A strange male entered the pack's territory but was chased off to protect the pups.
Early Spring
One of the pups was set on mercilessly by warm-weather bugs. The bites inevitably got infected; Levon has died.
Mid Spring
Nikhil is too weak to hunt today. After inspecting him, Ani found signs of a severe infection in a wound on his leg—there is nothing she can do for him.
It's indescribably heartbreaking having spent my childhood studying herbs and ways to heal only to be confronted with a condition I can't do anything about. It makes me feel useless as a herbalist and guilty for my uncle's death. I never wanted to watch any of my family die, I never considered that I'd be the one left standing with them at their last. It feels the opposite of helpful. And now that Nikhil is dying, the family is already looking at me to take his place on Beta team--they claim my knowledge will help in a way no one else can manage. But I don't want to hunt--I want to make Nikhil better.
High Spring
Nikhil succumbed to the infection. Ani has taken his place as stalker on Beta team.
Late Spring
Leela was injured on a hunt and will need to rest for the remainder of the day. She will have a scar on her nose.
During training, Garen was reminded to work on his attention span. While his physical condition was perfect, Garen needed to fight the urge to use every opportunity to play.
End of Spring
Meri was always great at getting lost from her parents' sights to the dismay of the adults. It came quite in handy today during training when Alpha Zahir ordered a round of hide and seek and she won easily.
Researcher's Corner
I'm sorry to report that the pack has indeed lost one of the pups. In early spring a storm brought a lot of extra moisture and with it there were swarms of bugs and mosquitoes. The whole pack was set upon by them but it seems that one of the pups did not survive the assault. It is the first young casualty in the pack's history but truly I don't think there was anything the family could have done to prevent it. They have been very lucky thus far, and the remaining three pups are still doing well. I've named the larger pup Garen--he's a dark gray male with his grandmother's blue eyes and dark markings, the middle female is Lena--she is gray with amber eyes and subtle brown and white markings, and the smallest female is Meri--she is black with amber eyes, brown shading and a noticeable white patch down her back.
The pack also lost Nikhil in mid spring--he was a younger sibling of the alpha and stalker for the pack's Beta hunting team. Judging by his behavior, I suspect it was yet again an infection that simply could not be fought off. It's hard to see injuries take such a final toll on the pack, especially after the loss of a pup as well, but these are the real dangers they face. In Nikhil's absence, the pretty little hazel-eyed wolf from Khushi's first litter took over as the Beta team stalker but it's pretty clear she has missed out on the hunter training of her fellow litter mates and the team is really only just struggling along with her help finding game trails.
In lighter news, the remaining pups continue to grow and have gotten big enough that they now wander freely outside the den. They are at that stage where they interact more with the adults and their personalities begin to develop as they learn about the pack, their family, and all the roles that exist for them to learn. The alphas are clearly taking the primary interest in teaching them and, like their first litter, they are both taking opportunities to stay behind from hunts in order to teach the pups and look after them. Zahir in particular is spending a lot of time with the pups and I can see now how old he is getting. Certainly he is slowing down and I suspect he may be welcoming the opportunity to rest a bit and keep an eye on the pups in his advancing age. Unfortunately I suspect he may not live long enough to see them grown.
Pack Knowledge
Tick Remedy: Garlic, Cedar Bark & Tobacco
Open Wound Salve: St. John's Wort, Winterfat & Yarrow
Apologies for such a lengthy delay on this season's update. I've been sick for a couple weeks and it has been a struggle just to log in every day, much less keep up with all the happenings in the pack! I feel I may not have done this season justice but, as I start to feel better, I simply want to get the lore caught up so I can continue at my usual pace. Please forgive my lateness!
The training lesson today focused on relaying information accurately among pack members. Lena sat with her siblings as they whispered the same sentence around the circle and tried to keep it the same, but when it came back to Alpha Zahir it was hilariously different than when it started.
Early Summer
Ani found the herbs needed to heal Leela's wounds.
A strange wolf entered the pack's territory and was welcomed by the alphas. Kevor has joined the pack!
Saaya was wounded on a hunt and will need to rest for the remainder of the day. She will have a scar on the bridge on her nose.
Eva has grown too weak to hunt.
Mid Summer
Eva was lost to a severe infection.
Ani found the herbs needed to help Saaya recover.
Chasing birds can be a lot of fun, but it took forever today for any to show up during training and Lena ended up being bored. She decided to use a different nesting material for the next lesson.
Two wolves were found wandering in the pack's territory and were welcomed by the alphas. Lokan and Kata have joined the pack.
Leela is showing signs of mange.
