Casually Malleus picked his way through the castle. Outside its walls the scents of the pack wolves who'd called it home were fading. Inside, though? It felt almost like he was trespassing. Their scents were stale, sure, but they filled the castle to the brim. If he tried, Malleus was sure he could pick an individual and accurately plot out their day; tracing their common movements and pinpointing their favorite haunts with relative ease. It was strange to think that those wolves were now scattered about doing the work of the Fallen God. Whether they realized it or not, they were indeed doing the Lord's work. No matter where they went, they took with them the story of the Abraxas. They'd been lifted, however briefly, from their pitiful existence to serve a greater good. Strolling to a window, Malleus stood up on his hind legs and placed his forepaws on the sill. He could see for miles; the territory was laid bare below. It was a nice little vantage point nestled firmly in an easy to defend territory. He didn't know if the previous alpha had ever stood here and remarked on this location's usefulness, but he liked to think the castle had been chosen for this particular reason.

The Easter Bunny hops on by!

On her way through, she drops an egg at the paws of Malleus.

Whatever You Are, Be A Good One

The world had always been a kind and generous place in Serene’s mind; but perhaps that was because she was hidden behind her mother’s shield. Without her shield, the cold truth began to settle in, and rather quickly. She was not incompetent; she knew how to hunt small game, where to find water, the basics of healing bumps and bruises. But sometimes the hunt was unfruitful, the water had gone dry, the weather unrelenting, or an annoying twist of her ankles. Perhaps that was why she continued to move south, hoping for betterment of her life, or perhaps it was because she seeked distance from her past and the ghosts it held.

This morning brought with it a strange new land and staring her down for many miles now was a large, oddly shaped, rocked formation. She had seen many different types of rocks before, but this one was different. It was built like a fortress, an odd formation she could only assume was built by a higher being. Silently did the sandy female make her way towards the structure, her curiosity getting the best of her. Long legs stretched across the land, weaving through the terrain with ease. Before long, she had gotten close enough to begin making out the very details of the building.

Where something ancient and possibly magnificent once invaded the earth, a mere fragment now remained. Like a well fought battle, stone and vine intertwined, fighting over territory like a pair of honey badgers gone wild. Her eyes were entranced with the sight; her mind completely unaware of her bodies slow approach to the structure. Faintly could she smell other creatures that had been here before, possibly just as entranced with the stone mountain as she. It looked strong, protected, and most importantly; isolated. The wheels were turning inside her head as she closed the distance, that perhaps this would be her next stop for the time being. Maybe she could carve out her own little den somewhere in the structure and begin to find peace one again. Cautiously did her graceful paws tread deeper into the stone walls, taking in the sights and smells as she went.

"Speech"

Malleus lingered in the window for several moments as he considered the view laid out before him. This really was a nice little place. The roofed rooms offered shelter from the elements, the walls made the interior easy to defend, and the many windows like the one he now stood in offered a clear view of their surroundings. Hell, if the occupants were inclined to, they could tend their own medicinal garden inside the walls. He tsked and dropped to all fours. Perhaps one day this land would be Abraxas owned, but today was not that day. He couldn't imagine his father would be pleased if he up and moved the pack. Pawsteps in the corridor behind him yanked Malleus from his reverie. He turned to peer across the room and caught a glimpse of a long tan tail as someone passed in front of the doorway. His nose twitched as he searched for the scent of the stranger. A former pack member, perhaps? There was only one way to find out. Warily he padded closer, stopping only once he reached the doorway. Finally the scent of the stranger came to him. It was undeniably feminine, rogue, and as far as he could tell, the woman hadn't belonged to Talis at the time of its takeover. Curiously he peeked through the doorway. "Fascinating place, isn't it?" he said gently, hoping not to frighten her.

