fading memories -- ! [OPEN]

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The swift running river dominated her senses, fresh water overpowering her nose and the dull roar of the current calling to her ears. Even with winter coming the desert was unbearably hot, just the way she liked it. Too bad the young female was rather lonely. How long had it been since she'd last seen her family? Or, better yet, how long had she gone without catching a glimpse of the pack that dwelled here? The Occasus was a rather large territory, well able to conceal a lone wolf like herself. The problem was, Isis didn't want to be alone anymore.

Heaving a sigh, the slender Iranian softly padded to the edge of the river and and dipped her head to kiss the current. Within seconds cool water was soothing her parched throat. If only it could soothe her aching heart as well. As much as she hated to admit to it, she missed those stupid boys. Osiris and Anubis. They were all that was left of her family now. And they had always been like brothers to her. Now more than ever she was craving their attention, perhaps just passing glimpse, something to tell her that they were okay.

Isis hadn't wanted to leave them. She'd just... She'd felt like she had no choice in the matter. She wasn't cut out to be an alpha, not the kind they'd needed anyway. Osiris was determined to go off on his own and Anubis had followed in his brother's footsteps. So she'd let them go, just like that. There was no point in forcing them to stay with her. If what they really wanted was adventure and the chance to explore, so be it. Isis craved stability.

In the end, what she'd gotten was neither stability nor companionship. The Zahir pack was gone by the time she'd again made her home in the desert. The only reason she stayed was because these lands were familiar. They were where she had always felt most comfortable, most like herself. And, while she had some bitter memories, she would have rather kept to the Sands of Rodorr than dared to travel any place else. Change didn't agree with the femme.

Unfortunately, change was on the wind again. The Ryala pack was claiming her home as its territory now and she could only hide for so long. Not wanting to make her presence known (for if she did that would mean she'd have to make up her mind), she kept herself quiet and closed her eyes. It was only a matter of time now before someone from the pack would eventually find her. Right now she was stalling. Being alone versus adjusting to a life with strangers were equally detestable ideas. At the moment it was easier to deal with the former. Being alone was almost comfortable, as much as she hated it. The question was, how much longer would she be able to bear the deafening silence of no other heartbeats like her own?

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The desert seemed to stretch on and on. From his meeting with Rasalas and Calandra, Anubis had the opportunity to simply marvel in the vast expanse that was the Sands of Rodorr. With each step further into Ryala's territory, the iranian male was beginning to realize just how much of the desert there really was. It became quickly apparent that their family pack had restrained themselves to a small area of the desert; never before had he been this far toward the gushing waters of the Aughgar River. Apparently, in an attempt to protect the pack from the wolves of Zahir, his parents had maintained a healthy distance from any of the defined landmarks of the pack. Anubis remembered seeing the towering volcano of the desert several times, but not once had they ventured close enough for the male to even fully comprehend just how large a feature it truly was.

Anubis found himself weary from the conversation with Rasalas. Though he had no problems with the alpha, Amun had attempted to make himself abundantly clear that this male was not the alpha of his birth pack, and he was trying to be as difficult as possible, thus complicating Anubis's attempts to seek help from the pack. Osiris had been missing for well over three weeks now, and there was still no sign of him. With the wolf's brother missing, Anubis had a hollow point in his chest. The only family that he had remaining had seemingly vanished into thin air, and now Isis was not with the pack as he had originally anticipated. Amun had done nothing further to calm him; in fact, the jackal was really starting to irritate him from his constant snide remarks. It was almost as if he was glad that Osiris was no longer around.

True, the pair had never taken to one another like Anubis and Amun had to one another, but he did not think that there were truly negative feelings between them. It seemed that, once again, the wiry coated male was being proved wrong. He was sick of all the dramatic tension surrounding them. Now that he thought about it, Amun had done little to help him dig out Osiris after the landslide, instead insisting that his brother had likely been smashed by the falling rocks and did not survive. Anubis refused to accept that alternative, and so he continued on his search.

The male let out a strangled sigh. Perhaps it was time for him to move on. If Osiris wanted to be found, it would be in due time. Anubis was certain that, had he made his way out, his brother may have decided to forge a life away from him. Anubis had always had a strong dependence on his brother, but often he felt as if the sentiment was not reciprocated. He just needed somebody to lean on, and he had found that in the dominant personality of his brother. Anubis was never meant to be a strong leader or a dominant individual. Instead, he was content to live his life in the shadow of others, simply aiding them in their goals and making them look better without taking any of the credit for himself. It was likely the main reason Osiris remained with him so long in the first place.

