OOC: This is a mandatory meeting and I expect everyone who isn't on absence to attend. Replies are due by 9/1.

Once again Malleus took a seat on a bank over the creek. This time there was no giant carcass at his paws. No, this meeting was a bit different than the last one he'd planned. The bones were the same, sure - changes needed to be made, etc. - but the "meat" of it would be different. Tipping back his head, Malleus howled for the Abraxas and for the mortals who called their pack home. He wanted everyone. All of Risen's members, all of those recovering from the flood, any of the rogues who might hear his voice and feel called to rejoin their family. The times they were a-changin' and any Abraxas worth their name would want to be a part of it.   "Malleus" - "Pascal"

Azazel was nearby when the call rang out and his head lifted to gaze towards where Malleus had called from. He had been investigating the nearby beaches to the East of the pack lands for clues pertaining to the members of the eclipse empire. So far...he'd found nothing. Then again he wasn't really sure who he was supposed to be looking for. He'd never met any wolves from that pack, but if his alpha was calling then maybe he had more information or news about them. He was already half way back to pack lands when Malleus called, so it didn't take him terribly long to show up. In fact, by the time he did arrive, he appeared to be the first one there. Feeling pleased and a bit smug about that fact, he moved to sit nearby and offered a nod of greeting to the alpha. He was curious about this meeting, now they just had to wait for the rest of the pack to show up.

Auster had finally cooled down enough to the point where Ina truly enjoyed the season. In fact, she was beginning to feel like Winter just might be her favorite season of all. Her coat had started to get thicker, much thicker than her mother's coat had ever been, and she looked fluffier than she had ever looked before. She wondered if it was something normal that happened after pup-hood, or maybe it was just normal in general? She wasn't sure. Nobody else's coat seemed to get as fluffy as hers was now, and she couldn't compare her fur to her siblings because, well...they weren't here. She didn't know who her father was, so she didn't think that maybe that's who she took after, fur wise. She was coming back from checking out the borders when she heard Malleus call for the pack to gather, so with haste she went. She didn't want to be last, in fact, she wanted to try to be the first one there! But upon arriving, there was already someone there. Frowning, she shot a sour look at the multi-colored male and sat a couple of feet in front of Malleus. She was bigger now, almost full grown. Would she grow taller than him, she wondered? "Hello, Malleus." She greeted. "Speech" <

Serene Validis Serene was working out in her garden when she heard the familiar call of her silver mate echo through the vines. It brought her head up from the herbs as she glanced around the den site with a soft smile. "Did you hear that my loves? Your father is calling for us." Them, and the rest of the pack. It was curious to the blonde fae, since the last time they were all called together for a meetings, news of their sister pack's downfall had the Empire out scouting the lands for survivors. A rigid line of tension formed on her back at the thought of yet another tragedy befalling their empire. But the sounds of yips and soft barks had her relaxing a bit, as amber eyes settled on her small family. The past several weeks had been pure bliss to Serene, but that was mostly due to the tiny shuffles of paws that followed her. After a grueling pregnancy, the blonde woman had finally given birth to the next generation of Abraxas. "Amaris, Felicity, come along." She called out to her children, knowing they were most likely playing within the confines of the den once more. Her ears then twitched to the sound of the vines rustling across the field. "Pyrrhic! Aureus! The family is moving out, best not get left behind." Her twin boys, always together and constantly causing her golden hairs to turn silver with their adventurous outings. By the time they were grown up and living on their own, Serene would probably look a lot more like Malleus. Lastly, but certainly not least, Serene turned to her final son Eligos. Eyes softened slightly, knowing he was waiting for Malleus to return as he always did. That boy, he sure loved his father. "You make sure your siblings are on their best behavior for me, okay?" Once the pups were gathered, Serene would set off in a slow pace to the meeting. On the way, the pups would constantly be playing with each other, weaving through their mother's long legs and running about. She allowed it until they came out of the vines and closer to the creek, where she immediately cut down the play and laid down the law. "You're meeting the pack now, remember you are Abraxas. Make sure you act like one. Make your father and I proud." Of course Serene would always be proud of her young, but she knew how important this meeting was, especially to Malleus. So when her silver mate came into view, a wave of both relief and nerves flooded her system. She was relieved to see her mate, but nervous to see her Alpha. It was a confusing moment for the sandy woman, but nevertheless she brought the pups up to their father with a warm smile. "Hello, my love." She would greet, placing a small kiss on his cheek before settling down on his left. It was then she noticed the other members present. Feeling a bit sheepish for not noticing them before, but bowed her head in greeting. She couldn't say she had seen them before, but made sure to introduce herself and the pups after the meeting. "Speech" <

