OOC: EDIT: this meeting is NOT mandatory but attendance is encouraged! I've decided to scrap the meeting for now. Instead, once Malleus is aware of what happened in Eclipse, the Risen wolves will go looking for survivors. The first round ends 8/6!

It was time. Two, nearly three, seasons had passed since Amon left for the homeland. Since then not a peep had been heard from the patriarch or any other Abraxas who might know what had happened between Amon and his sire. While Malleus hadn't given up hope of his father's return, he had decided that it was time to treat the Empire like it was his. It was time to make it part of his legacy and that meant he needed to shape it to his image. It was time for changes. Seating himself on a rise that overlooked the creek, Malleus howled for any and all who could hear him. He howled for the pack, for the rogue Abraxas and for the mortals who wanted to be part of something great. Today was the beginning of something grand and any who wanted to leave a lasting mark on the mortal place were welcome to join him. At his paws was a large takin carcass. It lay stretched out on its belly with its heavy horned head resting on its forelegs. Today was meant to be a celebration of sorts so once the meeting was over Malleus would invite those present to join him in a feast.

The pack had disbanded. He'd been out on a hunt and when he returned the canyon had been beyond flooded and there were no traces of the wolves who'd been there. Everyone either fled, or got swallowed by the water that raged through the canyon dangerously crashing into it's walls and whisking anything it caught far away. For a time the large man had been a bit disappointed to see the pack erased so suddenly, though that faded quickly. The leadership had been his tie to the place, and when it disappeared with the rest of the pack he felt no need to hang about the lands for even a moment longer. His loyalty had returned to rest solely on his own self.

Still, he'd found him self drawn to the sister pack of the one that fell. At the very least he wished to ensure that the leader was made aware of the fall of Eclipse. If they already were, well, he'd simply be on his way unless he should find a good enough reason to tie himself to another pack. The meeting call caused him to raise his head a little higher as he slipped through the grass that was recovering from it's previously sun-browned state. It sounded open, and Czern had met the residents briefly before at the joint meeting. That was enough to push him to opt to see what this meeting was about. He'd either find a pack worth remaining in, or see that the news he carried was delivered and be on his way.

Once he arrived before the grey mottled man with the fresh kill at his paws, Czern eyed him impassively and sat heavily a short distance away. After a moment he would speak in a voice that cracked briefly from limited use, "Простите мое вторжение," he began in his thick accent before remembering to return to the common tongue. Clearing his throat briefly, he said, "I am not sure if this is a good time for this, but I felt the need to deliver news of Eclipse in case you had not heard before." He wasn't sure what to say after that almost hesitant start. Whether or not his attempt was necessary, Czern still intended to stay for the meeting if allowed and judge whether or not he was interested in this place. If it spoke to him, he'd stay. If not, that wasn't a problem.

Apollo had been largely uninvolved in the empire since his beloved littermate had disappeared. Oh, he'd been around, he'd been taking care of himself and keeping in shape. But he'd also been spending a great deal of time in a form of meditation near the falls outside of the territory, using the falling water to seek to... ascend his consciousness to a different plane, to lend his strength to his brother in his quest. For all his talk of how Amon had to face their father alone to prove himself, Apollo had always been so blindly caught up in his love for his brother that he couldn't take his own advice. And were they not, after all, the children of a god? There was nothing they could not do, if they sought outside of the mortal shells that trapped them.

But though he'd felt transcendence in the falling water, he had been given no sign or hint from their holy progenitor concerning his brother, nor had Amon returned to them. So when Amon's chosen heir called the pack together, Apollo closed his gold eyes against a wave of grief that would have shamed him to his core to allow any others to see. It seemed, perhaps, that Malleus was moving on, and Apollo could not blame him for it. If anything, he approved of the man's logic. They could not wait around any longer for Amon's return - the family was already scattered and falling away from the Abraxas ways. But it still stung, a bit, to hear the younger wolf calling rather than Amon.

Abandoning his vigil by the waterfall, Apollo loped back as fast as he could without seeming to hurry, his long strides eating up the ground as only a wolf could. It seemed that it had been quite fast enough, since only Malleus and a stranger - a stranger that bore his younger nephew's pack scent, as it happened - had gathered thus far. Apollo gave Malleus a curt nod of respect, as befitted the current leader of the Abraxas as a whole, but he did not seat himself. Rather, the phantom remained on his paws, restraining himself from uncharacteristic pacing by only the barest of margins. Something, something needed to change to bring the Abraxas back to their hallowed roots, but what he could not say. Perhaps the young Malleus would share some ideas, some plans, at this meeting he'd called - Fallen God knew Apollo was in no mood for another festival.

Perhaps today would not be the celebration that Malleus had hoped for. Typhon knew no better plan than to bring Zinnia to Risen Empire, however he could manage it, and no matter how tricky the journey was. The rain had finally ceased, though by the time the skies had cleared he was far out of reach of the canyon. Judging by how quickly the waters had poured over the side of the canyon, Typhon could only deem their homelands unsafe. He wasn't about to stay around and find out, though.. the risk of flooding was worrisome, especially with Zinnia in the state that she was currently in.

