The young pup with the broken eyes looked out across the dry and dusty dunes, and saw a world distant and far removed. It was hard to separate dreams from reality, which was the origin of a greater part of his silence. Was he answering ghosts, or a person before him? Sometimes it was easier to release the thin tendrils he held of reality, to believe his mother walked beside him.

Following the footsteps in the sand that she had left in his imagination, he had walked a ways from the densite of the golden goddess that cared for him. A part of him understood that leaving the blanket of her protection was a mistake. What if he could not find his way back to her? But a larger part of him could not leave the wispy white form of his mother as she trailed carefree steps across the hot sand. It was easy to imagine how she would glow in an inviroment like this, the early morning dawn would reflect from the silvers of her coat until she stood like a becon on the rolling dunes.

She didnt speak as she lead him through the blank and featureless landscape. If his untrained nose couldn't follow his scent trail home, he would become helplessly lost. Perhaps that would bother him later. Maybe, it was hard to work up emotions like distress these days. Fear had become an old friend that never truly left him, and its effect on him had weakened. His little tiny body was a shadow beside the ghost of someone who was not really there, and the silence he wore like a protective shroud around him. So long as he did not speak, the mirage of his mother would not leave him.

Tyranis had traveled a fair distance from his home on the Maw to the dunes, he felt he deserved a break after all the work he had put himself through settling into his new home. He had intended to travel to the tar pits he had once fled to in a fit of juvenile angst. There had been a girl there that later that he would learn in that same long year belonged to his uncle’s pack. He paused at the crest of a dune, his eyes wandering westward. Maybe he should visit his uncle. The thought was strange; his relationship to his mother’s family seemed so distant since he connected with his father and learned of his heritage. Had he ever truly been a Wreckage? Could he truly claim the man was related to him when they looked nothing like each other. He reflected on his father then, they had the same coat color, a similar build, and he had always been the largest of his siblings. “One of the largest in Abaven too.” He thought. He broke from his musings as in the distance he saw something trundling about in the sand. At first he thought it was a rock, but as he watched the strange thing he realized it was moving. A rabbit perhaps? But that wouldn't account for the swaying movements it made or the whisps of its russet fur. His mind clicked as the full realization of what he was seeing dawned on him. It was a pup! He raced down the dune, kicking up whorls of sand with each stride until he stood over the frail creature, his shadow casting over the boy’s small frame and hopefully sheltering him momentarily. “Are you alright?” He asked frantically, his eyes wide with concern "Talk"  "Thought"   "You"

The heat meant little to him now, and he would have followed the ghost of his mother to the end of the worlds, he would have walked until his paws where bloody and his legs unyielding, until the next step would be his last. If there was a point to the path she took, or an end to their journey, he did not know it. He had found quickly that looking his mother full on weakened her hold on the world, or frightened her from it altogether. He looked at her only with brief glances from the corner of his eyes, enough to see her long legs beside him, a hint of silver now and then that brightened his vision.

All he wanted was to turn and look her full on, to see her long, lithe legs and shaggy coat that seemed more like moonlight then any mortal shade. What if he forgot the way she looked? She had not spoken to him since her death, and he was more afraid that he would forget the sound of her voice. What if he could not linger recal the way she had laughed? There was no sound more appealing in the world then her laughter. She had sounded like bird song, brilliant and wild, and free. He would give all of his soul to hear that sound again.

He did everything right. He didnt look ar her, he did not speak, he kept his head down and followed the path she took, and still she left him. He felt it at the same moment he saw it, like a sharp thorn through his heart as she dissipated as easily at the fine sands beneath their paws, as though her coming and going was no less consequential as a puff of breath along the surface. The next moment, there was the sound of paw steps heavy on the earth, the sound of heavy breathing as this being raced towards him.

He was cast in the shade of their shadow, and a voice assaulted his ears. At first his heart cried with longing as he spoke without a rich accent, something more familiar to ears aching familiarity. Second, he felt fear, through this man did not speak a in slow drawl like the monster of his nightmares. He panted softly, caught between emotions. It was a while before he recognized the question the other had asked, and then he flinched. How could he answer such a question? Nothing would ever be alright again. Besides, he knew better then to speak, the shade of his mother did not like it, she spoked easily to anything too real and substantial.

