Greyfeather Pack Lore

Autumn, Year 13

Year 6 of Ákiljöf's Reign

Greyfeather Pack Rendezvous Site

• Zahir is still suffering from a colony of ticks.
  • Ákiljöf and Rohan have only one herb left to find to get rid of the pests.
• Leela, Khoya and Saaya are now level 8!

• Zahir is still suffering with the colony of ticks.
  • Ákiljöf and Rohan were able to find the final herb needed to help Zahir be rid of them.
• Rohan is now level 11!
• Khushi is now level 20!

• Nikhil, Leela, Khoya and Saaya are now level 9!
• Darshan and Reva are now level 20!

• The females from the last two litters are in heat; Khushi fought with Kamakshi for the right to breed. Kamakshi won and asserted dominance; Khushi now has a scar on her right ear.
• A strange make entered the pack's territory but was chased off.
• Khoya was wounded during a hunt. She will not be able to hunt for the rest of the day.
  • Ákiljöf and Rohan set out to find herbs to help her heal.
• Zahir is now level 19!

• Khoya is still suffering from an open wound.
  • Ákiljöf and Rohan were able to find the last herb they needed for a poultice to help her heal.

• Nikhil is now level 10!
• Kaveri is now level 20!

Researcher's Corner

HEALTH & INJURIES

Zahir was still suffering from an infestation of ticks at the beginning of autumn, however after a few weeks he was finally rid of them--the cooler weather may have contributed to his relief. Fortunately the experience didn't appear to do him any lasting harm. Khoya was also wounded on a hunt in deep autumn--I actually saw this event--the poor thing was kicked in the head by a muskox calf. I don't believe she was seriously hurt, miraculously, but she was hunt-shy for nearly two weeks before she began helping her team again.

HUNTING

With their new system of hunting, the youngest litter has seen incredible growth alongside their older siblings. They have, of course, made a marked increase in attempted hunts, but even with some inexperienced members, both teams are doing quite well--their success ratio is far higher than it has been in the past. I can only attribute this to inexperienced stalkers finding game that the rest of the team is finding easy to take down. And, admittedly, I have seen them eating quite a lot of stoat and muskrat . . . Still, with their success ratio above 80%, I cannot wait to see Nikhil and Leela, the team's stalkers, gain more experience and see how they fare next spring!

PACK DYNAMICS

The females from the last two litters went into heat in deep autumn, which normally wouldn't have been a noteworthy event, but with Zahir in the pack it has caused tensions between the younger females and Kamakshi as well as between Ákiljöf and Zahir. Khushi seems to be the prime trouble-maker; she aggressively denies her siblings any opportunity to get close to Zahir but gravitates toward him relentlessly herself. The new male, for his part, seems to know better than to give in to her attentions--he lingers near Ákiljöf as much as possible, remaining submissive and allowing the old Alpha to warn off his daughter when her attentions get a little too intense.

Kamakshi, on the other hand, is far less patient with her daughter's advances. I saw them fighting on a couple occasions (which only brings to mind the fact that the alphas are growing quite old and Khushi is still well in her prime) but each altercation I witnessed ended with Kamakshi asserting dominance. The pack could likely support another litter of pups, especially because Kamakshi is too old to have another litter of her own, but the alpha female has always had a very dominant personality; putting Khushi in her place probably has more to do with maintaining dominance than prioritizing the pack's survival.

* New numbers now indicate the wolf's relation to the original bloodline. The first number indicates which alpha they descend from and the second number indicates which litter they were a part of. So "1.3 (Grárfax)" means that wolf came from the 1st Alpha's 3rd Litter while "2.1 (Ákiljöf)" would mean that wolf came from the 2nd Alpha's 1st Litter. The name in parenthesis indicates their closest bloodline alpha for easier reference.

Winter, Year 13

Year 6 of Ákiljöf's Reign

Greyfeather Pack Rendezvous Site

• Leela, Saaya and Khoya are now level 10!

• All was quiet.

• Rohan is now level 13!
• A strange female entered the pack's territory but did not stay.

• Leela, Saaya and Nikhil are now level 11!

• Khoya is now level 11!

• Kaveri returned home from a hunt today with symptoms of the flu.
  • The pack is familiar with this illness; Ákiljöf and Rohan are preparing to travel to the Artisan's Hollow for cures.
• Darshan also developed a fever today.
• Rohan is now level 14!
• Signý is now level 19!

Researcher's Corner

For the most part, the pack had an uneventful winter; for the most grueling season, that's generally good news. Kaveri and Darshan did unfortunately fall ill at the end of winter with symptoms that appear to be, once again, the flu. Fortunately spring is just around the corner, and even with a larger pack, I think the warm weather and ample prey will provide them with the best possible conditions in which to recover.

