Kaylee was injured on the third hunt of the day and will need to rest. She now has a scar on her nose.
Cili became careful. Elek learned leadership.
Early Autumn
Ani found the herbs needed to get Kaylee back on her feet.
Alajos and Cili became agile. Elek became driven.
Lokan is now level 19!
Mid Autumn
Bela learned precision.
Lena is now level 16!
Alpha Kata was injured on the sixth hunt of the day. She will need to rest and will have a scar on her front leg.
High Autumn
Alpha Kata recovered with the help of herbs from Ani.
Late Autumn
Saaya was injured on a hunt today--she will have a new scar on her hind foot.
Meri and Garen are now level 16!
End of Autumn
Saaya recovered from her injury on her own.
Ruza is now level 17!
September 4 - 9, 2022
Researcher's Corner
This autumn saw nothing worse than a few minor hunting injuries--it has been a peaceful season. The pups continue to grow and have reached the lanky and energetic adolescence that will carry them through the winter. They've begun accompanying the adults on hunts now which allows the pack to range further from the den just in time to seek out more elusive game for winter.
This coming season will mark the end of Bedro's second year as alpha and his first as a parent of pups (although in truth it appears to be his elders that have taken on more of the pup-rearing). The pack has maintained balance under the unlikely pair but I hope to see the two alphas truly come into their own as Bedro's more mature aunts grow older and less capable of helping him maintain peace.
The pups continue to grow steadily and despite the fact that they were born a bit small for what the pack has seen recently they are quickly learning how to hunt. I expect they will provide a lot of aid to the pack come spring when they are full grown--the teams may finally be full again!
The alphas took advantage of the breeding season again this year. It has been rare for alphas of the Greyfeather Pack to breed in consecutive years but it could be that hormones simply got the better of them. Although some pack members are growing older, the roster should remain quite full with last years litter so it should be interesting to see how the pack handles another influx of pups.
And speaking of influx ... Alpha Bedro's brother Aveh bred again this year as well; this time within the pack. I might have predicted that his move to the Delta hunting team would cause problems with the newblood stalker, Kaylee, however I honestly didn't expect the pack to allow him to breed. He was, of course, first rejected by the Beta team finisher, Ruza, who he pestered for a good portion of the season. Kaylee, being one of the smallest and least experienced wolves in the pack, may not have had much opportunity to deny him when he finally set his sights on her. Of course, with Aveh being one of the largest males in the pack, he might have also been quite appealing as a mate, especially with the Alphas not stepping in to stop his advances.
It's unclear to me whether the Alphas were unaware of Aveh's attempts or simply chose to ignore them. Bedro in particular has had a history of being very passive, especially toward his brother. This will mean a lot more pups come spring, and a lot more mouths to feed, which brings me to yet another concern:
Although the pack has yet to be affected by it, I've recorded a noticeable decline in prey species this season. It's not unexpected; the growing population of wolves in the area, not to mention the growing size of the Greyfeather Pack itself, means the prey population was always going to decline naturally. I expect this decline to become a new normal, however, which means the exponential growth of the pack may quickly result in there not being enough food to go around.
Alpha Kata and Bedro's second litter was born today!
Aveh and Kaylee's pups arrived today as well.
Ruza returned from a hunt today scratching miserably. Ani recognized the fleas crawling in her fur and immediately began looking for herbs to get rid of them.
Alajos, Bela, Cili and Elek are now level 3!
Kaylee is now level 17!
Late Spring
Ani was able to find the herbs needed to get rid of those icky fleas!
Alajos, Elek, Cili and Bela are now level 6!
End of Spring
Lena is now level 18!
Alajos was injured chasing down a muskox calf; he will have a scar on his front leg.
Cili and Elek are now level 8!
Alpha Kata returned from a hunt with a colony of ticks.
Bela is now level 7!
Kevor is now level 20!
September 16 - 21, 2022
Researcher's Corner
More pups this season! As expected, both Alpha Kata and Kaylee had a litter, although since Kaylee had to dig a fresh den I don't have the equipment to see how many pups she had. Kata appears to have had four pups although we will have to wait for them to get a bit bigger to learn more.
