As first Malleus, then Ashiel, then Malleus again spoke, Apollo's hackles rose. Not in anger at what they said, but in a natural reaction to the awe and fear that the metaphysical inspired. He respected the Fallen God, but while he firmly believed that he too was a god in a mortal shell, actually being confronted with spiritual matters spooked him a bit. He couldn't imagine how Ashiel must have felt, to be touched by that sort of power. The message resonated within him, though, touched on subjects he himself had recently been spending a great deal of thought on. Could the Fallen God have been trying to speak to him as well, but he was just too damnably tone-deaf to understand it to the depth and brilliance of Ashiel's vision? It amazed him, shook him as nothing mortal or earthly could do.

He tuned back into Malleus's words as he got down into the details of what that would mean for them on a day-to-day basis. Now this was the sort of thing the military-minded male was good at. Details. His golden gaze flicked from face to face as Malleus spoke of them, observing and putting names to the fresh young faces. He lingered thoughtfully for a long moment on Razi's two young pups. Proserpina needed mentoring, certainly, but she was old enough now to be on her own most of the time and more than capable of seeking out additional help as she needed it. These two pups were alone, and lonely, and likely scared from their ordeal. They would need careful, constant handling until... if... Razi returned. Privately he felt it unlikely she would. After all, if she was capable of returning to her pups, would she not already have done so?

"I will take in Razi's pups, if you approve, Malleus," he rumbled. "I have no major familial obligations as many of our number already do." He nodded to the other two litters of pups already being cared for. "So it is no hardship for me to care for them and see to their early training... until Razi returns, of course," he added, for the pups' benefit. They would learn the harsh reality of their situation soon enough without him rushing it. "As for the move, perhaps it could be more easily accomplished if we carry the pups, either in baskets on harnesses or on sleds pulled behind. It is a great distance to travel for pups of any age, and it would allow us to make the move more quickly and smoothly." He inclined his head towards Malleus. "That is, of course, entirely your decision to make. I have no objection to waiting until they are older if that is your wish."

Aaliyah grew sober as she listened to her brother and cousin, a warning was definitely given, and her faith grew more rooted by Ashiel's testimony. She tiled her head as Malleus explained what he thought, and she could not help but add her own thoughts as well. "What if we are also the sheep and the Fallen God is the monster? He may be warning us about our faith, we stray sometimes and so he consumes us, then what happens when he can find no one who calls him their God? He will eat himself before he dies out. We should return to the old ways of our faith, I agree. For the betterment of our family and our God." She grew shy, but held herself and kept her voice even. It had never been like her to speak in front of so many, but the four-headed beast had struck a chord with her personally.

When her other cousins were introduced, Aaliyah smiled and grew a bit lighter in her heart. Listening to Apollo as he spoke, Aaliyah smiled and inclined her head, "I can help with the pups, I need to step up more in the pack anyway, and I think they would be excellent motivators. I can also help with Prosperina, teach her what I know, even though we aren't far apart from each other in age." A small laugh left her at the end and she grew silent, though she seemed a bit less weighed down. A thoughtfulness came to her eyes, and she listened again as Apollo spoke, "Sleds would be easier to pull with us, they would also help when the healers collect herbs later on. I can also help make them, we would need harnesses as well to aid in pulling the sleds. If you would like some help, of course." She gave her uncle a smile and looked to Malleus, "Given your approval, of course, brother." Her dark tail waved and she went silent once more.

Finally, she had a direction to go in! It was something she had been searching for, and while she had been lost, she supposed their God decided to give her what she had been asking for. A mental thank you was sent to him, and she grinned outwardly. Hope bloomed for her, even though it was fertilized with tragedy.

