He's lost Gabe this morning, deciding he wanted to take a slight break from guard duty and stalking today. His trail would be easy enough to find so long as he knew where he'd come from. He hadn't mingled much since finding Gabe and today he sought to fix such a thing. He padded at a quick jog. His tail was up and his head high. His wounds were healing fine, and he doubted his brother would be better off. Michael always refused help, like he was trying to prove he was better than everyone else. Truly Sam thought Mikey had little man syndrome, he snickered at the thought of it.

He strode forward, his sunset gaze stopping on a lake. That would make good territory if it weren't for the scent of another pack somewhere near here. He shrugged at that though. He didn't give two shits about any packs yet. He had ambitions and his own pack was only the beginning. His children would need a base of operations and someplace to call home. They'd never lived in a pack other than their siblings and them so he figured it would take them some adjustments. Of course Sam figured if there were any among his children that had shown any signs of being ready to be an heir one day it was likely either Ava or one from his second litter. Problem with that was Levi had it in his head he was tough shit and top dog. He shook his head and sat.

The twilight was ablaze overhead and painted the water with fire. His form sat in front of the water. The fireflies danced around him and the heat of summer made the temperature hard to withstand but he endured. Perhaps going north would be for the best. If he could talk Gabe into it that was. He gave a smile at the thought of gabe agreeing with him.

As winter approached he moved further south, following the growth of medicinal plants, although he had no base of operation where he could store the herbs he gathered. The bird had stayed with him longer than he had the year before and he was grateful for the company as he wandered aimlessly through the lands of Boreas. The dusty wolf had considered following the bird to the southern continent but with the threat of the giant Abacus wolves present the idea had quickly lost it’s appeal. The two wandered further and further South and Spider already began to miss the biting chill of the north and the white furred prey he could catch as they struggled through the thick snow drifts. Prey may have been scares but he had always eaten well, especially with the bird to help him heard prey, but staying North would have only been more uncomfortable for his companion as the temperature began to drop. “I am sorry about this Spider.” The bird said morosely from the wolf’s back . “I-i-it’s f-f-fine. I d-d-d-don’t m-m-mind.” The wolf stuttered in response, a wistful smile on his lips. More than the prey or the weather he missed the characters he had met there, the golden furred male who had treated him so kindly, and the massive glacial wolf he had tended to. “Gabe” as he had called himself had been much nicer to him than he had been used to and he almost wished he had stayed with the male just a bit longer if only because he seemed like great company, in spite of the hateful jeering of his brother’s voice. The wind changed and he stopped for a moment. It was him! The male he had just been thinking of! He moved at a quickened pace, his heart fluttering although he wasn’t quite sure why, bounding over the soft grass, surrounding the lake, the bird following with his head cocked, while Spider followed the scent until…Until he saw just how wrong he had been. There had been a brief moment where he stood face to face with the male, his ears perked, two-toned eyes alight and a small smile on his face as he expected to find the male from before, but quickly dropped the gleeful stance into one of pure terror. His ears pinned back, his legs braced, ready to bolt away although he doubted he would be able to outrun the beast. He smelled similar to Gabe and he was sure the golden male had mentioned a family of some kind, but the beast before him was nothing short of a Hellion; the shadowy creatures that killed sinners and damned their souls to feel he full wrath and scorn of Yosep’s ire. Spider speaking   Echo Speaking You Speaking Toad's voice

The silence of the evening had brought a small sense of glee to the man though soon it went interrupted by the pounding of paws. The pace quick and Sam lifted his eyes to the direction it cam from. The wind was to his back so he could not smell who. He had several guesses though. A child of his though they sounded too heavily footed to be his young yearlings. Michael, though that was just as unlikely. A friend of Gabe's, for he carried both their scents. A brother or sister, though he figured not.

He stopped midway through his list as the face that met him was not one he knew. The fear he portrayed made it clear, he had likely heard of Lucifer, the king of sinners, the fallen guardian. Though it also made it clear that where he heard it from had been a source that sought to taint his name. He dipped his head politely and gave the man a gentle smile, encouraging in Its way. His voice was gentle yet still smooth and deep in Its way as he let his voice be known to the man. "Greetings.... please be not afraid." his mannerisms reverted so easily back to the ways of the saint he once was.

His eyes moved to meet that of the bird above. It's feathers painted it a picture perfect for a kookabura. He was well travelled and knew their kind, though he had to admit it was a little late in the season for one to be hanging about so casually. Perhaps it was lost.

He returned to looking at the dappled man. An introduction was likely needed though with such fear on this man he doubted he needed one. "May I guess that you have been told my name and face, that you should fear me in such ways?  Samael Morningstar, a king, if you will, of fallen guardians." his introducion was done with flare and style in his opinion. A cant of the head, a lift of his right paw to his chest, and a dip of his torso. Such fashion would of been expected of him long ago but today he was a nobody. A sinner in saints clothes. Though he regretted nothing. His lips tugged in a debonair smile. The same smile that got him into trouble most of the time.

