OOC: Raigil kids, Raisa, anyone who may want to peek in is welcome lol. Battle training for da bbys! <3

She seeks to herd her children towards Ebony, a field trip to the pack. Not only does Virgil bring with her vital information regarding the cure, she also brings with her the children who have felt well enough to come. She yearns to see the other half of her offspring, those left behind with Raisa whilst she has her own golden-pelted brood with her. She pauses at the borders, however, wishing not to cause alarm. The Empress lifts her muzzle towards the sky, a summons parting from her lips as she seeks to call forth both Raisa and the youth who reside within Ebony. She hopes her own youth have kept close to her, hoping to nuzzle gently into the tops of their heads. Today they will start their journey. Today they will begin coming into their heritage as gods and goddesses of the line of Olympians. Table by Lu - Image by Poison - Code for Ala Only

Much time had passed since she had encountered the land of Ebony. She was a different girl, her confidence was brimming. Out of all of the children within Olympus she had not been afflicted with the terrible sickness. Obviously it had been a sign from the gods. Ashen form would be disturbed as her mother would arouse her, Ebony would be their destination today. Her nose would press into her mother's form as the walked, the woman who birthed her would guide her home. No problems would arise as the family group made their way to the border's edge. Virgil would easily let loose a summoning howl from her lips before nuzzling her softly. She had grown exponentially since the last time her form had touched Ebon lands. A nervousness would settle over her like a mist as she prepared for her mother's lesson. She knew not what to expect, but would keep her mind on the lessons her aunt had given her. Speech

Though still recovering, still shaky and tired from the plague that had struck, Hephaestus could not let the opportunity to see his Ebony siblings again pass him by. So, when his mother had decided to take those feeling well enough for the long journey back to Ebony, he'd sat himself up straight and puffed himself up, trying to still the quavering of weakened muscles, trying to look like he was well enough. It either worked or his mother thought it might toughen him up, but either way he found himself trudging after his mother and Gaia as they returned along the same route he had more reluctantly followed months before. It was quite a long journey, but he had seen over half a year of life now and was not really a pup anymore - his longer limbs ate up the ground more quickly than before, and the plague had burned off what was left of his baby fat, leaving him thin and wiry, but already beginning to pack on muscle once more from the trip. Only hints of the mountainous wolf he would become, still in the gangly adolescent stage and not at his full height, but you could see it none the less. When his mother stopped at the border to Ebony, Hephaestus looked askance at her. Were they not as welcome as if this were Olympus? He still didn't fully understand that no, they were not members of Ebony despite the months spent in Olympus. To him, this was his birth pack, with his Mama and his other siblings just waiting for him to return. He needed to see them, needed to see that they were all right even though he couldn't be there to protect them. Fire-marked muzzle turned longingly to gaze into Ebony lands, but he sat obediently at the border with his mother to wait. Speech

A touch more reserved than usual, Nemesis trotted along beside Gaia with his head in the clouds. Much like his sister was doing, he was using the presence of another to avoid walking into things. The little olympian was feeling much better now that the sickness had left him, but the effects of it on his small body were obvious; he was thin now, giving him a gangly, sickly look that would hopefully be cured with time, and his once shining coat was dull and lifeless. Overall, he was the picture of sickness. The boy was steadily recovering, though. Soon enough his exuberance would return and he would be up to no good again. One question plagued his mind though, why had he gotten so sick? Had he done something wrong? Were the gods mad at him? Was he bad? Alright, so that was more than one question, but they begged to be answered. Questions aside, the boy was excited by the thought of being in Ebony again. Though he tired quickly, the boy was ready, even desperate, to play with his Ebony siblings. The olympian ones were great and all, but he saw them all freakin' day long and they fell into patterns of play that were getting stale. At last they arrived. Virgil called Raisa and the rest of their brood to her and once she was done, Nemesis couldn't resist tacking on his own little message. He wasn't very good at howling yet, so his voice came out small and wavering, but the message was clear; be ready to play! Speaking - - Thinking