She didn’t know yet what it meant to be a goddess, but she felt something in her chest, a stirring maybe, a feeling of… something, as Ashiel stood up and told them all of his vision. She couldn’t even begin to understand it, not yet knowing the meaning of the word ‘metaphor’ but their father broke it down for them, explaining that they where the forest in danger of burning. What did that mean for them? She knew their father would find the right path for them, and she would follow him to the ends of the world, to see the betterment of their family. Family was life, right? Her father, after many speeches to many people, about taking in pups and following the message left to them through Ashiel, all of which Fel tried to take in, but it was a lot for one little pup to remember. He would then turn to his children, and introduce them to the pack. She puffed up her chest in pride, lifting her head, and letting her eyes drift through the wolves whose eyes where suddenly upon her and her siblings. She stayed still and proud, meeting the eyes of any who looked her way. She knew one day she would be one of the wolves who wanted to take pride in their rank, of showing she was brave and strong and loyal enough for her pack and her family, so she listened with interest at any who spoke up about changing their pack, but then, before she could think any further on that, their father told them that the pack was moving. moving did that mean leaving the grapevine forever? That was her home, in the midst of those roots and trees and wonders, was her bloody and imagination, the beginnings of her childhood. She tried not to show that she was troubled. After all, her father always knew what was best. "Speech"

Art by pimsri

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ She waited patiently as the rest of the pack arrived, her own pale blue gaze glancing around at all the faces. She hadn't realized how many of them were in the pack, then again she had mostly remained around the perimeter of her little safe haven by the creek. She knew a very small pawful of faces, but beyond that? Everyone else was a stranger to her. When it seemed like the last few had settled in, Malleus began to speak so she turned to focus her attention on him. She sat quietly as her attention soon turned to Ashiel, someone she didn't know, but he obviously held some importance in the pack...or something like that. She wasn't too sure to be honest. As he described his vision, her eyes grew a little wide. What was he talking about? Monsters with four heads? What was fire? She was so confused, and as she quickly glanced around her she noticed that there were mixed reactions among the crowd. Returning her gaze to the duo at the head of the pack, she knew she had no idea what he was talking about, but perhaps she would find out at one point or another. When Ashiel finished, Malleus began to speak again and she listened to every word. It seemed they had ideas about what that dream meant, and though she still didn't quite understand it, she did understand what the pack and the family needed to do as a whole. He talked about Razi's kids, another wolf she didn't know, and she peered around curiously until she spotted them. Her ears pulled back a bit. Their mother wasn't there...she knew all too well how that felt. What about their father? She herself didn't know who her father was, and her mother never told her much of anything before she vanished...but nobody else said anything to her about him either, and she never asked. That thought was always at the back of her mind up until she looked at those two pups, and her heart went out to them. She shyly licked her lips in preparation to speak up about them but thought that perhaps it was something she wanted to talk about in private. She had never been around so many before, so the girl found it suddenly hard to speak up. Malleus continued talking about his interpretation of Ashiel's message and what the pack needed to do. She flicked her ears to acknowledge that she was listening, even if just a little. Her attention was still on the two pups, her pale stare studying them as she wondered how they must be feeling. Were they feeling what she had felt before? She still felt some of it now, but not as much as she initially had. "I am not infallible and so in the spirit of getting back on track, there is one here who I must apologize to." Her attention returned to Malleus just as he turned his attention to her. The young girl watched him, a slight bit of confusion in her eyes.  "Cousin, I have failed you. Much too late I realized you were alone and by then many months of your childhood had been spent in isolation. Forgive me and let me make it up to you. I can't give you that time back, but I can offer you a place at my side as my apprentice." Her eyes widened with surprise. That was certainly something she hadn't expected to happen. Out of anyone in the pack, Malleus was perhaps the only one she spent the most time with. Even more time than she had with her own mother... It only took her a few short moments to sit up straighter and nodded, acknowledging that she would be glad to be his apprentice. The excitement began to course through her as she thought about what being his apprentice would mean. "Thank you, Malleus!" She wanted to go up to him and hug him or something, but she felt perhaps it wasn't an appropriate time to do so. So she'd wait for her chance to do it later. Malleus then extended the opportunity for others to help train her, but she was too excited and proud to start looking around again. It seemed he was just about done speaking, but just when she thought he was done, he said they would be moving to a castle and the garden. She didn't quite know where those were, but she was sure she'd like it better than here. She didn't hate the creek or anything, but she was haunted by the fact that she had spent so much time alone and wondering why she had been left behind. Maybe when they moved, those barely remembered memories of her mother and siblings would just...disappear. Now that Malleus had finished speaking, she listened quietly as another man spoke. When he was done, a vaguely familiar voice piped up with a bunch of ideas about things she didn't know or understand, and then mentioned wanting to help with her. She turned until she saw her slightly older cousin, casting a grin her way. She was excited to start training soon! The girl almost unable to contain her pride and excitement remained quiet, however. She didn't think she had any ideas that could help at the moment, much less when she didn't know what a sled and stuff was, but then she decided that she could help pull them? That was something she could do right? "I can help pull these...sleds...or I can help carry supplies or pups or whatever is needed of me." She nodded firmly to herself, glad she had offered her help whether it would be needed or not. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Speech"

