it took days for them to finally arrive, Érebos signaling the group to halt some feet away from the borders. he came to place himself before the group as he stood just before the scent marker. turning once to eye his relatives behind, he nodded in assurance before facing insomnia to release a powerful, masculine howl that rang across the air and vibrated out. Érebos dunamis awaited medusa with the rest of his family.. and to think this wasn't even a quarter of them- it was amazing to see. all of them bearing piebald pelts and most with the same dual toned eye trait that seemed to be most prominent amongst the family.
finally, things could now move forward as he waited patiently for medusa to receive them all. a beginning to their dynasty takeover- who would then forever be in debt to the generous, unbiased medusa. she would have erebos's respect & loyalty for ages to come.


"Talking" - "Thinking"

table by scarlet

His normally well-groomed alabaster fur was stained and dirty. The days of travel had taken its toll on him and while his well-toned body was not too worse for wear his mood was the true victim. His face was masked with an expression that gave away just how uncomfortable he was, of course he knew better than to make any comments while they were travelling. He was pretty sure the entire family would band together to put him in his place, after all they did not truly understand why his lack of comfort was much worse than theirs. He knew that they too had been travelling for days but it was not something that occupied his thoughts as he felt sorry for himself.

Finally the golden child gave the signal to stop and Nik breathed an audible sigh of relief. He listened to his brother’s howl and then he dramatically flopped over onto his side. Lying there seemingly dead, not to bothered with how whomever was receiving them would perceive this.

”I can’t” he said dramatically, ”My legs are going to fall off! Look at them, they are withering and dying” as he said this he rolled over, his legs waving in the air. He let out a dramatic moan as he flopped back over to lying on his side.

Enyo, the formidable matriarch of the Dunamis, stood tall and impressive. Her dense and rugged fur adding to her grand silhouette. As Erebos’s deep, resonant howl reverberated through the air, she allowed herself a moment of pride, knowing that their presence would make an impression on Medusa and the pack of Insomnia. There was much to lose and far more to gain. It could be dangerous and risky to allow such a formidable group of wolves to join. How could you know if you could trust them? So it was imperative that they all put their best foot forward and made good first impressions.

However, her attention was swiftly drawn to Nikolaos’s latest display of dramatic flair. A sharp, disdainful snort escaped her as she watched him collapse theatrically onto his side, his normally immaculate alabaster fur now marred by the dirt of their journey. She could hardly suppress the exasperation that bubbled up within her. Her lip twitched up into a slight snarl. Nothing irritated her more than a poorly behaved Dunamis. They all knew better. Enyo's eyes were icy daggers attempting to stab into his pelt. Her heart pounded and she wanted nothing more than to lay her paws on him. She approached her younger brother, making sure her face was wiped clean of any previous resentment. She would approach him, lowering her head to his and attempting to nip his ear in a corrective manner before speaking.

“Nikolaos,” she said quietly, her tone in a cold manner, “If you cannot maintain the dignity expected of a Dunamis, then at the very least, show some respect for the opportunity we are about to receive. We are here to prove our worth and align ourselves with a pack of distinctions. Your behavior only diminishes our standing and undermines our efforts. Do you truly think this display is appropriate? Get your ass up. Stand up. Now” she commanded, the last word embellished with a deep promising growl. There would be consequences if he didn't behave himself.

Did he think his paws were the only ones that ached? Did he even stop to consider that everyone would be in pain? That if they behaved well and presented themselves as worthy that there would be no need to travel? What a child.

Her eyes flicked toward Erebos, noting his poised and assertive stance, and then back to Nikolaos, who was still languishing on the ground. The contrast between her composed authority and Nikolaos’s dramatics was great in this moment and, in Enyo’s view, deeply embarrassing.


Enyo’s voice remained low enough so that only those immediately around could barely hear, “Remember, Nikolaos, we are here to demonstrate our value and secure a future for ourselves within Insomnia. This is no place for your discomfort to overshadow our mission.”

She turned her gaze back to Erebos, nodding in silent acknowledgment of his leadership and the gravity of their situation. Quietly, she would walk back to her previous position behind Erebros and silently wait. Not wanting to further discuss their brother's behavior. There would be no need for anyone else to step in now. Any moment Medusa could be coming, she just had to hope the woman wasn't already silently observing them. It was something Enyo would do if she was her.

