The state that his life had transitioned to was a curious one. While they were few in numbers- only a couple really. The routines that they were settling into felt more and more like a pack each and every day. Obviously, there was a long way to go before they could fool anyone into accepting that truth. Still, there was routine- one with forward momentum in mind, and to say he didn’t feel the impending anticipation was, to put it mildly. Even now- while the Polar Sound wasn’t really theirs to claim- he found himself ambling through the tree cover of the valley on a casual hunt for anything that seemed like it could be out of the ordinary.

He had been diligent in keeping up with Absinth, but of course, she made that task easy. But as far as this afternoon went, he had sought out space. Distance from her, for some reason he couldn’t explain, she made it difficult for him to think rationally. One day, she would dare too much from him, and he didn’t know what would happen. Even still, that was a problem for another day. For now, he’d manage himself with space, and figure out his purpose in the mix as all the other pieces began to fall into place.

Lingering near the entrance of the valley, he would do his best to maintain a presence in the event something or someone of interest came to pass. If he was going to be bored, he might as well be productive.

"Aresenn Praetor"

*psssst* Hover over the image to make it go opaque.

With each day that passed, Sephiran inched closer to his goal. There were still pieces of the puzzle he needed, but were being kept away for some unknown reason. Still, Sephiran trusted his uncle’s judgment, and wouldn’t try to figure out his motives. So long as they shared the same goal, Sephiran cared little about how they got there. Mowing over the weak, pillaging the strong. Whatever it took to achieve their kingdom, Sephrian would do it with his family at his side… and his new family too. These thoughts were heavy on his mind, his falcon flying through the canopy of trees above him, as he made his way towards the entrance of the valley. His presence was strong in the Polar Sound, which had kept a lot of foreigners out- but it was only a matter of time until a threat violated his safe haven, and Sephiran wanted to be prepared.   He hadn’t expected to see that crimson, lumbering male who had somehow become a friend to him. Aresenn had been so wrapped up in playing with his little toy, Sephiran didn’t run into him as often. Still, he was curious about what he was doing. “Stepped away from your plaything?” Sephiran called out in his approach, emerging from the treeline in that typical, domineering fashion of his. “Tell me, what has been happening in your world Aresenn?” What he really wanted to know was, what else is there, aside from me?”  Jealousy had always been one of his many, sour traits.   "Aresenn" & "Sephiran"

In fact, he hadn’t been stationed near the valley’s entrance for very long before movement drew his attention. Though its source came from inside, rather than the tundra beyond the Polar Sound. Shifting his line of sight toward the tree line, Sephiran was easily picked out among the pale landscape. As he approached, the other brute called out, obviously not being bothered into waiting for a more conversational distance. “Momentarily.” Aresenn answered, with a half-sided grin at a matching volume. There wasn’t any further delay or exchange of pleasantries before Seph cut down into a more direct line of questions. He wanted a status report. Clearing his throat, Aresenn straightened up a bit, turning to face his friend head-on. “Outside Absinth, very little. Though, I have been in and out of the battlefields- watching for anything that might be worthwhile.” Most of his time was spent lingering nearby to some degree. In the event he was called upon, he wanted to be nearby and ready for whatever might be thrown in his direction. “And yours?” He echoed casually. Curious as to what Sephiran’s downtime had looked like as of recent. "Aresenn" & "Sephiran"

Absinth… somehow, the woman had become an important piece- at least, in Aresenn’s world. Whatever relationship they had, Sephiran cared little to know about it- the only information he sought was whether or not she was being useful. Giving a simple nod in response, Sephiran shifted his gaze away from the crimson male. Peering out in the expanse of the Polar Sound, wondering in silence, if this would be the best place to build a kingdom. “And nothing else interests you?” A simple remark, in which he already knew the answer- because, if someone had piqued his interest, Aresenn would have brought them here. That seemed to be his forte lately. The conversation shifted to him, in which Sephiran flashed Aresenn a coy smirk. "Fate has been in my favor.” His tail flicked behind him, eyes growing wide. “My Uncle stumbled upon my toy… told her he brought more bodies, and would return with them. I can only assume it’s my siblings.” There was no other explanation- his brother and two sisters must have left with Rhazien, seeking him out in pursuit of a new kingdom. “That’s the thing about us Saxe," His smile widened, strings of saliva glistening inside of his mouth. “Like locusts, we spread far and wide- pillaging, indulging, satiating. And we always find our way back to each other.” If Aresenn hadn’t already gotten the gist, he would now. His gaze shifted to the brute, eyeing him closely. “Are you a locust now, too?” Sure, they had been training together, playing together. But what Sephiran needed to know was how deep this newfound loyalty really ran. "Aresenn" & "Sephiran"