The pack's hunting success rate is up significantly from last winter--from 29% to 59%--however a vast majority of their game this season was small critters where last winter the teams were focusing on larger prey. I continue to believe this is due to inexperienced stalkers leading the teams; nothing can be done but to wait for them to gain experience. Although simple mouthfuls, the wolves of Greyfeather are at least remaining well-fed.

* New numbers now indicate the wolf's relation to the original bloodline. The first number indicates which alpha they descend from and the second number indicates which litter they were a part of. So "1.3 (Grárfax)" means that wolf came from the 1st Alpha's 3rd Litter while "2.1 (Ákiljöf)" would mean that wolf came from the 2nd Alpha's 1st Litter. The name in parenthesis indicates their closest bloodline alpha for easier reference.

Spring, Year 13

Year 6 of Ákiljöf's Reign

Greyfeather Pack Rendezvous Site

• Signý passed of old age during the night. Rest in peace. Beta Team is now short a chaser.
• The pack is suffering from influenza:
  • Kaveri recovered on her own.
  • Darshan still has a fever.
  • Leela is now infected.
    • Ákiljöf and Rohan left to travel to the Artisan's Hollow for cures.
• A strange female entered the pack's territory but did not stay.

• The pack is suffering from influenza:
  • Darshan and Leela remain ill.
  • Ákveðni is showing signs of infection.
    • Ákiljöf and Rohan are traveling to the Artisan's Hollow for cures.
• Khushi was wounded on a hunt; she will not be able to hunt for the rest of the day.
• Nikhil, Leela and Saaya are now level 12!

• Sága, Ákveðni, and Alpha Kamakshi passed of old age. Rest in peace.
• Khushi has not recovered from her wound yet.
• The pack is suffering from influenza:
  • Leela and Darshan still have symptoms. Darshan's health is noticeably deteriorating (25/50 HP).
  • Kaveri now shows signs of infection.
    • Ákiljöf and Rohan are traveling to the Artisan's Hollow for cures.
• Khoya is now level 12!

• Khushi recovered from her wound today. She now has a scar on her front leg.
• The pack is suffering from influenza:
  • Kaveri recovered from the flu on her own.
  • Leela and Darshan are still sick.
  • Khoya has contracted the flu from the other pack members.
    • Ákiljöf and Rohan returned from the Artisan's Hollow with more than enough cures for everyone.
      • The cure did not work for Darshan. His symptoms are now recognized as signs of an infection--this condition cannot be healed.
• Khushi is in heat; Ákiljöf has not challenged her right to breed, however Zahir still needs some convincing . . .

I returned from the Hollow feeling confident and in light spirits; with Rohan's help I knew we would have more than enough cures to heal the whole pack if necessary, and upon our arrival we discovered that Myrica is expecting pups. She is getting older like the rest of us and ready to pass on her skills to the next generation. But once home . . . I don't know why I didn't think of it. We are both getting so old. I just took it for granted that she'd be there when I returned home. My love, my rock, Kamakshi, taken without me by her side.

The pups tell me she was not sick, that it was a peaceful passing, but how can I forgive myself for being away? Even my sisters passed while we were gone--the great hole of loneliness and loss feels insurmountable. Kamakshi and Sága both would have told me I had no choice but to go for cures . . . but the only thing I think that could make that statement meaningful is if I could hear them say it next to me. My time is nearly done and I welcome it now. I was not ready to lose my mate and I don't think my heart will ever mend.

• Zahir is now level 20!
• Khushi has won Zahir over! They are now pair bonded and will have a litter of pups in four rollovers.
• Rohan is now level 15!

• Kaveri developed an illness after a hunt today; she has scabs and crusty skin. This illness is unfamiliar to the pack.
• Nikhil was wounded on a hunt today. He will not be able to hunt for the rest of the day.
  • Ákiljöf has gone to the Artisan's Hollow for answers for Kaveri and will look for herbs for Nikhil.

Researcher's Corner

HEALTH & INJURIES

Spring has been an undeniably difficult season for the pack. Khushi was wounded in early spring--a bad gash on her front leg--and missed out on a fair amount of hunting, and there was, of course, the influenza infection which Kaveri caught at the end of winter. It spread, as expected, though slower than it has in the past. The alpha male, Ákiljöf, along with Rohan, disappeared as usual at the first signs. It took the pack until high spring to recover but the male from the alpha's first litter, Darshan did not improve with the rest of the pack.

It is possible that his immune system is compromised somehow and unable to recover from the flu, but as the rest of the pack has not been reinfected and he has been sick and recovered before, I can only conclude he is suffering from a different kind of infection. If his health continues to decline it may be a sign that he will not get better.

The pack also lost the alpha male's sisters, Signý, Sága, Ákveðni, as well as their alpha female Kamakshi early in the season. Although I only observed symptoms of the flu in Ákveðni, it's hard to tell whether they simply grew old or if the virus challenged their bodies more than they could handle.