I understand now that I can't blame myself. Eva told me not to blame myself. Death . . . is a part of life. I helped Saaya and I help the rest of the pack when I can. I do my best and there is just nothing I could have done for Eva. Nothing I could have done for Nikhil. I want to be better, stronger, but I also know that's beyond me. I have to accept this, love her memory, and release myself from blame. Being stronger now has to mean continuing on. I'll miss her.
High Summer
A strange wolf entered the packs territory but did not stay.
During training, Meri's skill definitely showed much improvement. Garen didn't hear anything and let out a surprised bark when Meri jumped at him after sneaking up behind him.
Bedro was wounded on a hunt and will need to rest for the remainder of the day. He will have a scar on his front leg.
Late Summer
Ani was able to find the herbs needed to heal Bedro's wound.
Garen spent this lesson racing with his littermates. Everyone is different and has their own strengths, and Alpha Zahir made sure that everyone knew that one day they would become the best version of themselves.
End of Summer
Kata is now level 11; her time on a hunting team has made her more agile.
Researcher's Corner
There has been such an influx of new blood into the pack this season it is easy to identify it as a summer of yet more monumental change under Khushi's rule. The pups, of course, continue to grow and learn but they had only been wandering free of the den for a few weeks when the first unrelated wolf of this season was welcomed into the pack's territory.
He is a light gray male with subtle white and dark markings as well as some brown tones and the same pretty hazel eyes that Ani from Khushi's first litter has. I've called him Kevor and he seems to have a calm nature and is a little on the younger side--I would guess close to the age of Khushi's first litter. I was surprised to see a strange male welcomed to the pack with the pups still so young but of course the alphas have had no qualms about throwing their weight around in the past so perhaps they felt the pups would be protected from any threats from the unrelated male or perhaps that he posed little danger being on the younger side.
It certainly turned out to be a helpful addition to the pack as little Ani quickly gave up her position as Beta team stalker to the new male. Kevor took to the position far more smoothly than Ani did, however the team soon experienced further turmoil. Saaya, the team's finisher, was injured and Eva, one of the young chasers, began to show signs of a severe infection. Saaya recovered quickly under the obsessive attention of her niece, Ani, but Eva was lost, leaving the team short a chaser just a couple weeks after gaining a new stalker.
I wonder a little whether the pack's transition to this new region in the tundra has made them more prone to injury or whether the frequency of sever wounds has only been bad luck. Nikhil's loss last season was troubling as he seemed most likely to take over as alpha after his older sister Khushi passed on. He was not the most dominant of his litter mates but his sisters, Leela and Saaya, show no signs themselves of having much in the way of leadership personalities. Perhaps under Khushi's iron rule, the younger family members never felt an opening to develop more competitive traits. Even now I'm not certain which family member is likely to take over for Khushi. Eva's loss was hard as well--she was so young and had such a gentle personality. She may never have achieved a high position in the pack but she was so beautiful and graceful; it saddens me to know she is gone.
Not long after Eva's death in mid summer, two more wolves, a male and a female, were found within the territory. Although they were traveling together I don't believe they were related because they don't seem to share any markings, nor do I think they were a mated pair as they integrated smoothly with the pack. The female I named Kata; she is a shy thing, white with dark markings that remind me very much of the first alpha female, Fjaðrir, and the male I named Lokan. He is a pale gray, almost brown, with subtle dark markings and gorgeous brown shading on his legs, back, and face. Lokan appears a little standoffish although he may warm up to the pack more when he is not so much a stranger.
With three new wolves to place there was a period of transition between the hunting teams. Alpha Zahir began to stay at the rendezvous with the pups at all times--I believe his age had more to do with this than concern over the strangers but certainly his presence gave them an added layer of protection. Bedro, the strongest chaser from Khushi's first litter, took his father's place as a chaser on Alpha team leaving the new bloods, Kata and Lokan, to join the Beta team as chasers. With the new additions plus the pups the pack now stands at an impressive fifteen strong.
Over the course of the summer Leela also showed some signs of mange, but it did not spread among the pack before her symptoms cleared up and Bedro was wounded after only a short time on Alpha team. He, too, recovered, and toward the end of the season the pups had finally grown big enough to begin accompanying the adults on hunts. Although Khushi and Zahir are quickly growing older, I would not be surprised to see the pack form a third hunting team once this current litter is grown.
Pack Knowledge
Tick Remedy: Garlic, Cedar Bark & Tobacco
Open Wound Salve: St. John's Wort, Winterfat & Yarrow
A strange female entered the pack's territory and was welcomed by the alphas; Ruza has joined the pack!
End of Autumn
Alpha Zahir died of old age.
