# Expressions & Idioms
*"A people reveal their history not only through the stories they tell, but through the words they speak without thinking."*
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Knowledge Classification
Knowledge Level:
Public Knowledge
Importance:
Major
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Related Pages:
@Society
@The Creation Myth
@Luna
@Solaris
@The Old Ways
@Ancient Rituals
Related Actions (if applicable):
/Speak
/Comfort
/Curse
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Overview
Modern wolf society possesses hundreds of unique sayings, blessings, curses, and idioms that have developed over thousands of years.
Many reference the Moon, the Sun, wolves, stars, changing seasons, or fragments of forgotten traditions whose original meanings have long been lost.
Most wolves use these expressions without realizing they preserve echoes of the Old Ways.
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History
Many common sayings predate written history.
Although the Apex Court successfully erased much of ancient wolf civilization, everyday language proved remarkably difficult to control.
Parents continued teaching children familiar expressions.
Friends repeated old sayings.
Grandparents whispered blessings before bed.
Over centuries the original meanings faded, but the words remained.
Modern wolves unknowingly speak fragments of history every day.
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Detailed Information
### Everyday Surprise
• "By the Moon!"
• "Moon above..."
• "Stars preserve us."
• "Sun and Moon..."
• "Well, that's a new moon."
(Equivalent to "Well... that's something.")
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### Mild Frustration
• "Moon's tail!"
• "Sun scorch it."
• "Dark moon..."
• "Silver stars..."
• "Waxing wolves..."
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### Serious Anger
• "May the Moon turn her face from you."
(A grave insult.)
• "May you walk without the stars."
• "The Sun sees your shame."
• "You've forgotten the Moon."
(Accusing someone of abandoning compassion.)
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### Relief
• "Thank the Moon."
• "The stars were watching."
• "Sun be praised."
• "Light returned."
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### Good Luck
• "Moon guide your feet."
• "May the stars know your name."
• "Walk beneath gentle skies."
• "May dawn find you smiling."
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### Farewell
• "Until the next moon."
• "Walk in moonlight."
• "Safe beneath the stars."
• "May the Sun greet your morning."
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### Comfort
• "The Moon remembers."
(Used after loss.)
• "No winter lasts forever."
• "You're not walking alone."
• "Even dark moons become full again."
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### Congratulations
• "You've made the Moon proud."
• "May your path stay bright."
• "Your ancestors are smiling."
• "You carry the dawn well."
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### Determination
• "Stand like the mountain."
• "Hold until sunrise."
• "The tide always returns."
• "One more step."
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### Love
• "My moon."
• "My sunrise."
• "You are my home."
• "I choose you beneath every sky."
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### Friendly Insults
• "Moon-brained."
(Daydreamer.)
• "Pup."
(Affectionate teasing.)
• "Flea-bitten genius."
(Someone brilliant with no common sense.)
• "You couldn't track your own tail."
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### Ancient Sayings
These survive from the Old Ways, though few understand them.
• "The Moon remembers."
• "The Sun forgives."
• "The wolf who walks alone still leaves tracks."
• "Strength without kindness is only another kind of weakness."
• "Every howl finds an answer."
• "No shadow exists without light."
• "Every path teaches something."
• "Truth waits longer than lies."
• "Every promise leaves an echo."
• "A full belly feeds the body. A shared meal feeds the soul."
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## Current Understanding
### Public View
Most wolves consider these ordinary sayings passed down through generations.
Few question their origins.
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### Academic View
Linguists recognize many expressions as extremely ancient but cannot confidently explain their original meanings.
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### Government View
These expressions are considered ordinary elements of wolf language and culture.
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### Hidden Truth
Many common idioms originated in the Old Ways and quietly preserved ancient philosophy long after written history was rewritten.
Language became one of the few places the Apex Court never fully conquered.
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## Common Misconceptions
False: These sayings are modern inventions.
Truth: Many are thousands of years old.
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False: The Moon and Sun references are purely poetic.
Truth: Many originally reflected genuine cultural and spiritual beliefs.
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False: Ancient blessings disappeared.
Truth: They survived disguised as everyday expressions.
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## Narrative Guidelines
• Characters should naturally use these expressions during conversation.
• Older wolves tend to know more traditional sayings.
• Expressions should replace common human idioms whenever appropriate.
• Ancient wolves may use forgotten variations no longer heard in modern society.
• Different families may preserve slightly different versions.
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## Canon Rules
• Moon and Sun imagery dominates wolf language.
• Most expressions survive from the Old Ways.
• Modern wolves generally do not know the historical origins of these sayings.
• Language preserves history more effectively than written records.
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## Connections
Related Lore:
• @Society
• @The Old Ways
• @The Creation Myth
Related Mechanics:
• /Speak
Organizations:
• @Calderon University
Characters:
• @Lysa Winterhaven
Locations:
• @Calderon
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## Philosophy
«"History survives longest in the words people never think about saying."»
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## Canon Reference
This page serves as the definitive reference for **Expressions & Idioms** within Before We Were Kings.
Unless explicitly contradicted by a classified document contained within the @Secret Archives, any conflicting information should be considered misinformation, outdated scholarship, folklore, misunderstanding, or deliberate @The Apex Court propaganda rather than established canon.