As most great stories do, ours begin with a blossoming love. A young male by the name of Cypress wandered upon a territory dominated by an overbearing lone female. The land was pretty barren and hard to manage with a large pack due to the scarcity of prey. But for one wolf, the land provided. Cypress watched as many suitors came and went, all drawn to the intoxicating scent of the beautiful female. But she was wise beyond her years and knew how to hold her own in a fight. Each of the males were run off, all except for Cypress. He kept his distance, showing respect, and then in the early spring, he found the beautiful white female. A fight ensued, but he fought with respect and the battle drew to a stalemate. Impressed, the female allowed the male to stay on the territory and slowly, they began to get to know one another, growing closer and closer. Her name was Faline, and Cypress thought it a beautiful and fitting name. The two learned to love one another and their love filled their souls. It was as if each wolf had found their other half, a piece they had been missing. Finally, the two became mates and raised a little family to one day become their pack and help them claim the territory beyond its current boundaries. Their love was like a blinding star to each of their little ones, only in a way that they couldn't see. They loved their pups dearly, each having their own unique talents and abilities.
But early on, it was obvious that something was wrong. The pups fought, and not in play fights. Both mother and father had to break up bloody quarrels and all four of their pups had to be kept separate at nearly all times. Faline and Cypress were at their wits end trying to keep up with their pups. As they grew older, it became harder and harder to keep the battles at bay, even with both parents showing a dominant nature over their children. Finally, when all the pups turned two, they went their separate ways. Phantom went to the North, near the mountains. Cecil ran to the woods of the West. Meryll found her way to the East where the rolling hillsides were located. And Darmont took up residence of the south where the forests surrounded farmland. Faline and Cypress felt their hearts break each time one of their children took off until finally it was just them once more. Faline became distraught and with each passing day, Cypress watched her spirit break over the loss. Finally, he suggested that they move, find a new land to start over again. Something about the land didn't sit right with him anymore and after all the anger and heartache, it was cursed. Love could not survive here.
So without a word to their children, Cypress and Faline left, hopefully for a brighter future. It wasn't until their children came looking for them that they discovered the disappearance of their parents. Had they died? Had they been killed? Did one of the other siblings take them out with the others knowing? All of these questions drove an even deeper wedge between the group, one that ran the hatred through their blood. Each found mates of their own in the different areas they had come to call their new home and raised strong packs that thrived under their control. Now, in present time, the pack has grown by seven generations, the original leaders having died almost twenty years ago. The packs were strong, all brought up in a different way that worked to fit their needs. Yet even their wits couldn't prepare them for the great sickness that swept the land. It started with the smaller creatures, rabbits and squirrels all becoming ill. Their bodies could be found littering the grounds. At first it seemed an easy meal to the packs, almost as if someone were just handing over feasts. But these animals made the packs sick, and worse, the sickness could be passed from wolf to wolf. The packs forbid any of their members from touching small creatures, instead, sending our larger and larger hunting parties to bring down bigger prey. Little did they know, the great sickness had spread to the deer and elk of the land as well.
There was nothing the packs could do as they watched their members die around them. Some of them lost high ranks, some lost the majority of their pack members. Nearly all the puppies died, and all the packs could do was mourn. Finally, when their numbers began to dwindle almost to the brink of losing hope, the four highest ranked from each pack met in the center of their territories to speak. They argued and battled for days trying to come up with a solution, although it was clear what would have to be done. The four packs from the North, South, East, and West would form a new pack. They would join forces by putting aside their differences, or at least trying to. Yet now, a week into this new decision, the new pack has to pick new leaders, new high ranks, and figure out how to move forward from here. Most are already regretting this decision, especially when fights break out against the different packs. But what can be done? Can the two packs learn to live together in harmony or will they fall curse to the land?
300
200
400