With the sound of quick-moving water filling the male's ears, Anubis allowed the first genuine smile in weeks to spread across his face. While it was warm, it was not hot out, and some cool water would be welcomed by the tired male. Content, the male shimmied up on some of the rocks lining the river's edge, hopping from stone to stone until he stood a quarter of the way out into the river's flow. Dipping his muzzle to the cool liquid, he drank deeply, relishing in the cooling sensation it brought to his parched throat. He was absent to everything around him. In fact, he did not actually notice another wolf merely ten yards to his south as he drank in the river's blessing.

While Amun watched from the shore with an amused look, Anubis dipped each paw into the water, relishing in the cool feeling against his fur. His jackal companion had already noticed Isis shortly down river from them, but he did not say a word, content to watch the situation unfold as a source of amusement. Once finished in the river, Anubis ambled back toward the shore, noticing his friend's distracted gaze. "Amun, what is it?" he inquired, although the jackal simply shook his head and remained quiet.

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[atrb=background,http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1830/rasmid.png] Rasalas was becoming much more aware the past few days. There seemed to be quite a group of loners gathering up in this area. Finding two wolves and a jackal was enough to prove to him that he needed to be on higher alert, the deserts were quite expansive. The brute trotted along, ensuring to mark any borders that may have lost the scent of them. A growl rumbled in his chest, mostly directed at himself, but not like there really was anyone else to hear it right now. He had allowed Anubis to wander off, and for what reason? Perhaps the brute was going to permanently stay with them. The red brute hoped this would be the outcome, perhaps even the female would stay as well. Wandering the deserts mostly alone was getting quite depressing - to say the least. The Alpha shook his pelt, attempting to rid himself of the frustrations growing within. Anubis and his smaller friend Amun had not gotten too far, Rasalas had ensured that although some distance was put between them that the foreigner's scent could still be traced. He was becoming increasingly paranoid, and he noticed it. Never before had he been so worried about the pack, but now it seemed to be all he could think about. Algethi and Adhara were fading away to distant memories now, their spirits were drifting away. A pang of anguish swarmed the brute; yet, he knew he had to push it away. There was no way that he could think about them right now. These lands could be in danger, if anything Rasalas needed these new wolves to join him; and to swear their allegiance to the pack. No more running away, no more of wolves not doing their part. Everyone went into things together - they were a family. Rasalas was tired of having to support the entire pack on his own, Aries seemed to have made that his job since day one. The Alpha brute was not attempting to grow lazy by using the others of Ryala, he just couldn't wear himself down anymore. Then everyone would die. His pace dropped in speed steadily as the river formed along his range of sight, and of course two creatures stood together. A smile grew upon his maw, 'I see they found the river.' The brute hoped that their thirst was quenched now, perhaps they would get a chance to rest for a bit. 'Hopefully they stay,' golden orbs swam across the racing water, all of this was his. It was quite a momentary power trip to gaze at the vast expanse of terrain knowing it belonged to him. Head tilted to the side, studying the unfamiliar silhouette standing not too far off from Anubis and Amun. A chuckle that was near silent escaped his lips, did they realize she was there? The scene was entertaining, but Rasalas would not be keeping his distance. These were his lands he could speak with them if he pleased, but for a moment he thought of staying back and letting them notice each other. He was stumped, unsure which method would most work out in his favor. Sighing softly the brute decided to move himself forward still, allowing the figurines to grow larger and more defined. His features were on high alert, one could never be too careful. "Hello again Anubis, Amun. I am pleased you found the river, hopefully you are feeling more hydrated." the Alpha gave each of the brutes a gentle nod in greeting as his gaze studied each of them individually. Upon the completion of his brief greeting towards the two, his attention shifted to Isis, although she was standing slightly farther off he figured she could still easily hear them. "Greetings to you as well madam," his optics shifted back to the brutes for a moment, wondering if they had even noticed that the female was there. His tail swung in a light pace behind him, auds persistently quivering to detect words from any of the others. "What do you call yourself? I am Rasalas, Alpha of Ryala." His tone was genuine and a soft smile was upon his muzzle, yet Alpha was nervous. 'What if they all leave.' The brute struggled to retain his posture, to hold himself as if this position came quite naturally to him.