Researcher's Corner
This season was blessedly free of illnesses and injuries--the pups continue to grow and accompany the adults on hunts and the newbloods that joined the pack last season remain mild-mannered and team-oriented. After several weeks with the pack there remains peace all around without any need from Khushi to put anyone in their place. With nearly a quarter of the pack population non-family now I genuinely worried the hierarchy would become unstable but under Khushi's leadership it seems everyone's role is clear and there has been no fuss about it. I hope that remains the case going forward.
There was another addition to the pack in late autumn; a black female with subtle grey and brown markings very much like Meri from the latest litter. Like the other newbloods, she is young. Her presence seems to be as strategic as the rest of the additions on Khushi's part--she has taken the role of finisher on the Beta team, promoting Saaya to finisher on the Alpha team and pushing Kaveri into retirement. It's hard to tell if that old fighter appreciates the rest or not but she certainly didn't fight with Khushi over the changes.
Unfortunately we lost our alpha male, Zahir, at the end of this season. He was such a peaceful old fellow, always supportive of Khushi, and seemed to have lived quite a long time. It is the first time within the pack that a litter of pups has lost a parent before they reach adulthood. It is also a sad reminder that Khushi continues to grow older. Zahir's passing makes me even more uncertain about the pack's future--in the past there has been an obvious pack member which is likely to take over, typically spending a lot of time with the current alphas, learning and establishing dominance among the pack, but currently there is nothing. Khushi's dominance, especially with Zahir by her side, has been undeniably solid, I can say that with certainty. It appears her unwavering leadership may have left a gap in regards to who will succeed her.
Pack Knowledge
Tick Remedy: Garlic, Cedar Bark & Tobacco
Open Wound Salve: St. John's Wort, Winterfat & Yarrow
Anandi returned from a hunt showing symptoms of the flu.
from Bedro
We knew mom was getting old but she just seemed so invincible to us. Even after dad died a few weeks ago she stayed strong for us and made sure that we all kept going to keep our siblings fed and to make sure we stayed strong for winter. I guess I thought she'd never die--or that it would be more obvious when the time was coming--she certainly acted like she had months with us still. Her body just . . . gave out. Long before her mind.
Aunt Kaveri has been keeping things in order but she's old too, and no longer hunts with us. We can't count on her to hold things together for us long. Aunt Anandi is trying to stay positive and be encouraging but we all know she can't lead for us either--she's been feeling like it's time for her to move on since dad died.
Aunt Leela has made it clear she doesn't want to lead and I think Aunt Saaya could lead but she hasn't stepped forward yet. None of us were ready to lose mom . . . I don't think any of us feel like we can fill her paw prints. The transition so far has been awkward for Lokan and the others--I think they feel the absence of mom's leadership as much as we do. It feels as though there is too much empty space now and no way to fill it to keep out the cold.
Early Winter
Aveh is now showing symptoms of the flu--the illness is spreading. Ani continues to work hard to find herbs.
A strange male entered the pack's territory but the pack has not been organized to respond to his presence.
from Ani
Mom is gone, Kaveri is . . . trying, but not doing a great job. Influenza is spreading through the pack and I'm up to my ears in snow and stress trying to get the herbs we need to cure it. Winter is the worst time to have to deal with an illness like this and on top of it we have no one leading us!
Kaveri isn't making sure the pups are eating--I'm not even sure they've been able to eat their fill since mom died. I'd like to think she just doesn't realize, that maybe she's just too old to keep track of us, but it could be she doesn't care--maybe the power has gone to her stupid senile head. Leela is just . . . looking the other way and I can tell Saaya is guilty but she won't do anything about it!
Mid Winter
Kaveri passed of old age.
The pack was fortunate and the flu did not spread further. Ani was able to provide a cure for Anandi and Aveh with the herbs she and Kava found.
A strange female entered the pack's territory but the pack has not been organized to respond to her presence.
from Anandi
With Kaveri gone, I think we are making strides in the right direction to finding a new alpha to take over. I've focused my attention on the newest litter to make sure they are eating enough and able to keep up on hunts but they are all sad about their parents passing and they can feel the uncertainty about the pack's future as much as the rest of us can.
I've had to make it painfully clear that I will not be running this pack; I only ever made a home here because I found my half-brother, Zahir, but now that he is gone I'd like to move on and see what else the world holds in store for me. Stepping up now is for the good of the pups but they'll be yearlings soon and old enough to take care of themselves whether they feel ready to or not.
Deep Winter
A strange male entered the pack's territory but did not stay.
from Lokan
I suppose I can understand that Alpha Khushi left some pretty big paw prints to fill--certainly she made an impression on me and the others when we joined--but it's beyond my comprehension why none of her younger siblings or pups have stepped up to take over the pack. I can't understand what has kept them from scattering by this point--it's been half a season without a real leader. We have scented other wolves moving into the territory and no one has been sent to defend it . . . I mean the pack no disrespect or ill-will, but if they can't get things straight I may very well take Kata, Kevor and that new female Ruza with me to establish our own pack within the region. It was made clear to us when we joined that this pack would be ruled by blood but if they won't defend the territory we may as well claim some of it for ourselves and leave this lot to their fate. We already have a strong team more than capable of making it on our own.