He sniffed at the boy’s small body, trying to scent illness or injury. “Are you lost?” He asked, urging him to speak, he seemed to be reacting to his questions but only in fearful shudders. He smelled of a female but clearly not the boy’s mother. He may have been adopted for all he knew, but his instincts screamed a single word in retaliation to the optimism: Kidnapped.  He casted a brief glance around and reflexively stood over the boy to shield him. There didn’t appear to be anyone in sight, but the scent of the mystery woman still clung to the pup’s fur. “food?" Raanee inquired from around his neck and received an adamant “No.” in response. The queen flared her hood in agitation “What’s your name boy?” The lightning king rumbled above him. “His name Meat! He food!” Raanee insisted defiantly. “Stop it! Can’t you see he’s scared enough as he is?” yranis snapped. The cobra hissed but coiled into the fur of his neck with resignation. “Ignore her.” He told the boy, his golden eyes still scanning the horizon for movement. “It’s dangerous out here alone.” He said, finally dipping his head to address the boy directly, while one ear swivled to detect the sound of movement. "Talk"  "Thought"   "You"

It was surreal, this wolf in the desert sands who spoke to him like he was normal, like his life held sanity, his accent familiar, even if his tone was not. When the snake made itself known in the ruff of his coat, the pup didn't even flinch, desensitized to any more anomalies from this stranger. When it spoke and called him food, he was forced to close his eyes, fighting the waves of a memory
"stop now, little Dusk child. Do you see the way the grass waves and parts, as though something small and long moves through it?" He stopped and looked where his mother indicated, and caught the scent of something green and scaly in the undergrowth. "Is it dangerous, mumma? Will it eat me?" "No, my silly rascal, it’s much too small to eat a wolf, even my silly little Dusk child. He would much rather munch on rodents, like mice. He won’t disturb you if you dont disturb him" her paw lightly touched the underside of his jaw, nudging his head upwards "always look ahead--"


And the vision faded, leaving him with a heavy throat and eyes misted with emotion. Oh yes, that was what her laughter had sounded like.
He looked up at the wolf that sheltered him, saw the concern etched in his expression, and the snake that accompanied the wolf, that had reminded him of his mother. Perhaps he could find it in him to spare a few words for this stranger. Not many, mind you, and his voice was rusty from lack of use. "The monsters aren't in the desert sir, they are in the forest." It wasn’t dangerous here, not without the monster in the form of a wolf. The creature that had taken her from him. This man has asked his name, and that was harder to give. Too many memories where attached to that name. But it was also something his mother had given, and he would cherish every gift from her.
"Astraios, sir" his voice was growing fainter, and this one was hardly above a whisper.

The boy’s softly spoken words came as a relief but confirmed his suspicions. He had been kidnapped and only the demons knew what horrors his captor had put him through for him to call her a monster. The next words came as a harsh whistle, the boy was fading, he needed to get him to a healer and quick. Ty's first instinct was to continue to travel west to Lirium and give him to the care of his uncle, but the notion was quickly chased by his reflections from just a few moments ago. “Astraios…” He said softly, hoping the boy would find comfort in hearing his own name. “I come from a pack; a piece of land where I live with other wolves.” He explained using the same soft tone he had used when his son was very young. “Would you like to come with me? There are wolves there that can help you, and even more wolves that can keep the monster away.” He lifted a paw to rest it reassuringly on the weary pup’s side. “They’ll make you strong and wise, and you’ll never have to be alone again.” He wondered where exactly the boy would land if he was brought to Ruina; would he be taken as a lamb? Or would Elias see the boy’s tenacity, having seemingly escaped an abductor and withstand the hash desert.  As he looked at the small boy beneath him he resolved to fight to keep the boy out of enslavement, even if it meant his first born and only son would have to take his place. "Talk"  "Thought"   "You"

He closed his eyes as the other said his name, but in no world could he pretend the strong timber of a male was the sweet sing-song of his mother's voice. His mother had once lived in a pack, but she had told her Dusk child that they needed no one but each other. They had lived on the move, going from on den to another, never resting in the same place long. She had packed herbs that would cover their scent, and they had laughed beneath them as they had sprinkled them on the roads they travelled.

