Helios

It had felt like a life time ago that he had spoken to his nieces and nephews, since then thing had only run further and further downhill. His wife’s condition had come to light and with it his own condition had slid, though he was not the one who was sick or dying he was the one that had allowed himself to look it. His eyes were dulled and his fur ruffled and though he still held himself up with some pride there was a slight slump to his posture. So it would be that when he called his lost family members he wondered what their reaction would be. He had much to tell them and a part of him was dreading seeing Gaia, what would her choice be?

She would walk quietly beside Nemesis, her mind contemplating what would happen at this second rendezvous with their uncle. He'd specifically told Solo not to come, and those words both scared her and infuriated her. Though she knew he could not always be with her, thus the cardinal that perched in her hips. She'd felt rather sick since Helios had left them, another reason she would cling so tightly to her brother's side. Though it was only a week she felt like an eternity had passed since then. Eventually they would arrive before the man, though she could not see him his scent had been getting stronger for some time now, and as Nemesis stopped she knew where they were. She wouldn't speak but would concentrate on not crying. There was so much uncertainty. Standing tall though she would listen to what would be said. ""

With Gaia at his side, Nemesis answered the call sent up by his uncle. The boy's feelings on this meeting were mixed. On the one hand, he truly did want to make amends, but on the other, he was more than a little peeved that Helios commanded them here as if he had a say over what they did. Well before reaching Helios, Nemesis said to his sister, "Remember, he can't make us do anything we don't want to." He was reminding her just as much as he was reminding himself. They were free to make the choices that best suited them, not Helios or Natalya or the gods, them - as was their right. As they reached Helios, Nemesis noticed that his sister looked upset. Hoping to comfort her, he reached down and to his right in the hopes of pressing his nose into the base of her left ear. Whispering for her ears only, he said, "It's going to be okay, I promise." Turning to gaze at Helios, the boy straightened and adjusted his position so that he was facing the brute head on. "Here we are," he said simply. Now what? ""

As the call rang out, Andromeda trailed along just behind her siblings. She like them suffered with this turmoil of emotions, perhaps not quite to the same extent though of course. It wasn't her mate who had been deemed a traitor, nor was it she who Natalya or Helios had argued with. Her siblings had though and it was enough for the golden Olympus girl to suffer with them. She wouldn't blame Helios or Natalya for Virgil's leaving, but she would for any of the hurt or upset that they had caused her siblings, both blood and adopted. The week had taken far longer than she could have anticipated it would have done when Helios had first assigned them the time. At last though here they were gathering once more as he had requested. As the pair ahead finally came to a stop, she would venture forth, moving to stand upon Gaia's other side, lightly brushing against her sister though fiery gaze would settle upon Helios as Nemesis announced their arrival. Here they were indeed and though it felt cruel to notice, looking better than the elder male.

Hephaestus trailed behind his sisters and brother. They'd left Kassander on the border of Ebony, their auburn adopted brother choosing to give them their space to make their decision. Hephaestus had already made his decision though... maybe... after a great deal of pondering in the week since his uncle had left them. He wouldn't have minded Kassander's company on the journey, though probably Helios would have been angry - he had said family only, and though to Hephaestus and the others Kassander was family, clearly Helios did not consider their bond to connect Kassander to Olympus so it was probably better that he hadn't come with them. As he'd learned from Katja and her warriors on the journey from Yfir to Ebony, the young Olympian kept a careful watch during the trip for dangers to his siblings - orange eyes roved their surroundings with as much attention... though perhaps softer, less ready to leap into battle... as ever the Yfir warriors' had. It kept him occupied until they finally reached the place they were supposed to go to meet him - it felt odd returning to the Emerald Valley and having it... not be home. If Helios had made a new pack, why hadn't they moved home after Yfir was gone? Why hadn't his mother kept Yfir and changed it back to Olympus like it was supposed to be? Let Helios and Natalya keep Pantheon - his mother was the matriarch of Olympus, and as her children they were the heirs to it. That was what he'd always been told. Hephaestus was troubled that it wasn't so. Helios was waiting for them. Hephaestus noted his disheveled appearance and, though he was not quick to be alarmed by it, it did add an unexpected facet to the encounter. Gaia and Andromeda were silent as they stopped before their great-uncle, though Nemesis stated simply that they were there. There was really nothing that Hephaestus could add to that statement... nothing he could think of to say at all, really... and he resolved to join his sisters in silence. Though... he really did need to know more about why Helios looked so terrible. Would this effect his decision? He would need to consider it more closely. His voice was a deepening bassy rumble - a sure sign that the boy was rapidly approaching maturity - when he voiced his question. "Uncle Helios - are you ill?" ""