Whatever You Are, Be A Good One

Serene padded across the grounds slowly, taking care in observing her surroundings. Though the physical appearance of the corridors were fascinating, it was the scents that laid thick in the ground and stone that really caught her attention. Such strange scents; clearly old and worn out much like the rock walls, but they were also undeniably wolves. But there were so many, perhaps a large family group? They scents all mingled and twisted together, she had to press her snout closer to the ground to really identify the differences between them. Faintly did she recall learning about groups of wolves living together in unity as a... pack, perhaps? But never before had Serene seen actual pack before, yet here she stood between slabs of stone, cloaked from had to toe with signs of a real life pack. Her mind wondered where they were, and why they would leave such a beautiful place behind.

When the silence of the tomb suddenly broke, the fawn woman gave a small shriek as she jolted into the air. She had not heard another approach, and she was easily spooked in such a ghostly place. Whipping around to locate the origin of the sound, she came face to face with another wolf. For a moment there would be silence shared between the two as Serene's mind went into overdrive trying to comprehend how to handle this situation. Calmly did she look over the other wolf, taking in his appearance, stance, and scent. Large and in charge seemed to be her finally conclusion and so she immediately knew she could not over power him if he attacked. The only other option, was to comply.

She glanced at the ancient ruins once more before turning back to the male. "Yes, I have never seen anything like it before." She agreed, awkwardly shifting her weight from one side to the other. Suddenly she remembered the scents that surrounded them, and panic began to set in. "Oh, I apologize if I am trespassing. I did not intend to. I was just looking for a place to spend the night when I saw this strange rock." Idiot, she immediately thought to herself after hearing her own words. Why would she tell a complete stranger that? If this was his territory, she could be in big trouble! Her head tilted down and to the side slightly, her gaze aimed at his legs and chest in case he made a move. Hopefully she could outrun him if he tried.

"Speech"

The woman jumped and shrieked with enough force to startle him. Surprised by the force of her reaction, Malleus bristled and blinked. He recovered immediately, a good-natured smirk replacing his startled expression. Mortals, he'd long ago discovered, weren't as robust as Abraxas. Perhaps it was the lack of god blood, perhaps it was their upbringing, but whatever the reason, many he'd met thus far had struck him as intrinsically delicate. The woman agreed, but she responded in a way that suggested she was ill at ease. Finding that unacceptable, Malleus was on the verge of speaking again, of trying to calm her nerves, when an idea seemed to strike her and ratchet up her fears. Ah, he saw what the problem was. The castle was newly abandoned and the smell of the pack still permeated the air. She probably thought he was a member on the verge of chasing her off or punishing her. Upon realizing this, Malleus grinned and shook his head. "Oh, no need to apologize. This place is abandoned. There was a pack here recently, but my cousin challenged the alpha and won." He stepped away in the hopes of putting her at ease, and let his gaze rove to the arched rock ceiling over them. "I can see why you'd want to stay here for the night. It's a fantastic place." Now it was his turn to apologize. He was determined to find worthy mortals for the Empire, and the woman, with her strange and beautiful markings, intrigued him. She might have been a bit nervous, sure, but could he really blame her? After all, she was in the presence of a godling. The woman was beautiful, her femininity undeniable, and he would be remiss if he let this opportunity slip away from him. "I'm sorry if I startled you," he turned back and sought out her gaze, "It wasn't my intention. The name's Malleus and I simply couldn't resist talking to a fellow "trespasser,"" he said with an apologetic grin.

Whatever You Are, Be A Good One

There was something about this male that Serene simply couldn't put her paw on. He was massive, and that immediately made her think of a brute. But there was something in those piercing blue eyes that told her he was more of an intellect than he lead on. That didn't quite help her fears though, if he had both intellect and strength, she would be out of luck for sure. She watched carefully as his lips pulled back into a grin, and listened intently as he explained the history of the structure they stood within. A challenge? So his cousin had won the title of Alpha right? That was impressive at least. "You must be very proud of your cousin. Sounds like it was no easy feat."