Late Winter
Garen spent a lot of time today squatting as though trying to go to the bathroom. Ani recognized the symptom as constipation from her training and is seeking herbs to help him.
Bedro steps forward to take the role of alpha. Bedro's reign begins.
from Bedro
Aunt Anandi's patience is wearing thin--we all know it's not her place to lead us and that she's ready to move on from the pack. Lokan and the other newbloods are getting restless. There are rumors going around that wolves are starting to encroach on our territory. And on top of it all, Garen got sick. It's nothing serious, fortunately, and Ani has been working hard on something to help him, but I can feel it in my bones now, stronger than ever, that someone has to step up. If Leela or Saaya won't do it, it has to be me. Fortunately both of them say they'll give me their full support, and I know Aunt Anandi will as well, for as long as she remains here. So, this is it . . . I'm stepping up to be Alpha.
End of Winter
Ani collected the herbs needed to help Garen but her diagnosis was wrong. She is working to collect herbs for a different ailment with similar symptoms.
from Alpha Bedro
I haven't been alpha very long, nor do I feel like mom or dad really prepared any of us to lead, but there are things that need to be taken care of and I suppose it is best not to wait. Ani worked up a cure for Garen but it didn't work. That's actually a first for her, but I have to give her credit--it didn't faze her--she just announced there was another ailment with similar symptoms, "Nothing to worry about," and started gathering again. She may not be as strong as the rest of us but she really knows how to put her head down and work. I'm glad we have her to depend on.
We confirmed the presence of a couple wolves that had invaded our territory. Lokan in particular seemed troubled by it so I put a team together with him and my Aunt Leela and Saaya and the four of us went to chase them off. It was a bit of a tussel--generally mom would chase off wolves they would just run, but these two had grown comfortable, I guess. I'm glad Leela and Saaya were there--Lokan fought fiercely, too. I think he really enjoyed fighting on the winning side.
When we got back to the rendezvous I decided to give Lokan control of Beta team. That meant moving my brother, Aveh, off the team but he doesn't seem to be the . . . leadership type anyway. Plus, it seems he's been giving Kata and Ruza more than a little, um, unwanted attention. Alpha team was short a chaser anyhow and it'll be a little easier to keep him from getting on the others' nerves if he's close by.
The pups also had their first birthday. The three of them are very excited to start hunting on their own so I asked Ani to go with them. She's not particularly happy about it, I know she's not fond of hunting, but she seems to understand how important it is to the pups. I've promised to find another stalker to relieve her as soon as possible.
Researcher's Corner
This winter has been one big experience in holding my breath. Khushi passed right at the start of winter--something that I wasn't expecting so soon and neither, apparently was the pack. None of the family members really stepped up to take over until late winter (after almost the entire season passed!) when young Bedro began taking a lead. He's not particularly dominant like his mother was so I worry about how he will handle the non-family members in the pack. So far he's shown signs of having things under control, however, or at least having the pack's respect.
His brother Aveh, who is turning out to be quite the casanova, was pursuing Kata and Ruza relentlessly during their heats despite his attentions clearly being unwanted. Bedro took charge of removing him from Beta team and, I hope, will be able to keep Aveh under control. He also led the team that fought off a couple outliers that had invaded the pack during the transition--I can't say he did a majority of the fighting but those that fought alongside him showed no hesitation. Hopefully he grows into the role.
The pups survived the winter and have grown big enough to hunt on their own. For the time being they seem to be hunting as their own little group along with their older sister Ani so I've reestablished the Delta Team name for them. They are short a finisher, and we've already seen that Ani is not the best stalker, but this may just be a part of the transition as Bedro establishes his leadership and creates a new order for the pack.
Pack Knowledge
Ani's studies have made her familiar with most illnesses that may be contracted. The pack now depends on her knowledge of cures.
Leela was injured on the fifth hunt of the day and will need to rest. She will have a new scar on her hind foot.
The pack begins hunting in the Glacier.
Lena is showing symptoms of mange.
Early Spring
Leela recovered from her injury and got back to hunting today!
Saaya returned from the 6th hunt of the day scratching relentlessly at her ears. She seems to be in extreme discomfort and cannot hunt. Ani believes she has ear mites and will prioritize making an ointment for her to prevent spread among the pack.
Ani is now level 11!
Meri, Lena and Garen are now level 6!
A strange male entered the territory but was chased off.