TIED TO WHAT IS LATE, AIN'T YOU NOW

Aureus shifted to try and lean against his mother's side as he prepared for what was probably going to be a boring amount of grown ups talking. He tried to pay attention to his dad, he really did, but he just didn't really understand everything that was going on but things started to get interesting when a green-eyed man said he died!  Aureus snapped to attention. He died?  He was like a zombie or something then? That was so cool!

The man kept talking about spirits and fires and monsters with four heads. Aureus was completely enraptured and soon he was lost in a day dream about fighting such a monster. Then his father started talking again and he was pulled back to the meeting. His dad spoke about two other pups whose momma was gone and he felt a rush of empathy even if he didn't understand what it was. He only knew that he'd be distraught if his momma ever left. The talk started to get more grown up again until he and his siblings were introduced to the rest of the pack. With all the eyes turning to look at him he suddenly felt self-conscious and tried to scoot behind his mothers leg. He didn't like this, he wanted to go and play.

As the meeting carried on and they talked about the vision and it's meaning, Aureus looked up at his mother and whispered, "Mom… mom I need to go to the bathroom."  He wasn't sure he could hold it but soon his attention was whisked away as his dad mentioned something about moving. He stood up. Yes!  They were going to go on a journey, he couldn't wait! "I don't need to be carried! I can walk myself!"

