[OOC] About the Pack

[Watembezi]

 

[Watembezi]

Long ago, before the earthquake – before the plague, there was a small pack - a beautiful flower-pack with flourishing members. They gave worship to their goddess of flowers and rain to keep their pack fed and growing.

However, their flourishing did not last long. The plague struck their home, striking hard against the entire pack. Very few escaped, fleeing the lands ridden with the horrible disease. The remaining group consisted of only three – a now orphaned pup by the name of Dagaa, a priestess – Ua, and a hunter named Maji.

Ua, being the highest ranking of the three, lead the pack continuously, gathering a small amount of stragglers as they moved on. Ua, being a priestess, looked to the God and Goddess of their old pack, trying to soothe the angry gods for the plague to end.

The pack grew and grew again, but tragedy would befall them once again, years later. The earth shook a mighty blow, killing a majority of the pack. Dagaa and Ua remained, trying to collect themselves as the rest of the small pack fled in horror at the events.

Ua, once again turned to the gods, adding earth to the previous Flower and Water Goddess and God. The Priestess threw herself into prayer as the two of them began to move once again, searching out a safe place while suffering the loss of Maji.

The two travelers eventually came to a small valley, run through by a river. Life flourished this area – in rocks, vegetation, and water. It was the perfect place for their worship of the gods. With new vigor, they set out to build a shrine of smooth rocks by the riverbed.

And they prayed. Word of them spread, some of the Second Rising (as they had named the new pack group) had returned, already knowing of the religion. They set out gather more, for dogs are pack creatures. They wished to make a sanctuary for those who had hurt in the past.



After a large storm that shook the mountains, a landslide came tumbling down into the pack lands. Many members of the pack perished in the landslide, including the previous leaders and most of their children. One, however, survived by grace or fortune. The pack continues to try to re-establish itself. While the pack may be small with a young leader, there is potential for the great pack to arise once again!

 

[Watembezi]

Gardening: he garden contains flowers and herbs cultivated from plants from all over the area. Sometimes Machanga will bring cuttings of new flowers or herbs for the garden and the Tumba will either figure it out or gain new knowledge from elsewhere of how to care for the plants.

Flowers are important to the pack, as it is thought to have warded off deadly plagues in the past and is believed to continue to do so now. It especially is thought to please the Goddess of Flowers. Herbs are used by the Uandugu to help patients heal faster. If the garden starts wilting and dying it is a sign that the pack is dying or that something is amiss.

Succession Rights: The Heir is a child or children of the previous leader. Many times the leader will not take on a formal mate to allow for them to sire or birth the strongest litter and ensure the continuation of strong leadership. Sometimes the leader will pass their role onto more than one of their pups and they are to rule equally.

The Wallia often will bless the cubs before they are born in hopes for a strong, healthy litter that may have a pup that will be fit to lead one day. Heir/esses are still expected to take their journey.

A Heir/ess that is still a pup when a leader happens to pass will be put in charge of the Wallia and are guided until they are old enough to lead the pack on their own. The Wallia would also be in charge should the current leader pass before the Heir/ess is back from their journey.

Raising Pups: Pups are generally a joint effort among the pack, though they will always have a designated guardian - usually their birth parents. Should the parents decide to give up their pups, they will be raised by a new parent or parents and treated no differently. It is up to the new guardian to tell the pup(s) of their birth family.

The birth family will not be shunned for their choices and given help where needed. Adolescent pairs or mothers and first time mothers are given aid if they decide to keep their litter, by ways of an older, more experience member watching over them and giving them advise.

Pups are gems in the pack and are treated very much like so. They are taught from a young age to have strong morals and of the religion of the pack. All pups are taught to swim and plant and learn to hunt for themselves just to keep their skills well-rounded.

Pups are highly protected and the pack would do anything to keep them safe.