Apollo lifted his head, pausing in the midst of marking the border, as his nephew's voice lofted over the territory to call the pack together. Hmm, this must be the rescheduled meeting to replace the one that was, understandably, interrupted by the need to assist the former Aurum. He was more than a little curious to know what it is that Malleus had planned to announce at that meeting, so he was pleased to leave off his patrol and head back towards the call.

"Malleus," he rumbled, nodding his head briefly to his nephew. A gesture of respect, respect for the wolf who was as far as he was concerned the current clear leader of the Abraxas, as his brother Amon's heir. His eyes flicked to the young mortal who was seated there as well, but after a perfunctory examination he turned his gaze away dismissively. Simply a mortal, nothing more. An Abraxas youth, one of Ana's get, and Apollo gave her a lingering observation. Anamalech had abandoned her pups, and two of them had vanished. The reminder of her betrayal rankled, tightened the skin on his muzzle, but he kept the snarl from changing his expression by a narrow volume. It wasn't the child's fault, and he didn't want her to think he was angry with her. She was surely ready for training... he doubted Ana had trained those pups, since she had taken off more than once even before she'd disappeared. Perhaps he would speak to Malleus about her, if he didn't bring it up at the meeting.

Malleus' pretty young mate came in herding their first litter before her, and his face softened as he watched them. The future of the Abraxas was their offspring, and all five of Malleus' young were growing healthy and strong. He hoped Malleus was not so attached to them that he couldn't cull from them if necessary, but he could not entirely blame him if he were. They were vigorous little things, and Apollo found himself surprised to feel a deep longing inside. He'd never considered having children, past the need to do his duty, but now he could see an inkling of something more in it. He found himself actually WANTING to, not simply provide new progeny, but to be a father. He had always enjoyed teaching the Abraxas children when he could - but to be the one to mold them from the very beginning, to watch them grow...

He blinked away the distracting emotion, shaking it off mentally the way he might shake off water. There was a meeting to pay attention to. He would give this other thought more attention later.

Kas had been napping in her den when her nephews call rang out. She had been searching the nearby lands for any trace of her brother before striking out across the Bifrost to check out what lay beyond. She hadn't quite gotten to the latter, however, because she had been focused on trying to find any trace she could. But she hadn't been able to find anything that told her Amon was returning or even his whereabouts. Last she heard, he had returned to their homeland but...she still worried. And hoped that someday he'd return.

Pulling herself up, she trotted over to the meeting and spotted Malleus with a...who was that? Her brow quirked as she looked at her nephew, but whoever that mortal woman was, seemed to be smitten with him. Had he chosen a mate? I really need to get my shit together. She huffed and took a seat a few feet from Apollo, and once settled she waited for things to get started.

Watch Me Take That Flicker To Flame

Ashiel stirred slowly as the summoning howl echoed in the air. He was slow to react. While the sharp, stabbing headache that had plagued him upon waking days earlier had dulled to a steady throb he still felt sore all over. Ashiel took a few deep breaths and willed himself to stand. He needed to get up and get moving, not only for the meeting but for his rendevous with Leshia. It was almost the first full moon of winter and since their tryst they'd agreed to meet should there be any fallout from their union. Since his vision he was almost certain there was. He saw the golden eyes of a young girl and felt anxiety shiver down his spine. He'd long pushed the consequences from his mind, focusing in on his leadership and the following disasters the pack had endured.