He wondered what it would be like to live in a pack. His mother had been right, he needed no one but her, but she wasn’t here now. He wondered, briefly, if he would miss the golden goddess who had gotten him through the worst days with her brisk manner and rich, rolling accent. She had pulled him from the side of his mother, when otherwise he might never have left. He would have followed her into the darkness of that final sleep. Would that have been a blessing? Should he hate the woman for taking away his chance to die beside her? Perhaps he might have, if his mother’s spirit hadn’t stayed with him after her death.

Reminders of his mother’s spirit made him wonder. She had led him down this path today, she had lead him into the sights of this wolf, was it her will that she go with him now? He was at a crossroads, a time where he could pick one life over another. He hung his head low. He didn’t have enough spirit to chose. Let life take him where it will, it didn’t matter in the end.

This pack would make him strong? A new thought blossomed in his heart, and he lifted his head the tiniest bit, looking at the long legs of the male, he couldn’t raise his head any higher. “Would...” his voice was barely audible, but he plunged on regardless. “Would they teach me to kill?” what other meaning was there in life, if it wasn’t to kill the monsters.
The paw that rested over his shoulder gave him the shakes. He hadn’t had physical touch since his mother. The goddess of the Sands hadn’t been one to offer it, and he hadn’t asked.

His voice was so small and weak Tyranis almost couldn’t hear him, and when he did, he wasn’t even sure if the boy had actually spoken the words or if his hopeful heart had merely supplied them. “Would they teach me to kill?” They were words he could never expect to hear from Rain, much less with the flint of hope that the boy’s voice carried. He smiled down at the trembling boy, unable to keep a spark of fatherly pride from his eyes. “You’ll learn to kill anyone that tries to hurt you.” He told him as if he were telling the boy a bedtime story. “And the best part is, you’ll have others there to help you. Especially me.” How couldn’t the boy have stolen his heart? A fatherless child, alone in the wilderness, who brought with him the hope of a legacy, a true legacy that wouldn’t shame him like his own children had. “Astraios, the storm prince!” His thoughts cheered. “Son of King Tyranis Praetor!” “Does that sound good to you?” He asked, his heart fluttering weightlessly in his chest as he did. "Talk"  "Thought"   "You"

A pack meant noise, and speech, and people around him. With so much activity, how could his mother's ghost stay by his side? He found the strength to tilt his head upwards, and he would have been able to see the blistering sun, if it wasn’t for the dark-shaded man that stood over him. Instead of seeing the sky, it was the determined yellow eyes of the stranger that he would be met with. Maybe the shade of his mother would be unable to visit with him there. Maybe she would eventually leave him, the last traces of her soul that he held so tightly to his heart. Oh mother his thoughts were bitter and sad, when he realized he would trade the soft, silent presence of his mothers shade beside him, for the chance to learn revenge.

He didn’t remove his eyes from the golden sons of the man who stood over him, holding his gaze as he began to hold his promise, to wrap it around his beaten, shallow heart. He drew himself up, when before he didn’t hold the strength in his limbs to so much as lift his head. He had been beaten and alone, and he was finding that the thought of revenge left more strength and fire in his soul, then despair ever had. I will avenge you, mumma. this I promise you

“If you teach me to kill, my life is yours.” he sealed his fate with those words, with a voice that grew in strength. Hunger and pain and loneliness had no room in his heart. There was only the dark shape of a strong stranger, a man who stood over him and promised him his heart’s desires.

“Well then, let’s take you home while you still have life left in you.” He chuckled and picked the boy up carefully, holding him as gently as he could in his mouth. The boy was so light it was almost as if he were holding nothing at all, the journey would be easy. He walked at an easy pace at first, then, once he was sure the boy would adjust to the motions of travel he broke into a run, powerful strides carrying him to the Northeast and the Maw, to the man who would become the child’s grandfather. To Ruina! -Exit Tyranis with Astraios- "Talk"  "Thought"   "You"