Nikhil was wounded and Kaveri developed signs of mange at the end of spring. This is something I have not seen among the pack before but it is certainly contagious. After such a hardship with the flu this season I can only hope Kaveri recovers without the mange spreading and that Nikhil heals so we do not have to bear the loss of any more pack members.

PACK DYNAMICS

Khushi's wound early in the season put her strong position in the pack in jeopardy and despite the illness among the pack Kaveri was indeed beginning to compete with her for dominance. When Kamakshi passed while Ákiljöf was away, the pack was left in a bit of a limbo of leadership for a couple weeks. During that time Khushi not only recovered from her wound but also went into heat.

Like her previous season, her attentions were focused solidly on Zahir, although he avoided her surprisingly well. Khushi's aggression also became more severe--particularly toward her sister Reva who has not posed a challenge for quite a long time. When Ákiljöf did return he did not challenge Khushi's advances; it is possible that finding his mate gone left him little drive to protect the alpha's right to breed. In truth he has been noticeably lethargic since returning to the pack after Kamakshi's passing.

I do believe Zahir gave in to Khushi's advances--without the alpha defending that right it's hard to imagine he wound have been able to resist--and so I expect we will see a litter of late pups in summer. This does make me wonder whether Khushi will take over the pack in her father's place. It would certainly go against the past tradition of the pack, but with a breeding male at her side her dominance over her siblings is pretty well secured. In the past the strongest pup of the youngest litter has taken over the pack. That pup currently would be Rohan, who has admittedly been shadowing his father almost constantly since his first birthday, but even with the advantage he has over his litter mates, I don't think he could compete with Khushi. This may be for the best in the end as Rohan is still set to lead a rehabilitation program and the pack may experience less stress at his disappearance with a new leader already in place.

Khushi's pups due Mid Summer, Year 13

Summer, Year 13

Year 6 of Ákiljöf's Reign

Greyfeather Pack Rendezvous Site

• Neither Kaveri nor Nikhil recovered at rollover.
• Darshan's health has significantly declined; current HP: 4/50
• A strange male entered the pack's territory but did not stay.
• Leela and Saaya are now level 13!

• Neither Kaveri nor Nikhil recovered at rollover.
• Darshan is too weak to hunt today.
• Khoya and Nikhil are now level 13!

• Darshan was lost to the infection. Rest in peace.
• Khushi's pups were born today!
• Neither Kaveri nor Nikhil recovered at rollover.
  • Akiljof returned with a cure for both. Nikhil now has a scar across his nose bridge.
• Reva was wounded and will not be able to hunt for the rest of the day.
  • Rohan set out to look for herbs to help her heal.

• Reva recovered from her wounds. She now has a scar on her front leg.
• Nikhil was injured and will not be able to hunt for the rest of the day.
  • Rohan continued looking for herbs, this time for Nikhil.
• Tensions between Rohan and Khushi are increasing. During a fight for dominance Rohan received a scar on his left ear.

• Reva was found being rough with the new puppies. Bedro now has a scar on his cheek; he suffered -5 HP.
  • Khushi forces Reva out of Delta Team, replacing her with Zahir.
  • Recognizing Leela's talents, Khushi also invites her to Delta team in place of Nikhil.
• Nikhil did not recover from his wound.
  • Rohan is seeking the last herb needed to help him heal.
• A dominance battle between Kaveri and Khushi results in Kaveri being left out of the hunts today.
• Tensions between Rohan and Khushi are high. Rohan is fighting harder for dominance but remains unsuccessful.

• Alpha Ákiljöf died of old age. Rest in peace.
• Rohan disappeared; the pack finds the end of his trail among strange smells.
• Khushi has stepped into the role of Alpha with Zahir by her side.
  • Delta Team has been renamed Alpha Team.
• Nikhil has not recovered from his wound. He and Zahir set out to find the last herb needed for a salve.
  • The herb was found in a neighboring territory. Nikhil is feeling much better!
• A dominance battle between Kaveri and Khushi results in Kaveri being left out of the hunts again today.

Researcher's Corner

What an eventful summer! It is difficult to know where to begin! At the start of the season Nikhil was still wounded from a hunt, Kaveri was suffering from mange, and Darshan was growing weaker from an infection he couldn't fight off. Darshan was too weak to hunt by early summer and succumbed to the infection by mid season. It's another sad and untimely loss for the pack. Both hunting teams are short members now and it is taking an obvious toll on them. Fortunately the mange Kaveri was infected with did not spread among the pack and both she and Nikhil were healed by mid summer.

