((Set right after the Challenge.))

Helios

The man raced towards the lands, his- no not his, not anymore. The pain in him was great and yet there was undoubtedly more to come. The pups would need to be recovered, and- He was going to lose his adopted children! That drove a spike of guilt and pain through his heart. Gods above do not let me lose another child, please let him understand! He begged, there was only so much loss he could take in one night. Drawing up short the man paused, the familiar scent of his borders striking him. The russet man made sure to remain away from them, not even putting a paw over them. With a grimace he threw his head back, calling for Apollo. The last child of his first litter, one more child he risked losing.

The howl that rang out for him shocked the man, why did his father not just cross the borders and come and find him? He had been nothing but faithful to the prison that he was stuck in, not even once daring to cross the line. But now his father hadn't? Perhaps the howl that had rang out for Olympus had been lost, his family no longer owned this area. Letting out a soft sigh the large man pulled himself to his paws, his long strides carrying him towards his father. Salmon eyes were narrowed as he looked at Helios, evidence of battle was plain to see upon the ruby wolf. Keeping his head high he paused on the other side of Helios, still standing on the other side of the border -- what used to be theirs. "You lost." He stated, no question in his vocals. Otherwise he would have not called for him here, he would have come to his den. His optics narrowed further, not sure what to think of all of this. "Have you come to accost? What does this mean for me, am I free?" His lyrical words were dry, not much emotion shining through at all. He was a stony wall, salmon eyes never leaving his form. Accost; verb: speak to someone "Hear Me Talk,"'Read My Thoughts.'

Helios

The white form of his son approached from the darkness. Apollo?s voice pulling at his heart and the man dropped his eyes not arguing his son?s first words. He hadn?t just lost, he?d submitted! Then a question lifted from the albino boy?s lips. Anger and sadness filled him up all at once. Lifting his gaze he turned stony eyes upon his son. ?Free to choose.? He spoke evenly. ?That woman you profess to love so much clearly must not think so much of you, to deliberately break the rules I laid down for her even knowing what it would mean for you.? There was a growl curling around his voice. ?She not only left the pack lands but attacked your mother in cold blood!? He paused watching Apollo for any reaction. ?So the choice is yours, come with us and reclaim your place within the family. Join us as we retake our kingdom. Or?? His voice dropped, the sadness in his face clearly visible. ?Chose banishment, chose disownment, chose to run back to the traitorous woman and know that you are no longer my son, no longer an Olympus.? His expression said it all, begged for the male not to make him do it.

As soon as he mentioned his love his eyes narrowed into even tinier slits, almost looking closed as he shot his father a dagger gaze. He wasn't surprised that Chrys had attacked his mother, but Nat's words to him had not been kind either. He still remembered them well, and a low growl rumbled in Apollo's throat. "How can you say it is in cold blood after what you did to my love? Did you expect her to be the perfect blood? How would you feel if you were deemed a slave, forced to behave as an enslaved?" It wasn't like he adored that she decided to attack his mother, but he would speak to her about it later. She was angry, and rightly so. He had failed to stand up for her and Hypnos and let them be claimed. "A wolf is not a creature of submission, we are animals of ambition. Chrys wanted an sedition. Her actions do not surprise me, and I am shocked that you don't agree. Was she to just sit there and take your decree?" He asked, stony words still not showing any emotion -- save for his growl. Letting out a sigh Apollo tried to relax himself, drawing himself back onto his haunches.

"To make me choose between love and family is not easy, its not breezy." He knew that his father didn't wish him to leave, and he longed to stay by his family's side. "But I feel that this is a one way path, and I do not wish to feel your wrath. Is a family not supposed to accept those that they care about? Are you not supposed to trust me without a doubt? I care for her dearly, can you not see that clearly? I cannot simply walk away from her and all that we share, but neither can I dismiss those that I do care." Apollo's eyes opened to their normal amount, searching the russet man's face. "What would you do in my stead, would you simply hang your head? To walk away from either is not simple." Casting his gaze away he looked to the horizon, wondering where his darling Chrys was now, and little Hypnos. Looking back at Helios out of his peripherals, he once more studied the man. "It hurts me so that you cannot just accept us, now that the laws of Olympus are there to discuss. If you are to rebuild our home, you can make the rules your own."

Helios

?I expected nothing!? The man roared suddenly. ?I had hoped she?d prove to be all you said, that at the very least she?d be on her best behavior for you. Because love takes sacrifices, you?re not always going to agree to!? He was seething, he had known the woman?s nature but a part of him had been willing to look past it for his son. ?But you do it anyways because it means getting to see the one you love, get to see them happy! That was what she was supposed to do.? He paused, dropping his head and clearly trying to regain his composure. ?It was not going to be permanent.? He said through clenched jaw. ?All she had to do was prove that her love for you outweighed her ambitions!? A sigh left his lips and the russet man fell to his haunches too, feeling his wounds ache. ?Apollo the last thing I ever wanted to do was have you make this choice. I understand the weight of it more than you can imagine.? For a moment his gaze grew distant, glimmers of long suppressed memories dancing across his eyes for a second. Then they faded and the man sighed again. ?I do not know.? He admitted. Then the boy spoke of rule changes and the hardness returned. ?Some things will be taken into consideration, but the laws of the Gods are not ours to tweak; and I?m done dealing with traitors.?

The man just stared at his father when all was said and done, silence spreading between them. He was being pulled in two directions and he didn't know what to do about it. He sighed, his head hanging as his anger drained out of him. He was tired, and he didn't want to deal with this right now. "I can't choose right now. He whispered, his body slumping forward until he was laying on his belly. A soft whine left the once stony man's lips, his salmon eyes closing. It was too hard to pick, and he needed to talk to Chrys to see where she stood. He needed to know where her heart was before he picked, before he chose her and was forever shunned from his family. "I need time to think, I need time to drink in this stink. It's all such a mess, I must have a moment before I confess. Please father, I don't mean to be a bother." He didn't even look up at his sing-song words left his mouth.






talk, think

Helios

The silence was heavy and the man rolled his shoulders, groaning under the pain of his wounds. The albino boy dropped his head and not for the first time Helios wished he could reach out and comfort his son yet he forced himself to remain still. Apollo whispered words that did little to put his fears at rest and he nodded absently unable to look at the boy anymore. More lyrics dropped from his son?s lips and the man closed his eyes, breathing a deep sigh. ?Don?t take too much time, one of these days your mother and I will call upon our kingdom once again and that day you will have to make your choice.? The man rose to his paws. ?If you have chosen your family we will accept you with open arms, if not? don?t bother ever showing your face to my family again.? He spun around then, limping away before he paused and glanced back over his shoulder. ?Olympus will suffer no more traitors.? -Exit Helios-