Dragging her by the scruff was a difficult feat, and one that would likely leave her just as exhausted - if not moreso - than he currently was. For a short while he would rest beneath the cover of the forest for the evening, letting her rest.. though with her unconscious she seemed to be resting the entire time he'd been dragging her around. She was relatively uninjured, or so he thought - there was no sign of external injury save for minor cuts and scrapes, though he knew nothing of the bruising that was likely already littering her body. He was no healer, only a fighter, and all he knew was how to survive.

The journey was a long and arduous one, and by the time he reached the creek that made up a portion of Risen Empire's packlands he was nearly ready to collapse. He'd spent a better portion of the morning traveling here, and by the time he saw a small cluster of wolves gathered he hardly had to strength it to make it to them. Carrying an unconscious full-grown wolf had become quite the chore - and he was so sore and exhausted by now he found himself wondering if he'd made the right choice after all. Not that he could go back and change things. His chest was heaving by the time he made it to the group, dropping the unconscious female at his paws and nearly collapsing himself. His limbs were quivering fatigue, and his coat was still damp from rain.

"I- I managed to save Zinnia," he explained, alarmed at how weak his own voice sounded. "She's been unconscious since I found her. Breathing and stirring, but otherwise unresponsive." His gaze was cast to another from his pack, glad to see he was alive and well despite knowing little about him. Typhon could only hope the others had been as lucky. He had no idea if Malleus had gotten word of what had happened, so he'd hastily explain. "The canyon suffered a bad storm. There was a wall of water that washed over the canyon and..." He offered a slight shrug. "I escaped as quickly as I could. I heard a gathering before it happened, so I presume some - or most - were near the top of the canyon, and hopefully able to escape."

© argent 2017

Serene Validis The rainfall that had consumed the lands as of late had dowsed the forest of vines with much needed water. Serene had been planting some of the herbs outside her den, but with little sunlight poking through the canopy and little rain being able to slip in, made some problems for her garden. The fawn woman was starting to think of ways to climb up and peel back a hole in the canopy when the first droplet hit her snout. It was startling at first, causing her to shake her head and blink at the sudden coolness on her nose, but then a familiar patter of rain began to make it's way into the trees and somehow she knew that her garden would at least get the much needed rain water they needed. For the majority of the storm Serene was simply watching the weather pass from the comfort of her den, occasionally stepping out to inspect the condition of the plant life, hoping they were all getting equal amounts. At some point Serene must've fallen asleep, for how long she wasn't sure, but when she woke to the sound of her sweet Malleus's voice drifting through the vines, she had forgotten about everything else. The sandy fae would be quick to stand to her feet, and only spared her garden a pacing glance as she began the trek out of the cathedral and towards the creek where she had heard the silver man's howl. On the way, Serene began to think about what this call could mean, and what it could possibly be for. Unlike before, this call sounded more open, like it was an invitation for all to join him, rather than just her. She wondered if she would meet others from their pack, and that made butterflies swirl in her stomach. Sure, Serene had joined seasons ago now, but she still lacked the outgoing personality to meet each Abraxas. The thought of seeing all of them now, made her a bit wary. When she arrived, her amber orbs immediately found Malleus sitting above the others, and her heart lurched forward as it usually did whenever Malleus was involved. Still nervous to meet others, she would cast her gaze down as she moved closer, knowing that most of these wolves would be relatives of his and thus Abraxas; and she knew all too well that they believed themselves above beings like her. Without giving it much thought, Serene had slipped into the gathering and found herself sitting close to the silver male, finding a sense of security sitting beside him. When she finally found the courage to lift her gaze, she only found strangers; one male with deep dark markings and the other a ghostly pale grey. Neither she recognized. But what happened next certainly caught her eye. Another male approached the meeting, but this wolf carried another. Immediately Serene stood at attention, worried that someone might've gotten hurt. As the male spoke, her features grew increasingly worried. The woman, Zinnia, was alive but unconscious, which made the fawn woman worry for possible brain damage. Hopefully, it was just a bad concussion and not something far worse. "May I?" Her voice was soft and low when she finally spoke up, hoping to investigate further. Slowly did Serene move to approach the pair, her head low, inspecting and hoping not to seem like a threat. She was a healer, she wanted to help. As the stranger continued to relay the story of the incident, she would attempt to inspect the woman's cranial region for signs of swelling or bruising, pausing only when she realized where this wolf came from. The canyon, where the dark featured woman came from. What was her name again? Razi, Razi Abraxas. Which meant these wolves came from the sister pack. After realizing this, the fawn woman could feel her heart sink into her stomach. Were others hurt? Who survive and who didn't? Where were they now? Her ears flattened against her head and her entire body began to sink into itself as she processed what had happened. Panic and fear crept into her very soul as she turned back to look at Malleus, wondering what he would have them do. Obviously they had to do something, right? They couldn't stay here and turn a blind eye to family. Family was everything. "Speech" <