Reva was wounded on a hunt around the same time and the pups I was expecting from Khushi were born as well! It's too soon to know how many there are but they should be weaned and exploring outside the den by autumn. With the pups present and poor Ákiljöf barely functioning since the loss of Kamakshi, Khushi took the dominant position in the pack. I would have probably been safe to name her the alpha of the pack at that point, but the family had not chased Ákiljöf off so I believe they still ultimately bent to him. He simply had not challenged Khushi and so she seemed to be running things. If it weren't for her stepping up, I believe the pack may have divided and disbanded under the lack of leadership, but Kaveri, Rohan and Reva weren't content with Khushi in control so early.

Reva recovered from her injury by high summer but Nikhil was wounded around the same time. Rohan began actively challenging Khushi--the ferocity with which he fought was inspiring considering how outmatched he was by his older sister. The first bout of fighting left him with a scar on his ear. He continued to challenge her at every opportunity right up to the point when he was relocated for our rehabilitation program.

In late summer I witnessed Khushi's sister Reva snooping about the den--it was strange because the pups were still too young for the pack members to have much contact with them. I hope it was only curiosity since I've heard of pack members killing pups before, but intentional or not she seems to have hurt one or more of the pups. I could hear the poor things yelping--Khushi and Zahir of course arrived quickly and Reva immediately vacated the area. With the aggression these two sisters has exhibited toward each other for most of their lives, I am honestly surprised Reva is still in the pack. She has, however, been demoted to the Beta hunting team which does seem to keep her busy and away from the pack rendezvous.

Around the same time, likely because tensions for Khushi were already running so high, there was a clash between she and Kaveri. While Kaveri in the past has competed with Khushi for dominance, she's never really been able to gain or hold it for long. In this case, it appeared to be Khushi who instigated the fight; I believe she is reinforcing her dominance against her most likely competition. Kaveri submitted as a result and she was prevented from joining the hunting team for the remainder of the season--not being able to hunt removes some social opportunities with the pack but also prevents a wolf from maintaining condition. In most cases this is a positive form of rest but in Kaveri's case, Khushi may be trying to force her into a more physically submissive position.

Ákiljöf passed at the end of summer and we were able to relocate Rohan without any undue stress to the rest of the pack. Nikhil also recovered from his wound--poor thing might be accident prone. With his injury and Kaveri being kept out of the hunts the pack was not getting a lot of hunting done. I can only hope autumn will be a little more forgiving all around. Because Khushi is acting as alpha now, I've renamed her hunting team from Delta to Alpha. It is a new chapter for the Greyfeather Pack.

* New numbers now indicate the wolf's relation to the original bloodline. The first number indicates which alpha they descend from and the second number indicates which litter they were a part of. So "1.3 (Grárfax)" means that wolf came from the 1st Alpha's 3rd Litter while "2.1 (Ákiljöf)" would mean that wolf came from the 2nd Alpha's 1st Litter. The name in parenthesis indicates their closest bloodline alpha for easier reference.

Autumn, Year 14

Year 1 of Khushi's Reign

Greyfeather Pack Rendezvous Site

• A strange female entered the pack's territory. Khushi and Zahir allowed her to stay; a new wolf has joined the pack!

• Leela is now level 14; she gained a lot of wisdom and has learned the tricks of the elusive big game in the taiga.
• The pups have weaned and training has begun:
  • Every time Ani found the toy, she was allowed to play with it for a bit. Nikhil is sure that rewarding her technique will be beneficial for her growth. Ani learned to be positive.
  • Leaves? Rocks? Underbrush? Twisted tree stump? Eroded slope? Bedro learned to use any environment and its features to camouflage successfully. Bedro became adaptable.

• Leela found her first large game trail in the taiga!
• During training:
  • Khushi showed Ani how to properly put herbs together to make a medicine, and how much of each. Ani copied Khushi while she explained what each herb is good for when combined with another. Ani became inquisitive.
  • Eva chased her first serious prey today, surprised that rabbits can jump that far and that fast. Adults made it look so easy! Eva learned persistence.
• Saaya is now level 14; she is feeling stronger and more agile.
• Khoya is now level 14; she is feeling more agile and ready to chase down prey.

• Khushi's sisters went into heat today but no one is challenging for rights to breed.
• During training:
  • Ani was a bit disappointed with her voice after the next howling attempt but Leela told her that it will change for the better with time. Ani believed her, but can't that day come sooner? Ani became hopeful.
  • Eva listened carefully to Zahir's lecture about common but really helpful herbs growing in this area. Eva found it fascinating how diseases can be cured so much faster with such knowledge. Eva learned respect.
• Reva returned home with scabs on her ears. This illness is unfamiliar to the pack. Zahir is taking Reva and Ani to the Artisan's Hollow to learn about a cure.
• Nikhil is now level 14; he is feeling smarter and wiser and sure he can find just as many large game trails as his sister.