For the most part the pack seems to be accepting the pups that didn't come from the alphas--at least I haven't seen any attacks or aggression toward them or Kaylee. After the pups were born, however, Lokan, one of the larger newbloods, started hunting with the delta team alongside Aveh and Kaylee. I've observed him being protective of the female pack members in the past and I suspect the move was made in order to ensure future distance between Aveh and Kaylee. The pack has seen other restructuring as well since last years litter graduated into adulthood and officially joined the hunting teams.
Unlike in all past years, the graduating pups did not join their own hunting team but dispersed into the other teams. Saaya, the pack's elder finisher, stepped down from the alpha team and allowed, Elek, along with his sister Cili, to fill out the team alongside Leela.
Garen, a younger sibling of Alpha Bedro, moved up to beta team from the delta team to fill Lokan's empty spot and Alajos from the recent graduates joined him. The last pup from the newest graduates joined delta team as a finisher leaving all the teams completely full and the pack 22 strong--not including however many pups Kaylee had. That's a big pack!
As mentioned last season, the population of prey in the pack's territory remains in a decline. The pack fed well again this spring, however I saw more failed hunts and longer periods of the pack going hungry before they were able to eat their fill. Because spring tends to be a fruitful season I suspect the effects of this change will become more apparent as the year and seasons progress.
I believe this change has also been noticed by the pack--where before there was always enough food to feed the pack in excess, the hardier and more elusive prey has now triggered the start of a traditional pecking order within the pack. Alpha Kata seems to be the primary catalyst for this--warning off other pack members until her pups have had a chance to eat. So far there does not seem to be a pack-wide order, only that the pups eat first, however I have witnessed with increased frequency that Aveh and Kaylee are both forced to wait and feed last. Kata is also the primary enforcer of this and I have little doubt it is an expression of displeasure at their litter--likely seen as competition to her own.
Aveh, though he has size over Kata, has not yet challenged this new order. I'm unsure which side his brother Bedro would enforce if the two did turn to blows, if he chose a side at all. For the time being, at least, there is still enough food to go around and no real reason for conflict.
Ani found the herbs needed to get rid of the colony of ticks on Alpha Kata.
Alajos recovered from his wound and will be back to hunting.
Hunting did not go well today; Saaya and most of Delta team had to scavenge to fill their bellies. Aveh and Kaylee were not able to find food.
Level-ups
Ruza is now level 19!
Garen and Meri are now level 18!
Ani is now level 14!
Cili and Elek are now level 9!
Bela and Alajos are now level 8!
Early Summer
A strange wolf entered the pack's territory but was chased off to protect the pups.
There was enough good to go around today, but Aveh and Kaylee remained hungry from yesterday's shortage.
Level-ups
Cili and Elek are now level 10!
Bela is now level 9!
Mid Summer
Kaylee fought with Aveh to ensure a share of the last remnants of a kill for her pups. She lost the fight and now has a scar on her left ear.
During training Saaya examined Gabriel's technique while he chased a young stoat. The young pup kept getting discouraged, but Saaya told him that failures are a part of the lesson. Gabriel decided that to avoid future disappointment he must do things perfectly the first time. (Gabriel became a perfectionist.)
Level-ups
Kaylee is now level 18!
Bela is more level 10!
Alajos is now level 9!
High Summer
During training, Feren listened carefully to Saaya's lecture about common but really helpful herbs growing in this area. Feren found it fascinating how diseases can be cured so much faster with such knowledge and decided he would learn more about as many things as he could.
Level-ups
Elek and Cili are now level 11!
Alajos is now level 10!
Late Summer
During training, Saaya showed Hanna basic poses and moves for stalking. It seemed easy at first, but she quickly learned that it's completely different from stalking other pups and requires a lot of practice. Hanna began to understand that true skill requires practice. (Hanna developed wisdom.)
Leela was injured hunting a caribou calf. She now has a scar on her front leg. Ani has begun searching for herbs to help her heal.
Level-ups
Lena is now level 19!
Elek is now level 12!
Bela is now level 11!
End of Summer
Ani was able to find the herbs needed to help Leela's wound heal faster.
Kevor developed symptoms of mange.
Level-ups
Meri and Garen are now level 19!
Cili is now level 12!
