FROM THE ASHES, WE RISE [The Empire]

Having trailed beside his brother, sister, nephew, and the young cousin who had accompanied them, Apollo took a place behind Amon as the new alpha called the family together. Why behind and not joining the fathering crowd before him? His alert bearing and roving gaze said clearer than anything that he was there to guard his brother's back, as he always would be. It was his duty and yes, his obsessive ambition, to follow as his litter mate lead and protect him. Not even their family was exempt from his watchful eyes as he sought for possible dangers and would be enemies, though he was far more expectant that a friend or family member of the former alpha would prove the more likely threat. Still, he was not willing to rule out the possibility and was more than willing to remove a threat before it could strike, family or no.

His only response to the elder Andras' childish posturing was a hard stare and a faint disapproving flick of his ear. Had he gained nothing but ill manners and lack of impulse control in his time away? Perhaps Apollo simply expected too much from the older members of the family. Amon's children seemed to display an appropriate manner, even the younger litter, and even Pyralis' litter seemed to have turned out quite well considering their undoubtedly... unconventional upbringing. Well, Pyralis had gotten good results with them so perhaps it had not been so unconventional as all that. He, regrettably, had not been around to observe, so he could hardly judge simply from her past shenanigans. She at least seemed to have grown into a sense of responsibility. Apollo could unashamedly admit that he was terribly proud to see what his two elder litter mates had accomplished in their time here, and prouder yet of Amon's victory today.