Only a fool could think that any of the children would have remained behind when Virgil had revealed the news of the trip to Ebony. It'd been far too long since they'd seen the other half of their family but even the time apart wouldn't lessen the love that they had for their siblings. Andromeda, like her brothers certainly wouldn't be left behind and so she eagerly followed behind Virgil as she led the way back to the lands they had been born in. It still made little sense as to why the two halves had to remain separated. Of course the golden girl understood that both of her mothers were important each with a pack in their care but selfishly she wouldn't consider that fact too much, they should at least be closer together, the distance seemed even further than she recalled as she anticipated seeing the Xanilov family once more. They would stop at the borders, a fact that confused her slightly. These were lands that she had once played in, explored to her hearts content so why were they stopping here rather than rushing in to find their family? "Why have we stopped here?" The question would leave her lips as her mother nuzzled the top of her head. "Can't we go in and find everyone?"

image by lunarcat7

sometimes in dreams of impulse I still hear

kassander xanilov

miss atomic bomb

Kassander, pawing through the dried herbs he'd collected from the pack's healers to aid in memorizing them, stopped suddenly. His ears pricked up as he stared toward the border. Why did that call sound so familiar? It tickled something in his memory, almost like his own mother's call... OH. Gray-tipped tail gave a sharp, involuntary wag as he made the realization. That was his other mother! Virgil had come back to Ebony. But his tail stilled as a sudden worry struck him. Was something wrong with his golden siblings? Was that why she was back? That sickness had been really bad...

Hopping immediately to his paws he set out at a gallop toward the border, but as soon as he spotted the Olympus wolves waiting there he skidded to a stop in relief. All four of Virgil's children were there, though they were all very different from the last time he'd seen them they still looked like they were all right. At a more serene pace he closed the distance, but none of his blood siblings or his own mother had shown themselves yet, and his less than social nature unaccountably overcame him and he stopped a short distance away as his mind went rather blank. What could he say? It had been so long since he'd seen any of them. All he could manage was a softly shy "Hi guys."

The call filled the girl with such excitement, and she moved with her heart pounding in her chest. She knew the call of the woman who had howled -- her golden mother. The other half of her family. Time spent wondering where Vaughan was had been set aside, for now she came at a run towards where the other half of her family was. The chubby girl was slowly getting better, excersizing more and more that brought out her strength and true nature. Korrin kept couching her, the fox kit strong and healthy, though still remaining small for her own species. It was funny though, for the fox had far more spunk than the pup. They were a pair, certainly, and one that needed each other. Nemesis? call, though weakened, was one that she was more than ready to answer. Had he succumbed to that same sickness that Val had? Worry gnawed at her, but at least she knew that he would be safe now. The cure had been spread around, or so her mother had said, so he and any others would be better now. Tail would wag fiercely as she slowed, panting slightly as she looked lovingly upon the other half of her family with bright blue eyes. Honestly the girl wasn?t sure who to go to first she was so excited. Gaze would shift between them, finally finding some sort of words to say to them all; ?I?m glad you?re back... I?ve missed you. We all have.? She was sure the feeling was mutual. Even Kassander was here, thank goodness. Then Korrin would appear beside her. Her shadow, as Svetlana often joked. The others would not have had the chance to come to know the fox kit, and Korrin would look upon them questioningly. Family... Svetlana had shared that much. But other than that the young fox was in the dark. She would move towards one of the other pups, deciding to introduce herself, and at least try to be kind to those that her friend cared for. The male was of browns, yet with golden flame-like markings. She would dip her head to him. ?Greetings to boy pup... Korrin is Korrin, friend of Svet. Boy pup?s name is...?? Even know the fox kept her odd manner of speech, though her gray gaze was not entirely unkind. She did, however, stand with a dominant position, unafraid of all despite her size. "Talk" "You" Think

ooc: sorry guys, the luns is about to screw with your time line so Virgil can get the news as Fox has left ala. sorry if this screws up some of the characterization ><

No light, no light in your bright blue eyes

I never knew daylight could be so violent

Sigmarr had been out patrolling the border, determined to make himself as useful as he could to fulfill his promise to Valeriya that he'd look after things. When the call rang out from Virgil he paused and took a few deep breaths. He had no idea how she was going to take the news of Raisa's disappearance. Sigmarr strode into the gather, offering a smile at the siblings he rarely saw. "Hey guys?" The smile then slowly faded as he approached Virgil. "Mom-? Virgil." He wasn't quite sure how to address her. Things had been so much easy when he was a young pup. Ignorant of the ways of the world.


"Virgil Raisa's gone. She turned Ebony over to Katja and left? Valeriya went to look for her but? I don't think they'll be back. Ever." He let the words fall off his tongue and he flinched at the bitterness that was mixing in with the tang of his sorrow. He wasn't going to try and sugar coat the words. It's not like it would make the news easier to bear, not really.


