Spring.

It felt as though years had passed, but in truth it had been only months. A simple turning of one season and he returned to his birth land, reborn. The faint scent that he had caught in the Brief and frantic moments when he landed on the cold shore had ruminated within him. A scent he had always known yet could never place, a desire he had long held but could never be fulfilled. A man he had grown to hate and yet who had sparked his wildest puphood imaginings.

Father.

The word brought the feeble minded Bass to his thoughts, and he bit bitterly against them. No. He was no father to him. He was no leader of Abaven. He was not even fit to lead a herd of sheep. He knew as he stood on the precipice of the pack's territory that his own greatness had been inherited, that his sire had truly been a man of greatness like he had always known. He threw his head back and howled until his lungs burned, his golden eyes fixed on the mountain before him as he waited to be received.

It felt good today, as it was late afternoon yet the air in the upper peaks of the Maw was still cold enough to provide comfort. Elias was sprawled out along the stone floor of the citadel when the howl from a stranger rang in his mountains. It seemed close, closer than the howls usually were- most seemed to wait for him at Mount Volkan. Some part of him was thankful for this stranger being closer, he wouldn't have to wander away from home as far.

He wasn't sure where his children were at the moment, though he knew they were on territory and enjoying their time to themselves after their training (at least, he hoped). With their safety a mild concern in his mind, he hastily moved at a running jog to answer the howl before any of them were able to arrive before him. Then, at least, if they did arrive- he could protect them.

Once the stranger came into view, Elias couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. The familiarity between this man and himself was painfully obvious, and his age was about the same as the others. With so many of his children finding him since the rise of Ruina, the possibility of this being another one was a question in the alpha's mind as soon as he saw him.

Elias' intense stare never strayed away from Tyranis even though his approach slowed down, his breath making faint clouds in the mountain air as his lungs rapidly began to attempt to read what scents this man carried. Once he was close enough to smell him, Elias stopped- about six feet away. The scent told him that this was indeed one of his sons and that he was a Wreckage.

Elias' lips curved just ever so slightly as he began to realize who was standing in front of him. This was the fabled son of his he had heard so much about. The one that started his own pack. The one Ace said reminded him so much of Elias himself. Elias lifted his head a bit taller as pride struck him once again.

"I have been waiting for this day. I have already heard so much about you, Tyranis Wreckage. Welcome to Ruina." His words rolled off his tongue with the weight of a slight Latin accent. It wasn't something that occurred often, though on rare occasions when he was feeling particularly nostalgic and closer to his roots.. it was impossible to stop. For a moment, his eyes wandered around the two of them as Elias checked every shadow, checking for movement for two reasons. One, did Ty have any friends? And two, were the demons watching this important happenstance? A light gust of wind sent a shiver up his spine that made his eyes snap back to Tyranis in an instant, and somehow he knew... yes, they were here.

As the king approached any doubts he might have had faded. This was a man. This was his father. He dipped his head respectfully as the man came closer but was momentarily caught off guard by the male’s greeting. For a moment he wondered if he had died and had entered a plane beyond the realm of the living. How else could one explain that the veritable tank before him had not only heard of him but by the swelling of his chest and from his own words had been anticipating meeting him. He felt humbled, but like any strong leader the emotions were carefully hidden from his features and his expression. “You do me a great honor.” He replied, his tone even and collected despite the tremor of joy and excitement building in his chest. “You’ve heard of me, but I’m afraid I know nothing of you Father, not even your name.” His words nearly cracked over the significant title. Never before had the word “Father” felt so true, and so right. He let a small smile creep over his maw, his eyes dancing with mirthful light, the façade was beginning to break. “All my life I felt as though something had been absent from my life. I lacked the understanding of who I was, and where I belonged.” He looked over the treacherous terrain, so different from the lush fields and rolling hills he had been born in. So different, and so perfect for a man like himself. He looked at the man again, the wind picking up the plush fur of his neck. “I know now, that my place is with you, in these lands.” Speaking  Thinking You

The neutral tone of Ty's voice, distant and expressionless, struck him all too familiar. The way his face remained smooth yet his eyes became animated as he spoke... it made it impossible for the man to shake the goosebumps from his skin that had risen with that spiritful gust. He stood there with his hackles slightly raised, not out of anger but of awe, and watched as Tyranis spoke boldly and with an incredible sense of declaration.