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A ghost. Isis felt like she'd just seen the face of a ghost. She had finished her drink and was standing awkwardly on the bank of the river, thinking, when the pair had strolled up like a mirage in the desert. Two figures, one much like herself in appearance and the other that foul mouthed jackel that gave her no end of strife. But... it couldn't be them. It could not be Anubis and Amun, could it? They were off exploring the world with Osiris. She had to be seeing things!

Turning her face back to the river, she took a breath and submerged herself. The cool water ran over her nose and and eyes, chilling her face and hopefully clearing her mind. But, when she again lifted her muzzle from the depths of the Aughgar, water dripping from her chin, the figures had not vanished. Anubis had skipped out into the middle of the river. And Amun, he had fixed his unsettling gaze upon herself, knowing she was there.

Yellow eyes peered right back at the jackel in silence, narrowed into a cold glare. Hadn't Anubis ever taught him that it was rude to stare? Granted she was staring right back without a word, but... How was she supposed to approach? She wasn't even sure the boys were real. Isis had been left on her own for so long that she wouldn't put it past herself to hallucinate their familiar figures. The desert heat could do that to a wolf. If it wasn't for the strong but gentle voice of another male cutting the silence, she would have thought herself crazy.

Her gaze slipped from the jackel and her former pack mate, dropping briefly to her paws before fixing on Rasalas with some defiance. Alpha. He'd had the nerve to introduce himself as the alpha of her lands. While it was true that she knew a pack dwelled here, Isis couldn't help but subconsciously lay claim to the desert. It had been her home first. And, as stubborn as she was, it was hard to let go of the old ways. In her mind she was still a beta, or even an alpha like those brief days she'd spent in I'queyer. Her stance was that of dominance and pride, and already she was on the defensive.

"This was my home first." Isis had pulled her ears back, tail out. Her small frame was tense and her eyes kept darting between the three males. A very large part of her was still having a hard time accepting that all of this was real. And more importantly, she didn't want to admit that it actually scared her. The pack had found her. Worse off, the alpha had found her. And Anubis was there with that annoying Amun whose gaze somewhat made her skin crawl. Had the boys joined the pack? Had they had the courage to do what it turned out she had not? The Iranian's stomach twisted, fear running down her spine. For once she was at a loss for what to do. It was all too much to fast. And while she wanted to lead, take charge, she also wanted to run.

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It came as a complete surprise to Anubis that, as Rasalas strode up behind himself and Amun, he not only addressed the pair, but apparently another wolf in their vicinity. Anubis turned to greet the new wolf only to find himself completely frozen. There is no way. I have to be dreaming.

Standing no more than a few yards away from him was Isis. Not only was she close, but she was standing right in the line of Amun's vision. Anubis turned a dirty eye on his friend before hissing under his breath, "And you didn't think to tell me? What good are you for, anyways?" He let out a strangled sigh before taking a step forward, and then another, bringing himself closer to his sister. "Isis," he breathed out a sighed of relief, completely ignoring the male alpha that had followed close behind. He quickly darted to his sister, closing the distance between them and wrapping his neck over top of her's to nuzzle her lovingly.

"I thought I was not going to see you again, Isis," he admitted, his voice cracking ever so slightly with distress. He was not sure if he felt better now that he found his sister or worse. This was better because he had found at least one piece of his family. But it was worse because this meant that Osiris could not possibly be with her. So where was he? He almost audibly whined in frustration as Amun strode up behind the pair.

"Well, this is all fine and dandy. Hello, Miss Isis. What a pleasure to see you once more," he chortled, sarcasm thick in his voice. The jackal had never truly respected Isis, particularly when she had attempted to "lead" them. Amun had shown respect to Anubis's parents, as they had been the ones to eventually grant permission for him to remain with the pack. But Isis was different. She was a nosy, overly-puffed up busy body with nothing better to do than try to boss him around. He had no master, not even Anubis. If he desired to leave, he most certainly would. He simply opted to stay with his companion because it was mutually beneficial to him. He could eat much easier with two than with just himself. It was a simple matter of logic.

"Amun," Anubis lightly scolded his friend before stepping back from Isis. It had been far too long. He had lost track of just how long it had been since he laid eyes on his sister. In fact, time seemed to have done her much better than he would have originally thought. Good genes, he mused, unable to wipe the nearly permanent smile off his face. It was then that he remembered Rasalas who he had walked right past without acknowledging.

