It had been some time since his last steps within the lands of Celestial. The young man had needed time to grieve his mother's death - he hadn't been gone entirely,
coming to check the pack's borders in secrecy before going off on his own again. Nothing had really been amiss since the raid, which he was glad for. Now, Exodus felt he was ready to return in full and earnest, so he stepped up to the border and tilted back his head to sing a song of homecoming. He called to the Archangel, so that he might explain his absence honestly. He needed to commit himself fully now to protecting the pack, and he couldn't do that if he was stuck in a state of mourning and loss.
Although those feelings would never truly leave him, he knew he could focus on things that would fill the void left by his parents' deaths. So now he waited, closing his eyes as he focused on his breath,
ears tilting as he listened to the familiar sounds of the breeze whisking over the plains.

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

From one end of the pack Territory to the other, the day was pretty busy. He’d sent Aurielle back to the den to help Paladin with Sterling and had continued his patrol solo, so he was decently close when he heard Xodus’s call. He was silently relieved to hear the boy’s voice. Grief affected everyone differently. With Justice, it appeared to have manifested in withdrawing from her own family, while still doing her various duties, but in a mechanical way. He’d watched her from afar. Paladin had handled it the best of the three remaining siblings, but he knew the hurt he held. Exodus had taken a leave of absence, for lack of a better word, after Kavdaya had passed. He’d forgotten to let Regulus know, but in this case, the Archangel was fully understanding of the reasoning. Sometimes you needed to be away from it all to find your thoughts again. Of course, he had been different, himself, when Surreal had passed on, and when Falk had joined her. He had craved the contact of his siblings, and yet they seemed to have taken the grief in the way of avoiding family. Or seeking solace in his littermates in Lirim. He had slipped in his leadership, that was without doubt, but it was the past now. He padded quickly toward Xodus’s location, and once he found the boy, he merely stepped forward to give him a gentle hug. Probably not what the young wolf expected. “It’s never easy to lose one’s parents, especially not in the way you have. I understand why you left for a while, Exodus, and I won’t punish you for it. Come on home.” Of course, if Xodus felt the need to explain himself anyway, Regulus would listen. He was both the boy’s cousin, and his mentor, as well as his leader.

Gem-like eyes only opened when he heard the approach of Regulus' paw steps. Exodus' paws were placed squarely, and he stood comfortably at his full stature - but even so, he failed to compare to the Archangel. The great red male towered over him. Ears tucked back as the younger man began to expect some form of reprimand, and was thus surprised when Regulus came close to give him a hug. Exodus blinked in surprise, but leaned into the hug lightly, appreciating the gesture more than he would've thought. It made him think that perhaps he should have come home sooner, and sought healing through his family. Yet, back then, he couldn't shake the grief of losing his mother, and he still hadn't processed his father's murder. He perked when he heard his leader and mentor speak, and the extension of sympathy was taken to heart.

"Thank you, Regulus," the younger said with a respectful dip of his head, "That means more to me than you know." Taking a breath, Exodus began padding toward the opening in Celestial's protective border wall. It would be so good to be home amongst familiar wolves, and get back to his regular duties to keep himself busy and achieve his goals. He turned to look at Reg, parting his jaws to speak again. "I know you're not asking any questions," he began, his brows pulling together as his tone became apologetic, "But, I still want to apologize for taking off without notice. Everything just happened so quickly, and I didn't know what else to do... I miss her so much... I miss both of them. I feel robbed of so much with my parents gone. I had to go seek answers on my own. I think I'm ready... to live with them in my heart, even if they can't be by my side."