Elias couldn't help but lift his chin slightly as Tyranis continued, his ears incredibly tuned to those powerful words. He knew Tyranis had fled his pack and family before, perhaps his words were true. Perhaps this was a man suffering from the same lost feeling Elias held on to all of his life until he started Ruina again and answered his calling. Rubies disappeared beneath a reflection of light for a moment as his features softened and he lowered his head once again now that his son was finished speaking. Elias took everything in carefully, the tall ears of his crown remaining directed at Tyranis to catch any other words while he did so.

"Your ancestors are watching you in this moment, and they are proud of what they see." He smirked slightly, the warm feeling of what Elias believed to be the presence of his deceased father coming to him all over again. The way a son felt around their father was something unexplainable. Safe. Proud. Elias was hit with the nostalgia as he embraced the belief that his own father was here for certain and giving him this feeling, and he only hoped that he could provide the very same thing to Tyranis one day when Elias' passed on. Somehow, it reminded the restless king that he was never truly alone.. and the balance that Ruina was bringing was something timeless. He pulled himself out of his head with a sigh and the tension from his shoulders and his stance could visibly be seen fading as he took a step to the right, presenting his side for Tyranis to walk beside on their way back up to the mountain.

"You do me a great honor as well, with these words you have brought me so much pride. My name is Elias Praetor, I am the Apollyon here in Ruina and it is my duty to show you and all other new souls what it means to be tied to the blood of the Apollyon. I will teach you about the demons that are tied into our bloodline and the empowerment we offer each other through the balance we bring by the strength of the pack. I want this to be your place, though I must tell you.. son. There is a lot of commitment involved with remaining on these lands, as once you are oathed in you may never leave. Take your time and choose whether or not you will oath yourself wisely, study as a Purgatorian until you are ready for your Rites... or not, if that is what you decide. You have a lot to learn and a long journey ahead of you, but these are your wolves, your land, your blood. You will always be welcome here."

He followed the man with bold, clean strides, his head raised with the knowledge that he had every right to be there. He listened to the man carefully and considered briefly what it would mean to belong to a pack completely rather than be a fair-weather on looker like so many in Abaven were. To have that security, that stability in his life, that was what he wanted more than anything else in the world, even more than the return of his mate. A moment of silence passed between them before he spoke again, and with great ardour. “I have never been a Wreckage of Abaven.” He announced. “I have never belonged to my mother’s family or to the pack I was born into. If you are a Praetor, then I am a Praetor as well, and I will swear my life to Ruina from this day until my last. You have my word.” His voice never quavered, his eyes never left his father’s blazing red, uncertainty never touched him, or trepidation that he may never see his mother again. She had been fully loyal to him, but now he would show that loyalty to the father he had never had. To the father he deserved. “I am Tyranis Praetor.” He said boldly, “My home and my heart are with Ruina.” Speaking  Thinking You

The face of the gray king seemingly turned to stone as he listened to Tyranis declare himself a Praetor, for as much as Elias wanted to hear these words of devotion coming from one of his children. This was his first time meeting Tyranis and he did not expect things with any of his bastard children to ever be easy. The horrors that he did were real and the fact that he was not in their lives would always be a truth he had to face.

Despite all that, here this son of his was with declaration that he found his home, his calling, and where he belonged. Those words melted the guarding walls that surrounded the lonely beast's heart, his pulse increasing as he took in a deep breath beneath the impact of such a strongly spoken declaration coming from the mouth of his son. His red eyes met the striking yellow's of Ty's, neither one of them seeming willing to break the eye contact but Elias was searching for truth. The same words that melted his heart bred fear and doubt in all corners of his fragile mind. Why was Tyranis so quick to devote himself to Elias? Was he not mad at him? Was he not at least curious about what he was getting himself into?