Ashiel stepped out into the cool, autumn evening. The air was damp and smelt of rain and he shook the exhaustion from his coat. He still had yet to see Griff but he was sure that, if his companion was still alive, he'd show sooner or later. For now they had other worries, like the state of the Abraxas as a whole. While he lay broken, half in the river, half out of it he had had a vision. A vision that he shared with Malleus and would share soon with the rest of his family. He felt a strange nervousness in his stomach over it. Visions were the domain of his aunts, he was a warrior who had yet to adjust to and fully understand the new place the Fallen god had prepared for him.

Ashiel entered the meeting space and dipped his head in greeting to the others before moving to take his seat. He found himself smiling as he looked at Serene and her pups. The future… the possibility that he was now a father? It left so much spinning in his head he felt as though he might black out.

She was resting, something that had become quite common for her since the flooding incident. The rest was needed to help her fully recover so that she could get back into finding her new place in the main Abraxas pack. She was still uncertain how many from Aurum had been found, if any. She was still grateful that Typhon had rescued her and extremely grateful for the aid in healing thanks to Serene. She still felt that she had made the right choice after the fall of Talis. No matter the problem in her path since then it always seemed that she came out of it well cared for. Her ears perked at the howl and her eyes fluttered open. It was a call for everyone and she knew that it was time to come out of the makeshift den. She was still dealing with some headaches here and there, but it had been no where near what she dealt with when she had first woke up. Mostly it was getting over the stiff soreness of her body from getting beat up. She pulled herself up, wincing at the soreness of her muscles. This meeting need to be attended and she could make it, the herbs she had taken earlier were still on board so she knew if she just got herself moving she would be okay. Once up her teal eyes scanned for Typhon, who was already waiting. Smiling she moved forward and walked with him to the meeting. She was glad that he had been checking in with her since the incident, it made her feel more comfortable since she was in an entirely new place once again. Plus the attention was making her feel good. The Abraxas man had been on her mind a lot more since she had discovered that he had taken the time to save her, it made her feel special and she was liking the attention. It didn't take them long to arrive and when they did her eyes looked over the group. There was only a few she recognized, which was expected. Though the most familiar aside from Typhon was Ashiel. She was relieved to see that he too was alive and well. She moved over to sit beside him, hoping that Typhon would sit on the other side of her. "Ashiel, glad to see you've been found," she said with a smile. "Speech" & 'Think'

Pyrrhic popped out of the brush and dutifully followed after his mother as she swept off to the meeting. For now all thoughts of chewing on his twin were forgotten. He was excited to leave the densite. Until now they'd had to stay close, but here was his mother, walking away and telling them to come along. They were going on an adventure! He galloped after Serene. Normally Pyrrhic would have been brimming with questions, but he was too busy gawking at all the new sights to form a coherent query. They arrived before Pyrrhic had a chance to get over his awe. Before he could question where exactly 'here' was, his mother turned on them with the sort of look he'd learned to pay attention to. "...you are Abraxas. ...act like one. Make your father and I proud." The boy puffed out his chest and strutted into the gathering. He still didn't quite know what it meant to be Abraxas, but he knew he was supposed to be proud of his heritage. He knew he was a god, he knew he was special, and he knew he was meant to be proud, but that was the extent of his shallow understanding. He hadn't yet learned to temper his gaze, so after he sat down beside his mother Pyrrhic openly watched those who came in after them. They were all unique; all different shapes and sizes, all different personalities. Some were big; they came into the gathering exuding confidence, and some where more muted, their personalities not quite so attention-grabbing.  Watching grown ups do little more than walk and sit wasn't his idea of fun, but given how limited his options were presently, he was content to try to figure them out.

Amaris Abraxas

---

Sunlight trickled in through the den's entrance, making the earth glow a most holy golden glow. The light touched even the farthest corners of the den, but the shadows of the two girls playing in the den cast a most wild battle of two mighty goddess, clashing like titans. The battle would have lasted for longer, had their mother's soft voice not called to them in the middle of the fawn woman's terrifying battle cry. But as soon as mother called, Amaris came to a silent halt, giving her sister a playful grin as she turned to follow Serene. "This isn't over, Fel." A promise to return to war after their mother was finished with whatever it was she wanted.