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

The Archangel nodded at Exodus’s thanks, turning to pad alongside the boy as he crossed into Celestial’s lands. He was still an apprentice, in rank, despite being two – nearly three – years of age. Silently, regulus berated himself for not keeping up with mentoring his young cousin, after Exodus had shown so much initiative in coming to him first and asking to train as a warrior. He was mulling these thoughts over, and opened his jaws to suggest they have a training session when Exodus was up to it, but Xodus spoke first, and Regulus paused to listen, nodding gently. “We all grieve differently. It’s… very normal, I suppose, to feel lost in such times. I miss my own mother and father. But yes. They are here,” he paused, shifting his weight onto his good hind leg to lift the opposite forepaw and touch his breast, “in my heart. And I know that wherever they are now, they’re stronger, and without worry.” His father had never truly recovered after his blinding by Arcanum’s alphess, Cataleya. The loss of his sight had been the beginning to a long slide down into depression. Surreal’s death had been the overall death knell for Falk. And now that he had Solveiga, he understood the feeling of no longer wanting to walk the earth if one’s love no longer walked it beside you. “Your parents would be proud of you. Are proud, I’m sure. You’ve shown a level head and integrity. I was very impressed by your fighting in the Raid, even with so little training from me—I am sorry for that… And I’d like to continue your training, even if you want to move up in rank. You’re certainly the wrong age to be an Apprentice anymore.” He gave a soft chuckle at the last words, studying the young wolf’s face.

A small smile lifted on his face when Regulus spoke in an understanding manner, and it occurred to him that his cousin had gone through similar losses. He wished he'd had the insight to seek out others to talk about his loss when it had happened, but he'd felt too lost to think clearly. At least he knew now that others understood, and he didn't have to keep his pain internalized. As the topic slowly morphed, Exodus felt a flicker of pride within his chest as Regulus said his parents would be proud of him. The feeling grew as Reg went on to say that he'd been very impressed with Exodus' fight in the raid. His tail swayed back and forth, and he nodded to the Archangel's offer to continue his training. "I'd like that," he said with an enthusiastic rumble in his voice, "It's about time I earned myself a worthwhile rank, but there's still so much left to learn from you." He couldn't wait to get started again, to get focused again like he'd been as a younger apprentice.

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

The Archangel smiled at the clear pleasure his words gave Exodus, and was glad they helped the boy’s mood lift. He was glad to hear that Exodus wanted to continue his training, which just solidified the impression that Exodus was a driven wolf who wanted to make something of himself for the good of the pack. Regulus nodded, padding along as he asked, “You wanted to rise through the Legionary ranks, correct? Are you still certain you’d like to focus on that line?” He paused to look at Xodus with a grin, ears perked to capture the answer he’d give. It was always interesting to see where the young minds wanted to go in life. And with Exodus' wish to take the initiative and train hard, and the lack of entitlement he seemed to have, it pleased the Archangel, and gave him hope that Celestial might see more of this in others, if they would just see that determination in this wolf. And the rewards that came from it.

Exodus felt a sense of comfort as his paws touched familiar ground, padding along with Regulus as they conversed. He perked toward the Archangel when he asked if Xodus was still interested in pursuing the Legionary ranks. The young man nodded, a small but sure smile upon his face. "I am absolutely certain that it's what I'm meant to do," he said with clarity, remembering how he'd felt in the midst of his first real battle during the raid. That hadn't been a spar, nor a training session of any sort. That fight had been real, and it had brought about a great sense of responsibility within him for many reasons. He knew what his duty was in protecting his pack mates, and he knew the real risks he faced in order to fulfill that duty. He also understood his responsibility to keep his feelings in check - his ability to do severe harm to others was a great power, but it was not to be used lightly and for personal gain.

He wondered when they would begin training. If it were up to him, he'd start right away. But he also knew he had to take care of himself, and it would probably be best to rest just a bit after traveling on his own for so long. "Maybe I can hunt for the pack, and hopefully rest on a full belly," he said,
licking his lips at the thought, "Then I'll be ready to start training right away. I don't want to waste any time." Perhaps he was too eager, but he was ready and he wasn't going to let anything hold him back this time.

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

Regulus nodded at Exodus’ words and answered with a smile, “Then, Exodus Ancora, I am promoting you to the rank of Legionary. Now, I will fill you in on your duties here and now. Firstly, you are expected to be active in patrol and sentry duty. I will expect to see you sparring regularly as well as training with myself. A good training partner would be Domari. “Remember that in all of your spars, at home and on the Battlefield, you are to bring a Witness to keep record and to bring backup if you meet unsavory wolves out there. If you work hard, show your prowess in fighting regularly, and keep up with your duties, you could very well rise through the ranks to be our Shieldknight.” He paused and grinned at the boy as he spoke of hunting for the pack. “I caught scent of an old buck deer on my way through the plains… we could try bringing him down now, if you like.” He had no issues with bringing an old buck down. It wasn’t the rut season, so it’d be less aggressive, and while the meat might be stringy, it was still sustenance.