...w-was there an ulterior motive here? Was this some sort of trap that Elias was walking into?

Elias only asked two things of the souls that remained a part of Ruina and that was commitment and a willingness to work, Tyranis was declaring both of these and therefor Elias would never turn him away. He would embrace him wholeheartedly and without hesitation as long Tyranis was willing to work with him. To have a bond with his own flesh and blood beneath the service of the demons of Ruina was the ultimate honor that Elias could achieve in this life- like his bond with his own father. He wanted this far too much to deny him, no matter what harm could potentially come from it.... and that was a bizarre feeling for Elias.

He had so many questions, though he was afraid of asking too many and giving away any hint that he had doubt- no, nothing but acceptance and encouragement would come from him in the face of his children unless it was no longer deserved. Tyranis so far was deserving, so strong and so ambitious- it made Elias proud, and he was certain his son deserved the benefit of the doubt.

Curiosity was always strong with him, however. He couldn't help but ask at least one, at least to ease his mind about the wolves that lived so close to their own borders.

"What was it about Abaven that made you feel this strongly that you are not apart of them, Tyranis?"

He laughed then, but the sound was without humor. “In truth it was they that made me feel like an outcast.” He said, his eyes lowering as he recalled his childhood. “I was ambitious, I wanted to be their leader, I worked hard for it, met as many people as I could, learned as much as I was able.” His features darkened then. “The leader I was born under- Bass, he lost his mind. My sisters went missing and he left to search for them, leaving the pack in the hands of a…consort. Temporarily. “ Vali. Anger twisted within him at the thought of the pale woman. The woman who had overlooked him, the woman who was unimpressed by him, the woman who only saw a bastard, but more importantly saw a boy who was not a Destruction. “She passed leadership to a girl who was…inferior to me.” For the first time in his life he wondered if that were true, if Sparrow truly had been the meek, unqualified woman he had always thought her to be. As he recalled the days that followed her ascension and her meager attempts of holding together a pack that was crumbling he realized that it was true. He composed himself and looked at the man directly. “I don’t say that lightly, she was ill-suited, passive in nature and weak of body, but then I suppose she didn’t need to be strong.” He sighed. “The girl was Bass’s daughter you see, and his son was unwilling to take on the role of leader for himself. I was never even considered.” His mouth twisted wryly “I never had a chance. I was a bastard with no lineage save for my mother’s. The son of a healer with no passion for healing, nothing more.” He shook out his fur suddenly, as if it would dislodge the bitterness and anger that followed him to this day. “When the opportunity to start my own pack arose, I took it, and I never once looked back.” He paused then, looking out over the surrounding forest. “Which reminds me.” With that he tipped his head back and let out a call, watching as his slight son slipped from the underbrush they had left behind to join his father and grandfather. “This is Rain. Your grandson.” Speaking  Thinking You

Rain looked over the man who towered over his father, and kept his eyes on the ground. “H-hello sir.” He said nervously, his ears pulled back in a show of submission like his father had taught him. He stayed toward his father’s flank, unconsciously shielding himself from the larger male with his father’s body. “I had him hide, in case I would be turned away.”His father explained to his elder. The way his father looked at the strange male made him feel uneasy, only he had known his father long enough to detect the silent admiration passing between the two males, and only he knew how uncomfortably foreign such a look was. His father had always been diplomatic and firm, now he looked as though the man had been touched by the gods themselves. Was this what a grandfather was? He supposed, it was, seeing as he was his father’s father. Did he look at his own father the same way? He supposed he did. speaking Thinking   You

It was a bit more difficult for Elias to quiet down his inner thoughts than he initially expected, the chilling presence of his ancestors in the air around them still something he could feel. He found himself asking them all the questions he wanted to throw at Tyranis instead of fully listening to the words his son was offering, but he did his best to focus. His eyes narrowed just a bit as he willed himself to come out of his thoughts. It was hard, hard because being torn between possibly protecting himself and going with his skepticisms was his nature.. and that was not his intentions right now at all. It wouldn't be the first time in his life, but it was the first time in his life he was feeling that something was wrong this early on when meeting someone and not just avoiding them entirely.