The response he was offered sought validation that wasn’t necessarily needed. Sephiran knew the answer, but for whatever reason wanted to hear it stated out loud. “Not particularly. And if they had, you would have known it.” He complied without further prompting. The battlefields certainly brought fighters and brawlers, but skillset was an entirely different matter. One that had to be taken into consideration before blindly inviting just anyone to return to the Polar Sound with him. Aresenn listened intently as it was explained to him what new information Sephiran had come across. He found it a bit odd that the Uncle didn’t stick around to meet with Seph himself, and simply took the word of some girl laying broken in a den somewhere. However convincing that evidence might be. But perhaps that was typical behavior of the man,- Sephiran certainly didn’t seem disturbed by the thought. His associate explained that there would soon be more bodies, but wasn’t entirely sure who or how many there would be. Only by illustrating a scene of a plague did he get his point across. How far did his own loyalty go. Aresenn answered in a shallow chuckle exhaled through his nose. “Maybe not by blood, but at the very least by mutually beneficial association.” He answered in amusement. “But if I sound like a locust and act like a locust, and swarm with the rest of locust, then I must be one, hmm?” Aresenn countered, searching the other brute’s expression for any inkling of thought. Though as fun as the analogies were, they were tiring for him to keep up- he an up front and more literally simple individual. “Your siblings, how many of them are there?” The fiery brute inquired. If Sephiran thought it was his siblings who were on their way, he must have an idea of which of them- if not all them were coming "Aresenn" & "Sephiran"

[/b]

Hardening his expression, Sephiran wore that characteristically domineering glare of his. He didn’t suspect Aresenn would suddenly dislodge himself from their band of misfits- but he needed the affirmation, to soothe his grandiosity. The response he received caused his features to soften a bit- eyes relaxing into a casual stare, as his lips peeled back into a smirk. “Yes… I suppose you are a locust.” Yet another attempt at establishing control over Aresenn. Truly, the former pirate stuck around for the benefits, which he had clearly stated. But in Sephiran’s mind, it was all his doing. Ahh, his siblings. When Aresenn reverted to them, Sephiran couldn’t help but imagine their faces inside his mind. Cifarelli, who undeniably looked like their Uncle Rhazien. Yarrabelle, whose sickly green eyes seemed to peer into the depths of your soul. And Auriga, the boy who perceived themselves as the latter, but held an unrelenting strength. They were a littler of hell hounds, to say the least- and yet, despite their differences they knew how to work together as a unit, creating an unfathomable force of nature that wanted to seek and destroy. “Three,” He began. “A brother, and two sisters.” His mind lingered further, imaging Apollyon’s other liters. “There are many more… but us four, we share the same blood.” It may have been useless information to Aresenn, but to Sephiran, it made all the difference. They were the only wolves who truly bled the same blood as him. "When you see them... you will know." There was no denying their relation to him- their mannerisms and desires would be a dead give away. Drawing in a deep breath, Sephiran averted the conversation back to Aresenn. There was something he wanted to know. "What is it that you want, Aresenn?" It was cryptic at first, and completely out of the blue. But it had been itching at the back of his mind for some time now. "Where do you see yourself going from here?" Playing with the demons in purgatory was one thing. But what goals did the former pirate have? Was there something he really wanted? Like how Sephiran wanted Aurelia, and made her his? "Aresenn" & "Sephiran"

As Sephiran reported that he was expecting two of his sisters and a brother, Aresenn nodded in acknowledgment. It went on to be explained that of course there were countless half siblings- most of which he assumed to be illegitimate to some degree. But the reassurance he was given, sort of set things in their place. When you see them, you will know. A sentiment that was rooted in a truth that needed no further explanation. But while Seph had answered the question about his siblings, it was clear that the brute wasn’t done talking about him. What do you want? What a loaded question. Absinth had gone down a similar line of questioning, so the answer he gave had already been halfway prepared and required little thought. “I guess I want to work toward a cause. Be a part of something greater than the haphazard nature of the blood I was born into. You’ve talked about what your family is capable of, and where you want to go with them. I’m here to see it all happen.” Aresenn answered confidently. As to where he was going from here. That all depended. “And I’m willing to support the cause wherever you need it the most.” There wasn’t one direction he was ready to commit himself going. He didn’t see himself as having one particular strength and one particular weakness. He would fill whatever role was most needed of him at the time, in an effort to stack the foundation wherever support was the most needed. "Aresenn" & "Sephiran"