As he took a step back, she let out a breath. He seemed to be making an effort to ease her wariness, which was honorable. To show his efforts were not in vane, the sandy blonde sat back on her haunches, letting her tail wrap around her paws. A small smile crept up on her lips as he began to apologize to her, which she found genuinely sweet, a bit surprising, but sweet. She let a soft giggle slip by her graceful lips at his comment, shaking her head softly. "It's quite alright, Malleus. Silence has been my closest friend as far back as I can remember, so you can imagine meeting another wolf was quite frightening." She admitted, laughing softly under her breath at her own ridiculousness. She was a wolf, they were suppose to be sociable creatures, yet she was more solitary than a snow leopard.

"My name is Serene. I come from the warm northern lands, seeking a new life. I wonder if you would indulge me, dear Malleus and fellow trespasser, where do you come from? Are you from these lands?" Serene was proud of herself so far; she was making polite conversation, and was beginning to feel rather comfortable with her new acquaintance. Still, there was something intriguing about this Malleus man, and she couldn't quite figure it out. She could sense there was something more about this male, and she desperately wanted to know what it was. Her head tilted to the side softly, amber orbs searching out his blue, looking to see if they held the answers she was looking for.

"Speech"

"You must be very proud of your cousin." Malleus nodded. "Indeed I am. He's not even two years old and he's already made the family proud." Who could say what else the Fallen God had in store for him? Ashiel was young and strong. His life had only just begun and he was already making waves in the name of their Father. Malleus was certain his cousin was destined for greatness. Silence was her closest companion? He was surprised by this. From day one he'd been surrounded by family. They were inescapable, everywhere and impossible to ignore. He couldn't imagine being surrounded by enough silence to consider it his closest friend. As crazy as his family was, he couldn't imagine life without them. What she described sounded lonely. "I can," he murmured with a soft smile. "Ah," he said with a chuckle, thinking of the countless miles between the Empire and their homeland, "no, I'm not from here. Or anywhere, really." After realizing how odd that might sound on its own, he explained, "The Fallen God, my family's forefather, has called upon us to spread His name as far as we are able, so I haven't stayed in one place since I was a child."

Whatever You Are, Be A Good One

The pride that was clearly evident on the males features was heart warming. Since the fawn woman was so isolated, she didn't really know what 'making the family proud' meant. Of course she had made her mother proud a few times, but it's felt like making a whole family proud was something bigger. It probably meant more. Something pulled in her chest as she realized she would never experience such a feeling, not truly. Yet another thing being alone had taken from her.

As he mentioned he wasn't from any one place, her head tilted to the side, a bit confused by that. But as he dove into the details, her eyes slowly widened as she tried to wrap her head around what he was saying. She had a few questions, but she felt nervous to ask. Finally she decided on asking her questions one by one, so she didn't intrude or overwhelm him with questions. "The Fallen God was your forefather? I don't mean to be rude, but I haven't heard of it before. Would you mind.. uh... explaining that?" This could be something really common and just the result of her solitude that she doesn't know about it. If that was the case, she desperately wanted to know more about it.

"Speech"

Others might have been a bit offended by her ignorance of their god, but Malleus wasn't perturbed. He was neither miffed nor surprised. The Abraxas were still relatively new to these parts and that meant their god was too. It was possible that there were as many gods out there as there were mortals. Honestly it wouldn't surprise him. He believed there was a hierarchy to them. Sure, all the little 'g' gods claimed to be important, but really only a fraction held any sway in the heavens. And his God was one of them. "He is," Malleus said proudly. He was all too happy to explain. "Many generations ago there was a war in the heavens. My God, the Fallen God, was overthrown and cast down into our world." Malleus settled down and got comfortable by taking a seat and flopping his tail from side to side in a lazy wag. He enjoyed talking about the Abraxas' history. "He's been here ever since," he said with a casual, friendly shrug. "Watching over us, guiding us and protecting us." As an afterthought, he tacked on, "Because we are god-blooded, He's promised to take us with Him when he ascends." Curiously he regarded her. Her markings were beautiful and fascinating. If he had his guess she was, at the very least, the descendant of some sort of spirit. "Have you any gods, Serene?"