He tried his best to focus, his thoughts straying back to the image of Sparrow as Tyranis spoke when Elias had met her a season ago. She had come to visit the new pack in the mountains to let her presence known, Elias wasn't sure what to think of her. He had no positive nor negative memories to go off of, just a mutual understanding of being neighbors of one another. He understood why his son was upset with them and why he felt like he had no place there, no place with his birth family. He could see himself in Ty, it was not hard for Elias to imagine how he would have felt if expected to grow up among healers. Tyranis had incredible potential, a strength that was obvious both in mind and body.. it would be like telling a wolf to be happy living among sheep.

This was helping Elias calm down, to put aside his insecurities about this situation. He was relating with Tyranis and it left him incredibly curious to know more, to find out about his son's past, what led up to this point and what he aspired to do next. Who was he? It wasn't hard to understand. Elias was already in love with his son.

"I am thankful that they did not crown you as you deserved, Tyranis. They have no idea what strength they have lost. Bloodlines are important, I can understand that. I am happy they did not choose to surrender their own. If they had, your ties would be to their people and not your own. Your fate is not with them, Tyranis. I understand what you are telling me, and your fate is here with your own blood. The blood of the Apollyon, the first wolf." He smirked. Yeah, that was something he couldn't help but be a bit smug and proud of.

He was pulled out of his tension even more when Tyranis admitted he had a surprise in store, his grandchild. Of course, afterall.. the other one was already here. Elias found himself a bit lost in the coloration of the boy's eyes. So many of his children were showing this trait.. their eyes a mix of different souls. This one was ancient and natural, deeply connected with the world around him. He looked over to Tyranis and smiled. His were pure nature spirits, which seemed incredibly fitting considering his ambitious attitude. Those eyes told a need to claim.

"Hello, Rain. Welcome. How does it feel to no longer be lost?" Memories of chasing down Viper and bringing her back home flashed in his brain, reminding him of the little lamb they were sure to discover. He looked to Tyranis with a rather.. uncertain expression.

"I found your daughter, as well. She does not believe that I am her grandfather and claims to have no recollection of you, she also refuses to be anything other than wild," there was a bit of a hint of frustration in his voice. Viper had proven to be more than a handful so far.

"She was young when I found her and I didn't want to leave her to live on her own. I brought her here by force, earning her the title of Lamb- a slave. She is not happy about it, but at least she is alive. I was close to giving up, though now maybe your presence will mean something to her." Elias was incredibly curious how they would react to that knowledge, all other thoughts subsiding for now until he could read their reaction.

His head lifted as his father spoke the words he had always felt in his heart, the assurance that Cloud had always given him; that Abaven with all its history and size was too small of a place for him, and its people too soft hearted for himself. His ears lifted as Elias declared him the descendent of the first wolf; Apollyon and felt his ears ring with glorious certainty. Yes, that was right, he could feel it in his bones. Apollyon. Elias greeted his meek grandson and Tyranis almost felt as though he should apologize on the boy’s behalf. Rain had always been shy, but to cower and hide behind his father for protection was almost embarrassing. Just as his thoughts began to wander toward the fate of his daughter and answer was given, as though the man could read his thoughts.   “…She does not believe that I am her grandfather and claims to have no recollection of you, she also refuses to be anything other than wild," His expression tightened slightly as the Apollyon explained what had become of his daughter, rage touching at his chest momentarily before he found he could speak again. “I’ve heard disturbing rumors surrounding my ma-“ He halted on the word. “Their mother. The birds chatter that she abandoned our daughter to seek… other interests.” He felt his teeth clench momentarily then sucked in a breath to calm himself again. “It seems I gave my heart too freely to one who would not reciprocate such loyalty.” He said morosely. “I wouldn’t be surprised if my daughter blamed me. Lord only knows what thoughts their mother might have put in her head.” He sighed. “She’ll come around in time.” He assured him Speaking  Thinking You

