Excitement and Awe
She had still been quite young when her father had moved her and the rest of her siblings to their new home, was still presently young now, but even so she had a strong opinion regarding the whole thing. Overall she had been unimpressed with the new land, finding herself longing for the safety and comfort of her old den back in Amenti when comparing it to the one she now had within the territory known as Ludicael. It was strangely different here, not at all what she was used to though she had only been confined to the den for the beginning portion of her life, a rule that seemed to be universal among the wolves because even when her mother was not there to keep the strict order up there was always someone else to do it.
And finally, at long last, she was free to wander, though still her disinterest had proven strong. Not even outside the den could Ludicael catch her interest, the waters proving to be a greater annoyance than they had anything else. She had tried getting over her dislike of them by treading through the shallows but it had only proven to make the slick grey fur fall flat against the plains of her spindly puppy legs. Silvery blue eyes had continued to stare about as she wandered aimlessly with a bored and unimpressed stare, searching for any redeeming qualities and falling short.
That is, until nightfall. For a first day out of the den and allowed to move about on her own, she had thought the events of it all to have been rather pitiful at best, lacking in any sort of excitement or awe. But all it took was for the sun to slip below the horizon and for the stars to begin twinkling overhead in the darkening night sky. In the stillness as the night settled over the territory, just as Callisto had set herself on a path back toward her den so that she could rest her now weary eyes, she caught the first faint glow. The unexpectedness of it as it danced along the waters from the corner of her eye made her glance listlessly at it at first and then promptly do a double take.
The little black and grey pup stopped in her tracks and her pale eyes stared transfixed at the spot near the edge of the water, watching as it seemed to gather a sudden faint, bluish glow. Whether it was the waters themselves or something there upon them, or even just her tired mind suddenly playing tricks on her, Callisto found herself quite unexpectedly excited. "Wow." The single whispered word fell from her muzzle. Not even what she had seen of Amenti from the opening of her den had been like this. Carefully, as if uncertain of the glow either harming her or disappearing, she crept closer with slow steps upon the damp earth, venturing nearer to the spot where the glow emanated from. Pausing just before it, she stood within the reach of its pale light, silvery highlights starting up along the edges of her fur until, unexpectedly, it faded completely.
Her silver blue eyes blinked as the light disappeared, confused, disappointed, and maybe just a little nervous. Where had it gone? Where had it come from? Turning her head to either side to peer along the waterway, Callisto searched for another source of pale glowing light, feeling considerably less tired now that her mind had something fascinating to focus on.
OOC: I'm not sure how this light stuff actually works, but this is how I'm interpreting it. xD
The tyke had been banished from the tight confines of his mother?s womb only to be forcibly held captive in a slightly more spacious area accompanied by his darling siblings, forbidden to stray far the den that had been chosen by his sire. Vaguely did the minuscule titan recall his former place of residency nor did he care for the importance of the events that had initiated it, simply aware to the fact that his mother had been stripped of her crown and authoritative status and that he and his siblings, in turn, had lost their titles as blood-bound heirs. Now that they had been relocated to a more tolerable climate and into a pack beneath the supremacy of a russet wench who appeared far more unimpressive even than his own mother, he was naught but a mere plebeian, doomed to submit to canines he believed were lesser than he. But such gruesome endeavors were ephemeral, for the child was set in his belief that, in due time, either he or his mother would forcibly steal back the throne of Amenti and regain their prestige that had been obliterated as a result of another?s incompetence. All that was left to do was wait for the perfect moment, if it ever passed at all.
Both parents had vacated the premises of the den the tyke and his siblings resided in, leaving them all unguarded and granting them with the opportunity to leave the safety of their haven on their own will. Despite his vulnerability and unfamiliarity with the land surrounding the den, the child had immediately pushed past his siblings and into the cruel and foreboding world on his own, pointedly fleeing his sanctuary on a solo journey about the land claimed by the celestial wretch, generally unimpressed with his surroundings although there were so many new sights and experiences presented to him. Rather than observe the landscape of Ludicael?s domain as he suspected his siblings would, the brutish tyke had concerned himself with encountering the locals who shared the tropical realm, desiring to establish his dominance over them so as to prove his worth and capabilities. So youthful was the babe, and yet, his ambitions were already solidified in his mind, ready to be acted upon at any fleeting moment.