Helios

They would arrive and to the russet man’s relief the traitorous boy had listened, for once. They filled in in silence and Helios had no inclination to break it, his tail twitching ever so slightly. Despite it all it was good to see them again though he did not smile. His nephews would be the ones to speak, Nemesis only stating the obvious but Hephaestus was the one that asked what he had expected. Helios sighed and shook his head sadly. It’s answer that in due time but for now he needed them to know a few things. “We may not have taken this valley back for our home but I want you to know it still serves an important purpose for our family.” He gestured behind himself towards a still clearly visible mound in the earth. “This is the grave of my son and we set up this area as a peaceful area for negotiations. No matter what happens, if you ever need us all you need to do is call for us here.” His tone was soft, somewhat sad. He slumped then, eyes dropping from the young wolves before him and pinning straight upon his paws. “Thing are- things are changing in Pantheon.” He paused wondering how much to share, but if any of them would be joining him they’d know soon enough. “Your aunt isn’t doing well. She believes she isn’t going to be around for too much longer.” He looked up at them then, fixing them once more with the tired stare. “I just- I just need to know if you want to join us or not.”

Nemesis would keep her safe in Solo's stead, his comfort just as effective as he reassured her even before they drew near to Helios. She would lean into his touch, appreciative of his affection before he turned, verbally announcing their arrival. Andi and Heph would come up behind them, the feeling of her sister at her side a comfort. Her brother though would comment about her uncles health. SHe would take in his scent as he sighed, preparing to speak to them. She did smell a sickness but it didn't seem like it was from Helios. A feeling of dread would begin in her stomach as he spoke, his words tired as he offered them this place of peace. Though even after that she would hear him deflate, her feeling growing as he explained. "isn’t going to be around" Gaia's knees would become wobbly, her mind stopping and almost missing the real question. She had to sit down, sightless eyes would close as she again found herself contemplating his words. Her aunt was dying. Tears would well up as she thought about her mentor, the only reason she even half mastered her ability. Dark ears would fall to her head as she pushed her features into Nem's thick pelt, feeling even more lost than she had only moments ago. She had to see Nat again. At least once. She was still unsure of Helios's feelings about her mate, she couldn't shake the feeling this welcome home did not include his presence. "I need to see her again." the girl would whisper, "But I can't stay, uncle." She couldn't miss the tension between them now, not even when she tried. Even if she wanted to again live with them, Solo would never be happy there. ""

Nemesis could have kicked himself. How had he missed Helios' sorry state? The brute went on to explain that Natalya wasn't doing well and the boy's heart would lurch. She thought she was dying? Following that statement, Helios would ask if they were joining Pantheon. Gaia beat him to a reply and Nemesis found himself seconding it. "I'd also like to see her, but I'm not going to join either." Pantheon wasn't home. It wasn't Olympus and would never be no matter how many Olympians lived in it, because Olympus was gone. It had been gone the moment Katja had won it. Pantheon wasn't his home and he couldn't picture himself in it. Feeling Gaia leaning against him, Nemesis was reminded of Solo. He doubted the petty feud between him and Helios would be set to the side so Gaia could visit. Nemesis was willing to go in the burly red guy's stead, but stating that in front of Helios seemed distasteful so the boy decided to save it for later. ""

Hephaestus would be the one brave enough to bring up Helios' health as a starting point to the conversation. Their great uncle wouldn't answer that one right away, instead commenting upon the fact that the Valley, whether it belonged to any of the Olympus family or not would still be an important place to them all. To think of it purely as a graveyard to them seemed completely morbid however, a step down from the importance it had once held, the living greatness it had housed. She wouldn't comment at all upon this offer of neutral lands however, Helios had begun to speak once more his tone changing slightly, more serious as he began to tackle the matter of illness. He was worried sick. Nothing physically wrong damaging his own body but this fear for Natalya's life was destroying his own as well. She didn't fully understand loss in the sense of death, she had been too young really to remember Hermes and the pain his passing had brought the family. The thought of losing Natalya though, it was certainly an unnerving one. She had of course once thought the very same of her mothers, they were still alive however had simply gone away and if she wanted to see them again perhaps could. Time may have been running out to see their great aunt and even without fully understanding death, she knew the two absences were very different. Gaia of course would take the news the hardest, she had been rather close to the woman had been taught how to cope without her eyes in ways that she, Hephaestus and Nemesis simply could never had helped her with. She had certainly changed Gaia for the better, that timid little pup so scared of the world had gone and grown into a far more courageous young lady. There was no surprise really that Gaia would request to visit her again, though of course she wouldn't be able to stay. Nemesis would echo the same thoughts. "The same stands for me Helios." Andromeda spoke now, she wouldn't be able to leave her siblings and join Pantheon, even if there was more family there ready to welcome her, these three wolves were simply far more important to her.