Rain muttered a barely audible “Good.” In response to his grandfather’s greeting, then continued to shy away behind his father. He looked over the surrounding terrain apprehensively. This was where they were going to live? On the steep mountains and cliffs? What if he fell? Or got hurt? In an instant Rain’s worries washed away. Nuada was alive and there within the pack’s borders! His sister! He stepped away from his father excitedly, his tail waving as he looked at him with an unspoken question that was slowly beginning to consume him. His father nodded and in an instant he was racing away crying his sister’s name. From behind him he heard his father chuckle and distantly heard him explain that he would find her on his own. "Nuada!" -Exit Rain- speaking Thinking   You

Long limbs carried the titan over to the beginning of the route he usually took up the Maw, paws already finding precariously placed rocks sticking out from the rest to make the trip a lot faster. Both of the males in his company were young and able-bodied, surely they could keep up. He looked back at them with a size gaze of his red eyes and noticed the rather concerned look on the boy's face. Did Tyranis coddle him, why did he appear to be so meek? His eyes trailed back to Tyranis as he pushed the thought away, doing his best not to judge something he didn't fully understand yet.

As he listened to Tyranis admit rumors he'd heard from birds, Elias couldn't help but trail off in thought a bit.. his focus returning to his steps as he became a lot more inward. He couldn't help but wonder why birds were talking about one female wolf in particular, though he supposed she was once a Queen. Elias lifted his head, pausing his movements in front of the two to block their path while absent-mindedly sniffing the air around them one last time for any other signs of outside wolves. There were none, but his surveillance was cut short by the youngest male of the trio running forward due to excitement for finding his sister. Something about seeing him bound after her with completely different energy than before when Elias had seen him brought a smile to the mask of the Apollyon. At least he was brave for blood, if not himself.

Now that Elias was alone with Tyranis, he tried to pay a little more attention during their ascension up the Maw.

"Whatever the case may be, she is strong. When I captured her, she never once let me relax- the fact that she is still here and has not escaped yet actually bewilders me. I think some part of her must want to know more about her family, or perhaps she knows what we would do should we find her again post-escape." Oh, wait. He glanced nervously over to Tyranis, trying his best to remember to be aware of the morals of others. Not everyone took death threats lightly, and Elias knew he really needed to watch what he said. He switched the subject.

"She has been here now for about half her life. She is as much Ruina as she is anything else, and though she wishes to explore and be free.. I want her to realize she can do that here in the pack, with the help of her family. If she fails to understand, I will not let her soul be lost from Ruina forever. There is something ancient inside of her." As if backing up his words, the light around them brightened as clouds rolled by overhead and rapid winds brushed through even the thickest parts of his pelt. He grinned through stained and thick teeth before looking to Tyranis.

"Though now that I've seen the strength in her father with my own eyes, I suppose I understand. Who knew you would grow to be as much of a force as what you are, from Storm Wreckage? If that doesn't prove the existence of strength within our souls, I don't know what does. I am sure she is proud of you, Tyranis." He wasn't insulting Storm in any way, but the woman was small in stature and strong in wisdom.

"I have a lot to go over with you about the history of our family, the history of wolves.. of demoncraft. I ask that as a Purgatorian, you remain close and learn more about what it is we do here." He stopped to take a beak on a flat patch of stone along the mountain path, his chest heaving slightly from the climb. He enjoyed the feeling of his blood pumping though, he always did.. though perhaps he enjoyed it a lot more when he was Tyranis' age.