Speech

Serene Validis After arriving with the pups in tow, the rest of the pack seemed to emerge from every direction, swarming into the meeting with such timely manners that even Serene was impressed. One after another, after another, wolves trickled into the meeting and the fawn woman became increasingly aware that she needed to become more socialized. More than half of the faces she had never met in person, and the other half she could only assume their names based off of descriptions Malleus had given her during pack updates and happenings. Amber orbs followed her mate's when he spoke of the two pups joining the meeting, and immediately Serene recalled the news of the pair. Children of the lovely Razi, who Serene was lucky enough to have met once before, were among the new faces joining the empire. As a mother herself, the golden woman wanted nothing more than to usher them close to her side, and assure them they were protected and loved. But alas, Serene already cared for five young pups. Not even her willing heart could handle the strain of two more. Several more wolves wandered into the meeting, but no more seemed to be following after them. It was then that Malleus began to speak, and a hurricane of emotions began to spin out of control. Upon hearing that a member of them had actually received a vision from a God, had spiked Serene's interest immensely; after all, her original reasoning for seeking out Malleus and his empire was to further her understand of spirits and Gods alike. But this vision, this vision of burning forests and insatiable monsters, and this direct conversation 'Do my ways leave a bitter taste on the tongue? Would you spit your medicine upon the ground and succumb to nothing?'... it had the old Serene resurfacing and searching through all her knowledge of spirits and gods to make heads or tails of it. Most blindly obvious, was the direct message that The Fallen God was not at all pleased with his followers. That 'His ways' were not being followed and thus the warning - 'succumb to nothing'. He was threatening all of them. That alone was enough to cause distress in the woman, her maternal instincts telling her to do everything in her power to protect her young. But what was the best way to do this? Malleus would then continue to speak about the changes to be happening within the pack in the following weeks, and once more she felt fear strike her heart. If the way things had been run before were to be a more tolerable version of the true beliefs of the pack, Serene would need to step up her game, and that of her children as well. They were Abraxas, but now that seemed to not be enough to keep them safe. They needed to be true Abraxas, whatever that may entail. As for Serene, well, she would need to find a more permanent position in the ranks in order to secure her own place in the empire. Though Malleus may care for her, she would not believe he would spare her if he felt she was not contributing to the pack. What position would fit her talents, well that was something she would have to find out later. After addressing a few other members, Malleus would then turn to introduce the newest additions to the pack. Pride filled her very being upon seeing the world turn to gaze upon her young. Each one of them had passed their first culling, each one more held their own talents and their own characteristics, but each one of the in his moment understood their importance. Or so she hoped anyway. After they had been introduced, Serene offered each one of them an approving nod, letting them all know she was very pleased with their performance here today. Mom… mom I need to go to the bathroom. Hearing her son Aureus made the mother turn her head and look down at her son with a contorted expression. "I'm sure the meeting is almost over can you at least try and wait it out my love?" She whispered softly to him, but after hearing her own words, Serene sighed and peered over her shoulders to see if she could find a spot for the young lad. Eyeing a particularly lush bush some yards away, Serene would nod her head in the direction while adding; "There's a nice looking bush over there, be hasty Aureus, stay within sight." Next, Malleus would move to open up the conversation for anyone seeking a new position in ranking. Excitement filled her veins as she glanced around the meeting, wondering who would step forward to declare themselves. But then their alpha would come to speak again, this time announcing that the empire was going to be... uprooted? Whiskey colored orbs nearly popped out of their sockets upon hearing this bit of detail. Though she understood the tactical advantages of moving from the vines to the castle, the cathedral had come to be her home. It's where she fell in love. Where she gave birth to her children. Where she has been raising them. Not to mention her poor garden. She would have to uproot her entire life to the new castle, but Malleus clearly had been thinking about this for some time. She would not voice a complaint, nor a concern, knowing the journey would be a long and dangerous one especially for their tiny family. Serene would have to begin strengthening them now if they were ever going to survive the trip. Finally, it seemed all news was delivered, and the floor was now open for any and all to speak up. She shifted her wait onto her haunches, sitting more comfortably as she continued to remain quiet and think about what she would like to contribute to this meeting. One of the first males to arrive spoke first, offering to take on the responsibility of caring for Razi's young until their mother can be found. It was a bit odd for her to see a male step up to the challenge of raising young, but since Serene was in no position to offer herself, she simply nodded her head in thanks. He would then suggest the pack to carry the pups. Now that was certainly an ambitious idea, considering how many young where now in the pack. But if the wolves somehow were able to come together and assemble these makeshift 'sleds', well then that just might work. Next to speak was a young woman who looked a lot like Malleus in appearance, perhaps a sibling she had not met yet. She offered her insight on deciphering the meaning behind some of Ashiel's vision, and Serene nodded her crown in approval, "I believe you might be right." Her voice was soft, not quite sure if that was the whole meaning behind the vision or not. She would then continue to offer her aid in caring for the pups, building the sleds, and confirm Serene's suspicions that indeed, she was sister to her beloved Malleus. The golden woman made a mental note to introduce herself after the meeting. Next to speak up was Proserpine. This poor girl who had been through so much, Serene was more than happy that Malleus was going to take her under his wing and guide her back into the warm embrace the family had to offer. It pleased her even more to know that Proserpine would be more likely than not hanging around the tiny family, and hopefully Serene could become closer friends with the young woman. Finally, Serene had found the backbone she had lost long ago, and decided to chip in her two cents about the lot of it. "Though I did not grow up familiar with The Fallen God, I did however learn to communicate with entities not unlike Him. From that I can testify that more often than not, visions often carry not one but multiple meanings to them. So while it is obvious The Fallen God is not pleased with the direction this pack has been going in, the danger we face as a consequence may not originate from Him directly. He might be warning us of a foe we do not yet see." Though more thought would be needed to decipher the vision in it's entirety, Serene was confident that there was more to this prophecy than what meets the eye. Finally, she turned to her Alpha and mate; "I should very much like to look into this further. Perhaps after speaking with Ashiel in private I may be given permission to leave the borders to seek out a nearby shrine? This way I may connect myself more fully to the Fallen God and get a better understanding on what we're dealing with here." Her amber gaze then turn to glance at her young, and a pang of guilt settled in her heart at the thought of leaving them. She would then turn back and add, "I won't be gone long." She didn't currently hold a position that would let her come and go as she pleased, but seeing as she was born with a gift to speak with Spirits, she might as well give it a shot with The Fallen God. For the sake of her family, Serene would do just about anything to get the answers they required. "Speech" <

