Saulk & Velvet

Heavy, confident steps carried Saulk to the familiar platform that lay at the front of the cavernous main hall of the Temple. Behind him ghosted the softer footfalls of Velvet, with movements so fluid and graceful that one could be forgiven for believing the lioness to be in her younger years. If not for the kiss of white that graced her muzzle, it would be hard to tell the African lion was several months past her seventeenth birthday. She certainly didn't show it. As she took a seat to the left of Saulk, settling dark, tawny haunches against the cold stone of the temple floor, Velvet struck a pose of regal grace and power.

Just coming into his prime at three years of age, and looking every bit the role, Velvet's lupine counterpart put his baritone voice to work with a piercing howl. "Haunters!" The call echoed through the human-carved corridors of their home, and reverberated out beyond the trees and pillars of the Ruins. The message was clear - the pack was to assemble.

Tyrant

He was still struggling with what happened to his mother. He joined saulk on the platform but he he was silent for the moment. His mind wanting to go after ethan.

Kazmei & Others

Kazmei made her way into the shelter, trotting at an easy lope beside Tophee. The brown wolf had become friends with the easy-going ligress - after getting over the initial shock of living with a small assortment of big felines. Making her way in front of the platform, the wolfess took a seat and waited for whatever speech or news Saulk had in mind.

The dark-eyed feline took up space next to the wolf before settling down herself, choosing to rest on her belly, with her front paws folded neatly over one another. "I wonder what this is about." Tophee murmured as she let her gaze drifted from Tyrant to Saulk, and then to the pack's Oracle that was perched behind them. "I wonder if it has anything to do with Lady Senka's death?"

Zaphren wasn't far behind Kazmei and his sister. The beige and white coated liger, a distinct contrast to his sister's darker hues, chose to sit further back from the pair as he waited for his Coalition brethren. Sure, he wasn't a Coalition member yet, but the nearly 800-pound cat had no uncertainties about his future placement in the Shadow Haunters. More concerned with where Leo and Starbane were, Zaph paid more attention to the entrance than he did the trio up at the platform.

Saulk & Velvet

A short time after Tyrant's entrance, Zanarah followed suit and settled in on Tophee's other side. Starbane marked an exceptionally timely arrival himself, and wasted no time sprinting for Zaphren. He gave the yearling a friendly head bump before plopping down against him, forcing Zaph to brace himself lest he be knocked over. "Another meeting - I bet they're going to finally promote you, Zaph." He said with a grin.

Taking a little longer, if only because she had so many young ones to tend to, Blackmist scuttled into the Temple next. "Quiet now, and pay attention. Phiron!" The aging wolf yipped, catching the attention of her wayward daughter. "Are you listening?"

The beige-gray youngster paused the whispered conversation she was having with Enumbria to look back at Blackmist. "Yes Mother." She gave an appeasing wave of her tail, and whether she'd truly been paying attention or not, the gentle nature of her daughter disarmed any reprimand Black was getting ready to use. She waited for her two daughters to catch up to her, then looked for her third little one, the feisty runt that Quilikahm had shown so much interest in. "Reveni-"

No sooner had she spoken the pup's name than she saw the ebony wolf already seated in the front row, directly in front of the platform. "The rest of you, come along." A softer woof was issued for Trelstar and his sisters - pups that she was also mothering, but hadn't given birth to.

Cedarwood, Dally, and Fallen Ember all made their way in, each finding a perch to nestle on. Leomar eventually plodded in, joining Zaphren and Starbane, while Quili trotted in last and hung in the back.

After giving time for the rest to file in, Saulk spoke out, "Thank you for gathering." He started, taking a moment to look over all the facing peering back at him, "As you all are aware, we have a particular human problem that has been a bane to our pack for quite some time. We haven't had the strength or numbers to go against him, but that will soon change. After years of stagnation, Imre herself has blessed the Haunters with fresh blood, and today will begin their training." His bi-colored gaze flicked to the six pups, and then to the pair of yearling cats. "Velvet and myself have come up with a training exam for them, but we will need help. I need at least one volunteer to go with us and ensure the young are safe during their training. I'm also open to hearing any ideas on what might best prepare them for our upcoming assault on the human."