Mid Spring
Ani found the herbs needed to get rid of Saaya's ear mites and sent her back to hunt with Alpha team. Later, Ani also found the last herb she was missing to make a salve for Lena.
Ruza is now level 9!
Saaya is now level 20!
Meri, Lena, and Garen are now level 7!
Lokan is now level 15!
High Spring
Bedro was injured on the 3rd hunt of the day and will need to rest. He now has a scar on his forehead.
Saaya was injured on the 4th hunt of the day and will need to rest. She now has a large scar on her right eye.
A strange female entered the territory; Kaylee has joined the pack!
Aveh is now level 16!
Late Spring
Ani found the herbs she needed to heal Bedro's wound and get him back to hunting. Saaya recovered on her own and will be putting in more effort to help the pups and new wolf on Delta team.
Garen, Meri and Lena are now level 8!
Kaylee is now level 4!
Alpha Bedro is now level 17!
Lena was injured on a hunt but seems well enough to continue hunting. She now has a scar on her front paw.
Kata and Kevor are now level 14!
Ruza is now level 11!
End of Spring
Kaylee is now level 5!
July 30 - August 4, 2022
Researcher's Corner
Another season passes with young Bedro at the helm of the Greyfeather Pack. It has been a quiet season, as is generally a good thing for the wolves. The pack breached new territory to the north and have been hunting there more extensively. There were a few injuries and a couple brief illnesses, far from unusual, and under Ani's care everyone recovered quickly. Even our new Alpha earned a scar on his forehead after what was most likely a well-aimed kick from prey but he seems to be doing fine.
There is still the occasional wolf encroaching on the pack's territory but after the uncertain transition period before Bedro took over, the pack now seems more organized in dealing with intruders. One such wolf was encountered by the Beta team in high spring while hunting, but rather than chasing her off, she was allowed to tail the hunters back to the rendezvous. At the time, Bedro had just taken the blow to his head and was not hunting with the Alpha team--such a vulnerable state might have made him more aggressive (certainly, I imagine, that would have been his mother's response)--but he seemed tolerant of the new wolf. Perhaps it was because she was quite young, or perhaps because she followed the trusted team of newbloods, or perhaps Bedro doesn't yet have the experience to be cautious. Regardless, the Greyfeathers now have another new member of the pack; Kaylee, a beautiful ashen gray with white markings.
With the new female's arrival, Ani was quick to step down from her position as stalker for the pups, but Saaya, the Alpha team's finisher, was apparently uncomfortable with a new wolf hunting with the young pups without supervision. Although she was also wounded at the time, she took it upon herself to trail the Delta team's hunts until the end of spring before leaving them to their own devices and rejoining the hunts with Alpha team.
For their own part the pups, no--yearlings, have been growing rapidly and seem to function quite efficiently as a team with their new stalker and no finisher. Their success rate is not particularly high, but they are all quite young and their experience is arguably more valuable right now with the rest of the pack available to help keep them fed.
I still worry over the high number of unrelated wolves in the pack. Although many of them joined under Khushi's reign to fill gaps in the hunting teams, the young Bedro is now in charge of keeping them in order. Since Aveh was removed from Beta team, the newbloods seem to be coexisting well with the rest of the pack, and it was perhaps one of the wisest moves Bedro could have made. It left Beta team as a purely newblood team, but they seem content with Lokan leading them, and Lokan continues to show the appropriate amount of respect toward Bedro. But, although he is a good deal larger than any of the pack's unrelated members, the young alpha is young and it does not take much inexperience to lose control of a situation. An alpha female at his side might help secure his position a little but perhaps I'm worrying too much.
Lena seems to be feeling particularly energetic today; how cute!
Kaylee is now level 7!
Early Summer
Saaya was injured on a hunt but seems fine to keep hunting. She now has a scar on her front leg.
Aveh was injured on a hunt and will need to rest for the remainder of the day. He now has a scar on his hind leg.
Aveh is now level 17!
Ruza is now level 12!
Mid Summer
Ani was able to find all the herbs needed to make a salve for Aveh.
Ani is now level 12!
Garen, Meri and Lena are now level 10!
Kaylee is now level 8!
Lokan is now level 16!
Kata is now level 15!
High Summer
Saaya seems to have gotten a burst of energy today!
Bedro is now level 18!
Late Summer
A fox tried to sneak some of the pack's kill! Alpha Bedro chased if off but ended up with a scar on his foot.
Kevor is now level 15!
Kaylee is now level 9!
End of Summer
Lena and Garen play a game of tug-o-war with an elk ear.
Garen, Meri and Lena are now level 11!
