Intellect Thread.

Already nearly as big as his father, Dominus often wondered to himself why he let Elias get away with as much as he did. He had half a mind to stop him from taking his sister tonight, but she seemed willing enough to see at least what Elias was on about. In all honesty, he thought it was probably a good thing she didn't open her smart mouth again today and piss their father off. It spared Dominus from having to protect her because he would this time... and he wasn't too sure how successful he would even be. Elias was an experienced hunter, everything Dominus had learned came from this man and from Acere's brief teachings in his childhood. He sighed, shifting back against the warmth of the slate floor beneath him... though the thought never once crossed him why the ground was becoming warmer.

His blue eyes were open, though there wasn't much to see or focus on in the barrenness of the Singing Caverns. He was left alone to simply think about everything that had transpired since they left the Maw, his only hope now being that since they were back on their homelands it meant Elias was taking them to return to their family. Was Ruina even still there? Was Tyranis there? And his snake...? Heh. An audible sigh left the teen's blue lips, loud enough to echo off the cavern walls.

Why were they even searching for Zuriel for so long? He missed his mother too, but her presence had already been such a distant memory that he dealt with the grief already a couple seasons ago. He cried for her, and not just once, but she was gone and he knew that somewhere deep inside himself. Elias was simply delusional, though.. his way of never giving up hope did occasionally become a contagion for both of the twins. Perhaps that's why they were both still following him, but Dominus was just about finished. His father didn't even look the same, nor smelled the same... Dominus wasn't a healer, but he was pretty sure his father was sick. Were they just supposed to follow him around until Elias got them into trouble with his madness or got them killed with one of his outbursts? No, that wasn't how a relationship between father and children was supposed to be at all, and Dominus knew that somewhere.. he just.. recognized the way Domina still looked at Elias, as well. She wasn't quite ready to give up on him, as much as she wanted to act like she didn't need him. It was always Domina who got up first when he barked, it was Domina that engaged in his teachings the most... even if it was to question him and get herself headbutted in the mouth for her defiant nature. Never stopped her though.

Dominus smirked and closed his eyes, drifting off into a slumber. He had chosen a spot just out of reach of the light that filtered through the entrance of the caverns, thought to be safe from view if anyone happened to pass by due to his dark coat. While he slept, his father and Domina climbed to the top of a volcano experiencing a small eruption. Thin rivers of lava overflowed from its core, releasing the pressure that was building up beneath the earth. These rivers caught what little vegetation surrounded the plateau on fire, not too far from the exit. It became much brighter in the cave while he snoozed, leaving him completely visible to anyone else who might be seeking shelter from the flames, falling flecks of lava and burning rocks, or the rivers themselves providing how close to the caverns they became.

Build me up from bones, Wrap me up in skin, Hold me close enough to breathe me in

Drífa practically pranced through the stone steppe. She'd found a wonderful treasure during her expedition to Alias Island. Across her back rested a leather knapsack that seemed to have been designed for a canine just her size. She'd been beside herself over the find. Already she'd stored a few herbs within it and now that she had a useful means to transport her herbs she was heading straight for the Redbud Nook. Winter was sweeping down upon them and she knew this would be one of her last big trips to gather herbs before the northern portion of Boreas was completely entrenched with snow and ice. She was working her way through the rocky terrain of the Singing Caverns when her companion spoke.

"Drífa, something's amiss. Was there always that much smoke coming from the volcano?"

Brynhildr flew down to hover near her head. The leuscistic raven's clear blue eyes were etched with worry. She turned to look at the top of Mount Volkan and a jolt of fear raced down her spine. A writhing mass of black smoke was belching into the air and then suddenly the ground lurched and rumbled, tremors vibrating down its side as sparks and flame began to shoot into the air. Spirits! Was it erupting!

She had no desire to stand around and find out. Time was of the essence and she needed shelter. The little woman bolted southward, scrambling over the rocky terrain in search of shelter. Rivulets of lava started to roll down the side of the mountain. Where was a cave when she bloody needed one? She skidded to a halt as she saw a dark opening in the side of a rock face. There was something at the entrance but she didn't pay it any mind, assuming it was just a dark rock. Drífa bolted into the cavern's entrance, Brynhildr right on her heels. Panting, she groaned as she sat. She'd been traveling all day and didn't need that sudden burst of activity. It was then her eyes rested on a young wolf, barely a yearling. Her brow furrowed, was he here alone? Where were his parents?

