There was a stillness in the air as Yarra departed from their side. From what Sol and Khonsu were able to gather, a large group of the woman's family lived and were to lay claim to these lands. All else aside, at least it was a powerful environment they now called home. Born in the north, the twins were uniquely suited for survival here.

Their dense fur bristled against the gusts, shrouding them in a dense haze as the winds battled with the flickering light before them. Unperturbed by the acrid smoke - a familiar adversary from countless fire-based rituals - neither wolf so much as flinched. Sol's head rested dejectedly upon their paws, pulling Khonsu's neck low enough that the underside of his muzzle brushed gently against his brother's fur.

In quiet solidarity the twins gazed at the captivating dance of the flames, absorbing the calm of the moment and waiting for their mistress's return when the peace would break.

Sol & Khonsu

Ely had spotted the most Curious of wolves within the polar sound. Her cousin seemed to have brought them with her. Two wolves; one body. It was most intriguing. She wasted not time in watching them  and her cousin. The moment she wasn’t around them, she slunk forward aiming to talk to them. Were they Sidi or were they something else?

She stopped in front of them, just a step out of reach. She didn’t bow her head in greeting. But she did stare down at them, eyes calm as she waited for them to look at her. “I’m Elysia. What’s your names?” She asked. She figured they’d both have names. Though she could have been wrong. She’d never met anyone like them.

The crunch of hard packed snow alerted the brothers to the arrival of another, their body tensing in fearful anticipation. Was Yarra already back? Khonsu's eyes flicked up from the firelight and onto the woman - the stranger who was decidedly not their mistress. They wasted no time in jumping to their paws, turning their back upon the fire to face her, bowing their heads low enough that their front elbows nearly touched the ground.

Khonsu felt relatively certain that this wolf must be one of the family members Yarra had spoke of. At least, it was safest to assume as if she were. Yarra's words echoed loudly in their skulls. Submission, compliance, respect. Until otherwise corrected, they would adhere to their new roles; acting as subordinates, as Sidi.

"Khonsu." He spoke for them both, nose still low to the ground. "And my brother Sol."

Sol & Khonsu

Elysia watched in amusement as the dual headed wolf shot to their feet and bowed before her. They were clearly not a saxe, and not a guest of honor as Aresenn and the monochrome woman had been. She raised an eyebrow as she stayed silent watching as she awaited an answer to her question.

And when she finally received one her mask slipped into place and a sweet voice now echoed from her maw. “Khonsu and Sol, Please stand up. There’s no need to bow” she even went as far and to lower her own snout down and nudge both theirs upward.

“Tell me, boys, how did two handsome fellows like yourselves end up here?” She wasn’t typing this sweet. But she’d only given them her first name. For all they know she was a Sidi too. And that’s when true gossip could be had.

Sol's eyes squeezed shut reflexively as her muzzle approached, his ears pulling back hard against his skull in a flinch. It was an unnecessary action, as Elysia did not move to strike nor bite, instead nudging them upwards with a a gentle touch. It was the first morsel of actual kindness they'd felt in weeks - and not just the frightening, manipulative sort that had been offered to them in crumbs by their mistress.

They stood as requested, their hesitant relief betrayed by the low, slow wag of their tail. "Yarra brought us." Sol whined. Perhaps this stranger could help them. It was the first shred of hope he'd felt since becoming metaphorically chained to the woman. "She has our mother."

Khonsu cleared his throat. "She has her ashes. Her soul." The interruption was one with two purposes - to silence his sheltered, over-sharing brother, and to clarify that Yarra was not in fact hiding a living breathing wolf somewhere in the polar sound.

He hesitated, chewing thoughtfully on the inside of his cheek. How much could they say safely? Sol may be quick to trust, but Khonsu certainly was not. "And yourself, Elysia? How did you come to join this band of such.. horrible, violent, cruel, uh... interesting characters?"

Sol & Khonsu

Elysia watched as the flinched at her touch and it sent a dark purr inside her eyes for a fraction of a second. They were definitely Sidi to someone. That was the only tell she needed to know that for a fact. Yarra. She had heard the name at the gathering and she could briefly place a face to the name. But Yarra was someone she’d yet to actually meet so far.

Her ears twitched at sold words and she put in a look of horror at that while internally she was amused. “That’s just awful, I’m so sorr-“ her words of false sympathy were cut short as Khonsu clarified that it was their mothers ashes. “That’s still awful I’m sorry to hear that” she lied. Internally she was slightly disappointed in her cousin for not having captured their mother while she was living. But was amused that she was using her ashes to her advantage.

Elysia wanted to keep her rude going but khonsu’s next question caused her to pause. She made a show of looking around quickly before stepping forward a bit more. “It’s not a choice for me either, begging here with them” she paused, debating if she should continue her ruse. But she decided the looks on their faces were worth this next bit of information “You see… They are my family. And I have to support them.” She pulled back and watched their faces for this next part. “I guess I should have mentioned my surname. Let me fix that. I’m Elysia Saxe” she purred out.

A heavy silence fell between the brothers as the name 'Saxe' echoed through the frosty air, a name synonymous with their captivity and suffering. Sol's ears drooped, and the faint wag of their shared tail stilled, the weight of their situation pressing down upon them once more. Despite the hope that had briefly sparked within them, the realization that Elysia was tied to their oppressors dimmed it considerably.

However, desperation can make even the slimmest chance of allyship seem worth pursuing. There was a sliver of curiosity in Khonsu's gaze, a faint glimmer of hope that refused to extinguish. Despite the sinking realization, he couldn't help but wonder if Elysia, too, might be trapped in a role she did not relish. His voice was cautious, laced with a mix of wariness and a desperate search for an unlikely kinship.

"Elysia Saxe," he began, the name rolling off his tongue with a mix of respect and underlying fear. "I see. It must be... challenging, being part of such a... prominent family." He paused, searching her eyes for any sign of discontent or empathy. "I do hope you at least find joy in your role among them?"

Elysia couldnt help but be amused at the sudden stillness her name brought the brothers. The way her tail began to stop moving. She didn't move, as she studied the man?, men? before her, She tilted her head at them. She continued to study them, as they likely studied her. Cat and mouse. though she was clearly the cat.

And when they spoke, she couldnt help herself from laughing. "we both know my family is brutal. It's quite alright to be scared of me. You should be. But you need not worry about me harming you. You belong to Yarra. And i dont intend to start a family feud over a sidi" She shrugged. She wasn't above it, but now was certainly not the time to be picking fights with her cousins. Not while the band was still getting used to each other.

She shook her head softly. "Do not mistake my kindness as a regularity. I am just like the rest of them. I just don't flaunt it daily. As long as youre claimed and don't get in my way, you boys are safe near me. But im not your friend. And certainly, have no desire to help you out. What yarra does with you both and your mother....is her business" She went on.

"Unless..." She offered

"Ely & Ezekiel"