Kazmei & Others

"I wonder." Kazmei had answered back to Tophee, "I know Tyrant's been hit hard by it." She turned her head back to look past her shoulder, hearing the scrabbling of little paws and claws as the Haunter children entered the Temple. One of the pups, a black-coated canine, boldly broke from the group and found a seat up front. Kazmei chuckled to herself, recognizing the kind of bold confidence the little one had, even if she was the smallest of all the pups.

Tophee's eyes had followed the little ones too, and that brought her thoughts to another pressing topic, "He's got siblings out there too, if the human hasn't already killed them." She looked away from Reveni and towards Tyrant, "I-" But then Saulk began to speak, and the liger went obediently quiet.

Zaphren had given Starbane a return bump, and didn't bother scooching away from the big cat as he was all but laid on. "You really think so? Yeah, you're right - that has to be it-"

"Shush, Zaph." Tophee shot her brother a pointed, ear-flattened look, and boldly darted her gaze to Starbane too, for good measure.

Trelstar, Moonfall, and Kandire all fell in line around Blackmist.

Tyrant

Tyrant spent most of his time alone or sleeping next to his chosen mate. His mind always on his mother and the unknown cubs that he was determined to find and raise in his mothers name. He let the co lead talk as he just didnt' have it in him right now to do much else. He just wanted to go in but they didn't have the force any more. His mother had the been the driving force for offensive moves. Yet also she could be very diplomatic when needed.

Saulk & Velvet

"I can help." Zanarah offered, "An extra pair of eyes couldn't hurt when it comes to training the young ones."

"Good, you can come with me then." Saulk nodded, glad to have the liger's support. She was a calm and rational creature, with the kind of patience needed to handle six excitable youngsters. His blue and yellow gaze then skimmed over the faces before him, before landing on Cedarwood, "I'd like you to come along as well, to help keep track of everyone, and scout for danger."

The eagle bobbed his chocolatey dial, "Of course."

Zaphren and Tophee fell under the canine's gaze next, "You two are going with Velvet this evening. As yearlings, you're training will be different than the pups."

"If the training is successful-" This was Velvet, projecting her voice from where she sat next to Tyrant. She was watching the two cats with a critical eye, and knew as well as everyone else what position Zaphren was gunning for, "-your roles within the Shadow Haunters will be decided." She figured a little incentive would help boost his performance today. "Starbane and Leomar, you'll be coming with me. Fallen Ember will be our eyes."

"Hopefully this training will involve some sort of action." Leomar murmured, to which Starbane agreed with a hearty snort, "Hunting maybe? That'd be a good way to show off some skills." The pale liger nudged Zaph, "Been practicing the throat hold like I showed you?"

Saulk enduring the quiet babbling between the cats, and waited a few moments before speaking again. "Unless anyone has any further ideas to add, we'll be heading out." The grizzled wolf turned to Tyrant, "You're welcome to join either group, if you want. It might also be helpful to scout around the human's den, with Dally's help."

Kazmei & Others

When Saulk looked to Zaphren and his sister, the liger straightened up, ears perked and whiskers tense as he awaited his sure promotion into the Coalition. Half-distractedly, he darted a look to Starbane and whispered back, "Yeah! Gotten pretty good at it." Then it was right back to what the grizzled wolf was explaining, and once Saulk had finished, all that enthusiasm Zaphren had started with began to wither. He wasn't getting promoted. At least not right here and now. Velvet's follow-up did help a little, but a moody slap of his frosted white tail pretty well summed up his disappointment.

Tophee was a little more composed than her brother. She still wasn't sure what role she would best fill in the Haunters, but hoped that today's outing would give her some guidance."Come on Zaph, lets get with Oracle Velvet and see what the mission is. Chin up now-" Seeing her sibling a little crestfallen, she paused long enough to offer him a brief nuzzle of encouragement, "-show Velvet what you're made of, and you're golden." With that done, she moved to join up with Velvet.

Tyrant

Tyrant didnt know exactly how much longer he could wait to kill this human and hopefully free his mothers cubs. *I will go scout*