Watch Me Take That Flicker To Flame

Ashiel sat gently back down as Malleus began to speak and to dictate the conclusion they'd arrived at of what his vision meant and the repercussions for the Abraxas. He felt a sense of pride at watching his cousin navigate the role of leadership. He was far more a natural than Ashiel had been and he felt certain that Malleus would lead the family to greatness. He was just glad to be a part of it. He hoped that when he fully recovered he might be able to assist in the training of the younger members of the pack, if any of them were interested in fighting. He also had some knowledge of their religion to share though he desperately wished he could speak more with his mother. As Amon's sister she was one of the elders of their family. For a moment he wondered if there was a way he could commune with her spirit…

Ashiel was drawn out of his musings when Malleus mentioned that the pack would be moving. He nodded his approval of the lands and noted some of the irony of them moving into one of the territories originally held by Talis. Dragon had said he intended to restart his pack. Would the territory even still be vacant? It had been so long since he'd gone scouting Auster's territories.

Ashie nodded at the suggestion of carrying the pups by a more efficient means though he was no craftsman. He'd have to rely on Apollo to share that knowledge. He sat back and listened to the others speak, feeling suddenly exhausted but in a good way. It was a relief to get that vision off his chest even if the dread of another lurked in the shadowy corners of his mind. He glanced at Serene as she spoke, his head cocking just slightly to the side. She had visions to? Not only that she seemed to be experienced in them. He nodded as she stated she wished to speak with him in private. He felt the same. Perhaps she could help him understand what was happening to him. "That sounds good to me. Malleus, with your permission of course. I did have one other matter I wished to discuss with you. I do not see Aurum returning any time soon and I no longer feel the Fallen god wishes me to follow the path of a leader. I wish to join the Risen Empire once more and make use of my new… gift, as an oracle." It was hard for him to speak it. He didn't want this gift. He was a natural fighter, he excelled in the ways of the warrior. Yet, the gift was his for how ever long it would last and he knew he couldn't deny it or shy away from it any longer.

Shilah's shots were drifting aimlessly when he heard a familiar voice and felt a familiar weight leaning against him. His head twisted sharply to stare at his sister. His heart was suddenly racing and for a moment he thought he was staring at a ghost. "S-seiran?" He could scarcely belive it! Turning toward her he sought to bury his head in her ruff as he struggled to find the words. Finally, he pulled away and answered her question with a lopsided grin. "Ya think? By the Fallen god's mighty paw… I thought you'd drowned. Did you…" His voice trailed off. He'd thought of asking Seiran if she'd seen mom but if she had wouldn't Razi be with them now. There was little time to chat as the meeting began.

Shilah tried to listen but he found he kept glancing at his sister, needing to reassure himself she really was here. His attention was drawn back to the meeting with the mention of a vision. He'd hoped it was something about the flood and the missing wolves. Maybe Ashiel had seen what happened to his mother. Instead it was something far more cryptic. Shilah's fur stood on end as the man spoke of the disturbing imagery he'd seen. He listened intently as Malleus unraveled the vision but he didn't know quite how to feel about it.

