Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

He’d been doing a great deal of thinking over the past few weeks. He wasn’t getting any younger, and with so many that had been missing for so long, he was restless and anxious. Before, he wasn’t able to go out looking for long periods of time. The pack kept him grounded, with no one to take his place. Now, though, Aurielle was old enough. He’d taught her just about all he knew of being a leader and honorable wolf. His original plan had been to hand the pack to her when she was two. However… He blew out a sigh, still mulling over the final details of his new plan. Much of what she had left to learn could only be learned through experience, by now. Experience and sound advice from an older wolf. His head turned, fathomless sapphire gaze scanning the plains. There was one possibility. Gwenevere. The woman was both an Adravendi, and a loyal wolf. She’d worked hard in the pack, and he valued her intelligence and steady nature. She’d recently returned from her trip to see her family, and he had yet to see her to ask how everyone was… if they were still there. Had she found her brother, Leo? He gave a silent nod of decision and tossed his head back, calling for Gwen and Aurielle. If it went alright, shortly after his plan would be to call the remainder of the pack for a meeting that was long, long overdue.

Aurielle Adravendi

She’d been well aware of her father’s anxiety. She felt it, too. She missed her mother and brother, and she worried for those she’d never met. She picked up the slack whenever she could, when he hadn’t kicked her out to go be herself and explore the world. Now though, she was heading in from a long patrol, Loshir padding behind her in his usual silent, seemingly grumpy way. Her father’s call for her and Gwenevere, however, automatically changed her course as she picked up her pace to a long strided lope across the plains, mane and tail streaming behind her. She found him at the meeting area, and as she padded to a halt, and bumped her head into his chest by way of greeting, leaning into him as she looked around. She knew he’d say what was up when Gwen arrived, so she didn’t press him. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Gwen had only just returned from the east - it didn't seem terribly important to continue her explorations there after her troubling discovery at Fiori's old territories and then... at Abaven...

She'd made the journey back in a daze. It was pure luck that she hadn't accidentally walked off a cliff or stumbled over a venomous snake or the like, because she had not been paying attention to the world around her at all. Her mother, dead? Her parents had always seemed larger than life, too strong and too royal for death to touch them. She had known, intellectually, that she was getting old and that they, therefore, would already have been for some time, but somehow it had never really registered to her that they might die.

Having stumbled into her den after her return, it seemed like she'd been alternating between sleeping and staring at her den wall for only hours before she was startled awake by Regulus' call. She was startled to realize, thinking back to the sun's position each time she'd been awake, that it had actually been the better part of two days since she'd gotten back, and she'd not yet gone to report to the alpha. Or done anything but sleep and lay there, really. What a fine way to begin her tenure as the lead legionary.

She made her way out of her den and across the plains to the meeting rock. Odd how numb she could feel, though she was beginning to feel the cold bite of grief around the edges of her numbness. Despite it all, she summoned a smile for Regulus and his daughter. Incredible how mutations like that could crop up in an otherwise normal bloodline. Well, normal other than Regulus' bright coloration. "Hello, Regulus, Aurielle. What can I do for you?"

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

As Aurielle arrived, Regulus watched her with a faint, proud smile. She was all he had left of his little family – not including siblings and extended family – and he cherished her ever more for it. She carried herself with a dignified grace that was beyond her young age. This comportment was something she would need in spades soon. He dropped an affectionate lick between her ears as they waited in a companionable silence for Gwen. The Master Legionary arrived soon after and Regulus gave the woman a faint, sad smile. He hoped she had some good news from the East, He’d learned shortly after her departure about Fiori’s fall, and he had no idea if Leo, her brother, was out there and alright. But judging from the tiredness he thought he could glimpse behind the smile she gave them… well. He decided to save it for another time. Right now, it was time to set the foundation of a new age in Celestial. He sighed and settled himself, back straight. “I know I only recently promoted you, but… I need to step down soon, if not now. Naturally, Aurielle will take my place – early, yes, but she’s been ready before I expected her to be – but she will need a Right Wing who can guide her and is fully able-bodied. I have no personal worry that my leg will truly impede my ability to fight, but it’s not a risk I’d like to take with our home should someone forget Celestial’s reputation for throwing off opposition. Out of all the wolves here, I feel you would be the best choice as a Right Wing until she’s sure of her status and has the rhythm down enough to lead alone or have her own choice of second.” He paused to let out a deep breath as he studied Gwen’s features before asking, “Of course, it’s up to you, naturally.” He glanced down at his daughter, noting the quickly hidden surprise in her features and the growing look of understanding as she gave a mute nod, eyes gleaming with a fresh wave of determination. It was sooner than either of them had expected—he hadn’t intended to step down until her second year, but perhaps sooner would be better. After all, her first season would be in full swing right when she was taking the place of Archangel with the original plan. This way, she had more time to prepare and plan around the distraction. According to his mother, the heat had been one of the most annoying parts of leading. You couldn’t always abscond with your mate to a far corner of the land and enjoy time together in private.