"Speech"

A revelation in the light of day

You can't choose what stays and what fades away

Gaia stays close to her, and Virgil smiles at the youth, her heiress. She grows so big and strong, and she hopes she will take after her Aunt Natalya; wise and confident, brave and wise. Next comes Hephaestus, smiling softly at him. Nemesis trods after, howling with his mother. She laughs in happiness when her own note concludes, proud her boy has chosen to follow her example, finding happiness in his own excitement. Andromeda comes with a question, and Virgil has an answer. ?Not everyone in Ebony knows we are Raisa?s family. It is simply precautionary, to avoid provoking feelings of ill-will,? she notes. They are, of course, welcome in these lands just as much as Raisa would be in her own. Kassander is the first to arrive, offering a shy greeting. ?Kassander, my love, it is has been too long,? she offers the boy, she seeks to move close enough to offer a lick to his head. Svetlana comes after, announcing they have all missed her. ?I have missed you so dearly. Look how beautiful you are, Svetlana. I promise I will not be so distant anymore,? she swears. It makes her heart ache, how many memories she has missed. She watches a fox approach, letting him speak to her son as he would. Alas, it is then that Sigmarr arrives, greeting her as Mom, and then Virgil. ?Mom,? she corrects. Of course if Sigmarr prefers not to address her as such he does not have to, but she is stating her preference, the relationship she is supposed to have. The news he bares breaks her heart; she feels pain lance through her hot and fierce. She can?t breathe for a moment. Abandoned. ?She?she didn?t even say?goodbye,? she notes. But she cannot cry. How could she? This news will kill her children, the children that are now all solely hers, and now have no reason to be so divided. ?I am so sorry, my loves. I am so, so sorry,? she offers to them all. She seeks to pull all of her children close to her (by her children meaning both her biological and the ones she and Raisa raised together). She doesn?t know what to think, what to say, but for now she needs to hold them close. She has lost not only a love, but a child, and it feels like these days all she knows is a life of being left behind. Table by Lu - Image by Poison - Code for Ala Only

Following slowly on the heels of her brother, Sindri's eyes never left the ground. It was only when Sigmarr stopped that she looked up. If it had been any other time she'd have been thrilled to see her Olympian family, but they'd arrived too late. Instead she looked over them grimly, her eyes taking in their much changed appearances. They were noticed and then immediately forgotten; they held no importance. The young wolf was numb. She didn't know how to feel, couldn't even begin to think, and her body moved as if independent from her soul. She didn't want to be touched, couldn't stomach the thought of affection, and so she kept her distance. She sat down apart from the others, her right paw curling up to almost disappear in the fluff on her chest. Sindri's gaze drifted away from the group and unfocused; settling on nothing in particular. She was with them, but apart; in a place somewhere safe and unreachable; protected by a ring of coldness. She had forgotten how to feel. Speaking - - Thinking

The appearance of his Ebony siblings cheered Hephaestus. First Kassander, whose non-violent tendencies had always meshed well with Hephaestus' own fear of harming others, then Svetlana, who was accompanied by a fox much like the one he vaguely recalled that her mother had when they were young. The fox greeted him (ooc: assuming it is him?) in a strange manner, and the young fire-touched wolf blinked at her a moment. "Hello," he said finally in return. He didn't want to be rude to Svet's friend, after all. "I'm Hephaestus. I'm Svetlana's brother. It's nice to meet you Korrin." But then Sigmarr appeared, and spoke words of full of dread. Hephaestus allowed his mother to gather him close, but the news Sigmarr had brought just bewildered him. "Mama's gone?" he asked, though Sigmarr had already answered the question, and it was purely rhetorical. He didn't know what to think, what to feel. Raisa had been a big part of his early puphood, but it had been so long since he'd seen her that it was almost like she'd already been gone, and people were just now getting around to telling him. It would probably hit him later, but... His copper eyes flicked to Sindri, the youngest, the fragile one. He'd always been worried about her, always most careful with her, caring for her more than any of than any of the siblings other than Gaia. He squirmed free of his mother's embrace and paced over to the smaller wolf. He didn't touch her, didn't try to engage her, he just sat near her. His fiery gaze fixed on his big paws, but his attention was on Sindri. He wanted to offer her comfort, sympathy, but he didn't know how. Sindri had always been a little touchy that way. He just wanted to make sure she knew he cared.