Whirling back to the alpha male, the iranian brute tucked his tail between his legs, dipping his head in respect to Rasalas. "I'm sorry sir, I did not mean to ignore you," he apologized speedily, attempting to smooth over any potential bad air between the two. "Sir, this is Isis, my sister. She is one of the two I told you about before..." He trailed off, unsure of how to continue. While Anubis was thrilled to see Isis, she had technically been trespassing on Rasalas's territory. It was at this realization that he lifted his head, standing slightly taller to see the alpha's reaction. If he were to grow angry with Isis, then Anubis would have no choice but to turn on him. He would not allow any harm to come to her; she had just come back to him, and he would not lose her again.

He would make sure of it.

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[atrb=background,http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1830/rasmid.png] The brute's eyes narrowed upon the female, showing his frustration with her comment towards him. Auds pulled themselves back towards his skull, yet Rasalas soon would realize what all of this meant. A mere second later Anubis had reprimanded the jackal and rushed towards the femme. 'They know each other,' the Alpha had figured this from the beginning. It seemed far too coincidental that two of the same species were standing so closely to each other upon these lands. A sigh escaped his lips, although the brute was certain that none other than perhaps the jackal would notice it. Everything felt distant to the red one, he was not really within his body. Somewhere everything would work out for him, maybe upon another reality. For a moment the brute longed to be somewhere else, away from the torment that was building within himself. Golden optics observed the affection that Anubis offered to the femme, and he was grateful to have held his tongue. With a rage as fiery as his own he nearly spat a comment back at the female. Her remark very much reminded him of the comment that Amun had made upon their meeting. 'Perhaps the two get along quite well,' this thought was entertained within his mind for a few moments. Somehow he had to shove the emotions away from himself. Watching the reuniting of siblings was more painful than returning to a diminishing pack. His little crush on Aries brought nearly no pain compared to what his current experience was. 'Algethi, Adhara, where have you gone?' the brute turned himself away from the nuzzling siblings. His muscular figure began shivering, fighting back the tears that were begging to fill his eye sockets. He would not cry in front of these foreigners, they would probably not even stay within Ryala now that they had each other. Together they could go and search for Osiris. The world was a cruel place, clearly the most unforgiving land. The Alpha knew not what he did to deserve such a punishment, why he had to be completely alone. All of his family had died before his very eyes and then his siblings disappeared. A few eternities later life appeared to be fixing itself. He had met Aries and not long after she had decided to follow his advice, make this land a permanent home and refuge. He had fallen a bit for the female, which may have been due to his lack of interaction with many others before her, but now she was gone. Once more he was left to pick up the shattered pieces of this puzzle. It would be another struggle to rebuild his life. An attempt to get everything back on track where he wanted it. The brute's spine grew stiff as the words of Anubis speaking to Isis continued to prickle his auds. He would show no more of this weakness, they would need to be faced. Soon their decision had to be made, would they stay or leave? That was all Rasalas needed to know. If they wished to not join Ryala they would need to leave these lands. He was going to weed out all of the loners from the desert, they were certainly popping up everywhere. Focus once more was set within the brute's mind, despite the fact he was experiencing mixed emotions. Half of the brute was grateful that some were able to be reunited with family and another part was jealous. 'What have I done to be stranded, alone,' his thoughts were full of anger. Features were far softer now than before, showing off a much more pleased expression. He decided for now to simply ignore the comment that Isis had made, the thought of ruining this perfect moment was quite distant from his mind. The respect from Anubis was greatly appreciated, although he hoped the brute did not maintain such a submissive stance. "It is acceptable Anubis," the brute could not resist a smile, "I would have done the same had she been one of my sisters." A slight chuckle escaped him and his gaze grew distant. Hardly did he realize what words had just slid from his maw. Had he previously told them about his sisters, he could honestly not remember. His attention once more drifted to the femme who had been so bitter towards him merely moments before. "It is a pleasure to meet you Isis," he gave a slight nod in greeting to the femme. After a brief pause he opted to continue speaking, "I am glad that the two of you were able to find each other. Hopefully Osiris will be located soon as well." The brute was nervous about these words. He did not want them to leave Ryala but join it instead. Perhaps a better taste of pack life would be within their mouth. It seemed none of them had beneficial pack encounters previously. There was always room for change. Rasalas felt unsure what else to say to the two rejoicing wolves, perhaps they would be able to fill the void.