Alajos is now level 11!
September 22 - 27, 2022
Researcher's Corner
Anandi passed this season--she had not been hunting with the pack, for a while, but had taken part in the raising of Bedro and Kata's first litter. She was the newblood whom I still suspect was a sibling of Bedro's father who joined the pack under Khushi's rule. She was easily the oldest member of the pack but it was still hard to see her go.
The pups weaned in mid summer. It was exciting to finally get a good look at all of them! Kaylee only had two pups--I'm uncertain whether her whole litter only consisted of two or if some were lost, however I don't think the addition of two pups will put too much strain on the resources of the pack. I gave Kaylee's pups 'k' names after their mother; Kamila is a dark grey female with a white patch along her spine and Kameron is a light grey male with some white on his undersides.
The alpha's pups this year, I just have to say, are absolutely gorgeous. A couple of them remind me very much of their grandfather Zahir's beautiful mix of grey, brown and white. There are four of them; three males and a female. One of the males ended up a runt but so far he seems to be doing fine keeping up with the other pups.
The largest male is Gabriel, he is ashen colored with layers of black, brown and cream and amber eyes. Then there is Hanna a quartz female with subtle silver and sterling markings. Next is Feren, a light gray male with a score of brown shading and finally the runt, Jacob, also an ashen male with very comparable markings to Gabriel but with noticeably more white along his back and orange eyes.
I know I always say this is one of my favorite times because I get to watch the pup's personalities develop as I watch them interact with the pack, but hoenstly, it kind of needs saying! Kaylee's pups, Kamila and Kameron, unfortunately seem quite distant from the rest of the pack. I can't be sure whether the pack is closed off to them or if Kaylee is warning them off straying from her side but the distance is unfortunately obvious. It may make them more likely to leave the pack when they are old enough but since they are likely to inherit Kaylee's 'bottom of the totem pole' ranking when they grow older it may be in their best interest anyway to strike out on their own.
Hunting proved more of a challenge this summer. Although the decrease in prey population had not begun to affect the pack in the last couple seasons, there were a few hungry bellies during these warmer weeks. Right at the start of the season, in fact, there was not enough food to go around and I saw Aveh, forced to the bottom of the pecking order by Kata, as well as Kaylee, who was still nursing her pups, go without food entirely. During their next hunt, Aveh ate his fill before allowing Kaylee close, and later, likely driven I imagine by a need to feed her pups, I witnessed Kaylee attack Aveh over the last remnants of a kill. The young she-wolf lost the resulting fight, unfortunately (Aveh is a couple years her senior not to mention a good deal larger than her) leaving her with a new scar on her ear, but there was at least enough meat on that carcass to feed herself and her pups despite losing the fight.
The rest of the season followed suit, for the most part. Some weeks there was plenty to eat but won a couple of occasions there wasnt and it was always Kaylee and her pups that went hungry. Kaylee, I've seen, is being a good mom and following Kata's example in allowing her pups to eat before her, but Aveh has no such notions and always eats his fill before them. I'll admit I'm pretty perturbed with Aveh in all of it--being rather selfish given they are his pups--but the rest of the pack seems to be accepting the pecking order and poor little Kaylee can't do much about it. So far Kaylee and the pups have managed to scavenge off carrion and small unfortunate critters enough to get by but I worry about the coming seasons.
Ani was able to find the herbs needed to clear Kevor of mange before it spread.
Cili returned from a hunt today with signs of fleas. Elek also returned infested with ticks. Ani is prioritizing a cure for Cili to prevent spread.
During training, Hanna observed the unaware birds in silence, stalking them just like an adult wolf would do. So exciting! Hanna developed a value for relating up quickly and developed a mature personality.
Level-ups
Bela is now level 12!
Early Autumn
Ani found all the herbs she needed and was able to get rid of those pesky fleas! She will now search for supplies to help with Elek's ticks.
During training, Alpha Bedro had a feather attached to the end of his tail, and raced through a clearing with Feren close behind. He couldn't quite catch him yet, but he got close enough to feel the feather tickle his nose before Alpha Bedro pulled farther ahead. Feren enjoyed the game and developed a playful personality.