A grin tweaked the edges of his velveteen lips as the scent of another crossed his makeshift path, deep cerulean eyes flicking about the crowded landscape as he searched for the creator to the rancid stench, shadows playing across his vision beneath the moon-lit sky. Curiosity rather than intimidation struck the child, and he found his underdeveloped limbs propelling him in the direction the aroma had emanated from, skull and tail ascended high above the remainder of his spinal column out of sheer pride as he sauntered. The soothing sound of trickling water graced the atmosphere as the scent intensified and, in moments, the silhouetted form of another canine greeted his pupils, petite and unimpressive in stature, lingering by the water?s edge. The brutish titan disregarded the beauty of the luminescent liquid in favor of the creature, approaching its rear with confidence, only slowing in his stride as he realized that the whelp was no stranger, but rather his own sister. The amusement that had manifested upon his countenance dissipated then, contorting into a slight frown before the male pursued his sibling once more, intending to bump his hips against her rump so as to alert her to his presence before his snarky vocals ever did. ??F only you were this pretty, Cally,? the tyke drawled with feigned sorrow, a sigh spewing from his unhinged jaws as he halted near the sable brat, deep cerulean eyes darting to greet her frosted gaze. ?Maybe mama would love you then.?
The man would lay quietly a few meters from the den, observing without objection as the children left the darkness of what they knew. Circe had been first. Emerging from the den long before her siblings but only in a quest to seek her father upon completing it she had curled up beside his hard ribs to return to the darkness of sleep. There she rested, his body somewhat curled around it to ease the hardness of his muscle against her tender flesh. His affect would be relaxed, almost sleepy, but he was alert none the less, only wishing to present an environment of ease for the children who had been forced so soon from their home. Movement was difficult for the young. He had witnessed it's effects on his first litter. But these children were yet young. They may have had their preferences, Amenti being so different from Ludicael, but they were not old enough yet to have built a sense of belonging. For this Deteste was grateful yet he would do everything in his power to return them to Amenti for it was the way of the individual to remember and desire a return to one's roots.
He had noticed little Severus' personality since he had emerged from Medusa's womb. The boy bullied his siblings even in deafness and blindness to sate himself ravenously upon Medusa's teat. Deteste was perhaps worried about what would come from the child but had accepted long ago that there was little a parent could do about such pervasive qualities. He also understood he would be a lucky man for his genes of mental instability to skip the entire litter. The man would do his best for he and his son to accept each other. It was a meager goal but he had no way of knowing, at least yet, how difficult it would be to achieve. His ears would grow erect at the boy's harsh words. Deteste would not reprimand the boy, but devalue the statement in truth. "No Serverus. Not even beauty would cause Medusa to love you children. It is her nature. But it is not mine and I do care for you all." His timbre was gentle and he would lock eyes with the boy for a moment before his gaze would travel to Callisto, unsure what her reaction might be to Serverus' ploy but offering her the comfort of a present and loving parent none the less. The same was offered to Serverus. But Deteste would understand if it were not desired.
Bright, pale eyes had continued to shift about along the waterway, desperately in search of another spark of radiant blue light. None appeared, and from the look of things it was as if the luminescence had not existed at all. Young as she was, Callisto still prided herself on keeping a sound mind, critical and calculating; where had it gone wrong in this? The expectant look about her face quite rapidly gave way to a blunt disinterest, feeling a sense of foolishness steal across her. Perhaps she had gotten too excited over this figment of light and that was why it had disappeared. Or maybe it had never even been there at all.
Feeling rather caught up in her own thoughts, the sounds of the water that she stared across containing the majority of her attention, the young black and grey pup was oblivious to the casual approach of her brother until she felt the rough nudge of his hip against her own, her petite head swinging around to stare at him. Oh. Severus. Related by blood or not, Callisto felt no stirrings of sibling affection as the boy drawled out a falsely saddened phrase, knowing in the instant that the words began to leave his lips that they were meant in subtle spite. Sure enough, he taunted her own looks, irking the small vanity that the girl had, and though she failed to respond verbally to his jab her silvery blue eyes did narrow with dislike.
There was no chance given for a well thought retort. Settled near enough to watch the whole scene unfold, their sister curled up snugly against his side, was their father, effectively interceding against Severus's barbed remark and assuring the pair of them that his sentiments were much different than their mother's. Turned somewhat where she stood still beside the water's edge, Callisto stared back at her father with thoughtful eyes. What he said was truth, and she knew it. Of the two, Deteste was the only one to ever truly show outright concern for them; he had even been the one to execute their move when their previous home had been threatened. And here he was, playing nanny to them and intervening in what surely would have developed into a fight.
