The Mountain Runners
The Mountain Runners Pack
Overview
The Mountain Runners are a pack that thrives in the freezing snow and bitter winds of the highest mountain peaks. Life is hard, but most wolves within the pack wouldn't trade it for anything. The wolves born within the pack commonly have thick, coarse fur, tough paws with long claws made for walking over sharp and slippery rocks, and very sensitive noses, able to find their way through even a light blizzard. Wolves that aren't born in the pack often develop these features over time, though there is a visible difference between wolves that are mountain-born and wolves who joined the pack later on. Most wolves in the pack also have incredible stamina, used to long hunts, scouting, and foraging missions that often last days traveling through entire biomes.
The Mountain Runners live in a hollow high in the mountains that seems to be perfectly placed. Near the peak of one of the tallest mountains, at the base of a sheer cliff, a hollow maybe a tree-length deep and two tree-lengths across in every direction is protected from the wind. On the sides opposite the stone, evergreen trees grow around the edges of the hollow in a thin forest, further sheltering the pack's home. Within the den, the ground is made mostly of dirt and stone, with tough, pale grass growing up from the soil. Flame Leaves are sprinkled along the ground, providing warmth and splashes of color. All around the edges of the hollow, caves dot the dirt and stone. Some are natural, carved into the cliff over millions of years, while some are dug into the earth by wolf paws. These caves serve as the nursery, the herbalist's den, a cave to store prey in, an elder's den, and one large cave for all the adult wolves to sleep in. Overall, the hollow is a cozy place, perfect for the pack, though many non-pack wolves perish trying to reach it.
Traditions
Most leaders of the Mountain Runners pack have been generally friendly to outsiders, so it isn't uncommon for loners or wolves from other packs to join them in their mountain home. Though it isn't a rule, it is considered very cruel and distasteful not to help any creature in need, whether that be by bringing a strange wolf into the pack for healing or ending the suffering of a mortally wounded animal.
Inbreeding is also heavily looked down upon, even though many biological families don't stick together any more than other packmates. If an inbred wolf joins the pack from outside, nobody really mentions it, but the parents of wolves who are inbred and born within the pack are often disgraced and harshly judged.
The leader of the pack is allowed to pair wolves together for the purpose of breeding specific traits. The wolves in this type of pair are not required to raise any pups that come from the pairing, and they will instead be raised by pupsitters or adopted parents with no consequences. The wolves in the pair are also allowed to have romantic relations with wolves outside their pair bond, again with no consequences or questions asked.
In general, biological families don't stick together. The Mountain Runners are very open to the concept of "chosen families", and any wolf is allowed to have their pups raised by pupsitters instead of their parents. Most of the time, blood means next to nothing except when it comes to breeding.
Within the hollow that the pack lives in, the main source of heat is a particular plant called a Flame Leaf. With three deep red leaves shaped like tongues, this flower mysteriously gives off more heat the colder it is. The flowers are treated very highly, and it is a common job to care for and re-plant Flame Leaves within the hollow.
When prey is killed, every part of it is used. The meat is split evenly among the pack, the bones are usually used as toys for the pups, and the pelt is taken off as carefully as possible. Wolves, usually adolescents, are given the job of softening the pelt, stretching it and kneading it with great enthusiasm until it becomes softer. The pelt is then used to line dens and nests because of its ability to keep in heat.
Because of the many dangers of the mountains, pups under six months old are not allowed to leave the hollow at all, and mostly stay in the nursery unless they're being trained, which also happens within the hollow. Adolescents are also forbidden from leaving the den, unless given special permission and accompanied by at least one adult wolf. Most adults rarely leave the hollow unless hunting, scouting, or foraging, though they are allowed to. One of the biggest rules in the pack is that if a blizzard is forming, every wolf gets back to the hollow, no matter what they're doing, and stays within the hollow until the blizzard is over.
Even though it's not unusual for wolves to have four to six pups in a litter, a common trait to give the genes the highest chance of passing on in the harsh climate, usually only one or two of the pups are kept in the pack. Because of the amount of pups per litter, the pack simply can't raise them all, so the pups with the best traits are kept well protected by pupsitters. Meanwhile, the pups that the pack isn't keeping are kept fed and amused, so that they have the highest possible chance of surviving without an active pupsitter until they're weaned. After they no longer need their parents, the pups are taken down to Lillemore the bear, where they're adopted into other packs.