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Her name hung in the air like a forgotten melody. How long had it been since she'd heard her name spoken aloud, especially by anyone but herself? The tones sounded so foreign, especially when coming from Anubis. It had been so long since she'd last heard his voice. She almost didn't think he was real. Even when he wrapped his neck around her's the tiny femme still had her doubts. This couldn't be real, it couldn't be. It was too good to be true! But, as she pressed her face against his side, nuzzling him, trying to get closer to him than she ever had before, it was hard to stay pessimistic. This was her Anubis. He was here and he was very real. She could feel his heart beat and his scent was overwhelming.

For the first time in a very long time, Isis felt like she was home.

"I can't believe it's really you." Her voice was so soft, almost broken. Tears were welling in her eyes and she swallowed hard, refusing to cry in front of her family and especially the alpha of the pack that had claimed her lands. Though small in stature, Isis had always prided herself on her strength. She was an intelligent creature with a good head on her shoulders, decisive when needed and the type others usually wanted to follow. Had she not been treated so much like the sister she knew she wasn't, maybe she would have better kept her beloved family together...

The only thing that could ruin their happy moment was Amun insisting on putting his two cents in. Almost instantaneously yellow eyes snapped open, tears held back in favor of a cold, burning intensity. Anubis could probably feel her body stiffen as she pulled away, posture now ridged but more respectful than it had been. It was amazing how one snide comment could shift her mood so greatly, pulling her back down to reality with a crater leaving force. "I wish I could say the same, Jackal. But it seems you are as mannerless as ever." Isis had once put effort into pretending to get along with the harsh tongued creature, for Anubis's sake, but the absence had left her glad to be rid of his presence and she saw no reason to play nice anymore. Not when Amun would not return the favor.

At least the jackal was good for something. His rudeness reminded them that the alpha was present as well and, almost grudgingly, Isis followed Anubis's lead. Though she still stood very close to the young male, her short coat almost brushing his, she did manage to let her head drop respectfully towards Rasalas before raising it again. With lowered tail and backed ears she looked more defensive than she did submissive, but at least it was not an outright challenge. Having been beta, alpha, and then alone, consenting to the rule of another was not something she was used to.

"You will forgive me for feeling ambushed." Funny, that sounded a little more like an order than a request. At least she no longer sounded so defensive? "It has been a long time since I've been in the presence of others, let alone two ghosts and an alpha." Figuratively speaking, of course, but looking upon Anubis and Amun really was like gazing into the faces of ghosts from her past. It had been far too long since she'd seen them both, and the female did not do well with so much quickset change.

Wait, did the alpha just say that Osiris was missing? Isis snapped her head up, ears perking and tail raising as her body instinctually tried to take charge of the situation. Feeling, looking, and acting dominant was empowering. It helped her to keep her mind in control. And when she was in control, she could think clearly and manage to keep herself grounded. Right now was one of those times. With everything so up in the air, an alpha who had every right to persecute her for trespassing and family who had waltzed back into her life, she needed to cling to the crumbling earth at her paws and stay standing. If she didn't, who knew how far into the dark abyss she would tumble. "What does he mean, Anubis? Osiris is not with you? What happened to him?" A growled rolled forth from her throat, worry and annoyance showing in her posture. "Stupid, headstrong boy. I should have never let him have his way!"

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It seemed that as Isis spoke to his new companion, Rasalas, she was fighting her old ways. The slight smile that graced the male iranian's face was hard to disguise. It was just like the old days, as much as they had hurt. Anubis missed his sister's company, just as he missed his brother's. With her nearby, some of the weight on his heart had been lifted. The dreading feeling was starting to fade away, and he could think that, if he stumbled across Isis after all this time, maybe Osiris was still out there too.

He was grateful to see that Rasalas was not angered with his outburst of affection toward Isis; it had simply been so long since the two had seen one another that he could not contain himself. The last thing he wished to do was offend the desert alpha. That would only end in him being cast away from what he still considered to be his home, and that simply could not do. The desert may have taken away his family, but piece by piece, it was starting to give it back. Maybe it was not so terrible here after all. Rasalas seemed to be doing alright here, and maybe he could forge a life in the Occasus. Even if Osiris did not turn up, Anubis could always hope that his brother was out wandering the continent, forging a journey of his own.

