Kefka had left his mother in the east as he did most every day. She knew better than to run because Kefka had been traveling with her for nearly three years and would know all of her little hiding places. It didn't help that they were actually hiding from the Abraxas and she wouldn't get far before he caught on to her and found her. Still, he tried to keep a perimeter around the east and southern lands to keep track of her scent, just in case she had any ideas. He wandered more to the south, the scent of Aerie familiar from his encounter with Thalia though he wasn't quite ready to pursue anything with them yet. He had his hands tied toying with Agria, this time not chained by her. He found it amusing to think of her as his slave, though he didn't do anything too demonic to her from their battle and after. His actions had become brutal and though he didn't really feel like himself in the act, he had no shame in what he did. He didn't plan on doing the same such thing in the future though. Everything but that. But who knew what could urge him on. He walked through the plains not caring of the multitude of prey around him as he waltzed through and they scattered away from him only to go graze somewhere else. He had already had his fill for the evening and probably wouldn't go hunting until the morning time. He felt generous to give Agria her own fill, though she didn't seem to be too grateful for it. His massive form came to the shallow creek off in the distance, lapping his thirst away before he turned to take a seat off the soft banks and gazing out at where his tracks had led him. It was peaceful here, and he couldn't help feeling calm from the slight breeze that brushed by. He was in no hurry to rush back to Agria. And for now he would just enjoy the cooler summer day. Total Word Count: 347 Words Walk "Talk" Think

Thalia's little departure from Aerie's lands was likewise not fueled by hunger. Instead it was fueled by her thoughts, which were quite confused since the little gathering at Obsidian Beach. Truthfully she hadn't begun to wrap her mind around what had happened there, and instead of sitting at home and dwelling on it, it made sense for her to move. Just moving was a welcome distraction from her thoughts, whether patrolling or just... wandering aimlessly. Scouting out neighboring lands was just as important as scouting their immediate borders, as far as Thalia was concerned. It was valuable to know about their neighbors, and about any wolves who frequented the lands around their own. Nothing was good about someone lurking in a place they maybe shouldn't be...

Stretching her legs felt good, regardless of where she was going. This place was fertile and luscious, and though she wasn't interested in the prey animals that frequented it, it gave her plenty to focus on outside of her own thoughts. The smells and sights were abundant, and Thalia was fully engrossed in wherever her paws had taken her. That was why she hardly noticed a familiar scent until it was fully upon her, and as she paused to recall who it was, she realized he wasn't far away at all. Curious, and eager for an even easier-to-focus-on distraction, Thalia cleared her throat and started off to greet him. "Kefka," she addressed him as she drew closer, maintaining a safe enough distance - and dipping her muzzle in quiet acknowledgement.

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He was lost, not necessarily in thought, but perhaps in the moment of the day when the familiar stranger would speak out to him. A generous grin came across his maw as he recognized her, "Thalia." He stated with probably a little more joy than would be expected though it was more of a charade than him actually being that excited to see her. He was happy for sure, but his outward emotions always seemed to be a bit dramatic when they came out. "What a pleasure." He'd bow his head slightly, inviting her to join if she wished. He wouldn't hold her against her will of course, surprisingly not on his long list of urges and demands at least for the fellow Abraxas. "I've thought about our meeting here lately, I'm still not ready to look towards Aerie but of course still interested in the culture of our bloodlines." He vaguely thought just then about how Agria had hid them from the Abraxas in fear of what they would do to her. And he wasn't sure what all Thalia would be willing to share, but ever since he was small and no longer under the empire, he wanted to know what it was like and what the Abraxas followed. He had barely any clue being so young when Agria took him away but he remembered the thought of a deity of some sort and nothing past that. But he felt through his veins ran some kind of power or greatness and there was no denying the feeling. "I don't suppose you'd have anything to share with me?" The evening started to fade as the sun began to set, but Kefka was in no hurry to get home. Especially if Thalia was willing to share some stories with him. Total Word Count: 901 Walk "Talk" Think

Thalia didn't return the smile, which was hardly surprising for the serious-faced Abraxas, but there was an air of familiarity that nearly resembled warmth. If she was taken aback at his more cheerful greeting, she made no sign of it, keeping her gaze steady as he greeted her. "A pleasure indeed," she agreed easily. Briefly she wondered if his proximity to Aerie's lands signified anything of important. Perhaps he was keeping an eye on things, or merely curious? The skeptical nature in her was impossible to truly ignore, though she supposed he'd been rather upfront with her about wanting to know more about his Abraxas upbringing.