• Zahir arrived at the Artisan's Hollow with Reva and Ani. They learned the cure for ear mites and healed Reva. While they were there, Myrica took some time to teach the very curious pup.
• During training:
  • Bedro didn't have much luck at first, but soon he started to associate types of nesting materials with types of birds. Each time they appeared sooner than before. Bedro learned to be observant.
  • The lesson today focused on relaying information accurately among pack members. Ani sat with the other wolves at the Hollow as they whispered the same sentence around the circle and tried to keep it the same, but when it came back to Myrica it was hilariously different than when it started. Ani became more reliable.
• A strange male entered the pack's territory but was chased off.

• Zahir, Reva and Ani have set out to return home.
• During training:
  • Zahir didn't even need to describe the hunt's setup when Ani started stalking the carcass and pouncing, finishing the hunt with small nibbles at the throat. Excited, but smart. Ani developed her quick-thinking.
  • Khushi pretended to be a very hungry coyote today and chased Bedro around the den to test all the dodging techniques in action. The dripping saliva coming from her mouth was a great yucky touch. Bedro learned to be calm under pressure.
• A strange male entered the pack's territory but did not stay.

Researcher's Corner

After just a couple weeks of Khushi and Zahir leading the pack, the pair have welcomed another wolf into the fold right at the start of autumn. She is a dark female with strong brown and white overtones; I've named her Anandi. This was a doubly odd event because Khushi's pups were still not weaned and I would have thought letting a stranger near them would never happen, but also the new female was showing signs of being in heat--potential competition for the new alpha who has already been throwing her weight around.

I was concerned about Zahir and young Nikhil causing problems with an unrelated female nearby and in heat but fortunately neither of them seem interested enough to cause any issues. After observing the new member for a couple weeks I developed a theory as to why she was allowed into the pack. You see, Khushi hasn't shown any sign of aggression toward her, nor has Zahir shown any interest in her. In fact, the new alpha male acts oddly familiar with her--my theory is, based on pack interaction and, at a stretch, her coloration, that she may originate from the same pack as Zahir. How exactly she is related I couldn't be sure, but it would certainly explain the alpha's behavior.

The pups having finally weaned and begun exploring outside the den and interacting with the pack, allowing me to get a good look at them. There are two males and two females; as far as I can tell there were only ever four and they all survived the episode with Reva. The largest is a grey male with subtle brown and white tones I've named Bedro. Next largest is one of the females I named Eva; she is black with beautiful brown and white markings. Next is Aveh, another grey male with subtle white markings, and finally the smallest female, also grey, with subtle brown and white markings and the most striking hazel eyes. The larger male does have a scar on his cheek, from his aunt, I presume, but he is healthy along with the rest of them. Khushi spent a good deal of time watching over them when they first weaned; she even refused to go hunting with the rest of her team in order to remain at the rendezvous and keep an eye on them. I love watching the pups grow at this age; it's so much fun to see their personalities develop.

In deep autumn Reva developed symptoms of ear mites--I've seen it before in another pack--and she was constantly attempting to scratch in any way she possibly could. This is actually a serious condition--the afflicted wolves are typically so preoccupied by pain or discomfort they become almost non-functional, and the mites spread between pack members quite easily. The last pack I observed encountering the mites chased the infected members from their group; I doubt the poor thing survived. This time Reva did leave, but the alpha male, Zahir went with her, along with, surprisingly, the female pup with hazel eyes, Ani. Previously I thought the alpha's disappearance when sickness arose in the pack was a kind of self-preservation but I wonder now if they have some instinct geared toward helping them heal.

Winter, Year 14

Year 1 of Khushi's Reign

Greyfeather Pack Rendezvous

• During training this season:
  • Khushi explained the secrets of body language today. S Ani became more aware of even tiny signs and gestures, which will help to build healthy relationships in the future.
  • Eva's skill definitely showed much improvement after the lesson today. C Bedro didn't hear anything and let out a surprised bark when Eva jumped at him after sneaking up behind him.
• Anandi is now level 15; she is feeling more agile, smarter and wiser. Life in the pack seems to be benefiting her a lot!

• During training this season:
  • Bedro was in charge of describing everything he saw today while out exploring with Kaveri, down to the last detail. He struggled more than he expected, not realizing just how hard it was to rely upon his memory.
• Khoya was wounded on a hunt today; she will not be able to hunt for the rest of the day.

• Leela is now level 15; she is feeling smarter and wiser—determined to find more large prey in the taiga.
• Khushi and Zahir decided Ani should apprentice with Myrica at the Artisan's Hollow. Zahir and Ani set out.
• A strange male entered the pack territory but was chased off.

• Khoya was able to recover from her wound. She now has a scar on her side.
• Zahir dropped Ani off at the Hollow and set back toward home.

• Zahir made it home; he will return to the Hollow for Ani on her first birthday.
• Saaya is now level 15; taking down all that large prey has made her stronger and faster.

• Khoya is now level 15; her experience has made her much more agile.

