The red woman had returned loyally to the hot springs as always after her meeting with the Amenti Madame. Her eyes sharp as she waded through the steam that rose as always from the hot pools of liquid that scattered this area. Even the ground between them was warm, the rocks heated by the bubbling sulfuric liquid, though they were slick with moisture. The waters themself varied in temperature, Vi found some to be just barely warmed while others if you dared to dip a toe in would scorch your skin. She had learned that the hard way. But after spending so much time down here the dame had come to learn what to do an what not to do. Also she had almost all the pools perfectly mapped out in her head to the point where she could almost walk through the pathways between them with her eyes closed. Not that she would dare to, heaven forbid she slipped and fell into one of those scorching pools. After all, what was she without her looks?

She slid up to her favorite pool, about mid leg deep so you could lay down if you wanted in it on chilly days to warm up, and paused at it?s side. When was the last time she had seen her brother? Her head tipped as she looked at her hazy reflection in the pools surface, muddled due to the steam, and pondered that question. Not since Tortuga had disbanded at least. Rune had been the only one from that family to show up at the meeting that Morphine had called when she had finally gotten Tortuga back. Now what was he up to? Maybe off eating babies or trying to appease the goddess? A smile slid over the red bitch?s lips as she slowly lowered herself to the ground, allowing one forepaw to slid forward so her ankle arched over the lip of the pool and toes dipped into the water.

Maybe it was about time they got the little family together. She hadn?t heard hide or hair of Secret either and she was usually a fairly active member of the pack. Maybe she was dead? Though they had learned to tolerate each other on their trip back Vi still held a particular hatred towards the female for enchanting her brother so. To the point that he had been willing to lay his life on the line for her honor. Stupid males? She snorted, nose wrinkling at the thought. Well might as well call the big lug over and see if her nieces and nephews were still alive? Slender crown tipped back and lips parted to form an ?o? as she allowed a howl to slither up her throat, calling for her beloved brother. He would come, no matter where he was? He would come.

He was never far from Tortuga, haunting the base of the mountain like the ghost he seemed be be becoming. The monster of a man slid through the shadows, lead low and shoulders rolling easily to absorb the shock of his step. Guilt shadowed his every step, nipping at his heels and forcing him on. Somewhere in the back of his mind he had heard Jupiter?s call to Kaios for a death match but he had not gone to watch, knowing he would be unable to sit politely and watch his friend fight that monster when all he wanted to do was rip his throat out. He wanted to destroy the man who?s name had been the last sound he had heard from his once friends lips. How could she? What could have possessed her to call out for him of all wolves? What had he ever done for her other then made her life a living hell? Kylar had been the one who was always there for her, protecting her and standing between Kaios and her. But no in the end she had sot him out to put her out of her misery, to take away her pain rather then Kylar.

The brute shook his head, once again lips curling back and jaws snapping. Well she had no choice now, she was stuck with him forever. At least until he died. That was what the goddess had always told them, that to eat the heart was to imprison them within yourself until you passed. That you took their soul into you and you gained their strength. If not for her howl he would have wished her on her way, that maybe they would one day meet in the goddess?s realm but no. The bitch could rot within him until he was ready to release her now? It was strange that that thought brought a smile to his lips, sickly green eyes crinkling at the corners as he chuckled softly. It had been a while since he had felt this good about anything, strange how one wolf could take so much from you?

The howl had him pushing away from the mountain without another thought, it wasn?t often that he denied his sister his presence, and today he really had nothing better to do.

The harsh sulfuric scent made him halt, a tidal wave of memories crashing over him as he stopped at the edge of the veil of steam. So much like home? Was that why Vi was here? He drew a deep, steadying breath before plunging into the hazy air, the sulfur burning his lungs in an oddly pleasant way. Head lowered so he could watch where his paws went as he walked along the sometimes narrow paths between pools. His sister wasn?t hard to find, stretched out luxuriously at the edge of one pool with a forepaw dipped idly into the liquid. ?Vi?? His voice was a deep rumble, coming from somewhere deep in his chest as he approached and placed a quick kiss on to top of his sister?s head. ?I know you called me here but I want to talk first. Secret was killed a month or so ago. She called out to Kaios with her last breath?? Vi would understand the meaning of that to him?