Well that was certainly one way of getting her attention. From his first sentence, Gwen had been listening with weary acceptance, ready for him to demote her for negligence of duty. She had, after all, not only returned without tracking down what happened to Fiori and without speaking to the alpha of Abaven, but also failed to report to him immediately on her return. Regulus wasn't a particularly harsh alpha, but she would not have blamed or resented him for taking affront to her lack of action as lead legionary.

Instead he had her blinking in startled surprise when he began speaking of abdicating to Aurielle, and wishing for her to have an able-bodied Right Wing... offering it to her. Though the startled blink was all that broke through her usual calm, friendly demeanor, internally she was a little... well, poleaxed, to tell the truth. Once upon a time in her childhood, she'd believed that she or one of her elder siblings would inherit Seracia. She'd been a spoiled little princess then, and her whole world had come crashing down when her parents chose to leave the pack instead of passing the pack on to their children. It had taken her a long time to get over that, and longer still to forgive herself for her own hubris. She'd been resigned to her family no longer being leaders of this continent as they'd once been.

And here Regulus was offering her the secondary alpha position.

She smiled with a purely-mental snort of amusement at herself. Oh, don't be such a goose. He's not offering you the pack - he's offering you the chance to protect his daughter while she gets her footing, so she can lead. You're just the most experienced member he has right now that isn't crippled.

"I'd be more than happy to help," she said after only a slight pause for the whole thought process. "If Aurielle is all right with me as her second, I've no objections. I will do whatever I can to assist, whatever capacity that may be," she added with a nod of acknowledgement to Aurielle, directing the last words to the yearling.

Aurielle Adravendi

She listened as her father laid it all out at her and Gwenevere’s paws. It was… a little bit of a shock. She hadn’t expected to become Archangel so soon. But, as she listened, she began to understand. She knew a little of Gwenevere’s origin, that Gwen’s mother and father had been a King and Queen. Thus, she supposed the fawn rumped woman must have been groomed in some manner to be a leader. She was quiet for several moments, pondering. She supposed that if her brother were still here, she might have chosen him to be her second. However, perhaps not. He’d been timid and shy. No. He is timid and shy. He’s not dead. Never for a moment believe he’s dead. Him or M’ma. She sternly told herself. She smiled at Gwenevere, nodding confirmation. “I’d be glad for your help. Between you and Da, I’ll be in good paws until I’m ready to choose my own second. Though… the pack may have to be ready for change. I have a few ideas of my own for Celestial’s future… Perhaps a reconnection with its foremother.” A new name. Or an old one. Her head turned as she smiled up at her father. “I suppose I’m as ready as ever to lead, but… I’d like to think on things before I take over. Perhaps seek out a few more wolves to fill in our ranks if anyone decides they want a different, more experienced leader.” And… she had to admit, she wanted to talk to Amos, and she had so many thoughts and plans whirling in her head. Was this what her grandmother had gone through when she’d been planning Celestial’s creation? Taking a breath, she added, “I think I’d like both your help to come up with the details, though.” Her banneresque tail tapped the stone as she glanced between the older two wolves, ears perked. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

He nodded slightly at Gwen’s answer, and turned to his daughter as Aurielle began to speak, head tilting curiously as she voiced her thoughts. He certainly agreed that he’d be there to help as much as he could, but he knew that – by her leave, naturally – he would be taking his upcoming freedom as a common member of the pack to search for the missing wolves of Celestial. If he was being honest, he blamed himself for their not being found… and perhaps even for them being missing in the first place. His ears perked at the mention of change. Hm. Perhaps that was what this pack needed. New blood, a change of ranks and perhaps even laws. As she asked for both their help, he grinned. “You know you have my help, always.” Until he couldn’t be by her side among the living, anyway… And even then, he’d fight through all the realms of the afterlife to be by her side in spirit somehow. He just wished he could have inherited the longevity his maternal ancestors had been known for. Perhaps it was this land, but wolves didn’t seem to live as long as where his grandmother hailed from.