Kaylee managed to hide the toy so well that Kamila had trouble picking up its scent, and it took some time to dig the toy out. Kamila didn't give up easily and worked until the task was complete. Kamila felt her hard work was rewarded and developed determination.
There wasn't enough food to go around today; Kaylee and her pups went hungry.
Level-ups
Elek and Cili are now level 13!
Mid Autumn
Ani found the herbs needed to get rick of the ticks infesting Elek!
Level-ups
Ruza is now level 20!
Alajos is now level 12!
Deep Autumn
Leela passed away from old age.
Lokan returned to the rendezvous showing signs of fleas. Ani is once again looking for herbs to be rid of them.
Level-ups
Kaylee is now level 19!
Late Autumn
Lokan was cured of his flea infestation.
Hunting did not go well today; Meri, Saaya and Aveh were able to scavenge but Kaylee and her pups went hungry.
Level-ups
Elek and Cili are now level 14!
Bela is now level 13!
End of Autumn
Saaya passed of old age.
Garen developed symptoms of mange today. Ani knows just what she needs to clear it up.
Hunting went very poorly today; only the alphas and their pups were able to eat their fill. Ani, the rest of Delta team and Lokan and Meri successfully scavenged.
September 28 - October 3, 2022
Researcher's Corner
The pups continued to grow a learn this season. I've noticed that both Gabriel and Hanna have calm and purposeful personalities while Feren (especially Feren!) and Jacob have a good deal more puppyish energy and are more easily excited. Kaylee's daughter, Kamila, is also growing into a very focused personality and seems to be getting braver about wandering away from her mother; she seems very interested in the rest of the pack! Kameron I can't get a good read on just yet but he spends a good deal of time following his father around which has me a little concerned...
Leela, one of Bedro's elder aunts and Alpha team's stalker, passed away in deep autumn. She had grown quite old and the sturdy old girl kept hunting until the very end. With her passing, Kevor, the newblood stalker from beta team was promoted to alpha team but Kaylee has not, as of the end of the season, been allowed to advance from delta team, leaving beta team without a stalker at all which has had a significantly negative effect on the team's hunting success. In fact it's a little sad to see Kata holding Kaylee back after this development but perhaps her attitude will change once the pups are no longer pups.
I will say, by mid autumn when the pups were big enough to start accompanying the adults on hunts, I have witnessed the pack ranging further along the outskirts of their territory. I suspect they may be looking for a newblood to fill the role of stalker for beta team but so far they haven't found any stragglers. I have seen far fewer lone wolves wandering about as well--very poor timing for the pack, to be sure!
The prey population has affected them far more noticeably this autumn. I would say Kaylee and the pups were hungry for at least half the season and Aveh very nearly as often. There were even a few weeks were several other pack members weren't able to feed off of the pack's kills. The loss of Leela, I believe, has more to do with this than the prey population but certainly one exacerbates the other. The wolves have gotten better at scavenging, however, and most don't seem to be suffering terribly, but it was a particularly lean couple of weeks here at the end of autumn and I expect winter will be a truly hard season this year.
We also lost Saaya recently. She was one of Bedro's elder aunts and a littermate to Leela. With those two matriarchs gone Bedro now stands as the largest male within the pack and certainly among the oldest. I've always suspected that Anandi, Leela and Saaya were part of what kept the pack stable despite Bedro's dominant role but now may be a true test of Bedro's ability to keep the pack under control. Kata, at least, seems to have drawn on some inner dominance after the birth of her pups and seems perfectly capable of communicating what she wants to the other pack members.
Ani was able to find the herbs needed to clear the mange from Garen.
Bela was injured on a hunt today but she doesn't seem to need a rest; she now has a scar on her hind foot.
Early Winter
Hunting did not go well today; most of beta and delta team were left to scavenge.
Level-ups
Alajos is now level 13!
Mid Winter
Hunting did not go well today; one the alpha, their pups, and the alpha hunting team were able to feed. There was little to be scavenged.
Level-ups
Elek and Cili are now level 15!
Deep Winter
Bela seems to have more energy than usual!
Hunting did not go well and only the alphas and their pups were able to eat their fill. The rest of the pack got lucky scavenging, however, and found a dead walrus pup on the ice--everyone has a full belly again!