Valdís worked her way down the east side of the maw. The eastern mountains were covered with snow and fully in winters grip. She paused in her descent, gazing out at the view of the eastern territories then back toward the south where she would be making her new home. She was restless. She felt like there was still so much she needed to do to get herself fully settled in. Top of the list was to finally tell Ásvor how she felt. This was getting silly. If she didn't tell her friend by the end of winter then she truly was a coward. She valued their friendship and hoped that even if Ásvor didn't feel the same they could still be good friends. If she had to she could find a way to let the feelings go. Valdís carefully worked her way along a steep incline, moving on instinct as she let her thoughts drift here and there. She was jolted from her thoughts as a sudden rumbling caused her limbs to recoil, her body scrunching down close to the ground to make it easier to maintain her balance. She turned her head to the volcano and gasped. Fire and smoke were spitting up from its top. Shit! No! She was finally working up the courage again to talk to her friend and the gods deemed now of all times to try and snuff her out? To hell with that! Gritting her teeth Valdís careened through the rocky terrain. She'd spent enough time in Crew back when they had the run of the maw to know how to navigate rough terrain. There! She spied an opening gleaming in the low light. From the angle she was at she could see a dark-pelted wolf laying not to far from the entrance. She didn't stop to see if he was awake or if he might want to share. She burst through the opening, noticing a small, white-pelted wolf was there as well. She smirked. "What is this? A party and I wasn't invited? I'm appalled!" The ground rumbled once more and her voice fell quiet. Were they safe here? "Talk" "You" Think

The first female that came rushing into the cave was enough to wake the teen, his bright blue eyes opening in an instant. Immediately, his attention rushed past her as he noticed the glow of the fire. His weight lifted up quite quickly onto his haunches as he pushed back against the wall he had been resting beside. What had happened, where were Domina and Elias? Were they alright?

Pure fear and concern made his pupils almost completely consume those beautiful blue eyes as his heart raced in his chest. His masked muzzle turned to point toward the white wolf, his expression expectant as he hoped maybe she had some sort of explanation. He lifted his rump from the floor and took a tentative step toward the entrance of the cave. He had half a mind to rush out and go find his family, but then another soul came rushing in and sent him back-peddling back the way he had come from.

Her words were the sort of comic relief the boy needed to get a grip of himself. His heart still hammered, but he relaxed some as he focused on both of the strangers. If they were rushing in, it was likely unsafe for him to go out... but he had to...

"What is going on? What happened? Where is my sister?" Fuck Elias, honestly...

"Did you see her out there?" His eyes flashed between both of their faces as he awaited their answer.

Build me up from bones, Wrap me up in skin, Hold me close enough to breathe me in

Drífa turned to the boy and quickly noticed the fearful expression on his face. She couldn't blame him. She could feel her own heart pounding in her chest as her mind raced. She didn't know much about volcanic eruptions and she had no idea if the cave was stable enough to be deemed safe or if they were sheltering in an eventual death trap. Drífa was about ask for the young man's name when another woman dove through the cavern opening. She scowled at the woman's glib comment but resisted the urge to say something back as the ground rumbled once more. This was definitely not good.

"What is going on? What happened? Where is my sister?"

Drífa felt a pang in her heart. Spirits, the boy had family out there!  "The volcano is agitated. I saw sparks flying from its mouth and the ground started shaking. There's lava and I… it might be erupting. I don't know for sure." Brynhildr rustled her feathers and nodded in agreement. "It could just be a disturbance, it might pass…"

Drífa hoped that were true. "I'm sorry, child, I didn't see anyone else out there. Could you tell me her name and what she looks like? Perhaps my raven, Brynhildr can take a quick look outside." It was the best she could offer though she hoped the raven would be careful. There was likely dangerous substances filling up the air even as they spoke.

The older woman didn't seem pleased with her little joke but Valdís wasn't worried about it. She needed a little levity at this point. Anxiety was kneading her stomach and in truth she wanted nothing more than to burst out of this stupid cave and race back south to Legion. She gazed about the cave and noticed that there seemed to be caverns extending deep into the mountain but she had no desire to explore them, to go deeper to where there might be internal rivers of magma just waiting to breach the surface. They' just have to keep an eye on the state of the cave and make sure that if parts of it started to erode or dislodge that they retired deeper into caverns. Valdís turned to the boy as he asked if she'd seen his sister out there. She shook her head. "I didn't see a soul but I was focused on finding shelter." She looked out for herself first. Well… most of the time. Ásvor was the one exception to that old equation. If she knew the other was out there in this mess she'd probably charge right on out and get herself killed in the process. "Do your family live around here? Maybe she felt the rumbling and went home to take shelter." She didn't know how to be a comfort. "Either way, looks like we'll be stuck together for awhile. My name is Valdís Thyre. Who might you two be?" "Talk" "You" Think

Dominus remained standing as tall as the titanic yearling could, though not in any sort of display of power but rather because of the incredible sense of urgency he was feeling. His weight shifted between his paws as he fought the urge to run past them and run out of the cave to find his sister, but the words of the two caught his attention and kept him anchored.