Exodus paused in his steps and straightened up when he heard Regulus address him by his full name. It was odd, or more like it was unexpected, and it really had him perked at attention. He was filled with gratitude when he heard the words that came next from the Archangel, and he dipped his head low to show his appreciation. "Thank you, Regulus," his tone was low and sincere, "I won't let you down." He promised the male, making it his duty from now on to fulfill everything that was expected of him, and more. He listened intently as his duties were listed, and he took note carefully. He nodded in understanding of the patrols and sparring he should take place in. Next, he repeated some of the Archangel's words in a whisper, to make sure that he remembered to always have a Witness in attendance of spars.

As the red male told him that it would be possible for him to rise through the ranks, possibly to become a Shieldknight, Exodus had to keep his jaw from dropping. He was inspired, thinking that Regulus thought he might actually be a candidate for such a rank if he kept motivated in his duties and training. Well, now he really had to make sure he didn't slip. If he wanted to earn the prestigious rank, then he could not put forth an average effort. He had to prove that he had more to offer than those who stayed content in their mid-tier ranks. That simply would not do for him.

The newly appointed Legionary nodded his head vigorously when Regulus suggested they track down the old buck deer he'd scented earlier. "Let me lead?" he asked, as he moved to step forward,
hoping to take the chance to show his dedication immediately. He had never been the best hunter,
but he had certainly tried to practice the important skill and he wanted to show that he could provide for the pack. He began to follow Regulus' tracks back the way the Archangel had come from,
his nose lifting to the air, then dropping to the ground repeatedly as he followed the trail and sought out the buck's scent simultaneously. He was eager, and he hoped he hadn't stepped over any boundaries with his leader - if anything, his enthusiasm was like that of an over-eager student seeking approval from their mentor.

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

The Archangel smiled at Exodus’ eagerness and nodded with a chuckle. He could see the boy was taking it all in and he was pleased to see that he’d taken the words to heart and memorized the requirements. The smile brightened to a laugh as Exodus asked to take the lead, and he nodded, letting him take it as he followed easily behind. He’d learned long ago how to work with his own bright coloring and hunting large prey. The trick was to never let the target rest, and to find that balance point of being just close enough that the animal you were hunting wasn’t comfortable enough to stay still, but still be far enough away that it wasn’t a hard run that would wear him out. He watched Exodus search for the buck’s scent, knowing they had a good half hour before the scent would be caught, content to see how he went about it. It did spring some thoughts to his mind. Not about the pack, but about Tornach. He’d have to visit his brother and see how he was doing in the Range. Maybe he’d bring the kids with him.

The young Ancora male was delighted as he took the lead, wanting more than anything to make up for all that he had missed. It was a long while as they trekked over the plains, following the path that the Archangel had taken to meet Exodus at the border. He began to worry when he didn't pick up the buck's scent, but Regulus hadn't stopped him, so it must have simply been further than he thought. Continuing on his path, he refused to let doubt wander into his mind. He would find the buck and lead this hunt to success, even if it wasn't his greatest strength.

At last, he caught scent of prey! He paused in his steps, determining the direction of the scent, and then changed his direction accordingly. And finally, he saw the tall antlers of the aging buck in the distance. He slowed down, his tail waving in the air as he lowered himself slightly, preparing to truly set in to hunting mode. He observed it for several moments, noticing the slow way it moved around, as well as the fact that it was completely isolated. It must have lost its rank in the herd long ago. After watching for several moments, he glanced over his shoulder at Regulus. "Definitely old, we'll be able to wear it down pretty fast," he stated confidently, sure that it wouldn't take much to tire out the old thing.

His neck turned, facing forward again. They'd need to be patient and take their time, but with their superior endurance, the two wolves would be able to outpace the old buck, with no need for a dangerous ambush or chase. Setting out, Exodus made a beeline for the deer - his pace was swift, but it was far from a sprint. The deer saw him coming and began to make its way in the opposite direction, and so it began. The test of stamina and patience, but Exodus knew he would win this one easily. Once it was tired it would be forced to hold its ground, he and Regulus could then make their move.