August 5 - 10, 2022
Researcher's Corner
This summer saw a few of the typical pack injuries but as usual, nothing has turned serious. I was fortunate enough to witness a brave fox attempting to steal some meat off of a kill late in the season. It's a rare occasion a small creature will so blatantly attempt to get close to the pack, especially alone! The fox was perhaps eagerly preparing for a colder season or had a run of bad luck which made it desperate for food--regardless, Bedro was present at the kill and made numerous attempts to warn the little fox off. It was actually a bit amusing to watch the back and forth--the fox only every retreated far enough to be out of harms way and crept back just as soon as Bedro's eyes were off of it again. The rest of the pack didn't show much interest in helping ward off the creature either--the poor Alpha! I can only imagine how he felt, watching his pack devour a kill while he repeatedly tried to scare off a pest? Both creature's patience wore thin--Bedro became more aggressive as he chased the fox and the fox in turn seemed ready to fight. The whole ordeal ended when the fox braved a bite to Bedro's heel--the resulting backlash from Bedro and his older sisters, Leela and Saaya sent the fox off for good. At least we know he has some support when he really needs it.
In other news, I've noticed Bedro showing signs of attraction toward Kata, the shy newblood chaser on the Beta team. She seems accepting of his increasing nearness to her but so far has showed little sign of returning any affections. Currently she is the largest unrelated female in the pack which might make her a good choice for a mate, however her shy nature may make maintaining dominance difficult for her. Lokan, the newblood leader of Beta team, is coincidentally spending just as much time lingering near Kata. His attentions seem to be directly related to Bedro's increasing presence which leads me to believe the male may intend to challenge any advances the Alpha makes. This may be an interesting mating season...
Anandi was wounded on the day's third hunt and will need to rest for the remainder of the day; she will have a scar on her left eye.
Ruza is now level 13!
A strange wolf entered the pack's territory but was chased off.
Aveh is now level 18!
Kaylee is now level 10!
Mid Autumn
All was quiet.
High Autumn
Ani found the herbs needed to help heal Anandi's wound.
Late Autumn
Garen, Meri and Lena are now level 12!
Alpha Bedro is now level 19!
End of Autumn
A strange wolf entered the territory but was chased off.
Kaylee is now level 11!
Kata is now level 16!
Lokan is now level 17!
August 11 - 16, 2022
Researcher's Corner
As the weather has been cooling, relations in the pack have been heating up. We ended the summer with Bedro showing increased interest in the Beta team chaser, Kata, without much reciprocation, and the Beta team Lead chaser, Lokan, shouldering in on a majority of their quality time. Now, with a few months of development the situation has, of course, changed.
Kata finally began to warm up to Bedro's advances! It's exciting for me to see the relationship between the two developing because it means a stronger leader and the promise of future generations! Kata is perhaps one of the most shy wolves I've ever had the pleasure of researching and it's fascinating to observe her body language with such a submissive personality. There has never been such a meek wolf at the head of the Greyfeather pack and I can't help but wonder if Bedro sees something in her I can't, or if there's something else that draws him to her.
Certainly their growing relationship continues to draw attention from Lokan. The big male has not been directly aggressive toward Bedro, however I've witnessed his body language on several occasions suggesting he is making attempts to protect Kata from the Alpha. Both Kata and Bedro ignore the displays though I can't say whether it's intentional or out of ignorance.
Aveh, Bedro's hounddog of a brother, has also been showing an interest in the growing relationship between Kata and Bedro. Given his history of mating outside the pack when his mother was still alpha, and the unwanted attention he poured on Kata and Ruza back when he was still on Beta team, it's hard to imagine his interest in his brother's new relationship will develop into anything positive. Still, neither Bedro nor Kata appear swayed by the attentions of either male so I can only hope they will continue to grow closer for mating season!
Garen has developed a fever and a cough. Ani believes he has the flu and begins looking for herbs.
Ruza is now level 14!
Lena is now level 13!
Kaylee is now level 12!
End of Winter
Garen seems to be feeling better but Meri is showing symptoms now. Ani continues to look for herbs.
Meri is now level 13!
Aveh is now level 19!
I came across the strangest creature while looking for herbs for Meri today. Some sloth-like beast but completely hairless, and toothless as well. It had strange, unsettling eyes, and spoke to me ... I've never seen anything like it and I still feel wrong for having been in its presence. It seemed peaceful though--intelligent, even. It spotted me searching among the plants and requested my help with a nest it was building. Well, I saw no harm ... at least I didn't want to risk it's anger if I denied it, so I helped it find some materials while I did my own searching. It was grateful for my help, but truly, I hope I never see it, or whatever resulted from the nest it was building, again.
August 17 - 22, 2022
Researcher's Corner
There was a resurgence of flu again this season, but only two members have gotten sick so far and one has already recovered. I can't say for sure whether they've developed an immunity or whether Ani's frequent attention is somehow helping them. Or, perhaps it's both?