Whatever You Are, Be A Good One

Serene watched as the male seemed to settle into his spot within the corridor, before his tale rang out into the air. The tale of The Fallen God was fascinating to her, which was evident as her body began to lean towards the male, focusing in on his words and her mind painted the story in her head. A God betrayed by his followers, she imagined this God would be quite upset, but it sounded like this God was here to help despite it. Brows creased together when Malleus said his family was 'God-blooded', and that they too would ascend to where ever their God was from. Did that mean he was part God? Or God blessed? She wasn't sure.

Suddenly he asked of her Gods, and she smiled shyly. "I don't know if I would call them Gods, we always called them Spirits." She thought hard to the stories mother use to tell her of the Spirits, wondering if she ever called them Gods. She couldn't say, and it's not like she could ask anymore. "I believe in the Spirits of Life and Death, almost like a Goddess of Nature and a God of the Afterlife, I suppose. They can go by many names, and at times I can speak with them." It was hard trying to explain something she herself didn't really know much about, it was more of a feeling.

Instead of scrambling over her words, Serene opted to ask a different question. "How does your family, spread The Fallen Gods name? Do you do what your doing now, telling his tale, or is it something else like a ritual?" She was so intrigued by this Fallen God, she wanted to know more about this religion of theirs, to see what it meant and what power it had. Perhaps she could find a way to speak to Him too.

"Speech"

His ears pricked forward in interest as Serene spoke a bit about the spirits she believed in. What really captured his interest, though, was the mention that she could speak to them. In his family it was said that God spoke directly to the leaders of the Abraxas. Others in his (rather extensive) family were gifted with some level of clairvoyance, but none, as far as he was aware, could speak to higher beings except the Emperors. If Serene was telling the truth - and her delivery had struck him as honest - then she possessed a gift most Abraxas, as blessed as they were, were not given. He wanted to know more about her gift. Such an ability could serve the Empire well. How pleased would his father be if he came home and discovered that Malleus had added a mortal oracle to their ranks? Each moment spent with this petite, beautiful woman was a moment Malleus became further intrigued. It was as if the Fallen God himself had ordained this moment for their benefit. "That is an impressive ability. Your spirits must think highly of you to give you such a gift," he said softly. She asked him how the Abraxas spread the name of their God, and Malleus was happy to answer. "Both and more," he said with a gentle laugh. "We have rituals and celebrations, and we spread His name through conversations like this one. But more importantly, our God demands a sacrifice. We spread his name in battle. Each victory is proof of his superiority. Those we defeat, no matter how strong they are, no matter how great they think their gods are, must admit the God of the Abraxas is greater."

Whatever You Are, Be A Good One

Malleus's comment on her ability made the fawn woman frown slightly. She had never thought of herself as special, nor has she ever thought her spiritual connection to be unique in any way. But then again she had only spent her life with her mother, who was also spiritually enhanced, so if a stranger like Malleus thought she was special, perhaps she was. Perhaps it was in her blood. "I suppose, I just assumed everyone could do it to some extent." She didn't want to spend much time dwelling on the idea though, and soon refocused on the large male before her, seeing his face light up as he began to tell his tale once more.

Her ears perked upon hearing that this religion also had it's own rituals and celebrations. She was immensely interested at that point. Her favorite thing growing up, besides learning about herbs, was learning rituals. Her tail swayed at the idea of learning a new ritual, of meeting new spirits. But perhaps that would be for a different time. When he spoke about his wars, his victories, Serene grew very still. Fighting was one thing she disliked so strongly, she might even go so far as to say she hated it. As a healer, she was prone to this feeling as it stood against everything she believed in.