Once the family was gathered, they started heading out. Like, outside the den site. Mar was over the moon about it, jumping over her siblings to see everything the world had to offer, dashing in between her mother's legs so she could sprint ahead, even for just a little before being pulled back into the crowd. She was excited to finally be out of that stupid hole in the ground and out in the unknown, seeing the rest of the vines for the first time. Her tongue laid out one side of her mouth as she panted with all the running and excitement, icy orbs wild with adventure. That was, until Serene's serious tone stuck her very soul, and Amaris was forced back into the situation at hand.

Abraxas. That was their name. The name only Gods got to carry. It was like a switch went off, and soon the playfulness, the eagerness, the need to go out and explore new places, it all vanished. In it's place, walked a young girl with her head tilted ever so slightly up, as they approached their father. Every fiber in her being told her to run to the silver man and tackle him with everything she had, but she resisted. Mother wanted them to appear like Gods, which to Amaris, meant to act like daddy acted. So Amaris followed her brother Pyrrhic and sat beside him, cyan blue eyes dancing across the unfamiliar faces, wondering who they were. Finally she leaned over and ever so softly whispered, "You think these are the other Abraxas?"

"Speech"

She was hunting jaguars through a hot plain that existed only in the imagination of a child, when her mother's voice interrupted her. She blinked and the sand beneath her feet turned back into regular old den-dust like magic. The jaguar became the familiar, tawny wolf of her sister, whos battle cry seemed less ferocious now that the heat of their battle was over, and she grinned sheepishly at her sister as the fawny wolf gave her a playful grin, and promised her that the war was not over yet. She gave a solemn bow, tipping her head over her straight legs, a sign of respect for her opponent. She managed somehow not trip over her overly-large paws as she pranced happily beside her sister to the dens entrance. “Until next time, Mar” she agreed readily. Amaris and Pyrrhic, the first to beat her to her mother's side, held similar tawny-features, with sprinkles of their own personal patterns and colors along their coat. Fel stood out among them, black-silver to their lighter tones, her amber eyes oddly serious for a girl her age, equally darker then the rich blues of these two of her siblings. She found her place by Mar’s side, and when the family had gathered, they were marched from the den. She resisted the urge to flick her eyes up and down and all around, brimming with curiosity and excitement about going out and about, about seeing other members of their pack, and seeing their father in his glory as Alpha. Instead, with the pride of an Abraxa’s she kept her eyes fixed straight ahead, sleek black muzzle titled serenely ever so slightly, walking with regal pride. If she occasionally stumbled over and misjudged her paws, which seemed much to large for her little body, then she ignored it with the same determination she did everything. Amaris took a different approach to their outing, running over everyone and everything in order to see what she could of the world. She felt a sister's furious protectiveness over her excitable sibling. As they approached the crowd, their mother told them to act like an Abraxas, to make proud their parents. She puffed out her chest even further, and took Pyr’s que as she strutted forward with her siblings, and took a seat beside Mar, leaning a little over her sister as she listened to the question she voiced to their brother. “they can’t all be gods?” she whispered back, meaning to sound imperial, but managing simply curious instead. "Speech"

Art by pimsri

Though not all the wolves of his previous home had been found yet, Typhon was feeling grateful that they would be accounted for soon. Most had been on the upper edge of the canyon, presumably out of reach of the more dangerous waters, and even Zinnia - who had been dragged through the canyon like a leaf on the wind - was faring surprisingly well. Though she'd been unconscious for a long while, barely able to lift her head up or do more than drink water, she was slowly recovering now. It would still be some time before she was back to her normal self, but Typhon was optimistic that she would be fully recovered soon enough. He'd gotten accustomed to checking in on her, to bringing her food when he managed to hunt extra, and generally making sure she was alright.

The sound of Malleus calling the pack together arrested his attention, and he didn't delay long in heading toward the meeting spot. Glad to see Zinnia heading the same way, he gladly joined her, and the two ambled toward the gathering together. It didn't take long to get there, and he was glad to see that Ashiel was attending, alive and well, as far as he could see. He flashed his cousin an easy smile, moving to recline at Zinnia's side as she found a place to sit. "Feeling well today, Zin?" He asked conversationally as they waited for the meeting to begin, tilting his head toward her and offering her a curious look.