Anubis had completely tuned out of the situation, but he re-entered just in time to hear Isis's demanding, yet it was still sweet to his ears, tone toward the alpha male. The black-tipped wolf felt his ears fall back slightly, his head drooping in submission. He did not want the alpha to cast them out, and if he had to choose between them, then he would surely have to go with Isis. But it was just starting to feel comfortable here. "Isis...?" he asked hesitantly, his voice barely louder than a whisper. It was then that his sister's tone turned on him, inquiring just what Rasalas had meant by Osiris not being with him.

Amun simply sat back and watched the spectacle, the smirk that seemed to be permanently plastered on his face growing wider by the second. He relished the discomfort of his friend along with the sassy attitude of his sister. He completely ignored her quip about him; he was much too self-centered to allow anything that wolf said to affect him. Instead, he just enjoyed the time bomb that he was sure was about to be set off.

"Well Isis... We were hanging around Xisyn," Anubis fumbled in an attempted to explain what had happened. His voice audibly shook. "And... and well, you see, Osiris was in this cave and well..." He started sniffling, hating to relive the event over again. "There was a rock slide... There have been a lot of them down there lately and they are getting worse." He winced, unable to look at Isis at this point. The pause could have been interpreted in several ways, yet the male continued on with his story. "He got trapped in the cave. Amun and I tried to dig him out, but it took a long time to do it... By the time we could see in, I couldn't see Osiris anymore." The brute was near tears by the end of his story, and he completely turned his back on the two wolves in an attempt to keep face, which he had already failed at dramatically.

What would Isis think of him, going off and leaving Osiris alone in the cave like that? Would she hate him? Or would she understand that he did everything that he could to get to his brother? Anubis fretted constantly about his explanation, unable to reconcile the variety of responses he could receive. "I... I understand if you don't want to see me anymore," he sniffed, turning back to glance at Rasalas. "Sir, if you don't mind, I would love to stay here with your pack. Maybe I can do your family better justice than I have done my own," he offered, his voice cracking.

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[atrb=background,http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1830/rasmid.png] He could not help but experience pangs of jealousy, after all he too had lost family. Fortune had not given him such a reward though, none of them had returned to his aching heart. Emotions were mixing unpleasantly within his stomach. Half of the Alpha was overjoyed and the other was stinging with envy; however, his entirety felt guilty for the negativity. It was not fair to the other two wolves that he was having flashbacks and a longing for his sisters, he should be rejoicing with them. Rasalas set his mind in an attempt to do just that, shove away the pain. One day the gaping wound would begin to seal itself, only then would he be able to move forward with his life. Dwelling on the past would not be an issue then. 'Even finding a part of their corpse would settle me,' yet the world had not even given him such a luxury. The brute offered a simple grin to Isis before attempting to shove away his emotions. Remaining stoic was proving to be quite difficult; however, it would need to be done. It was unwise for him to be an emotional wreck of an Alpha. "I can only imagine what joy you are experiencing right now. No need for apology." The red brute noted the female's words. Such strength was held within them that even he could not help but feel like it was his duty to apologize. When her order was given it seemed to pull an instant response, even from the Alpha. Rasalas did not think much of it now, merely assuming that he was being weak. Yet, it would be useful to have another creature to help him out eventually. 'She has done little to prove her use to you,' this was true. In fact, neither of them had mentioned if they were even staying or not. With her next words, the brute felt tension rebuilding inside of him. Was he not supposed to speak of Osiris being gone? Either way it did not matter now, the female would have found out eventually either way. There would be no point in hiding it, after all the family seemed as if they were fairly close. She would have found out sooner or later. His breath was tripping in his lungs, his mind praying that no harm was done with his comment. The last thing he needed was to anger any of them any more than he potentially had. Except the jackal of course, that small canine was crawling deep under Rasalas' skin already. Silence overcame him and cautiously he listened in on the Iranians' conversation. It seemed to be more of an explanation than anything, but the Alpha was happy for a moment of peace. He was able to let his anxiety worn mind a moment of recovery. Words were becoming more difficult to form, breathing was becoming stranger to his body. The event that played out was something that only graced him in a dream. It was a concept that the Alpha prayed for every night. One day, his sisters would return to him. Perhaps they would catch him off guard, run up and give him an affectionate nuzzle. Heaven would melt into the Earth on that day, two realities would be fused into one. The dimension of hell would transform into a land for the gods. A glimmer of joy appeared upon his features at the mere thought of his siblings. He would certainly act in the same way Isis and Anubis had. Mixtures of shock and excitement coming to life. Anubis' next words shocked him from his silence. This brute wanted to stay within the Occasus! He attempted to hide the happiness pumping throughout his veins, something good had come from this situation! It was bittersweet, however, as Anubis viewed himself as a failure to his blood family. This was something Rasalas could relate to quite well himself, as he could never quite recover from the failure chewing at his brain matter. "I would be honored to have you stay here, Anubis." His words were laced with a smile, "And both of you are welcome to join him, if you would like." his golden gaze played between the three canines, wondering if all would now be remaining here. Attention swiveled back to the Iranian brute, "You have not failed your family, I understand that it may seem that way now - but trust me, you have done no such thing."