?I?m leaving Tortuga and going to join Jupiter?s pack,? he said, more hesitant this time. He had told his sister of his meetings with Jupiter before, whether or not she would understand he didn?t know. But this wouldn?t be their first time living apart. Though it would be their first time living it separate packs, never mind ones that weren?t exactly on the best terms with each other. ?I need to tell the kids, will you stay with me?? This time there was a bit of a plea in his voice. He didn?t want to be alone with his children in fear of saying something he might regret about their mother. He wasn?t sure if they had put two and two together with the blood and the grave but if they hadn?t he would have to break some unpleasant news about a woman he no longer held any kind feelings towards?


Speech!

Her brother never left her waiting long it seemed, always lurking somewhere nearby in the shadows probably keeping a watchful eye on her. He often expressed his worry for her way of life but also said that she could handle herself because the goddess was always watching over them so he wasn?t as protective as he used to be. Though some days she did appreciate the concern to an extent, knowing she had someone watching over her if she truly needed him. So when he materialized out of the fog she allowed an easy smile to slide over her lips, honestly happy to see him. Head tipped down as he approached and slid his tongue over the top of her head in an oddly intimate way. She wouldn?t complain, she thrived off of any male attention after all even if she did prefer the company of females?

?Its been a while Kylar?? Her voice was a purr, the hint of seduction never leaving even when addressing her own brother. Yellow eyes followed him as he walked around her and moved to sit at her side. She would lean her shoulder easily against his massive foreleg and tip her head back so she stared at the beast that was her family. His next words were direct and to the point, wiping the sly smile off the red woman?s face. Funny how she was just hoping that Secret was dead and here Kylar was delivering just that news. ?I?m sorry your pet died, it was getting old though, time for a new one?? And then her smile was back with those words, skimming over the topic of Kaios for the moment. They were on the same page there.

His next words made her smile die again and she pushed off from his leg, lifting her lithe frame into a seated position. So he was leaving Tortuga? And not to just go off and wander but for another pack? She wanted to scream and tell him that he wasn?t allowed to go but at the same time she could kind of see his point. If not for her loyalties to Morphine she would never have come back this last time? ?If it helps, Morphine tells me that your Jupiter killed Kaios?? She just wanted him to be happy? But her voice was dead as she spoke this, eyes on his face even as he gazed off at nothing in particular. He spoke again she this time she didn?t reply, only nodded. She would stay.

Speech!

Everything felt so easy, so right when he was with his sister, it transported him back to better times when they had less to worry about. All they had had to do was train and memorize things, never think for themselves. Sometimes he wished that things could be that easy again? But no, here they were trying to follow their own paths blindly without having any idea where they were going or what the end game was. Vi?s words floated around him but he barely caught them, green gaze straining as he tried to see through the steam that arose from the pool before them. He barely registered her leaning against him or her gaze on his features. He felt like there was something out there for him to find.

It wasn?t until Jupiter?s name left Vi?s lips that he looked down at his sister, her gaze coming into focus after a moment. She looked hopeful, looking up at him expectantly. And then she nodded agreeing to his request and it was then that all the tension in his shoulders seemed to release, visibly drooping a few inches from their once bunched position. He didn?t need to say thank up but either way he pressed his face into her neck and sighed. Sometimes all he need was his sister, and with a little help from the goddess she wouldn?t be going anywhere anytime soon. Morphine was in charge now and he doubted that she would let anything happen to Vi.

It was a while before he pulled away from his sister and tipped his head back, calling to Rune, Vixe and Maia. It had been forever since he had last seen them and this probably wasn?t the best way to reunite with them again. He just hoped that they would hear him and come. And of course, that they wouldn?t fall into the hot springs on their way to find them. Vi had always had a way of picking strange places to meet. Not always the best practically but always interesting at the least. He allowed the howl to carry on until he lost his breath and then it died off, drifting away with the breeze. ?Hopefully they?ll come?? He murmured, speaking mostly to himself.


Speech!