© argent 2017

SOMETIMES I FEEL GRAVITY HAS IT OUT FOR ME

Fangs tore into a stray root. Aureus let out a ferocious snarl as he mangled his hapless opponent. He was just about to go for the killing blow when he heard his mother calling.  Awwww, he was so close to achieving total victory!  Sighing he glanced over at Pyrrhic who was already racing through the brush and a sudden jolt of panic raced through him as he scrambled after his twin. "Hey, wait for me! Guys, wait up!"  

Aureus bounced along behind Serene as they headed off to wherever they were going. He paused every now and then to smell an interesting piece of foliage, keeping his mother in sight until he felt she was too far, then loping back to join the small group.  When Serene came to a stop it was amongst a large group of other wolves. Aureus knew some of them were supposed to be family but he didn't know any of them personally and it made him feel suddenly nervous.  Quietly, he crept after his mother, making sure to secure a spot close to her from where he could watch the going on's.

Speech

He'd heard the howl but he just couldn't seem to get his body to move.  Shilah curled up tighter into a ball, pressing himself farther into the tiny den Ashiel had dug for him. Since being rescued he'd opted to keep to himself. He couldn't even begin to process life without his mother. She'd been washed away and no one had found her, even after weeks of searching. On top of that his sister Seiran had yet to be found.He was on his own.  Well, that wasn't entirely true. He did have a massive family but Shilah felt they were a poor substitute. They weren't his mother. They weren't his sister. He barely even knew any of them.

Sunlight filtered down into the den and he sighed. It wouldn't do to miss a meeting. It could be something important and maybe… just maybe there was news of his mother. He'd take anything at this point, even if they'd only found her body. He just needed some closure. Shilah slipped from the den and slunk toward the meeting, wincing as pain shot up his right hind leg.  He would need to talk with Ashiel and perhaps Malleus. He needed to know what happened to goddesses when they died.

"Home" was not the word that flitted through Seiran's mind upon arrival like it did for others. "Safety" was more like it. She couldn't deny the relief she'd felt when she arrived at the borders, knowing instantly that the scent of her kin meant that this was the other Abraxas pack, the Risen Empire, and that she would be safe here. Lounging at the edge of the Cathedral and storing up the energy to go seek out the alpha who she knew to be Malleus, Seiran found that after the initial relief of making it here came the crushing realization that all she'd known before was gone. The pack was swept away, her mother with it, and now she'd likely be starting over in this new pack. Her home was lost, and only now did she mourn.

Several hours later she was finally debating seeking out the rest of her kin both to meet the one's she'd not seen before as well as to find out who from Aurum might be alive. Briefly a flare of hope sparked up in her chest that her mother and brother might be here, but she soon restrained the excitement she felt in favor of caution. Seiran didn't want to be hurt by finding out that neither had made it here - whatever the reason may be. A howl cut through the territory summoning the pack's members to a meeting. Well, here was her chance.

Arriving more or less last wasn't too surprising, she hadn't expected to even get there in time for the start because of how far off she'd been when the call sounded. Still, she adopted a proud posture, gliding into the meeting place with her head held high and ice blue eyes scanning the crowd while feigning disinterest. Of course when she saw her brother the princess-like stance melted just a little. Even though she was pretty sure Shilah was, well... a little less godly than herself, she still kiiiinda loved him. Skipping over to sit by his side she sought to lean against him and offer a charming smile. "Miss me?" she asked playfully.

As she waited for the meeting to start, she considered asking Shilah if their mom was there, but... if Razi was here, she'd have come to sit by her children. Stifling a pupish whimper, she turned her attention back to the meeting in an effort to suppress whatever emotion was trying to bubble it's way to the surface.

She arrived, late, but there. Keeping to the back of the group she nodded her greetings to all present and looked over the refugees from Bent Canyon. Aaliyah watched as Malleus's children found their places and new children came in from the canyon. Would this be a permanent situation? To house their kin until they were able to stake out more suitable territory would be ideal, their empire and family could grow. But with them here they were growin already. What would be decided here? Either way, there was really no wrong answer. Aaliyah was simply happy to see her family.