Soon the conversation turned from the vision to the matters of the pups. He felt a bit awkward about the attention they were getting but he did look forward to putting his mind to work learning the trade of his mother. He needed the distraction. Glancing at Apollo, the man who spoke for them, Shilah tried to size him up. He struck the youth as a warrior and he was certainly a respected member of the pack but other than that Shilah couldn't get a good feel for the man simply by looking at him. "How far away is it? I can probably walk there myself." Well… he could if they gave him another week or two for his leg to heal. He watched Ashiel request a rank and felt he ought to do the same, or at least speak his interests. "I'll join Risen too. I want to train to be a healer like my mother."

TIED TO WHAT IS LATE, AIN'T YOU NOW

Aureus shook his head as his mother asked if he could wait. "No, I can't, I'll burst…" He watched as she directed him toward a bush and told him to be quick. He ignored her request to stay within sight. He wasn't going to pee where everyone could see him! Scrambling behind the bush he peered back toward the meeting. Satisfied with the privacy he lifted a leg and relieved himself. Muuuuch better. Pleased with himself he scrambled back to sit next to his mother.

The meeting dragged on and Serene said she needed to go. "Aww… mom can't we go to? I want to see the shrine!" He already felt he knew what the answer would be but he asked anyway. He was getting restless anyway. As other wolves started saying what they wanted to do he scampered toward Malleus. "I want to be a hunter! Wait no, a scout, wait, wait, wait a soldier definitely a soldier! And I want to join Risen to!"

Typhon was quiet and patient as the rest of the pack joined them. Much to his pleasure, he saw a few familiar faces from Eclipse Empire, including Ashiel. When his kin turned to greet him, he flashed him an earnest smile, beyond thankful that he had made it out of the flood alive and well. They didn't have time to properly speak, though, at least not yet - for a moment later Malleus had begin speaking to the group. He welcomed those that had joined them here, going on to discuss the pack as a whole. He spoke that he'd initially thought of himself as a placeholder for a leader, but time had showed him otherwise - a declaration that pleased him greatly, as Malleus seemed a fine leader in his eyes.

Ashiel spoke next, his voice strong with conviction and Typhon had no doubt that he visions he described were true visions sent from the gods. Enraptured by the colorful tale, his wide eyes fixed on Ashiel, ears flicking in interest. He felt something building within his chest as Ashiel described what he had seen, a sense of fear coupled with purpose. The Fallen God was definitely warning them, as Malleus went on to say, and he nodded quickly in understanding. His entire life had revolved around improving himself to join the Abraxas family, and he knew now that his existence had led up to this very moment. They needed to change their ways and come together as a united front, returning to Amon's ways. As well as describing changes, he introduced the newest members and went on to see who might be willing to help watch over them. Finally, he announced they'd be moving territories, which he agreed was a good decision.

He listened as Aaliyah offered her own view of the situation. He had nothing to add of his own, but one thing was unanimous and obvious to them all - they needed to return to their old ways, if they were to prosper, as they were meant to. He appreciated Serene's interest in gaining a more intimate connection with The Fallen God, certainly a good sign that she had thoroughly adapted to the ways of their people. After a moment of hesitation, and careful thought, he spoke up. "I'd be willing to help mentor Proserpina, if you believe me fit. I believe I'd fit best as a soldier here, as well." He knew little of the younger Abraxas, but studied her with a thoughtful eye and wondered if Malleus would deem him worthy. As for rank, he cared less about what he personally wanted, and more of where he would fit the needs of the Abraxas best - and he believed soldier might be that.

© argent 2017

The surprise that was plastered over Shilah's face was just priceless! She might've reveled in it more if she wasn't brought back to reality by the thought that she very well could've never seen him again. And with the dark and looming continued absence of their mother... Sometimes, she supposed, you had to cling to what you had left. Even if that was her silly brother.

Nipping at his ear playfully, the youngster smirked and retorted, "As if I'd be done in by a storm." By Seiran's calculations, if the flood that dragged her through rocks and rapids couldn't take her out then nothing would any time soon. Especially not since she'd arrived here to the safety of the remaining family pack. At Shilah's prematurely cut off question, she was quick to discern what he meant and sober up enough to give him a quick shake of her head to confirm what he likely suspected. No sign of Razi.