The growing relationship between Bedro and Kata caused some infighting this season. As Kata began to show signs of going into heat the interest of all three males became almost overbearing. Kata avoided Lokan and Aveh as best she could, but Bedro, at the start, never confronted either of them to warn them off or even give Kata a reprieve. Where Lokan remained most keen to keep Bedro at a distance from Kata, Aveh was clearly interested in mating. When Bedro and Kata were together the alpha tolerated his brother with little worse than a nip here or there when he came too close but it certainly didn't give me a good impression of Bedro's control over the pack members or his ability to hold his position.
At some point in late winter it was Lokan's patience that snapped. Perhaps it was the increase of hormones in the air or the fact that Bedro and Aveh were ignoring his attempts to keep them away from Kata, but he attacked Bedro. It happened quickly--despite Bedro's slight size advantage, Lokan was expressing far more aggression and seemed intent on taking control of the situation. Caught on the defensive, I doubted Bedro would even attempt to win the fight, but only a few moments after the growling started Aveh was there! Taking advantage of the distraction to breed? Surprisingly, no! Aveh came running to his brother's defense!
Fortunately it didn't take much more than a show of force from the two brothers standing on a united front for Lokan to realize his mistake. Not only did he stand down but for the first time in months he left the brothers alone in Kata's presence. The confrontation having ceased, however, Aveh's attention immediately turned again to Kata.
Perhaps it was having just experienced the potential strength of two standing as one--Kata rebuked Aveh's attentions fiercely, breaking out of her shy shell, at least for that moment, to make sure Aveh knew his attention was unwanted. And, although less aggressive toward his brother than Kata, even Bedro gave his kin a warning growl. Aveh did give in and depart, however I witnessed him trying again to get close to her repeatedly for the rest of the season. He was always met with the same response but he remained such a distraction I'm not certain whether Bedro and Kata were able to breed.
I can say, however, that whether or not they were successful breeding, Kata has certainly moved up to the rank of alpha. It is a strange pack dynamic due to the fact she is still quite shy and unobtrusive except, as we saw in Aveh's case, where she is being personally annoyed, but she has begun hunting with Bedro on the Alpha team which has resulted in a cascade of other changes. Kata's presence on the Alpha team meant an excess of chasers and as the least experienced, Aveh was again uprooted. With his history on the Beta team it's possible he was rejected by them because, although they were short a chaser, Aveh ended up hunting with the younger members on the Delta team and one of the yearlings, Lena, was promoted to Beta team instead.
In other news, Rohan, the lead wolf of our small rehabilitation pack has been thriving in his new environment. We have been able to assist a few different organizations with producing wolf puppies from him, however this season marks the first winter he has mated with the female we placed for him; Siranu! He is nearly six years old now, so it took the two quite a long time to warm up to each other--however we are officially expecting puppies from them in spring if all goes well!
Ani found the herbs needed for a flu cure and with old pack knowledge divided it into two, allowing her to heal both Meri and Saaya who had recently developed symptoms.
Early Spring
Kata was injured on the fourth hunt of the day and will need to rest; she will have a scar on her thigh.
Bedro is now level 20!
Kaylee is now level 13
Leela was injured on the last hunt of the day; she settles in for a night of rest.
Mid Spring
Leela recovered on her own after a good rest and Ani applied the herbs needed to heal Kata's wound.
Alpha Kata is now level 17!
Meri and Lena are now level 14!
Ruza is now level 15!
High Spring
Alpha Bedro and Alpha Kata's puppies are born!
Garen is now level 14!
Aveh has developed signs of mange. Ani begins the search for herbs to clear it up.
Kevor is now level 17!
Lokan is now level 18!
Ani is now level 13!
Late Spring
Ani found the herbs needed to clear up Aveh's mange before it spread among the pack.
End of Spring
Kaylee is now level 14!
Saaya was wounded on a hunt today but she seems well enough to keep going; she now has a scar on her side.
Leela picked up ear mites during a hunt; she is unable to help the team. This is a serious condition; Ani has begun searching for herbs to help.
August 23 - 28, 2022
Researcher's Corner
The resurgence of flu which arrived late in the winter was quickly smothered at the start of spring--those afflicted recovered quickly and it did not spread. There were also a couple of injuries among the pack but everyone has recovered without any visible long term effects; in this regard, it was a typical spring.
What I was not completely expecting this season was the puppies! While there was a clear connection between Bedro and Kata in winter I genuinely believed they'd missed their chance--however here the little things are, born late in high spring. It's wonderful to see the next generation although I admit it comes as such a surprise I almost can't wrap my mind around the fact they are here! From what I can see on my hidden cameras, there are five pups, though making out any further details will of course have to wait until they are exploring outside the den.