Walk | "Agria" | "Kaine" | Think

ooc. mad late, I'm sorry

Tussling with their son had proven more of a game than real training, with the boy growing slower than his sibling. Kaine worried the boy would not reach their stature, but rather lean more towards his mother's height. While that was not necessarily negative, he would be unlikely to make a great warrior at such sizes. Knocking the fiery youngster over with a swipe of their paw, they held him in place with the same foot, belly up. "Others won't be this easy on you, boy. Fight as though I were an enemy." they chided their son, a frown upon their features. When the boy pouted, they released him.

A call rose above the trees, summoning them to a meeting. The beast prayed it would not be a repeat of the previous one. Unfortunately, their mate had taken their other child hunting for the day. Would she hear? Sighing, they beckoned for their son to join them. "Let's get cleaned up, and join the others." they said warmly, a swift shift from their dour tones earlier. Moving at a swift pace, they made a beeline for the creek. It brimmed with fresh water, and it would be perfect to clear the muck from both of their coats. They waded in until they were nearly submerged, and let the current carry away the dirt. Mismatched eyes drifted to their son, watching him tentatively follow. Cautious, this one. Not like either of his parents.

With a silent nod, the godling led the way from the creek, up its banks. They moved quickly towards the source of the summons, hoping that they wouldn't be late. By the time they arrived, much of the pack was already present. Save for their lover and other son. That was worrisome, without doubt. Auds flicked back for only a moment in distress, before they resumed a more casual stance. Their attention dropped to their son, standing at their right. He was meeting the clan for the first time, and Kaine prayed he would behave. With their coat only damp after the brisk travel, they led their son to an open space where they could sit and observe.

YOU'RE THE ONE HABIT I JUST CAN'T KICK

Azazel was the first to arrive. Malleus returned his greeting and then appraised the mortal male, comparing him to the day they'd met. He hadn't forgotten his promise to make the mortal great. Today would be a step in that direction. Next came Proserpina. Malleus, his expression warm, greeted her with a simple hello. The young girl had lost a lot during her short life and Malleus was determined to make it up to her. She wouldn't slip through the cracks on his watch. No, he was determined to see her to her full potential. Today he would address her abandonment and hopefully right that wrong. Upon seeing the next several arrivals Malleus broke into a grin. The whole gaggle of children, usually so spirited and loud, filed in behind their mother and Malleus could only imagine what kind of threats had been used to illicit such good manners. Manners, even those possibly achieved under duress, were still manners and it made him proud to see them all setting a good example. "Hello," he murmured back lovingly. "I hope they haven't given you much trouble while I was gone," he said as he looked their gaggle of hooligans over. Keeping track of five could be difficult and he felt bad every ime he had to leave the densite. Then came Apollo. The ashen male gave him a respectful nod that Malleus was quick to return. "Apollo," he greeted simply. On Apollo's heels was Kasdeya, who had not that long ago asked his permission to venture beyond the pack's borders. Malleus was surprised but pleased to see her there. He made a note to ask her about her travels afterwards. After Kasdeya was Ashiel, who would have a part in this meeting. The young male had only just returned and much to Malleus' surprise, he was much changed. Malleus nodded a greeting to him and then his gaze shifted to Typhon and the mortal woman at his side. Malleus recognized her as the woman Typhon had drug into the last meeting. All he knew about her was her name, but there was something between her and his uncle that nagged at him. He would think about it some more and then, if he felt led to it, speak to Typhon in private. Then came Razi's two pups. Seeing them enter the meeting alone sobered him. There had been no sign of their mother since the flooding. Malleus wasn't going to give up hope on any of his missing family members, but he wasn't about to let those pups fall through the cracks as Proserpina had. He would see to it that they too were taken care of. "Shilah, Seiran, I'm glad you guys are well enough to join us today." Aaliyah, Kaine and Mephistopheles rounded out the gathering. Each was greeted by Malleus with a warm nod. After waiting what he considered a reasonable amount of time, Malleus decided to start the meeting. Only Agria and Kefka were absent and given that the rest of their family was present Malleus was content to believe that the boy was perhaps sick and that's what kept them from attending. If he felt it necessary he'd investigate more later. "Thank you all for coming," he boomed to grab their attention. "I've called you all together today to discuss our future, but first I want to welcome those from The Aurum Empire. The circumstances that brought you to us are tragic, but we are glad that you are well enough to be with us today. We will continue to look for those who are missing and we won't stop until everyone is accounted for." Malleus paused to gather his thoughts. The topic he was about to address was a heavy one. After several moments he began, "Many seasons have passed now since Amon took his leave. I have felt his absence acutely and I've watched how it has changed us as a whole." His gaze swept over those gathered. "When I first took on this role I thought of myself as a place holder; a stand in for the true leader - but no more. The Fallen God convicted me of the wrongness of my reasoning. He showed me that it is my time. To that end I decided it was time to make some changes, although the depth of what I would be changing was lost on me until I spoke with Ashiel." Malleus sought out his cousin's gaze. "Ashiel, please, tell them what you told me." OOC: Ashiel will reply next, then Malleus again, and then anyone who would like to speak will be allowed to.   "Malleus" - "Pascal"