For his sake, she allowed the retort she had been working up to dissolve on her tongue, petite grey paws carrying her away from the water and over towards the large black wolf and her slumbering sister. She did not encroach on his space and, in the same motion, maintained her own, seating herself near him with her back pointedly directed at her brother in an attempted slight. Forgetting the lights that she had seen and her interest in them, Callisto breached a new subject, pale eyes probing her father's face as she asked, "Will we ever go back?" referring, of course, to Amenti.
Children. She had a duty to them, a duty that she often found herself cringing at. Medusa had not left them neglected; if she had not been there for them, then Stheno had looked after them, helping to keep a watchful eye on the little ones when the midnight mistress desired a break. Nonetheless, she found it suiting to check on them for now, wolverine companion trotting loyally at her heels. She arrived to see Deteste with two of her children, Jovan and Circe both missing from the scene. Ears pricked as she listened to the conversation, shaking her head. Of course her son would be a smart ass.
?I think your sister is pretty enough, Severus. You both are,? she commented dryly. They were beautiful children; her lineage and Deteste?s had mixed well, and yet it left the woman with no real maternal instincts. She listened as the father of her whelps explained the situation, turning her head to look at Stheno?s face. The wolverine truly cared for Medusa?s children like her own, but she was never the vocal sort, a silent guardian who traced them when she could.
Her daughter would ask if they were ever going back, and Medusa would sigh. ?We may. The ruler there is weak with madness, and I refuse to let that threat exist for Jupiter,? she explained, softly. She hadn?t ever introduced the children to Jupiter, but they knew vaguely of her relation to their mother, or at least they should. Young ears could often misunderstand things, and the harlot was not one to spend much time elaborating on what she thought to be obvious.
Haunches would greet the muddied terrain of the shoreline as his gaze settled upon the disgruntled features of his reserved sibling, a coy simper manifesting upon own his countenance as the doll's eyes narrowed into icy slits, radiating evident distaste towards his existence. Her expression would not deter the ardent tyke nor would it insinuate waves of remorse to crash upon him, rather causing surges of confidence to flood his interior as he welcomed the fact that he had extracted negative emotions from the brat with naught but mere virulent words. Sapphire depths would flash with amusement that the minuscule titan would not attempt to obscure, skull tipping backwards slightly as he elevated his chin with pride, plush tendril of a tail wrapping tightly about his coiled haunches as the girl refrained from retaliation, indicating that he had reigned victorious this round -- but all with good reason. Baritone vocalizations interjected into the tense atmosphere, causing the tyke's skull to whip about to face in the direction the speech had wafted from, irritation rising within his chest cavity with the knowledge that another had dared to alleviate the current situation with such patronizing tones -- had dared to minimize his attempted damage upon his sibling's confidence! Visage would not shy away from portraying the fury unraveling within the child's interior, lips unfurling over the yellowed bone of his teeth as his gaze fell upon that of his father's.
The rage that had enveloped Severus' facial features gradually dissipated as he listened attentively to his father's piece, more than aware of the truth that lingered behind the man's words. The child was not oblivious to the fact that his mother detested his existence even though his beauty was apparent, and yet still he allowed his skull to turn away from his father to offer his victim a dissenting shake of his head, gaze trailing after the sable brat as she removed herself from his company and approached the gargantuan brute and their slumbering sister, pointedly disregarding his presence out of spite before their mother barged in to rain on Severus' parade, fueling Callisto's ego with boastful compliments. Cerulean eyes rolled in their sockets with unveiled annoyance as he turned his attention upon the small family reunion occurring behind him, pulling his mass upon all fours as he reluctantly maneuvered to join them, approaching from his sister's rear as she voiced a question that apparently plagued the both of them. Curiously, he would look between the duo that spawned him expectantly, and his mother would be the first to offer an answer that worked in the child's favor. "I'll get us back there," he assured his family, arrogance thick in his tones as he puffed out his broad chest with raw confidence. "But you'll have to stay here," the tyke sneered as he looked towards his sister, a devious chortle falling from his cracked lips.