Thankfully he spoke openly, almost as if reading her mind, if she believed in such foolishness. "I'm happy to tell you what I know," she admitted, after a moment of thought. Though she was wary of Kefka, she was less paranoid of him than she generally was of others. He was of her blood, and if nothing less deserved to know the story of how the Abraxas had came to be. Their greatness was something needing to be spread, though she realized as she grew older that most wolves would give little weight to mere words. As Eligos had explained, their greatness needed to be displayed, to each and every pack that learned they needed the Abraxas by their side - a lofty goal, but one she would devote her life to. "Do you know the story of the Fallen God?" That was a solid starting point. If he truly wanted to know more about the Abraxas, he first needed to hear the story of the Fallen God.

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Thalia’s composer was much different than Kefka’s, and it be weird to say they were the same. Perhaps not from an outside view but they both held a high respect and defensiveness towards the beliefs and their family. Even though Kefka really knew nothing about The Fallen God and there after. The undenying connection he felt with the Abraxas was an unusual but also natural feeling to him. "I’m disappointed to say I don’t, though I remember one of my father’s first teachings relating to him." and it was true. It was the basics after all. But Kefka was so young when Agria pulled him from the empire and there was so little he remembered. His young brain pulling from the trauma mostly the memories of his brother and a few of his father though not related to anything important concerning what was expected of him. It made him a little sad to think, but not that he would show externally. He was used to the burning hatred that grew beneath the surface of Agria stealing him away. And maybe a little relived to the punishment he paid her. "I’d be happy to hear whatever you’d be willing teach me." his clown grin dimmed just a bit as he showed her even more focus and interest. The sun setting in the background made her outline glow and it was almost eerie. Perhaps the perfect setting for the story, not that Kefka would run away crying. Total Word Count: 1,419 Walk "Talk" Think

Thalia nodding in understanding. Unfortunately she knew some of her family had moved away from the more traditional Abraxas teachings, though she still deemed them as remarkably important. Not everyone, or even a small fraction of everyone, would give much weight - if any - to the teachings she had to pass on... and that was why it was tricky to ignore this male asking to learn more. Any bit of knowledge spread, even if they didn't fully believe in her God, was important, right? At least it certainly felt that way. Teaching was not really something she was familiar with, but she served the Fallen God first and foremost; she would do what had to be done.

"I'll tell the story as it was told to me," Thalia started, finally settling down onto her hindquarters. Her father had always had a flair for the dramatic, at least when it came to their God, just as she did. He'd feared him as much as he'd worshiped him and she'd been taught to do the same. The vengeance of the Fallen God was merciless, but that was what made Him so great at the same time. "This happened long ago, long before my parents or even theirs walked this realm. There was a time when one God ruled above all the rest. He was naturally their superior, in all regards, from his intellect to his drive. As is naturally when one holds all the power, eventually the others came together and sought to overthrow him. Their war began in the heavenly realm, but before long it spread to the mortal world. Wolves raged war against one another, as did countless other creatures whose kind have been lost to time. Even the seas and the winds were at oppositions - the world became barely hospitable, a place rife with chaos, something that had never existed before."

Thalia paused for a moment, clearing her throat before continuing. "Of course, the lesser gods wanted to overthrow the mightiest God, so together they banished him to the mortal world, using all their power to strip him of his own. All because he was a natural-born leader, superior to them, and they couldn't resign themselves to that fact. They couldn't recognize his greatness, and thus banished him instead. A seed of rage was planted in his heart, and it only grew, spreading like a plague across the world. From his rage all ailments were created - from illness to sadness, to death itself. He is the Fallen God, and we as Abraxas are direct descendants of him. By proving to the world our greatness, once again we can rise to godliness and retake what was stolen from him," Thalia concluded finally. The story itself was somewhat abstract, though epic if you truly considered what had happened because of the Fallen God's banishment, and her voice grew slightly in volume as she told her tale. As she concluded her tale, she leaned back and tried to assess what Kefka might've thought of her little tale.

