[gabe, uriel] Where we break hearts and step closer

Uriel's distress was an acrid tang in his nostrils, forcing his heartbeat to quicken. Attention would divert to her, the warmth of her smaller form making her body known to him. Auds pinned tight to his skull, muzzle extending in hopes of comforting her with his presence. Uriel, good and sweet Uriel, didn't deserve this burden. Samael, in that sense, had done evil, cursing her with the weight of indecision. “I believe Gabriel’s words. I do not think he’d tell where your family lived… even now.” She said, wavering vocals another fissure in his rapidly beating heart. A soft whine would be dragged from his throat at her overwhelming emotion, begging to be welcomed in, to be allowed to soothe her. “But… to… to think…” The herald waited for her to finish, patient as always. Her body moved, the snow crunched beneath her form as it lowered slowly to the ground. “This is not right.” She finally said.

"No, it is not." He echoed firmly. It was in his mind, his belief, that the act of slaughtering the condemned child had not been the Lord's decree to Michael. “The children did nothing but be born. To damn them… to... !” The choked lyrics of his baby sister were disturbing to his ears, which wanted nothing but to hear the melodies of her laughter always. “This can’t be what our Lord wanted… It’s wrong… We’re supposed to be light, not darkness… so if that’s light… then well, damn me too!”

Wait- wait. It was going too fast now. Uriel was daring to utter the words, that she might want to Fall. No, she couldn't want that. To leave the Lord's light? “S-Samael didn’t do anything… that child didn’t do anything… yet…” A broken, frightened whimper. Sinking to the ground, the herald sought to have himself pressed tight to her right flank, to which he was adjacent. Samael was already there, sitting beside her and tending to her as readily as Gabriel did. He dared not think of her sin, utterance of Samael's true name. She was falling readily, from the light and the good. He couldn't let go of his values, the world would come crumbling down alongside them. "I know, Uriel. I know." He murmured, hushing her with his presence. Elegant crown, marred by horrific scars, stretched to lay across her shoulders if she would permit it.

Nostrils would flare to inhale the scent of his Fallen brother. Yes, the delicate aroma of children and sweet milk covered him wholly. "No Gabriel. You will take no more punishment, nor will I allow for another to lay harm to you again. Uriel, my dear sister, you are much too right... but I do not know if Abba even lives still. I've not scented him for almost two years and his scent fades from both of you." His voice was strong and without falter, lending his own power where Uriel was lacking in her own at the moment. The blasphemy tumbled so readily from Samael's jaws, unthinkable to the herald. He would not believe that the Lord had left them, he was a God among them, immortal by all means. The Lord's true name continued to stab itself into his brain, a blade jammed in through his ears.

"I may have been thrown out into the darkness, but our father did not know that in doing so I would find my own light, and my own strength. This light has been there for our whole lives but because he taught us so, we looked away. But I am ready to share what I have found to those that will hear it." Samael was preaching, just like the good old days. But this was a new gospel. Perhaps one that Gabriel did not want to hear. Was he ready to let go? No. He couldn't. Raphael, Barachiel, Jegudiel, Selaphiel, even Michael, they could not be relinquished. Not for Samael, not even for him. He loved them too dearly to step from the Lord's light and into darkness.

He squeezed his eyes shut, seeking to shut out the offending dialogue. How could Samael wantonly, readily even, speak against the Lord? Perhaps he was not who Gabriel had come to believe him to be. "This world does not heed the call of Abba." No, stop, please. "He is no more a god then he is a thief. I have found a woman, named Dafodil, her pelt a golden and white reminder of Gabriel's own. Her mother spoke fondly to her often of three oldest children, and of her savior, Abba Jahovah. I believe her to be your sister, Gabe." Please, Samael, stop. I can't hear this. Were those tears tracking down his cheeks? "She bore Micah and Forfax after a one night stand, then left, I believe out of fear her three brothers would find her. She fears their light." She fears their light. That would haunt him for many nights to come. He knew that already. None of this could be true. Their Father, he loved them so. He couldn't do this, not to him. Not to him.

"For that light consumed her mother and father and they gave away her siblings..... four more children. I believe them to be our litter Uriel. But I did not ask beyond this for she fears this because of a dark horror she was met with when she found her parents once more. They had been slaughtered." Gritting his teeth against the steady onslaught, Gabriel turned his head away. No. This couldn't be. It must be the lies of the Fallen, masquerading as false truths. The Lord would not commit such a sin. To cleanse the innocent? A damnable act. The holy light of their Father was too bright for such a tarnishing crime. A tiny echo, faint and almost nonexistent. "My love, they are beautiful." A woman's voice, unfamiliar but accompanied by blessed warmth and safety.

No more. He couldn't stand it any longer. He had come to hear Samael out, to understand what his side of the story was. Gabriel didn't want to hear it anymore. "Please, brother, no more." He breathed, features crumpled by the strength of his emotion. They were definitely tears that warmed his cheeks, and streaked now down the sides of his muzzle as he tipped it towards the snow laden ground. His voice was too weak. Samael continued.

"Without his influence i have found that I may do as I will." The herald rose, paced a few yards ahead. This sinful monologue lacerated his insides with each word spoken. "There are no demons or guardians in my world. Only wolves with good qualities or bad. I love who I want, man or woman, brother or sister." Yet again, Samael reminded him of what Gabriel sought only to forget. To love one's brother? Gabriel did love them, but he wasn't sure it was possible for him to reciprocate Samael's desire. It had yet to occur to him, so why should now be any different. Auds pressed tighter and tighter yet to his skull, seeking to remove his brother's words from his ears. He didn't want to hear anymore. It hurt him. "I speak to my friends and family regardless of who they are, and I don't fear any. I offer you both to stay with me, find your freedom, discover who you were meant to be before his grasp found you. Its not falling, this life is rising to stand for what you want. If you wish to live with my help, I shall be rising as an Alpha soon. Your places are among me and mine. Gabe as my second, and Uriel as my head healer. But this is not something I will force upon you, you must make this decision on your own. Michael is not welcome for his crimes against our family is too great. He will never accept any ways but his own into his heart. Should Raphael wish it he may come and try my ways as well. You don't need to abandon everything you know either, I never did, but I found new ways to think as well."

The speech pried apart fine hairs, needled its way in nonetheless. He stood still, muscles taut, sightless gaze downcast upon the brilliant snow. Samael spoke no longer, most likely waiting for the cursed words to take root in their minds. There had to be a spell, a curse, laden in them. It was beginning to sound.. appealing. Wrinkling his face, he held back a soft sob. This was neither the time, nor the place. He was the strong one, for his family. The time for tears and emotion had passed.

Crunch. There he was. Crunch. Coming ever closer. Crunch. Fear coursed through his veins like ice. What could he do? Rooted to the spot, weakened by the lies that still swam in his skull. Crunch. A solid, gentle pressure against his chest. Below the lowest of his scars, in the centre of his breast. Samael's musk invaded his senses. The soft touch of his breath against the fine fur of his face. He was right there, no doubt looking him in the face. The gentle, tender caress of his tongue against his tortured flesh. That was it. He was done, just like that.

Fresh tears fell from his ducts, both tattered and not. Lips peeled back from his teeth, features scrunching up in a broken and fearful sob. "Why?" He dared utter, vocals hoarse and pathetic. That's what he was. Pathetic. Far from worth the Lord's love anymore. "Why, brother? Why be kind to the likes of me? Look at what I did to you!" He cried, desperation pulling his voice into a taut thread that broke easily. "I do not deserve your mercy, brother, let alone your kindness." It was the truth, and he was hopeless to figure out why Samael continued to follow him so readily.