The answer Aresenn gave wasn’t out of the ordinary. The need to belong to a cause, to find purpose in one’s existence was a universal phenomenon. Some wolves searched their lifetimes for this sense of belonging… and yet Aresenn had been lucky enough to find him at such a young age. If it weren’t for Sephiran, perhaps the boy would be lost, wandering aimlessly. Or, he may have chosen to remain as a pirate lackey. Within Sephiran's delusions, he found a place to call home- which brought a sadistic, grandiose smile to the Saxe boy's lips. A low rumble resonated from his chest, before he gave a simple response. “Very well.” It was short in comparison to what was going on inside his mind. But his agreement was all Aresenn really needed. So long as they were on the same page with their goals, there would be no conflict. Shifting his gaze to the scenery, he swept their surroundings before turning back to the brute. "This terrain is suitable for a pack- but why limit ourselves here?" Cryptic at first, but he continued with an explanation. “Dedicate a journey to the surrounding territories. See if the north has something better to offer.” A scouting mission was necessary, especially as they approached the formation of a pack. And who better to complete the task than his right-hand man? "Aresenn" & "Sephiran"

It seemed that his answer was well-received- the rumbling noise emanating from the Saxe brute’s chest akin to the satisfaction of a cat. Aresenn offered a tight-lipped smirk in response to Sephiran’s acknowledgment. Very well, indeed. While his friend took a sweeping sample of the immediate area, Aresenn’s attention remained focused on his company. Searching his face for any tell-tale signs of what was going through the peculiar individual’s mind. Even still, he wasn’t left wondering for very long. He was ready for the dual-colored gaze as it reached him. This place is suitable for a pack. He immediately understood where their conversation was going. But why limit ourselves here? Aresenn answered with his own nod, clearing his throat to speak. “It is quite comfortable here …” He began, but quickly moved to coincide with Seph’s thought process. “But how do we know if there isn’t something better unless we look.” Yes, they took a trip through the northern territories when they were younger, but it was more for the sake of traveling. Now they needed to know what the northern territories had to offer in sustaining a pack. A job that sounded as if it would be his to complete. “I’ll leave in the morning.” He declared, hesitance entirely forgotten with the change of the subject. But in doing so, his mind quickly fell to the logistics. How long was he to spend scouting? “How thorough do you want me to be?” Aresenn asked lowly. Was this going to be an in-and-out mission? Or did Sephiran want him to go into great detail? "Aresenn" & "Sephiran"

Receptive to his command, Aresenn would be traversing into the neighboring territories. Whether he went by himself or decided to take Absinth, didn’t particularly matter to Sephiran. So long as he completed the task and reported back to him with information, he would be satisfied. At the mention of Aresenn leaving in the morning, Sephiran gave a silent nod. There wasn’t much else to say. Seohiran was even considering taking off at this point, to continue his patrolling through the Polar Sound. But Aresenn had one last question for him. Thinking it over, Sephiran decided there were some specifics he wanted to know. “Find out how many packs already reside in the north. And, in vacant territories. Decide which ones have the most potential.” He didn’t need to elaborate. Aresenn already knew what a pack needed- food source, water source, shelters, enough room to stretch their legs and play. And, preferably, a place that didn’t  border another pack, because Sephiran would be tempted to invade them prematurely. "A week is long enough?" He needed to set a timeline, to know when it was appropriate to go looking for Aresenn should something happen to him. "Aresenn" & "Sephiran"

As the exchange seemed to be winding down, he could see a thoughtful look overtake Sephiran’s features. It took him only a moment to articulate the kind of information that he was looking for. How many packs. Vacant territories. And which ones have the greatest potential. That shouldn’t be too difficult. The further north they went, the more difficult it was to sustain living comfortably with the frigid temperatures. Something told him that he wouldn’t have to go very far in that direction, just a bit above what the Armada had claimed. Blinking away the thoughts, he returned his attention to his friend. “I’ll see you in a week.” Aresenn answered, offering the other brute a stiff nod in acknowledgment. His half-sided grin threatened to break his expression as he made the decision to turn then- eager to start preparing for what path lay ahead of him. A lot could be done in a week. -Exit Aresenn Unless Stopped- "Aresenn" & "Sephiran"

Compliant with his proposed timeline, Aresenn nodded and bid Sephiran farewell. Watching the male vanish into the treeline, Sephiran waited until he was out of sight before he sauntered away. Not heading anywhere in particular, but wanting to stay within the Polar Sound to patrol it. Whatever treasures the north was hiding, he expected Aresenn to sniff them out. And, if there was anything he found worthy, Sephiran would be informed of it. Who knows, perhaps the male would pick up more servants on his journey. Or, he would take Absinth along and put her to work. If that was a feat the former pirate could complete, the Saxe brute would be more than pleased. -exit- "Aresenn" & "Sephiran"