The Mountain Runners pack has a strong bond with most ravens and crows. Legend has it that Elm, the first leader of the pack, saved an elderly lunar crow, the leader of it's flock, from drowning in an overflowing river during the spring many years ago, and the birds never forgot the favor. The wolves and the birds have a special relationship now. Crows and ravens often scout the skies and lead hunters and herbalists to easy prey and patches of herbs, and the wolves give the birds leftover meat scraps after the kill. Some of the black birds are especially fond of puppies, and it isn't an uncommon sight to see a crow or raven hopping along the ground close to the nursery, letting pups nip at it's tail feathers in an interspecies game of chase.
Pack Structure
The highest role is the leader. Though most decisions are made as a pack simply because of tradition, the leader has the power to make executive decisions without including anyone else. The leader's mate often has almost as much power, simply because of the respect the pack has for them.
The next highest role is the herbalist. Though much lower in status than the leader, herbalists are seen as wise and intelligent, so if the leader and their mate isn't present, the herbalists are usually the ones to make decisions.
Then come the regular pack wolves. None of the common roles (hunter, scout, pupsitter, pup trainer, etc) is considered higher than the others, and a wolf's merit is judged by them only, not the role they fit. Even if a wolf doesn't have a role for whatever reason, if they help out as much as they can and contribute to the pack, they aren't seen as any lower than anyone else.
The adolescents are usually apprentices for various roles, and spend most of their time either learning or doing small tasks to help the pack, like making the soft pelts, caring for the Flame Leaves, or delivering food to the nursing wolves and the elders.
The pups are technically the lowest ranked members of the pack. They stay in the pack den until their adolescence, often without their parents, who go back to their regular duties as soon as the pups are weaned. Even though they're small, pups train almost as rigorously as apprentices do, and have it drilled into their head what to do during a storm or avalanche.
Footnote Code:
- Almost every wolf with a name has a little paragraph about them in their bio, but wolves with this symbol will have a short story that you can read in addition to that!
-This means the wolf has been chosen to be the pack's next leader or breeding male.
-This means the wolf is in either Hunting Group A, Hunting Group B or Hunting Group C, indicated by the letter next to the symbol.
-This means the wolf has a mutation or is a carrier for a mutation.
-This means the wolf is likely going to be sold or chased.
<> = In a wolf's bio, this indicated which wolf they are paired with. (Ex: Akiba has < Haven > in his bio.)
Most wolves will also have pronouns in their footnotes, indicated by two letters separated by a slash (Ex: S/H - She/Her, T/T - They/Them, H/H - He/Him, H/S - He/She, T/H - They/He)
Overview
The Mountain Runners are a pack that thrives in the freezing snow and bitter winds of the highest mountain peaks. Life is hard, but most wolves within the pack wouldn't trade it for anything. The wolves born within the pack commonly have thick, coarse fur, tough paws with long claws made for walking over sharp and slippery rocks, and very sensitive noses, able to find their way through even a light blizzard. Wolves that aren't born in the pack often develop these features over time, though there is a visible difference between wolves that are mountain-born and wolves who joined the pack later on. Most wolves in the pack also have incredible stamina, used to long hunts, scouting, and foraging missions that often last days traveling through entire biomes.
The Mountain Runners live in a hollow high in the mountains that seems to be perfectly placed. Near the peak of one of the tallest mountains, at the base of a sheer cliff, a hollow maybe a tree-length deep and two tree-lengths across in every direction is protected from the wind. On the sides opposite the stone, evergreen trees grow around the edges of the hollow in a thin forest, further sheltering the pack's home. Within the den, the ground is made mostly of dirt and stone, with tough, pale grass growing up from the soil. Flame Leaves are sprinkled along the ground, providing warmth and splashes of color. All around the edges of the hollow, caves dot the dirt and stone. Some are natural, carved into the cliff over millions of years, while some are dug into the earth by wolf paws. These caves serve as the nursery, the herbalist's den, a cave to store prey in, an elder's den, and one large cave for all the adult wolves to sleep in. Overall, the hollow is a cozy place, perfect for the pack, though many non-pack wolves perish trying to reach it.
Traditions
Most leaders of the Mountain Runners pack have been generally friendly to outsiders, so it isn't uncommon for loners or wolves from other packs to join them in their mountain home. Though it isn't a rule, it is considered very cruel and distasteful not to help any creature in need, whether that be by bringing a strange wolf into the pack for healing or ending the suffering of a mortally wounded animal.
Inbreeding is also heavily looked down upon, even though many biological families don't stick together any more than other packmates. If an inbred wolf joins the pack from outside, nobody really mentions it, but the parents of wolves who are inbred and born within the pack are often disgraced and harshly judged.
The leader of the pack is allowed to pair wolves together for the purpose of breeding specific traits. The wolves in this type of pair are not required to raise any pups that come from the pairing, and they will instead be raised by pupsitters or adopted parents with no consequences. The wolves in the pair are also allowed to have romantic relations with wolves outside their pair bond, again with no consequences or questions asked.