"SPEECH"

CODE BY SIN

Ears swivel upon the masculines head, hearing his brother Erebos's call. He wasn't far off, venturing his own way. But now was the time for seriousness and manners. There was a lot at stake, but much more to gain, they indeed had to give the Dunamis name a good name in the long run. Each and every one of the clan had a lot to gain and loose. Atticus known this from the day he was born.

He came up following and watching his siblings around him. Only for his eyes shoot to his brother Nikolaos, wondering where the hell he had this display come from. Eyes narrow as he had became thankful and offered Enyo a nod of his head. Agreeing with her command to the brother of theirs.

Although the savoring feeling of relaxation within the pools cleared his mind there was still much there. He would come to terms with when the time was right. Right now was however not the time to be foolish. The brute stood there near Enyo and Erebos with pride.

He was thankful he was well disciplined in his own statue as he stood there, only thing that moved upon him was the fur that danced with the winds and his ears listening for Medusa to arrive.

"Speech"

Atticus Dunamis

CODE BY SIN

At last, they made their way to the pack Erebos had promised them. While they waited for the go ahead, he had been doing his own surveying and reconnaissance of the nearby lands and packs. Particularly the one they were about to join. It amused him to learn a little about the alphess that ruled there. An orphan-turned-slave-turned-ruler. But that's all he had learned, really. That and she very much adored her trinkets stolen from the bodies of their own kind. Pelts and bones and the like. Oh, and that she was a bit of a strange one. Whatever that meant. If she had managed to secure herself a pack and rule for this long, surely she was someone worth following. Someone who knew what they were doing. Some leaders were born. Others were self-made. This...Medusa, seemed to be the latter.

He approached his wayward band of siblings with grace and poise, head held high and tail held loosely over his hips. He spotted Niko on the ground in all his dramatic flair, a slight roll of his eyes followed by a cunning smirk as he strolled up. "You know, I hear this Alphess often goes by the name of 'The Bone Queen', among other titles, and she just loves collecting the skins and bones of our own kind." Striding up to his brother, he leaned down close and added, "Are you offering yourself up to be a part of her collection? I'm sure you'd make a nice rug for her den." He laughed before backing away, allowing his brother to stew on that thought for a moment.

"Speech"

his movements were rigid- his animal nature evident in the way he kept his neck in alignment with his protruding shoulders. strong biceps moving and swiveling beneath his thick pelt as the dire wolf followed last in the group, purposefully keeping himself on the outskirts lest something try to ambush them. his watch is critical, vigilant and unfriendly as he scans the area they swept through for hours. no stopping, no panting from the large zephyros who ignored the ache in his paws. painstaking brute, he endured much worse than a strenuous journey.
they finally do reach the borders of this mysterious pack. his red dual toned eyes glancing up and eyeing the many morbid decorations that outlined the borders. disgusting.. and he liked it. but even still, it ignited his primal interests, making him on edge more than usual. it's then his ears swivel, catching the loud thump of Nikolaos Dunamis flailing over the ground in their attempt to gain attention. seemingly, any attention would do-, so be it. flattening his ears, he released a barbaric growl that vibrated out his chest in result to all the tension in the air, his eyes choking Nik as he watched Enyo then Kronos discipline him like a child. for some reason, everyone thought a warning was enough to keep the lad in line. but zephyros knew different; having endured months of pain to understand why obedience was the only appropriate action. he swiftly moves in, aiming to place himself to Nikolaus's right.
hackles raised, he stands lowly with a tense body, taut muscles filled with the itch to attack the lazy male but he contains his urge for now. disdain in his eyes as he stares at the other, awaiting them to rise to their feet like the rest before he finally does look ahead. a fight was due for the one that slipped out of character in the presence of the patriarch, one zephyros was eager to give later.

"talk" - "think"