Late Winter
Hunting went well during the first week of late winter; the pack took down a moose cow and everyone was able to eat well. The second week saw smaller game but enough to feed everyone.
Level-ups
Meri is now level 20!
Bela is now level 14!
End of Winter
The first week of hunting did not go well and the entire pack went hungry except for the alphas' youngest pups. During the second week the pack took down a caribou cow which was enough to keep them going but most members had to scavenge to fill their bellies.
Bela was injured on a hunt for an elk cow; she will have a large scar on her left eye.
Two strange wolves entered the pack territory but did not stay.
Level-ups
Lena is now level 20!
October 4 - 9, 2022
Researcher's Corner
The change in prey population certainly hit the pack this winter but fortunately not as hard as I expected. There were certainly a few weeks where the pack went hungry but it was really only Kaylee and her pups that looked particularly thin at any given time. I believe the shortage still affected them, however, as I did not see the alphas breeding this season. It's possible I may have missed something but I don't believe there will be any pups this spring.
That said, last years pups are getting much bigger and will soon be hunting with the rest of the pack! Kaylee's pups, Kamila and Kameron, are doing surprisingly well even eating at the bottom of the pecking order with their mother. They are keeping up with the hunting teams well and the pack seems to be far more accepting of them now that they are older. In fact, I suspect it is now Aveh who is keeping them and their mother at the bottom of the hierarchy rather than Kata. I still see her warn off her mate's brother from a fresh kill but she has been tolerating Kaylee's presence lately--it is always Aveh that chases her off until he's had a chance to eat. I wonder whether he will do the same to his pups once their old enough and brave enough to cease following their mother's lead.
Ani was able to find the herbs needed to heal Bela's wound.
Early Spring
Hunting in the first week of early spring went well and only Aveh was left to scavenge, however the second week was not as successful and the pack was only able to hunt enough food for the alphas' youngest litter to eat. The rest of the pack was left to scavenge.
Mid Spring
Kamila has developed signs of distemper.
The pack was able to bring down a moose bull in the first week of mid spring allowing most of the pack to feed despite already being hungry--Kaylee allowed her portion to go to her sick daughter and Aveh was left without food. During the second week the pack had two successful hunts, including an elk cow which allowed the whole pack to eat their fill and even left some meat behind for scavengers.
"Kata, I know that she is young, but I recognize these symptoms and they are dangerous. There is no cure for this--if she can't recover on her own it will kill her, and if it spreads among the pack it will be the same for everyone else."
"But it's possible for her to recover?" Kata looked uncertain--the pack had never been faced with something Ani could not cure that could be spread.
Ani hesitated, her ears folding back as she glanced sideways in Kamila's direction. The adolescent, now nearly an adult but still just a little too lanky, was obviously weak and miserable but still trying her hardest to keep up with the pack. "I've heard it's possible . . ." Ani offered unwillingly, "she may have a better chance being young. But if it spreads to our older members . . ." She looked back at her alpha purposefully. "We stand to lose a lot more than one pup." One pup that, truly, shouldn't have been born in the first place.
There was a long silence as Kata avoided Ani's gaze and turned her own attention to Kamila. Her mother Kaylee had been accepting of the punishment for having her litter, though now Kata understood that Aveh had likely given her little choice in the matter. The pups had accepted their place as well, and now that Aveh's true colors were showing, Kata regretted pooling the young mother and her pups into the same punishment as her mate's brother. Kamila tried so hard--it seemed clear she would be a loyal member of the pack--if only she lived long enough.
When Kata finally looked back at the waiting Ani it was with a sigh of resignation. "Keep an eye on her, but let her stay. I want her to have a chance."
"Kata, if more members get sick--" They all knew how quickly sickness could spread once multiple pack members were ill.
"Keep an eye on her." Kata repeated firmly. "If someone else gets sick we'll revisit this conversation."
Level-ups
Cili and Elek are now level 16!
High Spring
The alphas' second litter graduated today!
Level-ups
Kaylee and Garen are now level 20!
Gabriel is now level 2!
Late Spring
Gabriel was wounded on a hunt for a musk ox calf; he will have a scar on his left hind leg.
