It was official - Deus and his sister were full grown adults. The Abraxas man could hardly keep up with the passing seasons after his uncle's death, but somehow still the months still passed and with them, he aged. He had grown complicit in his lessons, hardly trained or hunted or did anything really to hone his skills. Deus needed something, anything to hold onto and aim for. He'd decided as a yearling that he'd follow Aureus' path into becoming a Mantle, and now that he was no longer considered a child he knew it was time to approach his uncle about earning a real rank.

Deus loitered on the edge of the frozen lake for a while while he built up the nerve to call for Eligos. What if his alpha did not see he'd improved enough? Would he be stuck in this rank of Haggard forever? At one point in time Deus had sworn to himself that he'd be the perfect Abraxas specimen, and he was failing. With a heavy sigh he pushed past his train of thought, straightened his shoulders to hold some semblance of self-respect, and howled for Eligos.

"Speech"

Eligos had just been chased from his own cave - again - by the overprotective young malinois mother, when his nephew's howl rang through the air, calling for him. Eligos set off immediately, pleased to see his nephew even if he'd had anything to do at that moment, which he didn't particularly. Besides, he had it in mind that he would present Deus with one of Kida's pups, when she was willing to part with them for training, and that news might pull him from his funk. Coming upon him, Eligos did get the impression that Deus was nervous, which worried him a little, particularly on the heels of the boy's recent withdrawal. "Asmodeus, what can I do for you, nephew?"

Eligos responded promptly and Deus shifted his weight between his paws, the nervousness beginning to reach him once more as his uncle came into view. The man had changed much since last year, it was still weird to see the horns that had grown from his skull. "Uncle, I've called you to formally request a rank." Deus had sat in his pup rank so long, that come an adult he'd received no formal training nor even moved into a Path. Aureus would have been disappointed in his apathy, of that the Abraxas youth was sure. "I'd like to follow the Path of the Fang, like Aureus did. I know you can't give me the title of Mantle now, but that's what I strive for." Was there more he should say? Eligos wasn't much of a long-winded speaker, so Deus assumed he'd place no value in long winded explanations or excuses either. "We could fight for it, if you'd like proof I've been training on my own." Perhaps it was slightly manipulative to allude that he'd been hidden away training all this time when in fact, Deus had gone hard and firm with his training each day until Aureus' death. He may be slightly rusty, but these things were second nature, right? Surely he'd fall back into it just as easily as he'd fallen out of it. "Speech"

Eligos' expression softened slightly in fondness and pride for his nephew's ambitious. And yes, a little relief that nothing was wrong, and sadness once again for the loss of Aureus. "You are correct that you are not ready for Mantle just yet. There is more to being a master of your path than simply knowing how to fight well. As an Accipiter you will gain the experience and depth of learning that you will need to take your place as a Mantle. I know Aureus trained you well - you needed only to take the last step and show that you were confident enough in yourself." The normally reserved alpha clasped a paw to Deus' shoulder with a warm smile. "I am happy to welcome you as the pack's newest Accipiter, and I look forward to seeing you as a Mantle one day. Now," he said briskly, "I will still gladly take that fight with you, but I have your first task as a warrior to assign you first." With a final pat of Deus' shoulder he pulled away. "You might not have known, since she has been very secretive about it, but Kida gave birth to a litter of puppies recently. I would like you to take two of them when they're old enough to leave her side and train them as fighters to act as partners to you, like Kida and Cypher are to me. It will test your skills and your patience greatly, but it will teach you even as you are teaching them. Do you accept?"

Asmodeus basked in his alpha's praise, a wide smile splitting across his muzzle as the man's paw clasped his shoulder. It was all the encouragement he'd needed, and before he knew it his request for a promotion had somehow been accepted and Asmodeus was gifted his new rank. He was nearly vibrating with excitement - and all too ready to take on his uncle for that promised fight - and then Eligos continued, and Deus' eyes widened in surprise. "... Puppies?" He gasped, thrilled with the new development. It seemed like so many warriors across Boreas had companions fighting at their side and Deus had certainly seen Kida and Cypher giving their all for Eligos. It was the highest praise he could have gotten, to be gifted two pups from his alpha's litter of shepherds, and Asmodeus was quick to forget his offer to spar. "Yes, please, thank you! I will raise them well, you'll be so proud." While no longer a child, the 'task' assigned brought out the youthfulness in the new Abraxas warrior. "Can I see them? If Kida will let me?" Oh, man, wait until he told Aoife.   "Speech"