She could see the joy and pride he took in his family's blood thirst, and it made her suddenly uneasy of him. If someone so polite could hide such a dark side, she was worried that perhaps he could snap at her soon. The blonde woman would never stand a chance against such a warrior, she wouldn't even dare to make a fuss about it. Carefully, she thought about her next words, trying not to set him off on her. "That's very interesting. I'll be honest, I'm very intrigued about your religions rituals, perhaps one day I can convince you and your family to teach them to me." She offered a small smile, genuine in her words despite being wary of the male. "Though your Fallen God sounds like if he doesn't like me, he might want to harm me, which is... concerning. Do you think he would harm me?"

"Speech"

"Certainly," he said in response to her comment about learning more about their religion. "Our goal is to spread His name and make new followers wherever we go." He shrugged. "We're pretty open about our practices." He couldn't think of any ritual or custom that was off limits to mortals. Perhaps there was a divide between believers and non believers, but there wasn't much he'd say to a believer about the Fallen God that he wouldn't say to a non believer. Her second question was a little harder to answer. In the moment it took him back a bit, but he was able to recover and think it over as he answered her first question. Still, her question baffled him a bit. His expression a bit quizzical, he said, "The Fallen God is only against those who are against Him. If you aren't against Him, if you don't seek to undermine His rule or harm His people, I don't think He'd have a reason to harm you." He smiled gently. "If you ever have any questions you are always welcome to visit the Empire. Some of my relatives are more knowledgeable than I and would be better suited to answer your questions." Quickly he added, "Not that I mind trying."

Whatever You Are, Be A Good One

She was surprised to learn that Malleus and his family were so open about their religion and their practices. For the way she understood it, every family had their own traditions which included their own practices, and for his family to be so open about sharing their religion, it made it almost feel like they were welcoming others into their family. That was something very intimate for Serene, something she wouldn't feel comfortable sharing with outsiders unless they were very close and important to her. So in response to his answer, Serene simply nodded her head and turned her face slightly, afraid it might visibly flush.

She would watch as his face morphed into that of deep thought and confusion, as if he was trying to solve some sort of deep and meaningful puzzle. Which, she supposed they were having a rather deeper conversation than normal, but it strangely didn't feel awkward. Talking with the silver male with dazzling blue eyes was... easy. Their meeting and conversation seemingly flowed and it was quite a surprise considering how scared she was when she first saw him. Much to her relief, Malleus didn't believe his God would harm her, which she was very thankful for. She knew she would never speak poorly of The Fallen God, mostly because she did not know much about him, and because she would never judge another's beliefs solely on the beliefs of her own. It only matter that they believed.

"Well that's a relief. Who knows, perhaps he will one day come to even favor me then." It was meant more as a joke, as she added a light laugh afterwords, but deep down she hoped his God would like her. Serene was a soul that wanted all to like her, and if someone didn't she would do her very best to get their approval at least. Perhaps it was a complex of hers, but she saw no harm in making good standards with everyone. The last thing she needed was an enemy in this world.

After hearing that Malleus was willing to allow Serene to venture into his home to learn more about their religion and ceremonies, Serene's tail began to sway softly and a large smile spread across her pale maw. It had been a long time since she has had a teaching lesson on religion, she missed it dearly. Learning about higher powers was something she strives to accomplish, perhaps even specializing in one day. She was quick to respond, "Would your alpha allow me in the territory? I could be quick about it, I'm a very good student, and I could be out of his hairs in a day if he wants."

She was eager now, standing and nearly pacing around the corridor with excitement evident in her delicate voice. "I have to head back home for a bit, but afterwords I'll come right back down here to visit. Where is your pack? Are there land markers I can use to find you again?" She didn't think about that before. She had to return for her mother's ceremony to be put to rest, but how would she find Malleus again? She had no idea where his family's Empire was, nor was she very good at following scents. Tracking was not her best subject growing up, and although they were talking for some time, she would need to get a good whiff of his scent to really even have a shot at remembering what he smelled like. Which made another thought pop into her head; "You would stay with me when i visited right? I don't meant to sound rude, but I'm not very good at meeting new wolves, and I've never been in a pack before so I don't know what to do."