She wasn't sure why she had been lingering, but she was. She had always been within a few miles of Tortuga, unable to bring herself to leave completely. She hunted, drank and slept. That was it. She couldn't remember when she had last talked to another wolf, or had even seen her family. She spent most of her time in a den she had found, and turned into her own, barely big enough for her, sleeping away the days. But no rest came with sleep. Nightmares haunted her every dreams, unable to forget the sound of her mothers call for some unknown wolf, unable to forget the overwhelming stench of her blood. And her father. Her fathers presence at her grave. Why had he had not called on them sooner? Gone was the life in her vibrant green eyes. Pounds had been lost, but not enough to endanger her life. Her ebony pelt had lost some of its luster, even though she kept it clean. If her mother taught her one thing it was to cleanliness. A beckoning howl forced her eyes open, toxic pools the only visible within the den. Her father. It was a surprise, but still a welcomed relief that at least he was still alive and around. Pushing herself to her paws, she slide from her hiding place, squinting against the brightness of the outside. Stretching stiff muscles, paws carried her towards her father, each movement automatic, somehow lacking her usual grace. She didn't know how long it took to reach her father, but she did and she was there first. A familiar red woman sat beside him. Aunt Vi. A smile graced her features, but it never moved past inky lips, eyes remaining void of anything. "Aunt Vi." She cooed, gently nuzzling her only other family. She couldn't hold a grudge against her, while her mother and aunt never really got along, there was no way of her knowing that her mother had died so she couldn't have kept it from her. Her father on the other hand... Similar colored gems turned towards him, hardening as she spoke, "Father." Words were curt, she offered no warm greeting or touch, remaining in her place, fixing her gaze on her father. She dropped her haunches beside her aunt, angled so that she could still see Kylar and hear what he had to say. Ringed tail curled around her slender form, audits falling into their newly found place against her skull. She wondered if her brothers would show. She hadn't seen them in so long she didn't even know if they were still in the area. Hopefully they wouldn't have to wait long, she didn't want to be here, she wanted to be alone, away from her father. A month had passed. And not once did she hear from him. Speech,

Walk | "Talk" | Think He had been near the edges of the border to Tortuga again, still mumbling away to himself in his attempts to get words to come more naturally to him so that his eventual visit to Ludicael would prove to be a fruitful endeavor by its end. The day he would leave was fast approaching, and so every little chance that he could he was preparing himself for it, brainstorming questions, curiosities, anything that might afford Morphine a little leverage in understanding their neighbors. It was tricky business, what he intended to do, but always holding himself to the highest of standards there was no room for error. Thoughts and words were interrupted at the sound of the faint call that he could hear echoing off the mountain, stopping him in his tracks as he paced and drawing his attention away to another section of land he had never once taken the time to explore. But the most striking thing about it was that he recognized the voice. It was incredibly familiar, similar in pitch to Vixe's and his own, and he knew with certainty that he needed to answer. Abandoning his thoughts of preparation, Rune set out immediately, breaking past the territory's border and venturing further along, into unfamiliar lands, until he found himself standing before a wide range of pools that steamed and bubbled and filled the air with an almost uncomfortable white mist. Not even truly among the hot springs yet, the youth could already feel the tiny beads of moisture beginning to collect in his grey coat and he knew that if he stayed for an extended length of time he would likely emerge soaking wet without even having to step into any of the pools. Ignoring their unusual, unflattering smell, he set about carefully picking his way between them, mindful of the slippery stones between the pools and which produced a greater amount of steam than the others. As if they were ghosts, the members of his family materialized through the haze, and he almost hesitated on that last step to bring himself fully out of the mists and clearly into the open. Frosty blue eyes skimmed across the faces - his father, his aunt, and his sister - and a little pang of longing caught up with him. How long, he wondered, has it been since we've all been together? But even as the thought floated across his mind, he knew that any meeting between them would never be the same. He knew about his mother, had found her grave and the site where the terrific battle had taken place even if he never would know the detailed story. But that was enough to keep him sober as he greeted what remained of his family. Straight-faced, stoic, the grey youth moved to join the trio already gathered, taking note of Vixe's absence and wondering to himself whether he intended to show. With a quiet nod, he padded slowly forward to greet them. "Dad," he muttered, moving to greet the wolf with a little nudge of his forehead against the older male's cheek, a respectful look being given to the red woman beside him. "Aunt Vi." There was hardly a need for formalities there; they saw each other regularly enough in passing on Tortuga territory. Blue eyes rounded on his sister and they stopped on her frame with a little pause. "Maia." How good it was to see them all, even if the loss of his mother still weighed heavily in the back of his mind. Forcing a wag of his tail, Rune walked forward to seat himself nearby his sister, content enough just to be there with them that he nearly forgot to be curious about his father's call.