Malleus' wanderings had brought him to the foothills of Hell. He was sure of it. The ground beneath his paws was warm to the touch, but there were patches, long stretches of blackened ground, where the heat was unbearable. Where the ground was cracked like blistered skin. Those cracks glowed orange and the haze that rose off of them hinted at a terrible heat. What else could this be besides the entrance to Hell?

A few yards away the ground belched and released a cloud of built up gas in a bubbly hiss. Malleus side-eyed the anomaly cautiously. The last thing he needed was for one of those things to open up close to him. Unlike some of his more...exuberant family members, Malleus wasn't one for reckless behavior. Sure, he could go traipsing through the field of death like a lunatic, OR, he could turn around and go back the way he'd come like any sensible creature who wished to die of old age.

Another belch, this time off to his left, captured Malleu's attention. His ears flicked back and his nose wrinkled as the stench hit him. Yeah, it was time to move on. It was probably for the best anyway. Things were happening for the Abraxas. Their time was nearing and he didn't want to miss a single moment of it.

Amon bad picked up his son's trail earlier in the day, and followed it for a short while before it was overwhelmed by a sulfurous smell. Still, Amon pressed on, figuring that the odds were fair his son had been pulled along by curiosity. He found Malleus near the water's edge, eyeing the plumes of gases being belched from the earth. The nearer Amon came the warmer the ground grew, until it was uncomfortably hot beneath his paws. What on earth was this place? "Whenever I'm meaning to find anyone in our family," he began in a dry tone, "I always seem to find them in the strangest of places." He leveled the boy with a neutral scale. He had grown well in the last year, maturing from a lanky yearling into a stout young male. He and his siblings were in their prime, as far as Amon was concerned, and he was eager to see how they would perform in the coming war. "Have you been preparing yourself for what's to come?" Amon asked with honest interest. He wanted to be certain his son felt confident in his abilities, not to say he wouldn't be disappointed if the boy did not. Amon had his expectations, after all, and he expected them to be met. The lake beyond gurgled and sent forth another gout of steam and stench. Amon spared it a quick glance, marveling that a sight like this could be found so close to lands that were otherwise verdant. To him it spoke of the Fallen God's creative imaginings, which much have certainly been used in its formation. Of course, that did not necessarily make it habitable, or even pleasant to visit for a short time. "Talk" "You" Think

One ear flicked back as Amon's voice registered behind him. After a beat Malleus turned to face his father with a faint smile on his lips. He chuckled, the sound a deep rumble reminiscent of distant thunder. "Yet more proof," he offered in response, "That we are not meant for the mundane."

It wasn't often that his father went out of his way to speak with him like this. He could have waited for his son to return to the Canyon but he didn't, and that led the titan to believe his father's presence here served a purpose. Perhaps this was the talk his father had promised him when they'd been reunited. Hopefully not as Malleus didn't particularly feel like having his time away scrutinized. What he'd done had needed to be done and he wished to keep his privacy if at all possible.

"Have you been preparing yourself for what is to come?" At this Malleus gave a firm nod. He was prepared. "I have, yes. Since my return I have been gathering medicinal supplies and I think at this point I have enough to bandage every member of our family from head to toe." He wasn't lying either. His herb stash was still quite low - he didn't know how to dry and store many of them - but he had an abundance of the basics. Assuming every member didn't get into a knock down drag out brawl, Malleus was confident that they'd be okay.

"Have you decided on a target?" He was curious to hear which pack his father chose to conquer first. A few had been suggested at the meeting, but last he'd heard, a definite target hadn't been picked.