Kaylee returned home today infested with ticks.
Level-ups
Ani is now level 15!
Alajos is now level 14!
Gabriel is now level 4!
Kamila, Feren, Hanna and Jacob are now level 2!
End of Spring
Ani found the herbs needed to heal Gabriel's wound and is now searching for the remains of what she needs to be rid of the ticks on Kaylee.
Signs of distemper seem to be clearing up for Kamila and it did not spread to the rest of the pack.
Alajos was wounded on a hunt today; he will have a scar on his front leg.
Level-ups
Gabriel is now level 5!
Kamila, Feren, Hanna and Jacob are now level 3!
October 10 - 15, 2022
Researcher's Corner
Mid spring saw signs of distemper in Kaylee's young daughter, Kamila. It is typically a very dangerous condition, and infectious as well, but the pack was lucky to not see it spread. Miraculously Kamila recovered. I suspect she may not have been as lucky if she hadn't had the energy of youth and a strong immune system but my research suggests that, having survived it, she is unlikely to suffer from it again.
Things are looking a little better in regards to hunting; with spring typically the most plentiful season for prey, the pack generally stayed well-fed. They still saw some lean times this season, but so far they've been able to recover through scavenging or a particularly large kill and I believe they have found a balance, if precarious.
Despite only minor struggles for food this season it seemed to be the growing pups that threw the tension between Aveh and the rest of the pack towards it's breaking point. At the start of spring, and with increasing frequency, the pack was allowing Kaylee and her pups to feed with the rest of them while Kata still forced Aveh to wait. Aveh began to respond with hostility to the situation, primarily toward Kaylee and her pups; apparently he was only content to be at the bottom of the pecking order so long as there was another wolf there with him. The pack finally began to respond to his aggression with aggression of their own (something I expected to see last season, if not sooner), often allowing Kaylee and the pups to feed while several others stood their ground against Aveh.
The only member of the pack that could compete with Aveh's size is Bedro but the passive alpha had very little to do with the hostilities. Instead the pack rallied behind Kata and seemed to be using numbers to outdo Aveh's size. Although the pack was largely eating well, Aveh was looking noticeably skinny by mid spring. Once the pups were large enough to begin hunting with the pack adults in high spring, Aveh appeared to have had enough and left the territory of his own accord. Kameron, one of his pups who had made a habit of following him everywhere he could, followed after his father when he left the pack and I have yet to see him return.
The graduating pups also created the expected transition of pack roles as they found their place in the hunting teams. The largest pup of the litter, Gabriel, joined the alpha team as a chaser, pushing his older sister Cili down into beta team. Garen and Meri, two of Alpha Bedro's younger siblings, opted to leave the pack with the influx of young pack members and the aging Lokan seems to have taken on an early retirement. During the transition, Kaylee was allowed to join beta team as a stalker, leaving her daughter, Kamila to take over as stalker for the delta team, and the remaining three alpha pups, Hanna, Feren, and Jacob filled out the rest of delta team as chasers.
I hope all the wolves that left this season are able to find packs or mates of their own. With the size of the pack as it is now, and the new struggle for food, I suspect the Greyfeathers may have reached their peak size. We may see more members departing to join new packs as puppies are born and grow into the pack.
Kaylee was cured of her tick infestation and Ani continues to look for herbs to help Alajos' wounds heal.
A run-in with a particularly brave caribou mother resulted in a scar on Kata's forehead!
Level-ups
Gabriel is now level 7!
Kamila, Feren, Hanna and Jacob are now level 4!
Early Summer
Ani found the herbs needed to heal Alajos' wound.
Jacob suffered from severe heatstroke and was lost.
Level-ups
Gabriel is now level 8!
Kamila, Feren, Hanna and Jacob are now level 5!
Mid Summer
All was quiet.
High Summer
Alajos was injured on a hunt for a seal; he will now have a scar on his hind foot.
Gabriel was wounded on an elk hunt; he will now have a scar on his nose.
A strange wolf entered the pack's territory but did not stay.
Hanna had a dicey confrontation with a herd of caribou and ended up with a scar on her forehead!
Level-ups
Elek and Cili are now level 17!
Bela is now level 15!