I'm interested to see how these pups grow and learn after seeing just how different their parents are from past alphas. There has been no further turmoil among the pack, however, and I believe the pups have the best chance they possibly could being born in spring. We can only wait and see.
A fox discovered the den. Elek survived with a bite wound on his rump but Feri was dragged away and could not be found.
Ani found all the herbs needed to rid Leela of the ear mites! Fortunately they did not spread.
Meri and Garen are now level 15!
Meri returned from a hunt today infested with ticks! Ani is searching for herbs to get rid of them.
A strange wolf entered the pack territory but did not stay.
Aveh is now level 20!
Early Summer
Ani found the herbs needed to get rid of those pesky ticks on Meri; she is feeling much better!
Lena is now level 15!
Ruza is now level 16!
Mid Summer
Alpha Kata is now level 18!
Pup training begins.
Alajos developed patience.
The pups have grown old enough to start learning, and with the hunting teams short on members and Saaya, Leela and myself growing older, we all thought it best to teach a couple of them how to be finishers. Saaya would have been the best candidate to teach them but she's been so tired lately--after hunting she simply sleeps and even for the pups she doesn't seem able to rouse herself.
Well, I always intended to move on, but after Bedro took over I felt needed--or at least that keeping an eye on him was a kindness my half brother would have appreciated. So much time has passed so quickly now. I feel my age, and I think I'll remain here after all. In Saaya's absence I'll do my best to teach the pups what I know and spend my last few seasons guiding them and watching them grow.
High Summer
Kaylee was wounded on the first hunt of the day. She will have a scar on her front leg and will rest for the remainder of the day.
Bela became focused. Alajos developed cleverness.
Ani finds evidence of an infection in Saaya.
After noting that she was too tired to even help teach Bedro and Kata's new pups, I couldn't help but keep my eye on Saaya. She became so weak today--struggling even with everyday tasks, that I insisted she let me check on her. The wound on her side that she got in spring had become infected--the smell was obvious once I got close. Apparently she's known about it for weeks but, knowing there was nothing we could do, she chose not to tell anyone. I'll respect her wishes but I think her condition will soon be obvious to everyone as she grows weaker.
Late Summer
Ani found the herbs needed to help Kaylee get back on her feet.
Meri was injured on a hunt today and will need to rest. She now has a scar on her front leg.
Alajos became focused. Elek learned restraint.
End of Summer
Ani found the herbs needed to help Meri heal.
Saaya seems to be feeling better today--her body has fought off the infection!
Cili became logical. Elek learned focus.
Never in our pack's history has a wolf managed to recover from an infection so severe as Saaya's. It's hard to explain how incredible her energy is today when not everyone knew yet how ill she was but I've made no attempt to hide how excited or happy I am. This means Saaya may yet pull through, and it also means that it is possible to recover from an infection. Through nothing that myself or Saaya did, unfortunately, but it is possible. Just knowing there is a chance of survival, that an infection like this is no longer a death sentence--it will give all of us a reason to keep fighting until our last.
August 29 - September 3, 2022
Researcher's Corner
Possibly the worst thing that could have happened this season, did. Certainly the worst thing I've ever seen happen in my history of reporting on the pack. A fox happened upon the den while the pack was not close and of course it went after the pups. It's not a season where food is particularly scarce but, for a fox, a den of unguarded puppies is undoubtedly an easy meal. I'm certain the fox got at least one pup--I heard the sounds through my equipment and I saw the fox carry a small body out. It had started back into the den, I assume to pull out a second pup, when Kata and Bedro's older sister Saaya arrived to investigate the sounds. As far as I know they did not manage to kill the fox which, upon their approach, took the pup it had already dragged out and ran, but I'm certain they tried. They chased it so far I wasn't able to see the end of the chase but as there was no blood on them when they returned I suspect it managed to slip away.
Despite that heartbreaking event, the rest of the pups continued to grow and by mid summer they'd gotten big enough to leave the den and start interacting with the members of the pack. I believe they are big enough now to ward of all but the worst dangers so I've gone ahead and named them. There are two females, both birch colored; Bela has more white dilution to her coat and amber eyes like her father, while Cili has darker shading in her coat and brown eyes. The other two are males, both with howlite colored fur, but Alajos maintains monochrome coloring and has brown eyes while Elek inherited some of his father's beige undertones as well as his amber eyes.
I hope their parents are ready to raise and teach them--despite these young alphas' success so far I can't help but shake the feeling that they remain dangerously inexperienced. Thus far, however, the pups have received a lot of care and attention from their entire family and so I expect their survival chances are good and that it will not be long before they are contributing to the pack as well.