Once the meeting got underway it was difficult to focus on any one thing. She was quite busy with studying the numerous faces of family members that she'd yet to meet, and catching a couple that were vaguely familiar from back home. Ashiel she knew the best, so it was much easier to give him her attention when he suddenly began speaking of a vision he'd had during the cursed flood. Features impassive, Seiran digested the news rather uncertainly. What did this mean for them? Was the flood meant to punish them all for whatever direction they'd been taking? A stab of anger constricted her heart briefly. What... what if it was by the Fallen god's design that her mother had been taken from her? Seiran couldn't understand why that might be the case, but she worried she was right.

Pale blue eyes slid to the side, fixing on the pale man who would speak up and offer to care for her and her brother. For a moment her eye went back to Shilah in a silent question about what he thought of this man who was apparently unopposed in seeking the position as their 'temporary' guardian. For now it was hard to decide what she thought, but having someone was hopefully better than no one, so maybe she'd have to wait and see before she decided whether or not she liked the man.

There was also a darker coated girl who looked somewhat similar to Malleus that offered to help with them. Seiran just hoped the girl could teach her things that were interesting enough to keep her attention. There'd surely be no complaints if this turned out to be the case - her hunger for knowledge usually tended to win over her more prickly nature. When Ashiel, Shilah and another man Seiran thought must also be from their washed away pack spoke up, Seiran was quick to follow suit. "I'd also like to study healing," she stated. As for joining, well, that was implied. Somehow, given that they'd already been found a guardian, Seiran was fairly certain it wasn't entirely optional anyway at their age.

"You think these are the other Abraxas?" Pyrrhic glanced around, noting that some of those present had markings that were not unlike their father's. He noted the heights and the hulking, bear-ish builds. "They can’t all be gods?" said his other sister. Pyrrhic frowned thoughtfully as he considered both questions. Finally he whispered back, "I think they are. Look at that one," he said as he pointed to Aaliyah. The stranger was huge and her markings were very similar to theirs. "And that one," he said, pointing at Kaine. Once the meeting got underway Pyrrhic did his best to pay attention to what his father said, but his attention span, like his height, was unimpressive. After a few short minutes it began to wane and he started to look around at the faces of those gathered. There was a boy, who was just a little bit bigger than him, who caught his eye. While Pyrrhic loved his siblings deeply and had yet to grow tired of playing with them, he wanted more friends. After sneaking a peek at his mother to make sure she wasn't looking, Pyrrhic made a face at the boy (Shilah) in the hopes of catching his attention. When Ashiel began to speak, Pyrrhic's attention turned back to the grown ups. Not because he was interested, but because he was surprised to hear someone other than his dad speaking. His interest, though, was soon captured by the tale of terror this new guy was telling. Pyrrhic glanced around at the grown ups again. He wasn't sure what the man's message was exactly, but he guessed by the looks on all their faces that it wasn't good. What he gathered by the following talk was that everyone needed to do their part to make things better. Why else would they be talking about the jobs they wanted? After a moment's thought, Pyrrhic decided he knew what he wanted to be. They'd played games before of alphas, lieutenants and soldiers. He knew he couldn't be an alpha because that was his dad's job, so he wanted to be the next best thing. "I want to be a lieutenant!"