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Though he didn't really sense a new side of Thalia, it was surprising to hear so many words from her and clearly something she was passionate about just as Kefka was about learning. The darkening evening around them truly had set the scene and her story would have been enough to make a pup cower at the thought. A world of drowning chaos, and Kefka could imagine a dark and twisted environment as she described the Fallen God's decent into the mortal world. All she had told him made him feel kind of at peace though. His feeling of superiority since birth seemed to click as she explained they were of the Fallen God's blood and therefore made them greater than the average mortals. "I've always felt a greatness surging through me." He would admit as if it were a secret. But it wasn't, and he wouldn't be very quiet about this way he felt if he had the chance to announce it to the world. Agria had kept him sheltered until now though. In reality, Kefka may have seen himself as too superior. Sure hearing that he was a long descendant of the Fallen God may have boosted the way he felt but surly not in a good way. And not that he was openly showing that to Thalia, at least right now. She'd have to witness more for her to realize his demented nature. His eyes would scan the dark horizons as it seemed the light from the sun had escaped them in the midst of the tale. "I wouldn't want to keep you long considering how late it is." He'd offer, only if it was something on her mind. "Though I do wonder, how are we supposed to prove our greatness to the world?" It was meant to be a simple question with a simple answer though he didn't know what all was expected of them. Was it to share their religion to others? Was it to conquer them? And he certainly didn't mean any offense by the question. Only the curiosity especially to know how to start his life as a full known Abraxas. Even if it was just the basics to get started. Walk "Talk" Think

Being overly talkative wasn't something Thalia was used to, but when it came to things important to her - her family, her faith, and her God - she was hardly shy. Only those who seemed receptive to what she had to say would have the liberty of hearing her words so openly; and Kefka clearly seemed interested. "Have you?" She asked, truly curious, raising a slight eyebrow as she glanced toward him. She knew little of Kefka's upbringing, but greatness surely flowed through his veins at least somewhat, due to his Abraxas lineage. The belief that she and her kin were greater was not something she shared often, but she believed deeply in it. Even those who recognized their greatness could achieve a higher place in the eyes of the Fallen God, such as her mother surely had.

Regardless of what Kefka thought of her story she was glad to have shared it with him. He was right that she too should be heading back home before the sun fully set, but his question was a thoughtful one. How exactly would they prove their greatness to the world? Her ancestors had thought differently than Eligos currently did. Ruling with an iron fist, cruelly and mercilessly had clearly not done the Abraxas any favors.

"His word is difficult to interpret. As far as the current generation of Abraxas..." She knew her father had wanted to simply bring forth children into the world. That had been his duty. "I think we intend to simply show our greatness through action. Show the wolves of Boreas that they need us, the Abraxas. Demonstrate we will do the deeds they fear. That they should turn to us in times of need, and we will not fail them. Let them need us, and fear a time when we cannot aid them." The finer details were more difficult to describe, but Thalia shrugged. How that would work out in the present was more difficult to imagine. "Roaming around committing needless acts of savagery hasn't earned us a good reputation in the past. We're trying to correct that. Make Abraxas a name to be respected as much as it is feared." Whether Kefka agreed or not mattered little to her. They'd only met twice now - he was not a member of Aerie, and though he was blood she still had yet to really form an opinion on him. "You're right, I ought to be going though. I have a feeling we'll meet again soon," she offered with a swift dip of her muzzle, before turning and heading back home. Let him dwell on her story for awhile, and see what sense he made of it.

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Everything that she explained surprisingly made a lot of sense to Kefka. It fit his narrative amazingly well. He felt superior, he felt like he could do what other's feared or what was not necessarily a will of others. Though did he feel needed? Or that his skills and abilities were something desirable to them? That was stretching it for him. He had been pretty sheltered for the last few years though only to an extent. Perhaps he would need to know exactly how he would be desirable to others. Being put into a situation that called for his lack of care or even described as evil duties. Though Thalia was unaware of his own bad deeds and not even really acknowledged by Kefka, he was in fact possessed by some sort of evil when he did those really bad things. Sure he was naturally harsh and deceiving, maybe even believed he was allowed to take what he wanted. But considering what he had done to Agria and some other women in his past, it wasn't something he would necessarily brag about or find pride in. He wouldn't have much to say as she finished up her response to his only question, at least for now. And would go to rise with her as if a gentleman. "Until next time..." He trailed as she would start to go off towards home. He would need to start to head back to the lake. Though he may have regretted coming out this far so late, it was well worth the lesson and he was well beyond grateful for what Thalia was willing to share with him. -Exit Kefka- Walk "Talk" Think