In general, biological families don't stick together. The Mountain Runners are very open to the concept of "chosen families", and any wolf is allowed to have their pups raised by pupsitters instead of their parents. Most of the time, blood means next to nothing except when it comes to breeding.
Within the hollow that the pack lives in, the main source of heat is a particular plant called a Flame Leaf. With three deep red leaves shaped like tongues, this flower mysteriously gives off more heat the colder it is. The flowers are treated very highly, and it is a common job to care for and re-plant Flame Leaves within the hollow.
When prey is killed, every part of it is used. The meat is split evenly among the pack, the bones are usually used as toys for the pups, and the pelt is taken off as carefully as possible. Wolves, usually adolescents, are given the job of softening the pelt, stretching it and kneading it with great enthusiasm until it becomes softer. The pelt is then used to line dens and nests because of its ability to keep in heat.
Because of the many dangers of the mountains, pups under six months old are not allowed to leave the hollow at all, and mostly stay in the nursery unless they're being trained, which also happens within the hollow. Adolescents are also forbidden from leaving the den, unless given special permission and accompanied by at least one adult wolf. Most adults rarely leave the hollow unless hunting, scouting, or foraging, though they are allowed to. One of the biggest rules in the pack is that if a blizzard is forming, every wolf gets back to the hollow, no matter what they're doing, and stays within the hollow until the blizzard is over.
Even though it's not unusual for wolves to have four to six pups in a litter, a common trait to give the genes the highest chance of passing on in the harsh climate, usually only one or two of the pups are kept in the pack. Because of the amount of pups per litter, the pack simply can't raise them all, so the pups with the best traits are kept well protected by pupsitters. Meanwhile, the pups that the pack isn't keeping are kept fed and amused, so that they have the highest possible chance of surviving without an active pupsitter until they're weaned. After they no longer need their parents, the pups are taken down to Lillemore the bear, where they're adopted into other packs.
The Mountain Runners pack has a strong bond with most ravens and crows. Legend has it that Elm, the first leader of the pack, saved an elderly lunar crow, the leader of it's flock, from drowning in an overflowing river during the spring many years ago, and the birds never forgot the favor. The wolves and the birds have a special relationship now. Crows and ravens often scout the skies and lead hunters and herbalists to easy prey and patches of herbs, and the wolves give the birds leftover meat scraps after the kill. Some of the black birds are especially fond of puppies, and it isn't an uncommon sight to see a crow or raven hopping along the ground close to the nursery, letting pups nip at it's tail feathers in an interspecies game of chase.
Pack Structure
The highest role is the leader. Though most decisions are made as a pack simply because of tradition, the leader has the power to make executive decisions without including anyone else. The leader's mate often has almost as much power, simply because of the respect the pack has for them.
The next highest role is the herbalist. Though much lower in status than the leader, herbalists are seen as wise and intelligent, so if the leader and their mate isn't present, the herbalists are usually the ones to make decisions.
Then come the regular pack wolves. None of the common roles (hunter, scout, pupsitter, pup trainer, etc) is considered higher than the others, and a wolf's merit is judged by them only, not the role they fit. Even if a wolf doesn't have a role for whatever reason, if they help out as much as they can and contribute to the pack, they aren't seen as any lower than anyone else.
The adolescents are usually apprentices for various roles, and spend most of their time either learning or doing small tasks to help the pack, like making the soft pelts, caring for the Flame Leaves, or delivering food to the nursing wolves and the elders.
The pups are technically the lowest ranked members of the pack. They stay in the pack den until their adolescence, often without their parents, who go back to their regular duties as soon as the pups are weaned. Even though they're small, pups train almost as rigorously as apprentices do, and have it drilled into their head what to do during a storm or avalanche.
Footnote Code:
- Almost every wolf with a name has a little paragraph about them in their bio, but wolves with this symbol will have a short story that you can read in addition to that!-This means the wolf has been chosen to be the pack's next leader or breeding male.-This means the wolf is in either Hunting Group A, Hunting Group B or Hunting Group C, indicated by the letter next to the symbol.-This means the wolf has a mutation or is a carrier for a mutation.-This means the wolf is likely going to be sold or chased.<> = In a wolf's bio, this indicated which wolf they are paired with. (Ex: Akiba has < Haven > in his bio.)
Most wolves will also have pronouns in their footnotes, indicated by two letters separated by a slash (Ex: S/H - She/Her, T/T - They/Them, H/H - He/Him, H/S - He/She, T/H - They/He)
| Pack Leader Elm | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Featured Wolf
None set.
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