Gabriel is now level 9!
Kamila, Feren and Hanna are now level 6!
Late Summer
Ani found the herbs she needed to heal Alajos' wound. She is still on the lookout for herbs for Gabriel.
A cougar tried to steal from the pack's kill but they fought it off! Elek now has a large scar on his left eye and Lena has a large scar on her right eye.
Alpha Kata was infested by ticks!
Level-ups
Alajos is now level 15!
Gabriel is now level 10!
Hanna, Feren and Kamila are now level 7!
End of Summer
Ani was able to find the herbs needed to help Gabriel's wound heal. She is now on the lookout for what she needs to evict those pesky ticks!
Bela got a little too close to a defensive herd of muskox! She now has a scar on her hind leg.
Alajos developed symptoms of the flu.
October 16 - 21, 2022
Researcher's Corner
There were a surprising number of injuries this summer among both the young and more mature members of the pack. Confrontations with prey seem to be growing more dangerous outside of typical hunting injuries. These could be a result of increased hunger or desperation among the pack, pushing them to take further risks. Or it could be hardier prey which is becoming more inclined to fight back or defend their young; it is very possibly some combination of both. Fortunately these injuries have yet to adversely affect the wolves' ability to hunt and thus far serve only as marks of lessons learned.
One such occassion was quite notable as it involved a cougar trying to steal from the pack's kill. I have never seen such a confrontation before and typically expect cougar's to be far more elusive, particularly around such a large pack of wolves. She may have been ill, or desperate--perhaps seeking a meal for cubs hidden away somewhere--but she was certainly willing to fight.
Although the pack's numbers would have allowed them to easily kill her, standoffs between larger predators tend to be more a show of force than true intent to harm--neither party wants to be hurt, after all. The cougar, however, simply would not back down. Despite the snaps and growling she continued to push toward the pack's kill until they were forced to attack with more intent. She, of course, fought back, and both Elek, of the alphas' first litter, and Lena, Alpha Bedro's elder sister, received nasty swipes across their faces. Fortunately, before there were more severe injuries, the cougar seemed to grow tired of having to fight off the pack for just a few mouthfuls of meat and left them be. Interactions with large predators may become more common now that prey seems to be less plentiful.
Beyond this, the pack heirarchy has been far more peaceful this season with Aveh gone. Kaylee and her daughter have settled in well and I've observed a particular kinship between Alpha Kata and Kaylee. When not hunting in their separate teams they spend quite a lot of time together, playing or simply lounging like close sisters. I have also observed with increasing frequency that Kamila, Kaylee's daughter, is allowed to eat with the other alpha pups her age rather than last as her rank previously dictated. Although Kamila is still quite small compared to the others (due largely, I have no doubt, to the hardships she faced as a pup) the change in station among the pack has had a very positive impact on Kaylee's growth--she is very nearly as large as Alpha Kata now and larger still than some of the older members of the pack. As these wolves have the potential to continue growing throughout their lifetime, Kaylee surpasing older members of the pack is genuinely quite impressive--perhaps the alpha female sees the value in her potential, or perhaps she has genuinely found a friend.
On a final note for the season, we lost a member of the pack. Young Jacob, the beautiful runt from the alphas' latest litter, died of heatstroke in early summer. I mourn his loss and wish it wasn't the way of things for the pack but I can only accept that it is and hope for good health for the rest of the pack.
The flu spread to Cili, but thanks to Ani's knowledge of the cure she was able to make a remedy for both her and Alajos. She will now continue looking for herbs for Kata.
Early Autumn
With no further distractions, Ani was finally able to complete the remedy needed to chase off those pesky fleas. Kata is feeling much better!
Level-ups
Elek is now level 18!
Gabriel is now level 11!
Mid Autumn
Hanna was injured on a hunt today but she doesn't seem to need a rest; she now has a scar on her hind foot.
Level-ups
Cili is now level 18!
Alajos is now level 16!
Gabriel is now level 12!
Kamila, Feren and Hanna are now level 8!
Deep Autumn
Hanna seems to have a burst of energy today!
Lena is displaying symptoms of mange.
Late Autumn
Ani found the herbs needed to clear the mange from Lena, however it spread to Kevor. Ani will continue to look for herbs for a second remedy.