Researcher's Corner

This winter was another quiet one; always a thankful occurrence for a pack that has been through so much. There was one injury, Khoya, one of the Beta team chasers, but she was able to recover quickly as seems to be the norm for these wolves. The pups continue to grow into their personalities--the winter does not seem to have been hard on them at all.

The only real event worth specific note was the disappearance of the alpha male, Zahir, and one of the pups--the smaller female with hazel eyes. Both left pack territory in mid winter but only Zahir made it back. I hope desperately that nothing happened to her but with no sign, it's impossible to say.

Spring, Year 14

Year 1 of Khushi's Reign

Greyfeather Pack Rendezvous

• All was quiet.

• Khushi was infested by a colony of ticks. Zahir will help her look for the herbs that might help.

• Anandi was injured on a hunt for a mule deer.
• Nikhil is now level 15; experience continues to make him wiser.

• Anandi recovered from her wound. She now has a large scar over her left eye.
• Khushi recovered from the ticks after a playful wrestling match in the mud with Zahir. Thank goodness for that spring thunderstorm!
• Anandi is now level 16; her work on the team has increased her speed significantly.
• Leela is now level 16; her successes have made her wiser and stronger.

• All was quiet.

• Nikhil returned from a hunt today with signs of mange. Zahir will do his best to look for herbs to help.
• Saaya was injured on a hunt for a bull elk. She now has a scar on her nose.

Summer, Year 14

Year 1 of Khushi's Reign

Greyfeather Pack Rendezvous

• The infection was not a bad one and Nikhil has recovered from the mange on his own.

• The pups will have their first birthday soon. Zahir left to pick up Ani from the Artisan's Hollow.
• Anandi was injured on a hunt; she now has a scar on her back foot and will not be able to hunt for the rest of the day.
• Khushi was able to locate the last herb needed to help Saaya's injury. Her wound is now healed.

• With the pups grown, Khoya volunteered to step aside as a chaser to allow her nieces and nephews to get some experience on the Beta team. Reva, however, was less obliging and was forced to stay behind by Khushi.
• Aveh, Bedro and Eva are now level 4! Aveh and Eva both worked hard to increase their speed but Bedro remains the fastest between them.
• Saaya is now level 16; tussling against larger game has increased her agility significantly.
• Ani is now level 2; her knowledge of herbalism is increasing!
• Leela is now level 17; she has learned a lot about finding the good game trails!
• Anandi is now level 17; her speed and ability continue to improve.

• Zahir returned from the Artisan's Hollow today with the grown-up Ani in tow. She will now act as the pack's Herbalist!
• After Ani and Zahir returned, Khoya said her loving goodbyes and set out to find adventure of her own.

• With her new pups working as chasers on the Beta team, Khushi's patience for Reva finally reached its end. Reva was chased from the pack.
• Bedro, Aveh and Eva are now level 5. Bedro and Aveh both worked on their speed while Eva improved on her agility and wisdom.
• Kaveri was wounded on a hunt; she will have a scar on her front leg.

• Anandi and Kaveri both recovered from their wounds.
• Ani is now level 4; her knowledge continues to improve!
• Nikhil is now level 16; he is now smarter and wiser.
• Saaya was injured on a hunt again; she will have a scar on her forehead.

Researcher's Corner

First and foremost, the mange infection that Nikhil caught at the end of spring cleared up without incident. The pack has encountered the condition a few times and have been fortunate enough not to see it spread. There were also the typical hunting injuries but nothing that proved fatal. The newblood Anandi injured her leg early in the season and it took her quite a long time to recover completely but she seems to be back to 100% now. Saaya, the finisher on the Beta team took a knock to the head at the end of the season but I have high hopes she will recover in autumn.

The pups, turned yearlings this summer, joined into the Beta hunting team which was, of course, only short one chaser. The adopted brown, Khoya made no fuss over allowing one of the pups to take her position, but that of course still left one pup with no place on the team. It probably comes as no surprise that Khushi stepped in to solve the problem. It's been no secret she dislikes her sister Reva and I imagine it only makes sense she would favor her own children to get the beneficial experience of hunting, so of course she forced Reva off of the team. For better or for worse, the team does not seem to be suffering from the presence of three inexperienced chasers.

In addition! After a brief disappearance of the alpha male in the early season, he returned with the missing pup, Ani! I can't say where she might have been, especially for a whole six months, but it looks like her and she's got those same hazel eyes. The pack and especially the latest litter greeted her warmly. She seems to have no desire to join in the hunting--she does not pine after the teams when they depart, but that hasn't made any difference in her warm welcome. I'm happy to see her back as well--such a pretty little thing.

