perhaps of her pack’s good fortune?

And in a few days time they had had three successful hunts. Their bellies were full, the pack was content. But when Serene had fallen asleep that night, Susurrus had been there, his serpentine opened in a mockery of a grin. His tongue dipped out to taste the air of dreamtime with pleasure. 

“Well done. You’ll have your prize when you wake. Collect three pieces of charcoal. You’ll thank me for it.” The words were surprisingly clear despite the lisp from his tongue. 

The dream broke and unsettled Serene rose to her feet...only to find a pile of silver cones between her forepaws. Odd. But she scooped them up and let it go. She thought that morning to ignore the snake’s request this time...but something drew her to follow through regardless. She found and stashed three pieces of charcoal in Flower’s Garden. Worst happened, the herbalist could use it?

Two days later her stomach plagued her, incessant rumbling, followed by loose stools. When she visited Flower, the medicine wolf huffed softly and immediately set to crafting a cure...with the three pieces of charcoal Serene had stashed away. 

That night when she curled up to sleep under a large tree she knew she’d meet the snake in her dreams. And she was right. Susurrus was there, swinging from a branch, his eyes bright with knowledge that this time she was starting to understand the relationship they’d have.

“How did you know?” Serene asked. His tongue kissed the night air but otherwise he made no response. He just swayed back and forth, seeming lost in thought.

The dream world around her seemed abuzz with life. Crickets chirped, a brilliant magpie the color of storms flew overhead. With a huff, Serene sat in front of the tree and waited. Finally the snake broke the silence. 

“You’ll fight three woods in the mountains. Be wary.”

Then he shimmered away into the night and Serene felt sleep pull from her until finally she stirred. Like before, a pile of silver cones lay at her feet. Susurrus’ words rang through her memory. Be wary.

This time, she didn’t question him. She knew what the snake whispered would come to pass. Wary she would be indeed. 

Notes for the pack's second year:

Spring was uneventful. 

Summer introduced the event and the veil between the dreamlands and the normal world opened for the first time. 

Autumn:

In their second autumn as a pack, Swallowtail gives birth to three pups. They're the first official lore pups and Aspen will be staying. She'll end up taking her mom's place in the Hunter's Hollow team as a chaser. 

Survived their second winter. Technically moved to the Riparian Wood cause I wanted to sell food again, though food prices seem to have tanked. 

Note to self the pack is in their third year.

Debating  how I want to pick my next lead. Do I want to stick with Serene's line? Do I want to stick with NBW for future leads, and just keep old lead lines alive in scouts/hunters/herbalists? 

Serene hit 600 stats. Still has two levels to go. Hoping she'll hit 700 stats before retirement. 

Really bummed I can't make Serene immortal so I'm not sure how much I want to continue to base lore on solely her. Definitely need some time to toss this around... 

I do want nbw denim I believe for a very, very important immortal wolf. Hmm.

Eve of the next Lunar event. Serene begins to feel restless. Her dreams are beginning to grow longer again and deeper, as if she's beginning to fall past this realm. She recognizes the feeling this time. Ghost says the veil seems thinner. 

The pack hunts are largely successful, spring has been bountiful and they've traded off huge amounts of food to neighboring packs as well as smaller carcasses to Trash--what the raccoon does with that much food no one knows, though Swallowtail is convinced he's up to no good. And since she's rarely up to no good she's probably right.  

OOC: Hoping to get Serene to 20 during this Lunar Event. 

Once Ghost is done scouting the Glacier he'll retire from scout to hunter so someone else can take his place. Put him up for public stud and have had two requests. 

Swallowtail's litter is now over six months. I yeeted the first two since I really only wanted to keep one. Aspen is the keeper, she'll be a Chaser in her mom's footsteps.