With interest Malleus watched as a mortal male approached. The man looked vaguely familiar, but Malleus couldn't quite place where he'd seen him before. He was the first to arrive which amused the titan. Had he been right outside the border when he heard the call? The man's promptness made sense once he explained why he was there. Immediately Malleus' cheer left him. Something had happened to Eclipse? "What has-" He caught sight of a bedraggled looking Typhon and went quiet as his attention flitted from the first harbinger to the second. Upon hearing about the disaster Malleus went cold. He jumped into action in an instant. Already Serene was rushing to the unconscious woman's side so Malleus focused on what could be done for the rest of Eclipse. He trusted that both the mortal woman and Typhon were in good hands. His gaze flicked between Apollo and the Czernobog. Given the nature of Abraxas he assumed Apollo would help. As for the mortal, he didn't appear as fatigued as Typhon and since the scent of Eclipse clung to him, Malleus decided to enlist him. "We will go back to the canyon and see what has become of the rest of the Eclipse wolves. If any are injured we'll bring them to this spot as everything they might need is easily accessed here." To Serene, he said, "We're going to be directing wolves here. Please see to them, Serene, and take care of them until I return." Eclipse was family; everything would be made available to them from dens to medical care. Malleus would see to it that their needs were met. There was a takin carcass if they were hungry, a creek nearby, and Serene to tend to their wounds. As for the rest of the pack, they hadn't had time to respond to his call and were still in the dark. They needed to know what was happening and they needed to help. Malleus howled for the pack. This time he told them of what had happened to Eclipse and what he expected of them. Those who were inclined to search were told to do so and the rest were told to follow Serene's direction and give her whatever she needed. Every second they stood there was a second wasted. His thoughts went to Razi's young ones. He hadn't met them yet, but he knew they were very young. Had they made it out? What of Razi herself? They needed to hurry. "Let's go, gentlemen." -exit Malleus unless stopped-

Walk | "Agria" | "Kaine" | Think

Summons rung clear and crisp over the lands. It was time for the pack to meet, and organize for the coming season. Kaine glanced to their family, frolicking about outside the den. Their sons were growing steadily, though Mephistopheles didn't appear as promising in size compared to his brother. No matter. Given time, perhaps he would blossom into a fine young man. Rising to their feet, the beast barked roughly to stop the brawling youngsters. "We have been summoned. Boys, follow your mother and I." They commanded, tail flagging high over their hips.

Another, more harried howl swept through the air from beyond. This was no longer a meeting for children. To Agria, they would offer a soft nuzzle into the fur of her neck. "Allow me to see what the fuss is about, I will return if you are needed." They murmured. Kicking off from the hard packed earth around the den, they set off at breakneck speed towards the source of the call. Broad paws pounded the terra, with no room for pause. Something was most certainly amiss here, and they wouldn't rest until they found out what it was about. There was urgency in Malleus' booming call.

Arriving at the scene, the context of the howl became clear. An unconscious woman. Waterlogged fur. Faintly, the scent of the newest addition to the Empire. Eclipse was in danger. A flood, or storm. Already, Malleus had departed. Without hesitation, the shaggy titan set off after the search party.

.:Kaine -- Exitus:. (unless stopped)

YOU'RE THE ONE HABIT I JUST CAN'T KICK

Aaliyah would have hurried had she known something was wrong, as it was, she took her time answering Malleus. It was not from disrespect, rather, she chose to stroll to where the meeting would take place. She had just arrived as Malleus spoke, 'We're going to be directing wolves here. Please see to them, Serene, and take care of them until I return.' As he moved toward the border, Aaliyah ran to catch up to him, confusion etched on her features. "Anything I can help with?" She asked, keeping pace with her brother as she spoke, "Sorry, I didn't think it was urgent and now I know I have missed something." Worry was etched on her face, something in his body language suggested he was worried as well, she felt guilty for having been so late and missing the reason for the worry. She would learn the reason on the fly, she knew, and would do all she could to help her family!

-exit aaliyah-

Typhon's muscles burned and ached from the journey here, though he was glad to have gotten Zinnia to safety. If he hadn't found her, he honestly didn't know where she might be right now - or what shape she might be in, if she was alive at all. Someone stepped in almost immediately, and Typhon nodded and stepped back to let her get a better look at Zinnia. Something about the way she moved, and the careful way she began to study his companion told Typhon that she knew what she was doing - far better than he did, though that wasn't a very difficult thing by any means given how little he knew.  

His attention snapped back to Malleus, who had sprung into action instantly. He appreciated his kin's concern, as as much as he wanted to help.. he had a feeling his fatigued company would be a hindrance rather than an aid to them. He'd sit back as they gathered and enacted a plan to scout the area of the Eclipse Empire for survivors, deciding his place would be best here. At the very least he could keep an ear out for anyone who might find their way here from the canyon, and ensure Zinnia was getting the care she needed. Once he rested a while he, too, could hunt for any survivors that might seek refuge here and ensure they were properly fed and taken care of. With that, he'd set off to aid Serene in getting Zinnia somewhere safe.

- exit Typhon -

© argent 2017