Watch Me Take That Flicker To Flame

Ashiel was pulled from his thoughts by a familiar voice and he turned to smile softly at Zinnia. "Thank you Zinnia, it is good to see you as well." At least some of his pack members had made it out alive and for that he was thankful but it was still hard not to feel the weight of the spaces left by those who should be at the meeting but weren't. Typhon arrived and Ashiel greeted the man, glad to see he was alive and well. He let his thoughts drift again until the meeting began and he focused his attention intently on Malleus. He knew how important this meeting was and he'd already resolved to join the Risen Empire and do what he could to help Malleus.

Ashiel nodded lightly to himself as Malleus spoke about taking the reigns. It was indeed time for Amon's children to lead the family and Malleus had shown he was nothing short of capable. Ashiel was certain that Malleus would lead them from tragedy into greatness. Ashiel met Malleus' gaze and nodded. He felt his stomach churn as he cleared his throat. He was a warrior and a leader, he wasn't the sort to be having visions but for some reason the Fallen god had chosen him anyway. He gazed out amongst the wolves gathered for the meeting.

"The Fallen god came to me in a vision. You see, when the flood hit I died for a short time. My spirit was dragged down through the depths of the water and I was whisked along the rivers of death. When I thought I'd be lost forever a line of fire raced toward me and then surrounded me in a blazing ring and suddenly I was able to stand. I heard a booming voice say to me 'Do my ways leave a bitter taste on the tongue? Would you spit your medicine upon the ground and succumb to nothing?'.

"I could not answer. Suddenly the water below me went still and when I looked down I could see a massive forest. It was a knotted, choked forest. Trees grew just inches apart, twisting around each other. Night fell and a violent storm rolled in. Lightning struck the forest and a mighty, consuming fire swept through the forest, turning large swaths of it to ash.  Then it was like time suddenly raced forward. I saw the sun rise and set so many times it became a blur. Then I found myself looking upon the same forest but it was rich and beautiful. The trees grew strong and towered above the earth.

"The water began to rush again and I still did not understand. When the water stilled once more I gazed upon a small island where I saw a huge monster with four heads, one in each direction, moving erratically amongst a herd of sheep. It was disjointed and chaotic in it's movements and horrifying to gaze upon. The monster just ate and ate until at last it had devoured everything on the island. Then it fell asleep. When it awoke it scrambled across the whole surface of the island. When it found nothing to eat its heads turned inward and it devoured itself.

The river beneath my paws suddenly split as the ground ruptured and I felt like I was drowning until I came to in the river." Ashiel swallowed and turned his gaze back to Malleus. "I confided in Malleus and we have been trying to decipher the meaning of this vision."