The girl would awaken by the speech that surrounded her. She had been half aware already of the situation yet she desired to rest. Warm beside the large bulk of her father. But the sound of Medusa's voice would cause her lids, heavy with over sleep, to pry open. Her small body would stretch into an upright, sitting position, her chin resting upon Deteste's spine as a yawn stretched her jowls. She was peering towards her mother but not at her mother at all. It was the wolverine whom she sought and as she expected the gentle creature was at Medusa's heel. Circe was completely uninterested in the conversation her family was having. The girl spoke little and only when she had input of value. She care little where they lived so long as she were to live near her family. Particularly her parents. Both parents. She loved Medusa regardless that the emotion was not returned and appreciated her presence, which she saw less of as she grew.
She believed her mother was the most beautiful woman in existence and longed to observe the woman's strange eyes and to unskillfully groom her silky coat. Yet Circe understood these actions could make the woman unhappy. And thus she had learned to appreciate Medusa from a distance. But Stheno was different. Circe believed they were alike for they often spent their time together in silence. Neither were the talkative type yet her company was always warm. Circe's dark, lean limbs stretched before her in a leisurely and somewhat clumsy walk towards the wolverine, a gentle smile lifting the girl's features. She would set herself beside Stheno and bless her with the use of her voice. "Hello Stheno." the words were spoken softly.
The man found Callisto's need for space a curious thing but he was always careful to respect it and expressed his affection for the girl from afar. A warm smile stretched upon his lips as Callisto approached and took seat beside him. The loving expression only breaking slightly upon Medusa's arrival. It had been long since he had last seen Medusa. Even the children had seen her more recently than he. They had both had their own businesses to attend to but there were moments where he wished for her company. And there were moments such as the one now where his attention was quite abruptly taken by her appearance. He was often drawn in by her eyes. Since they had first met those eyes had felt familiar to him. He had considered that it was a trade of her polyamorous personality yet they captivated him time and time again.
Yes... he would speak, breaking himself from the trance, you are all handsome children. He would agree. The man would sit upright upon Circe's departure and his gentle gaze would settle upon Callisto again as she inquired after Amenti. A curt nod would be given in acknowledgement to Medusa's statement before he supplied his own. Would you like to return? All of you. he would inquire in return. The question directed even at Medusa. Deteste intended on re-taking Amenti, but the first priority in his life at the moment were his children. It was ironic that Amenti had been lost for Medusa had intended this litter to be take the role of heir and legacy. For Detste the children were much more than a claim for the future. He intended to play a significant and valuable role in their lives.
Taking Callisto quite by surprise, the mother of the trio of pups strolled onto the scene, faithful pet wolverine at her heels, and voiced her own lackluster input. Though the words lacked a typical mother's warmth, the fact they further contradicted Severus's blatant jab caused the typically stoic girl's face to brighten with mirth, her lips curving into a slight and muted grin. Oh, how little her brother would like to hear that! Their own mother evening the playing field by setting them all side by side in her comparison. Surely his pride could not easily handle such a sting well. But she was at a bad angle to see him, and any move she would have made to do so would have been obvious, so she refrained from stealing a peek and satisfied herself instead with envisioning his sour expression.
Distractedly, her silvery blue eyes watched her sister stir against their father, drawn into wakefulness by their mother's approach, but rather than take part in the conversation at hand, or even show an interest in what appeared to be an important family conversation, she addressed the wolverine instead. Callisto stared puzzlingly at the pair for a second before she caught on that her mother was answering her inquiry before Deteste, claiming the new leader of Amenti to be addled and a threat to Jupiter. No image rose up at the mention of the Ludicael leader, though the importance of the figure was noted. She was a highly regarded wolf in her mother's eyes - though the degree of that regard had yet to be fully understood - and someone worth throwing their lot in with. Distant and rather analytical, Callisto could not quite mimic the same unwavering, unfailing loyalty that Medusa seemed to have toward their present leader, but considering the answer suited her sentiments for the time being she was willing enough to agree and accept them.
Severus, always demanding the limelight, always attempting to be the center of attention, sauntered closer and chimed in with assurances that he would be the one to secure themselves a place in the Amenti territory, though as his wicket eyes shifted toward her direction it was made plain that the boastful statement had only been meant to further irk her. Informed that she would be the one left behind, Callisto reigned in her irritation behind her once again smoothed expression and responded with mock indifference, "That's okay. I'm sure the view of your failure from the border will be just as good for me."
Turning her attention from her irksome brother to her diplomatic father, Callisto answered in much the same tone as before though with more sincerity in her simple, to the point statement, "I would."