The paler female seemed to offer more sensible information and kept his blue eyes the longest. He listened to her, his silverback ears attentively positioned toward her as he took in every word. Her raven offered some comfort that perhaps this was a temporary situation, but still, he felt panicked. His mind started to become hazy, though he wasn't sure if it was from his fear or the smoke from outside. He took a deep breath after she asked her question, reminding himself to calm down and keep his head so he could figure this out properly.

"Her name is Domina. She looks just like me, she is my twin sister.. but her eyes are red." He informed them to the best of his capability before the other woman started talking, and he turned to her. She asked if their family lived near and all he could offer was a blank stare as his jaw slacked some, unable to find an answer. They once lived in these mountains, but where was their home now? He didn't know how to explain, so he simply shook his head negatively and focused on the next part of her speech where she introduced herself.

"My name is Dominus Praetor..." He offered his name politely, though his wide blue eyes soon found the other woman and her raven again as he desperately wondered if it would risk taking flight out there.

"Is it safe for him?" He didn't want to risk her pet being injured, but at the same time.. he needed to find his sister. Again, he found himself struggling to stay put.. taking a step toward the mouth of the cave to better see what awaited outside.

Build me up from bones, Wrap me up in skin, Hold me close enough to breathe me in

Drífa listened intently to the young man as her companion nodded. They'd do their best to help him find his sister. Drífa couldn't stand the thought of a young girl being out in that horror but she also knew that alone she might not be much help. Racing straight into danger wouldn't help anyone but thankfully Brynhildr had her wings and could at least run a quick scouting mission. From there they could decide what to do. She glanced at the younger woman. She was fit and muscular, clearly a warrior or hunter of some kind. If she had to she would nip that woman in the butt to send her after the missing youth.

The other woman introduced herself as Valdís Thyre. Drífa couldn't bring herself to sit, instead she paced lightly as she waited for her companion's return. The boy introduced himself as Dominus. "A pleasure, my name is Drífa. Don't worry about Brynhildr. She can handle this." She nodded confidently to the raven. "Brynhildr, you're up." The raven nodded and took to the air, her ivory wings disappearing swiftly into the hazy dark outside their safe haven. Drífa couldn't bring herself to sit and so she paced lightly across the cave floor instead. So far she hadn't felt another rumble. Perhaps things were slowing down? Maybe it was just a hiccup. "So, Dominus, are you and your sister traveling anywhere in particular? I'm from the north if there's anything you'd like to know about that area."

Valdís moved to sit near the opening opposite the boy, Dominus, as she watched the bird fly out of the cave. She could still see the orange glow of the lava and the burning effigies of trees lighting up the mountainside. This was not good. She hated feeling trapped and at times she half considered just bolting from the cave and going as far as she could before she collapsed. She knew this was stupid. She had no idea of knowing where the lava was and where the fire would go. She could easily run right into a trap. She turned her head back to gaze at the old woman, Drífa then glanced at Dominus. "I've been a little bit of everywhere myself but I can't say I know any one area especially well." Though she did know these mountains reasonably well from her time living in Fenrir's Maw. That knowledge still wouldn't help with lava and fire bearing down on them. "Talk" "You" Think

Hope twinkled within his wide blue eyes as the raven took flight and set off to search for his sister, for a brief moment he hoped that his father would be found safe as well. The fire looked menacing, it's heat and smoke making his eyes and nose burn even from the shelter of the cave. He settled for now on his haunches, forcing himself to remain calm as he focused on the words of the two women in his company.

It had been a really long time since he'd been around adult females, not just his sister. Something about their presence alone comforted the boy, but he still didn't want to linger. Concern and his protective nature tugged at his thoughts, but he forced his eyes to lock on each of them as they spoke. Everything would be okay.

Drifa asked about where they were going and Dominus canted his head just slightly as he thought. It was difficult to say, they didn't have any place in particular set out as a goal.

"We were traveling to Mount Volkan, it used to be our home. We've been traveling across Boreas looking for my mother, finally ended up back where we started. I think we are about to end our search.. it's been.. months..." Man, he really had all sorts of problems, did he not? Dominus furrowed his 'brow dots together and lifted his chin.

"I would love to know what is in the North, I am looking for something.. secluded." Something safe from Elias, he hoped. His blue gems flashed to Valdis as she admitted not really knowing much about lands and he gave her a nod and waited patiently. Perhaps she would think of something? There had to be somewhere out of reach from most wolves..