Marriage: Life-Mating does not happen often in the pack and love is often shared freely and without bias. Feelings are ever-changing as the seasons and relationships are often extremely open. Those who do find life-mates are considered blessed and are often crowned with flowers and formally blessed by the priests to show their bond to the gods.

Breeding: Flings are absolutely the norm. Rogue flings are encouraged to bring new blood into the pack.

Sexuality & Genders: The Watembezi is an open pack, so all sexualities are free to join and are not looked down on for that reason. Same with a dog identifying as a gender different from their appeared one - all acceptable.

Surrogates: Sometimes two dogs cannot produce children together and still want pups. Surrogates are perfectly acceptable and are seen as solely the parents and not the surrogate’s pups.

Familiar: Familiars are not a huge part of the pack, but are accepted none the less. They are called Fikara, which translates to Reflection (as in a pool of water) and seen as a part of the dog they have bonded to. They become, in essence, one entity in the eyes of the pack and are protected from being killed/hunted due to that. Certain ranks benefit from the Fikara (such as guard-ranks as an extra pair of eyes) and are sometimes advised to acquire one.

 

[Watembezi]

Rain Festival: This festival takes place at the end of the winter months and welcomes the first rain of the year. Rain is seen as cleansing and is thought to wash away anything bad going on with the pack. Any bad thoughts are washed away with the rain, as well as hopefully any illness. This also brings about new bonds and hope in the new season as the rain will aid the flowers.

Flower Festival: When the flowers come into full bloom, everyone celebrates. It is the mark of a successful year. The Tumba are highly lauded for their skills during this time and any pups born during the last flower festival are celebrated. A feast is held and many will get blessed in their mate-hood.

Earth Festival: Between Autumn and Winter, the flowers begin to die, but that does not mean this festival is about death. It is, in fact, about renewed bonds. The Tumba are often busy during this time, using the death of the old plants to make mulch to help welcome new plants in time for the spring. New mothers are blessed during this time, as well as those hoping to birth a new litter.

Marriage Ceremonies: Bonding for two or more dogs is sometimes rare and highly praised. The pack comes together and congratulates the pair or group on finding their lifemate(s). They are crafted flower crowns made out of flowers from the gardens (often by close friends or family of those bonding) and then are blessed formally by the Wallia. A matching trinket is made for each out of polished stone to show their bond physically in hopes of the bond weathering any hardships brought on by the future.

Funeral Ceremonies: When a dog dies, the whole pack feels it. The pack strives to remain close knit so most dogs interact very closely with one another, so if one did not know that dog, then someone they are close to probably did. The pack collectively moves the body to the garden where it is buried and the ground is blessed. Memorial flowers are placed over the place the body rests and returns life to the earth - in this way, the deceased are never really gone as they continue to bring new life into the pack.

Time of Rebirth Ceremonies: This is a less formal ceremony that occurs when Mvua become Kotoko. They are sent off into the world to find themselves and continue to grow. They are usually accompanied by a Machanga (who know more of the world), though they must continue their journey on their own. All pups are given the chance discover themselves this way. When they return, they are washed in the river by close family members to renew bonds and to officially welcome them into adulthood.

Adolescents that join the pack are thought to have gone through the Rebirth already. If they have family, they are cleansed by them, but if not, then the Kikuta will take on the role of their temporary family to welcome them home.

 

[Watembezi]

Currently, the pack is rebuilding. Cooperation towards making the pack whole and thriving once more is accepted, and hindering it in any way may cause some punishment. The offending dog or familiar will be brought before the Wallia for punishment with a higher say by the leader of the pack.

Laws will be added in the future as the pack establishes itself.

 

[Watembezi]

Tangambili: the Tangambili is a larger WD pack that resides to the north of Watembezi. Some of their members are related to those that reside within the pack and would aid in a fight against outside forces. Breeding is allowed between the two packs, though it is advised that one members moves into one of the packs to stay, since it is a long journey between the two. Trade and Communications is open between these two packs.

 

[Watembezi]