table by scarlet, art by alo

They had arrived. She'd been waiting eagerly for the arrival of the family Erebos promised would come to Insomnia, so when she heard the male call for her, she rose to her feet with a grin on her lips, a bone between her teeth, and that usual bounce in her step as she made her way to them. Seymour even flew over, his hoarse croak of a voice confirming there was a group of wolves at the border. She made haste, eager to see this band of wolves that would be joining her. For however long or little they desired, she didn't care. It was numbers the pack desperately needed, so she would take what she could get for now. She could hear voices on the wind and smelled a tension in the air. Hmmm? Curious, she practically slunk the rest of the way in a bid to catch whatever interesting thing might be happening, and it just so happened she made it in time to witness a show along with her little snack! She quietly gnawed on the bone as she watched the dramatics unfold, eyes wide as she assumed the one on the ground was about to get his shit ripped apart! Gaze moved from one to the other as tensions rose. Was that how a normal family functioned? She wasn't sure. She wouldn't know normal if it slapped her in the face like the fish she caught did! And while it was all entertaining to watch and hear, she figured she probably shouldn't keep them waiting much longer else they bury a body, and she desperately needed that extra body! Rising to her feet, she approached them, bone still held in her teeth as she regarded the group, though her gaze fell on the one that had been getting all the flack. "Medusa really does like her bones and furs...and you have a pretty, pretty pelt!" She cackled as she got up in his (Nik's) personal space, looking him up and down with a "hmm" and an "mhmmm" almost as if she were trying to determine how he'd end up decorating her den. Satisfied, she stepped back and spit the bone off to the side before addressing them all. "Medusa welcomes you all to Insomnia. She is sure Erebos has told you already what to expect, but Medusa is also sure they have not been in a pack like hers!" She giggled again, curious to see how they'd fare here. "Speech"

as they waited, things tensed behind him. at the face of a meeting with insomnia's leader, he couldn't turn his attention to fix a defiant clan member. not now anyways, so he released a growl, signaling to the warlord something be done and swiftly. hearing nik to be the cause, he made mental notes. imprinting the way he did and making plans to punish the younger sibling in the near future. and as desired, Enyo asserted a warning over the trouble maker. followed then by all the clan members. good.
but it's then medusa finally does approach, no doubt that she's witnessed some of their casual difficulties. and it burned him inside, making the need for him to lash out at Nikolaos that much more passionate. but he holds and contains himself, shaking his pelt once as he watched and allowed medusa to approach Nikolaos. he turns, watching the bone queen with a hardened gaze, serious and stoic while she spoke to Nikolaos then to them all. he nods in approval to her words, letting her take the lead before he finally does say "Thank you for the welcome. We are all grateful," he turned to eye everyone, demanding they remember the deed medusa did today for their entire family.


"Talking" - "Thinking"

table by scarlet

The Dunamis family corrected him almost as one, each adding their unique twist to the correction. It was not a punishment yet but it surely would escalate to one if he did not respond. Their corrections were in quick succession to one another and he barely had enough time to stand up before a frightening creature covered in the image of bones not only approached the clan but got into his personal space.

He leapt back, falling into line and hand his head and tail low. He wanted to be swallowed by the ground. He let out a soft whine as an apology to the family as he slowly shrunk back until he was behind everyone and out of sight. He wanted to leave this situation as soon as it was socially acceptable. He wanted to go off somewhere and find someone to lick his wounds and stroke his ego. Something his family was definitely not going to do.

He was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he barely took note of what was happening in front until he heard Erebos's words. It seemed they now had a home. He wondered how long he would have to stand here before he could run off.

Cold eyes watched as they all punished Nikolaos, perhaps it was in excess but he should know better by now. They were not pups, such poor behavior would never be permitted. Observing the order between her brothers, Atticus seemed not to get involved. Which was fine, she admired the cool level-headed man that was Atticus, he was a predictable stream and quite easy to get along with. However, she was able to pick up on the nuanced expressions and body language to see that he too was disgusted with Nikolaos' childish antics.

Then Kronos came, his large splattered monochromatic coat quite different from the stark white and black of this current group. Enyo's ears swiveled as she overheard his comment. Seemed he had acquired some knowledge of this pack. A woman named Medusa who was a little twisted? Although Enyo did not do it, she understood keeping souvenirs of battles won so she would not think twice about this woman. Kronos laughed and her eyes went to Nikolaos but not before Zephyros stepped in.

A humorous snort escaped her nose. If Nik did not regret his behavior before, surely the verbal beating he was receiving would make him. It was good to know that the others were capable of correcting each other and they did not need her or Erebros to always be there. A self-sufficient group they seemed to be in this moment. It was her job to make sure the Dunamis in this land operated at maximum efficiency and were well-oiled. Still, she watched. Half of her attention is constantly aware of her surroundings and the other enjoying the show. Although, she wished it would be over soon. Quickly, Zephyr finished his much more serious exchange.

There would be a sudden noise and suddenly she was there but no footsteps that led to Medusa's approach which led Enyo to believe the Daemon had been watching after all. Even she approached Nikolaos, although Enyo did not enjoy how close she got. After all, Medusa was a stranger and she was dangerously close to her brother and her comments- even though Enyo was certain she was just poking fun- were mildly threatening.