"Speech"

"Well that's a relief. Who knows, perhaps he will one day come to even favor me then." These words earned a playful smirk, an acknowledgement of her attempt at humor, but he said nothing in response to this. He couldn't speak for the Fallen God. As far as he, Malleus, was concerned, mortals ranked below the Abraxas demigods always. They could get close if they devoted their lives to the conquest, but the highest ranked mortals still ranked below the lowest of Abraxas. Her spirit blood and clairvoyance might grant her a higher place in their hierarchy if she gave her life to the Fallen God, perhaps even birthed Abraxas children, but he didn't - couldn't - know that for sure. That would be between her and Him. Her request gave him pause. While he was willing to tell her about his God and introduce him to some of his relatives who might be better at answering her questions, he didn't know how he felt about letting her into the packlands for such a lengthy stretch. There was a difference between visiting members near the border (which is what he'd meant) and poking around for a day. Even though she was making a good first impression, even if he thought she was charming and attractive, the part of him that was charged with the Empire's security was uneasy about the whole idea. Her final statement silenced some of his alarm bells. If she'd never been part of a pack, how was she to know that asking to go inside one was an unusual request? With a smile, he said, "You're in luck, I'm the alpha." He was a temporary alpha, but that was need to know information. "I can't take you far into the pack unless you intend to join, but I can introduce you to some of the others if you like. And don't worry, I won't leave your side," he said reassuringly. Two birds, one stone. He could help soothe her nerves all the while easing the security risk. "The pack is located in the westernmost part of Auster. We're right next to the Boneyard, which is a pretty easy place to find." As its name suggested it was full of bones. She couldn't miss it.

Whatever You Are, Be A Good One

So  many thoughts were going off in her head, she didn't even know which one to follow. Serene had never been in a pack, so she had never been in a pack land. She wondered how many wolves lived in one area, what they did to make sure everyone was fed, how many healers they had working together. Were the lands they lived in more beautiful and plentiful then those without packs? She had so many questions, it almost made her head dizzy just thinking about all of them. But all train of thought came to an immediate stop when Malleus announced that he, like his cousin, was an Alpha.

Like a switch went off in her head, the fawn woman once again felt uneasy. She had never met an Alpha before, and had no idea what was the proper way to address them, if there was one. This whole time, he neglected to mention that he was one of the most important wolves in his family. She sat in silence and shock as he continued to plan out her trip to the Abraxas home, to meet others of his family, and to learn more about their Fallen God. Finally, she managed to find her voice, if just barely, to voice a concern. "I don't really know enough about pack life in general, so I couldn't blindly join a pack I also know very little about. But.." she paused, looking to the side as she thought about her next statement. "Maybe if I like it, and if they like me, maybe then I could consider joining. Is that okay, um, Alpha Malleus?"

The title sounded strange coming off her tongue, but perhaps that was the way wolves of lower ranking were suppose to address Alphas? She didn't know, and she felt quite embarrassed by not knowing. Nevertheless, the conversation continued, and despite the turning feeling in her stomach, Serene managed to pay close attention to the directions given to her. Surely the blonde fae could find her way back to this strange rock, and from there she simply had to head West, past whatever was in the Boneyard. Hopefully, it sounded more scary than it actually was, but at this point in her life, Serene had come to accept that there were some horrors in this world. She nodded her head, happy with the directions given. "Sounds good to me. I best be off then, so I can make it back down here before you forget about me. I'll call for you when I'm there, okay?"

The fawn woman bowed her head before turning to leave. I'll call you? Really Serene? She shook her head at her own words as she wove her way out of the coorridors of the strange stone walls and back towards the Northern lands of the Weeping Wood. There she would meet face to face with her own Gods as she performed her mother's Afterlife ceremony. Hopefully it would be a quick success, and Serene could make her journey back down to the Empire to learn all she could from Malleus and his family.

--EXIT Serene--

"Speech"