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"Xisyn?" she repeated back, thinking on the rather rocky sink hole terrain. There was no doubt it was one of the more dangerous territories on the continent. While the north faced snow and blizzards, the south had heat and rock slides. If Osiris had gotten trapped in one... Immediately Isis's mind turned towards the negative. Dead. Osiris had to be dead. But instead of sadness she felt something else swell inside her chest. Anger, shame, guilt. Had she been a better leader she probably could have kept him alive. Had he been willing to listen, this never would have happened! Letting out a low growl, her ears pulled back as she processed the information in her own way, frustration rather than tears seeping from her body.

It took only minutes but once she had her composure back she looked over at Anubis. Only to see him crying? Another aggravated growl slipped from between her teeth as she shook her head, moving closer to him and pressing her nose against his neck. "Quit blubbering, Nubie. We can't change the past. Everything always happens for a reason." And she truly did believe that. In the very slim case that Osiris hadn't died in the rock slide, perhaps he and Anubis were supposed to have gotten separated. Had they not, she never would have found this sweet boy again. Isis loved her family dearly and, placing a small lick on Anubis's cheek, she actually managed a smile for him. "I'm here now."

And she wasn't leaving him again. At least until Anubis's next words touched her ears. Really? He was going to turn his back on her for a pack? A pack she longed to join but didn't know how? And what was with all the negativity? Anubis had always been such a happy boy, eager to follow in his brother's footsteps. Isis was the one who liked to contemplate the worst, dwelling on each worse outcome until she found the solution that would lead to the best possible one. And before she had the chance to snap Anubis out of whatever funk it was he was in, the alpha was speaking.

Again a growl threatened to fall, posture straightening to show her pride and eyes locking on Rasalas. She did not like that he had spoken in place of the right of family. She should have been the one to reassure Anubis. She should have been the one to chastise him for leaving her in the first place (even though technically she had been the one who'd told them to go and then turned and walked away). If anyone had failed the family, it had been herself. Isis wasn't about to go repeating the mistakes of the past.

"If Anubis stays, I stay. I'm not leaving him again." Her tone was commanding, decisive, maybe even a bit challenging as she looked the alpha dead in the eye. She was daring him to tell her otherwise, tell her that she couldn't stay with the last remaining link to her old family. She had as much right to live in the desert as any other wolf, and if that meant compromising herself to fit in with this pack then so be it. Things would eventually settle into a more comfortable way. She would be sure to see that this pack met her standards. If if didn't, well... Rasalas would be getting a lecture on everything he was doing wrong.

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Isis's scolding brought Anubis back to some sense of reality. Of course he could not have changed the past and everything happened for a reason, but it seemed as if their family attracted bad luck like the plague. It was for that reason that he could not completely quell the fear for his brother's safety, but he was grateful that Rasalas followed through with his extension of pack membership. Of course, it would not be the same as his birth pack, but anything had to be better than wandering alone for the rest of his life. Truth be told, he had not been very happy with it just being himself, Amun and Osiris, but it was beyond reason for Anubis to have walked away from his brother. He wanted whatever Osiris wanted, and his brother had desired to forge their own way apart from Isis. Anubis had never been more pleased than when he saw his sister's face. Indeed, it had been much to long and they had been apart longer than the iranian male might have realized. It was times like these that he truly appreciated what his life had given him.

With Isis demanding to stay in the pack as well, Anubis flinched. It would take him quite some time before he grew comfortable being in the presence of someone who was demanding, but not his brother. Amun may have had a dominant personality, but he was not used to a wolf acting so abrasively with an alpha, particularly one to a pack with which she was not a part. Anubis did not want his sister to be turned away, but surely Rasalas realized that, much like himself and Amun, Anubis and Isis were a package deal? If he were to turn away Anubis's sister, there was no way, in good conscience, that he could remain with Ryala. He needed his support system, and right now that fell to Isis. He would go wherever she was or stay wherever she stayed. Even under the leadership of this new alpha, his ultimate loyalty laid with her.