In other news, Khushi also took more persistent measures against her sister Kaveri who continues to grow stronger. The experienced finisher was again prevented from joining the Alpha team on hunts, this time for most of the season. Despite being competitive while their father was still alive, Kaveri seems content with Khushi as alpha of the pack; I have not seen her challenge either of the alphas. Khushi's actions could be precaution, paranoia, or a simple exercise of her power but I do hope it doesn't have the unintentional effect of driving Kaveri away.

And on that note, we have the departure of Khoya, the little adopted brown that the previous alphas raised with one of their own litters. Her withdrawal after the pups had established themselves on the Beta team appears to have been voluntary as, last I witnessed her with the pack, the other members continued to greet her with affection. I tracked her a fair distance from the pack's typical territory and I believe it is safe to say she is seeking another pack to call home. Her departure unfortunately called down unwanted attention on Reva who, at that point, had not been benefiting the pack as a hunter for several weeks.

Reva, in general, has remained on the outskirts of the pack's social circle for quite a long time; even more-so since her sister Khushi took over as alpha. And Khushi has never missed an opportunity to assert her dominance over Reva or just plain let out some aggression on her. Regardless, Reva has never left the pack. I can't say what exactly kept her around, but she certainly felt it worth fighting for. When Khushi finally came to oust her sister from the pack the battle between them was very fierce--I can honestly say I've never seen Reva fight so hard. Briefly there was a moment when I wondered whether she might actually hold her own. But of course Khushi has the support of the pack behind her--I don't think it ever could have worked out for Reva even if she had won. The poor thing was chased off, clearly against her will. I hope she's able to support herself or find a pack to take her in.

And that concludes the events of what has been a very eventful summer. The pack has undergone a lot of changes under Khushi's leadership and here at the close of her first year as alpha I have perhaps seen the most changes of all. Certainly it is the first time in years, since the first alpha's reign, in fact, that any pack member has left the pack. There is no denying she is a strong leader and most certainly knows what she wants. The competition between her and her sisters during her formative years perhaps made her less family-oriented than previous alphas have been but I hesitate to cast a harsh judgement on her. With the primary source of tension in the pack now gone, and enough pack members and roles to keep a balance, perhaps we will see a softer side to her. Or . . . perhaps she'll continue to throw her weight around until the very end!

I wanted to write a special "thank you" this season to all those individuals that have taken the time to contact me with comments, questions, or even just to let me know you're reading. Your support and positivity means so much to me and genuinely keeps me going when life gets crazy. Thank you, and everyone else, for reading; I truly appreciate you!

Autumn, Year 15

Year 2 of Khushi's Reign

Greyfeather Pack Rendezvous

• Aveh, Bedro and Eva are now level 6. Eva focused on her agility while Bedro focused on his speed but Aveh worked as much on his smarts and wisdom as he did on his speed.
• Ani is now level 5. She is doing her best to focus on learning herbalism but she still enjoys running and playing with her siblings.

• All was quiet.

• All was quiet.

Normally winterfat isn't so hard to find; dad says grandpa Akiljof knew a few good places to find it but I've been trying for weeks now and haven't seen a sign of it. I feel responsible for Saaya--I'm the herbalist now so I should be able to fix her! I can't do anything without the herbs though...

While I was training with Myrica at the Artisan's Hollow we discovered a jay with an odd curiosity for us while we were out gathering and studying. Actually, Myrica thought there must be something special about me that made the bird curious but he's the only bird that has ever tried to get close to me so I'm not so sure Myrica was right. Anyway, we were able to train him to recover herbs (birds can travel fast after all and have a good eye for nesting materials) but I've been afraid to send him out in a region he's unfamiliar with. He's my friend and I don't want anything to happen to him . . .

But Saaya is really having a hard time healing and she's getting weaker trying to keep up with the rest of her team. I need to do everything I can to help her so . . . so I have to send out my jay. I'm sure he'll be fine . . . He'll probably even end up saving the day.

• Ani acquired the last herb needed to heal Saaya. Saaya is feeling much better!

• A strange female entered the pack's territory but was chased off.
• Bedro, Aveh and Eva are now level 8; Bedro continues to work on improving his speed and Aveh is trying to keep up with him. Eva is becoming wiser watching them compete.

• Anandi and Leela are now level 18; Anandi's speed on the Alpha Team has greatly improved and Leela continues to learn about the prey in their territory.

Researcher's Corner

Another quiet season follows a summer of great change. The pack is settled quickly into a new balance with the absence of two members from last season's events at it does not seem to be significantly affecting their hunting success in the growing cold of autumn.

Saaya, the Alpha Team finisher that carried over a head wound from summer finally healed after a long recovery stretching into deep autumn and Khushi is showing signs of going into an early heat. She is just over six and a half now so if she breeds I expect we will see the pups a little early, in late winter, but also it is likely to be her last litter before she is too old to have more.

It is a little sad to think she is already growing old enough to be thinking about her last litter, but of course she came to the role of alpha very late in life. Everything about her leadership has certainly been unconventional for the pack--I would have liked to see how they developed under her rule for just a few more years.