For now, she watched and ignored the need to step in. It would be more advantageous to play it cool. Especially with someone they needed. How odd she was though? Addressing herself in the third person. Hopefully she would prove to not be as volatile as Widow was rumored to be.

Their admission was far quicker than she had anticipated. After being welcomed Enyo nodded in acknowledgment. Saving her words and reserving the stage for Erebros to take lead. Which he did.

Indeed they were grateful.

"SPEECH"

CODE BY SIN

One by one, they had each practically given Niko a what for. Kronos sat back, however, as he watched his dear brother earn the ire of the family. This was not the time to play games. They had to make a good appearance, and so far, Niko wasn't faring so well now, was he? Even so, The Bone Queen did make her arrival, however quiet it was. And he suspected she had witnessed the interaction amongst themselves. He couldn't help the smirk that played on his lips as she got into Niko's personal space, a playful remark slipping from her white mask before she stepped back and addressed them, welcoming them all to Insomnia. Indeed, it would make a welcome respite after all the tiresome travel, and he was eager to get on and see what this pack had to offer.

Erebos, of course, would speak for them. Telling her that they were grateful for the acceptance into the pack, however quick it was. Clearly she trusted Erebos to some degree. How long had they known each other, he wondered? He had talked a bit about her, but their main goal had been to get here and seek out the packs protection first and foremost. Perhaps something he would press about later, but for now, formalities were in order. "We are grateful for your acceptance, Queen Medusa. It has been a long and tiresome journey, and I am so very much appreciative of your hospitality." He offered a respectful bow to The Daemon. A little too formal, perhaps? Regardless, it was simply how he was. Whether it was to hide intentions or show his true gratitude, well, none would ever truly know. Still, she was offering them something they did not have. At least, not yet.

Still, there was something that had been neglected. Whether or not it was his place, he decided it was only the polite thing to do, after all. "Seeing as how we will be under your wing from now on, allow me to introduce us." He grinned as he lifted his head, "My name is Kronos. That there is Atticus, Nikolaos, Enyo, and Zephyros. We look forward to the future within Insomnia, and as Erebos said, we are all grateful to be here." He motioned to each sibling in turn as he named them off. Hopefully, his formalities would earn some favor with The Queen of Bones. After all, he still knew little of her other than the little he had learned. He didn't want her to feel offended by not offering their names.

"Speech"

She watched each one individually, and boy weren't they a quiet bunch! With the exception of Erebos and the other handsome piebald male that spoke up. She nodded to Erebos' words, eyes drawn then to the yearling that she had gotten up close and personal with, noting the way he shrank back. She "tsked" a couple of times out of amusement more than anything. Seems he was in a fair bit of trouble, but as long as they were all under her wing, they were safe. Including him. Though she understood family dynamics were different among other families, she wouldn't interfere too much, if at all. Unless it was necessary, of course. But mostly she often left things to sort themselves out. Her gaze roamed the others once more, noting the demeanor of each one before another spoke up. This one thanking her again and mentioning their long tiresome journey. Oh! They would be tired after so much travel from wherever they came from, no? Before she could wave them into Insomnian lands, the male introduced himself as Kronos, and went on to introduce everyone else that had traveled with him. She looked to each as he motioned to them, her gaze settling briefly on the only female there that seemed relatively silent, but the majority of this group was, it seemed. She nodded to Kronos as she assessed him. "Well, Medusa is happy to meet Kronos, Atticus, Nikolaos, Enyo, and Zephyros! She is eager to see how you all will do here. Oh! And Medusa expects work, hm? Insomnia is growing bigger, so there is more work to be done now. If Erebos' family needs anything, Medusa is always around, she promises she won't bite! Maybe..." She giggled. "Medusa will rank you what is needed for now, and Kronos and the others can always change later! Hmm..." She narrowed her gaze as she looked at each of em for the upteenth time, nodded as she made up her mind. "Kronos and Nikolaos will be Charms! Zephyros a Feral, Atticus can be a Creeper, aaaannndd Enyo will be a Shriek! Okay? Okay! Erebos' family is welcome to come in and rest, eat, sleep...and uh, welcome home!" However temporary or long term, she didn't care. She was used to others coming and going anyway, it was a part of life, she learned. With that, she motioned for them to come into the pack lands to go settle in and all that. "Speech"