The brute placed way too much faith in his family, but he could not help it. That was all he had ever known. Isis had been his alpha at one point, and before that, she had ruled over them as his beta. Either way, Isis was much higher in stature than Anubis, and he would always fall to the habits of which he developed during his younger years. With yellow eyes falling cautiously on Rasalas, he awaited the alpha's decision on his sister's entrance to the pack. Would he have to walk away?

Anubis hoped not. He wanted a stable home, and he wanted to return to the place of his birth. He would hopefully achieve both with this pack. And who knew, maybe Osiris would turn up in the desert at some point like Isis. It was always a possibility, and he did not want to pass on any chance that he may have to reunite his family. Isis was here, and that alone had elevated the brute to a much higher plane of thinking. He was not as cursed as he may have thought; however, he would have to be cautious so as to not anger the alpha. While Rasalas had been nothing but kind to him thus far, particularly after he took off on him like he had before, Anubis would worry until the sun went down and until it came back up the next day. It was in his nature, and until he was in a position that he no longer had to worry, it would not change. The male saw the potential that a pack life could offer him, and he did not want to walk away. He had made it this far; what more could the universe want from him?

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[atrb=background,http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1830/rasmid.png] The alpha's golden eyes swam between the two Iranians, intrigued and still jealous of them reuniting. A few pangs of guilt still stung his nerves, how selfish could he possibly be. Yet, his mind was pulled away from himself when he heard a few brief growls emit Isis' maw. A moment of guarded confusion passed through him, his exterior remaining neutral but internally he was ready for a fight. Nothing occurred from it though, she was merely expressing her stress and upset. The red brute nodded his head slowly, agreeing with himself that her response was quite natural. He had quite the tendency to growl at anything when his mind was cluttered. Carefully he began flexing his claws into the sandy ground beneath them, slowly he was uprooting some of the terrain he had patted down. This action was not a thread of violence, merely something to distract him from the anxiety crawling around. Rasalas was stumped, how was he supposed to feel in this situation? A benevolent wolf would certainly not feel envious of their fortune; maybe it was a natural response though. Once more he found himself over analyzing an idea that could certainly be thought about later, there was little point dwelling on it now. He had three canines standing before him, conversing with each other - yet they still required his attention. Rasalas did not fear attack from them, or believe they threatened his lands, however they still deserved him to pay attention. Silently, he listened to Isis reassure her brother, attempt to convince him that it was not his fault. For a moment he believed himself out of line to speak up reassuringly towards the other brute, but it had torn his heart to see Anubis beat himself up about a situation that was totally out of his control. 'The same goes for you,' he averted his golden gaze to the distance once more. Perhaps it was foolish for him to believe they still were out there and that it was his fault they were alone. A whimper threatened to expose his anguish, but pride beat it away in order to protect whatever authority was left inside of him. Time would never completely heal these scars, he would certainly need some sort of proof. Even finding their bodies would ease his pain, he would know what happened to them. His world would no longer be a mixture of confusion and assumptions. Anubis was remaining particularly quiet whilst his sister reassured him, but suddenly attention was back upon Rasalas. The female seemed quite demanding in her comment that she was staying. Her eyes locked with his own and a flare of rage grew in his chest. Fiery golden orbs remained upon her own. If she was wishing to challenge him, to take away all that was his, then she was going to have another thing coming her way. She had her brother back and he had nothing but these lands. Who was the true winner? It certainly was not him. "Welcome to the ranks," his words were friendly, but a bit stiffer than before. Even prior to becoming alpha, the red one had never been partial to being challenged. It encouraged his fiery temper. Violence was brought about within his mind that he had persistently tried to tuck deep away - he never wanted to hurt anyone. His composure had been held, although his tone was a bit rougher than normal he had not snarled. No hair had flicked itself up, his posture was still fairly relaxed. Rasalas was not ignorant, he could see that Isis was displeased with him. Was it about the comment? He could not tell for certain what he had done to irk her so, but his mind was churning in an attempt to figure out why he had her so frustrated. 'Maybe she is always this way?' Shifting his weight slightly the brute glanced at the two wolves, "I will be calling a pack meeting in the next few days. If you would like a tour of the lands I am more than happy to show you around - but I believe you all are fairly familiar with the Occasus."