He backed away a pace or two as the larger male bowed, his eyes as wide as saucers. “S-s-s-sorry- I t-t-thought- S-s-s-s-sorry.” He squeaked as he prepared to back away further. He hadn’t heard of the male in the least but the man himself had said he should have been told to fear him. His plea not to be frightened of him had fallen short after that. He gave a panicked whine, the man smelled of Gabriel and blood and for a moment some part of him was filled with terror that perhaps this man- this king of fallen guardians, had killed him. He crouched low, trying to make himself as small as possible, his heart racing to the point that he felt light headed. “I’m-m-m-m s-s-s-s-so-rry” He said tonelessly his eyes starting to glaze over, a harsh ringing filing in his ears to the point that it was all he could hear. “He’s dead Spider, DEAD, and it’s all your fault! You might as well have killed him yourself Just like you killed Cricket!” Toad roared in his mind.  “Spider! SPIDER!” The bird cried shrilly, standing directly in front of the gray wolf’s nose, his expression horrified. He felt out of breath and without even realizing it, he had collapsed onto his hip and was now only standing on his front paws. He tried to speak but only shrill yowls of anguish came out.  “It’s alright Spider! It’s okay! No one’s going to hurt you I promise.” The bird said reassuringly and nuzzled his companion’s leg with his feathered head soothingly. The bird glanced up at the strange male who by now must have been terribly confused.  “He gets nervous sometimes, that’s all.” He explained, looking at the pale wolf with just a touch of defiance, daring him to say anything to antagonize his friend and ready to defend him as best as his little body could. Spider   Echo  Toad's voice

The boy freaked out and Sam stayed silent while he freaked. He figured he was likely to run and Sam would be alone once more. He waited. Then the bird seemed to act and he lifted a brow. It spoke and he was fascinated. Sure his sister's bird spoke but this one wasn't some dove. He eyed the kookabura studiously.

His ears pressed forward and he waited. "Fascinating.... you speak.... but of course your still a little far north for a kookabura this time of year..... but no your friend is right sir, no one around here is going to harm you." he would figure out things from the bird in a moment but first he should probably help calm this male. He stretched forward and relaxed until he was laying with his back legs to one side and his front legs tucked under his chest. It would take far too long for him to get up from this position so perhaps the male would relax a little. "He may need some lavender if there's any about. It helped settle me down after my father outcast me so perhaps it could aid him." he was no healer but he had picked up a couple things when he could. He eyed the male with a calm and almost emotionless face. He didn't need to have this guy freaking on him any more than he already was.

The bird looked at the wolf, his small beady eyes narrowed incredulously. The male had no right to know of the small bird’s natural curiosity or the fascination with wolves that had ultimately lead to him learning their language. The two had only just met the male, and the bird’s natural weakness had made him suspicious despite his resilient personality. Spider’s wide eyes shot upward at the male’s movements, the silky hair on his back standing on end. “Just relax, lay down if you need to.” The bird said soothingly and the male, far too frantic to oppose him, obeyed. He let his head fall between his paws hyperventilating until finally his racing thoughts were collected. “You alright now?” The bird asked. “Y-y-yes.” The wolf stuttered in response, and the bird responded by caressing the soft fur of his neck comfortingly with his head. The male’s two-toned eyes looked up briefly at the considerably larger male then looked down again. “I’m S-S-Spider.” He said tonelessly, unsure if he had already introduced himself or not. “I d-d-d-don’t n-n-need lavender.” He muttered, his voice soft and barely above a whisper, unsure if he had heard the male suggest the herb or if the suggestion had come from some latent part of his frenzied mind. Regardless the dusty wolf was reluctant to try anything that would allegedly soothe him, after his run-in with the shadowy creature that had called himself a god and had given him an herb that had inoculated him, and made him forget his inhibitions. Spider speaking   Echo Speaking You Speaking Toad's voice

Sacrifice everything for what you love He watched the spectacle the male made of himself and he couldn't help but pity this boy for his inability to deal with social things. The birds glare did not go unnoticed either. He eyed the bird for only a second before he decided he'd best ignore the bird or he'd be having a fowl for dinner. His eyes moved to the males face then. The male introduced himself and stated he didn't need lavender. It brought a chuckle up from Sam. Seemed the boy didn't know how it could help him or knew it and it didn't work for him. Nevertheless Sam wouldn't dote on that. "Perhaps it is none of my business but what exactly is it that make you fear me?" He wasn't stupid, he could see it clearly when the male had hunkered down and tried to go into a hysterical panic attack. "Or is it just my size and markings that makes you have such a fear?" He was genuinely interested for once. He didn't lift himself for the sake that he didn't wish to send the boy into another panic attack. Walk, "Samael", Think

He swallows hard and chewed nervously on the already rough edges of his claws. “I t-t-thought y-y-you w-were s-s-someone e-else.” He stuttered, his ears laid flat and pressed so tightly around his head that he looked as if his ears might not have even been there at all. “I w-w-was s-surprised…and t-t-then y-you s-said I s-s-should h-have b-b-been t-told to f-f-f-f-fear you….” His soft voice trailed off as he bit nervously at his claws, the bird still pressed close to him for comfort. He was embarrassed to admit that, particularly because there was the very real possibility that Spider had simply misheard him. He wondered if he should ask the stranger if he had encountered the herald, although now that he was considerably calmer, he could from the man’s scent that he most definitely had run into the golden wolf. He felt a small wince in his heart although he wasn’t quite sure why, they had only met once and he had made a complete fool of himself just like he had now. “What a surprise!” Toad heckled and he closed his eyes tightly.  “I’m s-s-sorry.” He said quietly although he wasn’t entirely sure what he was apologizing for or even why he felt the need to apologize in the first place. Spider speaking   Echo Speaking You Speaking Toad's voice