Winter, Year 15

Year 2 of Khushi's Reign

Greyfeather Pack Rendezvous

• Aveh, Bedro and Eva are now level 9; Aveh has found he can best his brother in agility but Bedro continues to improve on his speed and Eva is competing with him this season!
• Ani is now level 7; she continues to learn but herbalism does not come easily for her.
• Nikhil was wounded on a hunt today but he seems to be feeling well enough to continue hunting; he now has a scar on his hind foot.

• Alpha Khushi is now expecting! Puppies will be born at the end of winter.
• Alpha Zahir was wounded on a hunt and will need to rest for the remainder of today. He will have a scar on the bridge of his nose.
• Saaya is now level 17; she continues to grow stronger.
• Alpha Khushi caught fleas during a hunt.
  • Ani recognized the symptoms from her training with Myrica and sets to work finding herbs to help. She warned her family that they could spread, but promised to do her best to help everyone.
• Bedro, Aveh and Eva are now level 10; Bedro worked on both his speed and agility while Aveh focused on his speed and Eva improved her agility beyond both of them!

Thank you, Fenrir!

Mid Winter Ani found the herbs needed to heal Zahir's wound; he is feeling much better. Aveh snuck out of the pack's territory to breed with a female from another pack. He was found out when he returned home and punished by the alphas; Aveh now has a scar on his right ear. Nikhil is now level 17; he continues to grow smarter and wiser. Deep Winter Ani found the herbs needed to heal Khushi's infestation but not before it spread to Saaya. Ani will continue to look for herbs until the bugs are stopped. Khushi has begun the work of moving the pack to new territory in the tundra.

• Ani acquired the herbs needed to cure Saaya of the flea infection. No further sign of those nasty critters!
• The pack has established territory in the tundra.
• Eva got a bad gash on her side during a hunt but she seems to be feeling well enough to keep hunting.

• Khushi's puppies were born today!
• Anandi is now level 19; her speed and agility have improved significantly.
• Leela is now level 19; she has been focusing on her wisdom as well as her speed.
• Ani is now level 8; her studying has increased her wisdom.

Researcher's Corner

Khushi was displaying symptoms of fleas, of all things, in early winter and it was the first time that I noticed her smaller daughter, the hazel eyed Ani that never ended up joining a hunting team, paying unusually close attention to her. On top of increased grooming, Ani checked on her mother at every opportunity and in general gave her far more attention than the other pack members. Later, when the infestation spread to her aunt Saaya, Ani provided the same attention she had been giving her mother. Both pack members were healed of the bugs quickly with no further spread among the pack. In the past I might have theorized the cold had something to do with the slow spread and quick recovery but now I wonder whether the little Ani has a nose for sensing when something is amiss among the pack.

Some of the pack members showed signs of being in heat in early winter and I happened to notice one of the young males from Khushi's last litter, Aveh, getting particularly riled up about it. The males of the pack have typically not responded to their family members being in heat, and while Aveh didn't try to breed with any of his aunts or sisters I did notice him straying beyond the pack territory at any given opportunity. In mid winter, after this had been going on for a few weeks, I witnessed the alphas being particularly rough with him after a long absence. Rough enough, in fact, that he now has a new scar on his ear. I suspect he may have found a female from another pack to mate with. If so, it's a first for Greyfeather Pack history. Of course I've heard of other packs chasing members that ignore the alpha's rights to breed so I suppose he may have gotten off easy. Time will tell whether he tries it again.

By deep winter Khushi was showing signs of carrying pups. Driven perhaps by their looming arrival or her son's acting out, she took the pack north to the furthest reaches of their current territory. It took me a couple days to realize it was a permanent move and a fair time longer to pack up my gear and find another spot suitable for a camp from which to observe them. She established a den in the tundra and the pack's territory has expanded there. They still range south to hunt near their old familiar territory but also seem to be making strides to establish territory for hunting even further to the north.

I can't say why exactly Khushi would have moved the pack to harsher territory with pups decidedly on the way, but as it is only the second move the pack has ever made in its 15 year history there may be some advantage I have not discerned yet. It is certainly easier to keep an eye on the pack in the open terrain but also, I admit, not quite so beautiful as the taiga. This is my home now for the foreseeable future as much as it is theirs.

The pups were born here at the end of winter and with their new den in a more open space I was able to spot at least four pups within--the first advantage to a rendezvous in the tundra! I feel so lucky to have a chance to spy them so soon. Unfortunately, although spring is just around the corner, being born in winter is likely to stunt the pups early growth. The pack has been incredibly lucky thus far with their pups' survival rate but I worry about the increased risk for these pups having been born just a little too early. If they make it through spring it is my hope they will be out of danger so my next report should hold more solid information on this next generation.