Malleus watched his packmates as Ashiel spoke. As it had the first time he'd heard it, the vision filled him with a sense of urgency. He wondered, as he watched the faces around him, if they felt as he did. "We are the forest," he said firmly. If they were the forest - and he was convinced they were - then they were in danger. Ashiel's vision, the flood, it was a warning, a shot across the bow. He'd thought long and hard about Ashiel's vision, about what the fallen god could be trying to tell him. Malleus had rolled the god's words over and over in his head trying to understand them. 'A bitter taste on the tongue' he'd said. Finally it had clicked. "I believe the Fallen God has seen us, has watched us closely in these lands, and is displeased with the direction we are heading. After much thought it occurred to me that we are changing, falling away from the ways that carried our forefathers to splendorous heights." Malleus paused to look down at his children. He was making these changes for their generation. It wasn't too late to save them. They, the adults, needed to weed out the weak and raise up the strong; to uproot the dead trees so that when the fire came there would be no deadwood to burn. He'd seen forest fires. The fire would start with the deadwood, but if it was packed around a living tree like a pyre around a witch, the tree often fell victim to the flames. He wouldn't allow that to happen to his people. "We must return to the old ways. I believe we've gone lax in enforcing the laws that enabled my grandfather to spread the Abraxas name across our homeland." (((OOC: I have updated the rules on our pack page. Please check them out here (<--- invisible link) and for simplicity's sake pretend Malleus is explaining them right here.))) "We must choose who walks among us with care. Our future depends on it." "To that end, I'd like to make it clear that those of you who have taken refuge here are welcome to stay - permanently." His gaze went to Shilah and Seiran. Without their mother to look after and teach them, the young Abraxas were at a disadvantage. Unlike the Aurum adults, Malleus was going to insist the pups stay until Razi came to claim them. To the members of Risen, he said, "There are two pups here, Shilah and Seiran, Razi's children, who will need someone to look after them until their mother returns. Who here will take that responsibility? I'm going to give you all a few minutes to think on that." "I know this is a lot, but there are a few more things that need to be addressed and then you all will get a chance to speak." He paused to consider his next words, then finally said, "We would be fools not to heed Ashiel's message; we must correct our course before it is too late." Once again Malleus looked around at those gathered. "I will be expecting more from you from this day on. We need to hold each other accountable, to strive to reach our full potential, and we can't do that alone. I'll need your wisdom to guide me; I'm not immune to slothfulness and pride, so I expect you to hold me accountable because," he said with a smile, "You can count on me doing the same to you." (((OOC: there are new rank requirements! Check them out (another invisible link -->) here.))) "I am not infallible and so in the spirit of getting back on track, there is one here who I must apologize to." Malleus turned his attention to Proserpina. "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." She would go everywhere he went. Patrol when he patrolled, scout when he scouted, hunt when he hunted. Malleus would introduce her to his kids and let her babysit. He would do everything in his power to right the wrong that had been done to her. With him, his mate and his children, she would hopefully find the kinship that had been taken away from her, and with Malleus' lessons, the discipline and pride she was entitled to. To the pack, he said, "I would also like to extent the opportunity to train Proserpina to the pack. She, like Shilah and Seiran, will need many mentors to guide her in the coming months." "And lastly," he said with a smile, "I'd like to introduce you all to the newest members of The Risen Empire." He motioned to his pups and Kaine's, and then began to introduce them. "This is Eligos, Aureus, Felicity, Amaris, Pyrrhic and Mephistopheles. Kefka, son of Kaine and brother to Mephistopheles, isn't with us today. Please keep an eye on all of them as if they were your own. Correct them when they are wrong, praise them when they are right, and teach them all that you can because like Shilah, Seiran and Proserpina, they are our future." "Now," he said firmly, "Who here wishes to look after Razi's children until she is found?" What went unsaid for the children's sake was that she might not return. He hoped the adults would catch onto that and realize they might be doing more than simply babysitting for a few weeks. "And who wishes to mentor Proserpina with me?" After a moment's thought, he added, "Now is also the time to request a rank change, or if you're from Aurum, declare your interest in obtaining a rank in Risen." Another thought struck him then. He'd been so consumed by other thoughts that he'd nearly forgotten one final, important announcement. "Oh, forgive me," he boomed to grab their attention again. "There is one more announcement that nearly slipped my mind. After much thought I've decided to move the pack to the north of Auster. As soon as the pups are strong enough to travel we will be claiming Amron's Castle and The God's Garden. These lands will give us a tactical advantage in case of war; the castle will protect us in a fight and the garden will supply us with all the medicinal plants we could ever need. This move will also bring us one step closer to controlling all of Auster." OOC: Deadline for this round is 9/23. Now is the chance for anyone who wishes to speak to do so.   "Malleus" - "Pascal"