She smiled at Ashiel as he spoke saying he was glad to see her as well. She got herself settled, teal eyes scanning around the gathering, paying most attention to the young pups. It was always a blessing to see kids, the next generation. It wasn't long after that Typhon settled beside her, the butterflies once again fluttering in her stomach at the more closer proximity they were sharing. His question made her teal eyes turn to him with a small smile and a nod of her head. "Feeling much better today," she replied. Her eyes watched as more bodies approached, trying to memorize what everyone looked like. She was also looking for more familiar faces to see if anyone else had been found. It wasn't long before Malleus began the meeting and her attention went to him. She listened to everything that had to be said, including the strange vision that Ashiel had. It was a lot of information to take in and really she had no clue what the vision could mean. Malleus offered for them to permanently stay here in Risen which she didn't know what would be a good choice. Would Aurum be risen again? She briefly looked to Ashiel before looking to Typhon wondering what both of them would do. For a few moments things went back and fourth from the family trying to figure out the vision, to the family volunteering to take care of Razi's pups. Neither of those subjects she had much to say. She could certainly teach the kids a few things, but she thought it was more important for their family to be taking care of that, especially in this hard time of being without their mother. Then Ashiel spoke up again stating that he didn't see Aurum rising again and that he himself was being led away from being a leader. So this meant that there would be no sister pack? She held a breath faced with another potential life altering decision. Though she did feel at home with these much larger wolves. She felt like she was being pulled to them everywhere she went. When Typhon spoke up stating where he felt he would fit best in Risen, she felt herself being pulled to stay in Risen, the Abraxas family had done so much for her already and she had to repay them. She looked back to Malleus, more confident that Risen was her new home. "I feel I will best fit as a hunter for Risen," she stated. "Speech" & 'Think'

The pack was quick to reply; many members voicing their concerns about the vision, their willingness to help with the move, and their desire to find their place in the pack. He looked at each member as they spoke – smiling at Proserpina as she thanked him – and considered their words carefully. Malleus waited until everyone was done speaking before he replied. His gaze snapped to Apollo. His uncle was a capable man; strong of mind, thoughtful and devoted to the Fallen God. Malleus could think of no better wolf to take care of Razi's brood short of Razi herself. Apollo wouldn't coddle them and Malleus had no doubt he would mold them into valued members of society. Malleus nodded his approval. "It's settled, then." To Seiran and Shilah, he said, "Apollo is your uncle. He'll look after you and you'll do as he says until your mother returns." He left no room for dissent. Because he was taking on the bulk of the responsibility, Apollo would make most of the decisions when it came to his young charges. If they behaved in an un-Abraxas way or were found to have some other defect, Malleus trusted that Apollo wouldn't hesitate to fulfill his obligations to his people. As for the move... Malleus liked the idea of sleds. "I think sleds are a good idea and I'd prefer to move sooner." He'd only decided to wait because of the young pups. "Apollo, Aaliyah, you two will be in charge of making the sleds. Feel free to recruit as many helpers as you see fit and Pascal here," he motioned to his companion. "Can help if you have need of his hands." He thought about it some more before turning his attention to Serene. "You may go to the shrine after preparations have been made for the move. I'd like to see your stores moved with us and any plants from your garden that you think will survive the journey." He knew she'd put a lot work into both and it would be a waste to leave it all behind. "Azazel? Kasdeya? When the time comes please help Serene gather and prepare her things for the move. We will be moving..." he paused to consider the best date. "On the next full moon." That would give them a few weeks to prepare. "Everyone else, gather your things and prepare to leave. Help those that need it. We'll decide who pulls the sleds when the time comes." "As for those choosing to stay with us, you are all welcome additions to the pack. Typhon, I think you working with Proserpina is a good idea." To the pups who all piped up asking for ranks, he said with a smile, "Once we reach our new home I'll give you all mentors in your chosen fields, alright? How does that sound?" Most were far too young to hold any kind of position, but it was never too early to get them started. If they were old enough to already have an idea of what they wanted to be when they grew up, they were old enough to begin working in that direction. Malleus swept a quick look across those gathered to make sure he wasn't leaving anyone out, which was easy to do under the deluge of responses. "I think that does it for today. If I've neglected to address something feel free to see me afterwards. You're all dismissed!" OOC: I think that covers everything! Let me know if I've missed something that needs to be addressed! We'll be moving officially on October 1. Now's a great opportunity to get skill points by making/gathering things and interacting with packmates – this is optional, but participating would help your character reach their rank goal sooner ;D   "Malleus" - "Pascal"