End of Autumn
Ani found the herbs needed to clear the mange from Kevor but the infection spread to Cili. Ani continues her searching.
Bedro picked up ear mites on a hunt and is absolutely miserable. Ani is now focusing on a remedy for him to prevent spread and get him back to hunting.
Level-ups
Gabriel is now level 13!
Kamila, Feren, and Hanna are now level 9!
October 22 - 27, 2022
Researcher's Corner
The growing relationship between Alpha Kata and Kaylee resulted in some role shifting this season. Kaylee took over as stalker on the alpha hunting team, moving the steady newblood Kevor down to beta team. Although there is always a transition period when changes like this are made I suspect that the shift will be beneficial for the pack.
There has also been another resurgence of mange. Lena developed symptoms first in deep autumn and I'll admit I had little concern over it at first as different members of the pack have picked it up and recovered quickly over the years. However, although Lena did recover quickly, it spread as it has always seemed to fail to do in the past. It passed to Kevor, who also recovered quickly but not before passing it to Cili just prior to the beginning of winter. Alpha Bedro is also showing signs of ear mites which in the past have prevented wolves from hunting at all and is also contagious. It's certainly a difficult start to winter but the little non-hunter Ani seems to be more active than usual. I can't say how it is she is helping the pack recover but I do believe she has something to do with how quickly sick members are able to get back on their feet. I hope the winter is not too hard on the pack.
Ani found the herbs needed to get rid of Bedro's ear mites, however they had already spread to Gabriel.
Kamila is now displaying symptoms of mange in addition to Cili; it appears to be spreading. Ani is working overtime to find herbs to help everyone.
Hanna was injured on a hunt today but seems okay to keep hunting; she now has a scar on her front leg.
Level-ups
Elek is now level 19!
Alajos is now level 17!
Early Winter
Ani worked extra hard and was able to make a cure for Gabriel and Cili, however the ear mites spread to Lena, and Feren is showing signs of a tick infestation. Ani will continue to work hard today to make cures.
Level-ups
Cili is now level 19!
Mid Winter
Ani was able to make cures for both Lena's ear mites and the mange on Kamila; unfortunately the ear mites have spread to Bela. Ani continues looking for herbs.
Cili was injured on a hunt and will need to rest; she now has a scar on her lower nose bridge.
Level-ups
Bela is now level 16!
Gabriel is now level 14!
Kamila, Feren and Hanna are now level 10!
Deep Winter
Bela was able to recover from the ear mites, however not before they spread to Kevor. Ani was able to use the cure she'd prepared for Bela on Kevor instead. She was also able to make a cure to get rid of the ticks on Feren. It has been a busy season! She will continue looking for herbs to help Cili's wound heal.
Late Winter
The pack settles into a den site further south in the taiga.
Ani acquired the herbs needed to heal Cili's wound.
Lena was injured on a hunt for an elk bull and will need to rest; she will now have a scar across her face.
End of Winter
Alpha Kata dens and stops hunting with the alpha team.
Lena was able to recover from her wounds on her own today and joins alpha team to fill Kata's place.
Kevor appears to be having some . . . bathroom issues. Ani is seeking herbs to help.
Level-ups
Elek is now level 20!
Alajos is now level 18!
Gabriel is now level 15!
October 28 - November 2, 2022
Researcher's Corner
Illness continued to plague the pack this season with ear mites and mange being passed around the entire winter along with a couple injuries and other ailments. Fortunately it did not negatively affect the alpha's breeding season. Although they managed to be quite private about it, it became obvious toward the end of the season that Kata was carrying pups.
I can't say whether it was due to the hardships of this winter, or the strain for food over the past year, but the pack has moved to their old southern denning site in the taiga. They began moving south in deep winter and by the end of winter Kata was settled into the den and had stopped hunting with the alpha team. Lena, Alpha Bedro's younger sibling, joined alpha team as a chaser, leaving beta team short a member along with delta team.
Hunting improved dramatically for them in these last few weeks of winter; they are perhaps more equipped to hunt prey in the regions further south. Undoubtedly Lena's experience on alpha team helped as well--they all appear fat and happy at the close of winter.
