Watch Me Take That Flicker To Flame

Ashiel panted as he made his way to the creek and the borders of the Risen Empire. The summer afternoon was hot, humid, and windy. It hinted at severe storms to come in the evening but for now Ashiel was focused on the task at hand. He felt it was important to exchange information on important changes and plans within the Abraxas Empire as a whole. After all, if they were going to function as a united from then communication would be key and Malleus would need to know that Ashiel had stepped down from leadership. It had been a difficult decision but he felt he was on the right path.  

Arriving at the border Ashiel quickly dipped his tongue into the soothing, cool waters for a fresh drink. When he'd finished he tipped back his head and called for Malleus.

Malleus lay in the shade beside the creek. The heat was oppressing, and for a wolf as big and fluffy as he, it could be a killer. He'd begun doing the bulk of his duties early in the morning and late in the evening for that very reason. Around him were giant tufts of fur. His coat, he'd decided, was going to be the death of him, so Malleus had decided to do something about it. He was shedding, but not fast enough so he'd had Pascal pull out as much of the loose fur as he could. The little macaque tired quickly, though, so only his neck and shoulders were done. This left him looking a bit patchy, but there wasn't much he could do about that. He rolled to his paws as Ashiel's voice rose from the nearby border and dutifully padded towards his cousin. "Aw, Ashiel! A pleasure as always. Come sit over here with me in the shade, will you? It's much too hot in the sun."   "Malleus" - "Pascal"

Watch Me Take That Flicker To Flame

The water had helped but Ashiel knew the heat would only continue to beat down. Thankfully he did not have to wait long for Malleus to arrive. He grinned and moved to join his cousin in the shade beneath the shade of a willow tree near the river. "Thank you, Malleus. It is good to see you." He settled himself down like a sphynx, his gaze drifting across the sparkling waters of the creek before turning back to his, for now, fellow alpha. "Malleus I come with some difficult but also some good news. I have turned the Eclipse Empire over to Razi. I believe she intends to name it the Aurum Empire and I've asked that she make it her own. You see, I was in an accident recently and during the dream as I slipped into the river of death I had a vision." There was so much to tell that for a moment he didn't really know what to say. He wanted to tell the whole story from the start but opted instead for a summary.

"With Amon gone and my mother being… well… my mother. I have decided to undertake a spiritual journey. I realize that my intention with a pack was more to impress my mother, my uncle, and my family more than it was for the fallen god. To be honest, I've long felt a disconnect with our families beliefs. I wish to rectify that." He had so much to say, so much and beneath his cousins gaze he couldn't help but feel a bit vulnerable. Did he sound crazy? Ashiel smiled out of embarrassment but also joy for he had more good news. "I also wanted to let you know that Razi is pregnant. I'm hoping to hold an official naming ceremony for them when they are old enough to leave the den." It would be a ceremony to accept them fully into the Abraxas fold and to recognize their divinity and bless them. He was quite excited for it but pinning down Pyralis long enough for details was proving to be a chore and he didn't want to pester Razi. She had enough on her plate.

Side by side with Ashiel, Malleus padded back to the shade. He settled down across from his young counterpart and listened intently as Ashiel began to speak. His expression, once happy, grew serious as the weight of the subject settled on him. His gaze drifted away as he listened. Honestly he was saddened to hear Ashiel was giving up the Eclipse Empire. He wasn't sad that Razi was taking it, she would do well with it. No, he was simply saddened by the loss of Ashiel as a leader. The younger Abraxas was so promising, so fit for the position that it was a shame to lose him. That being said, Malleus could respect his decision. Finally his gaze returned to Ashiel and he offered his cousin an understanding smile. "Although I hate to see you go, I can respect your decision. I hope you find what you're looking for." As for the children... Malleus nodded. "Kaine's mortal woman, Agria, recently gave birth to two boys. Perhaps we can do something for all of them." He quickly amended, "That is, if you are in agreement."   "Malleus" - "Pascal"

Watch Me Take That Flicker To Flame

Ashiel nodded at Malleus as he stated that he hoped Ashiel would find what he was looking for. "Thank you, me to. I don't know where this doubt has come from but I hope to silence it and manage to still be of worth to our family. If I have misstepped I would hope the fallen god would correct my path." He still hoped he was making the right decision but there was only one way to know and that was to follow the path he had set himself upon. For better or worse this path had chosen him and he would see what lay at the end of it.

His ears perked at the mention of Kaine siring children and he smiled. "That is good to hear. We move in some semblance of normalcy despite Amon's absence. I do hope he returns soon…" His gaze landed upon the horizon. His mother had taken Amon's absence particularly hard and Ashiel found himself worrying about her. Some of the things she'd let slip in conversation caused him to worry but he didn't feel like burdening Malleus with his mother's spastic behavior.

Ashiel smiled. "That is a wonderful idea. I will need ash for the ceremony. I know some of the procedure but there is still much I feel I need to learn and my mother has been… distance as of late. Would you happen to know the finer points of the ceremony? I was thinking perhaps we could hold it during the vernal equinox, perhaps as part of the bounty festival."