If thou openest not the gate to let me enter,
I will break the door, I will wrench the lock,
I will smash the door-posts, I will force the doors.
I will bring up the dead to eat the living.
And the dead will outnumber the living.

Her breath escapes her. The words that tumbled out of her mouth with such force made it real. It made the death of her beloved Baphomet replay in her mind's eye. The gaping mouth that sprang out from the swamplands without any notice to latch on to the large frame of Baphomet. The alligator king did not hesitate in culling the competition. She seems to lose focus for a moment, her ears barely hearing the bickering between her pack. She would need to bring them together through a cause much closer to home than the annihilation and conversion of the Angels. There would never be another Samael. She could not replace him the way that she could not replace Baphomet. Her attention was broken by Lillith's arrival, her swift dominance over the large, elder male. She watches it, and she glances towards Paldor as she feels his pupiless gaze maintain on her features. She then watches as Andras asserts his dominance over Limoira. It was clear to her then that she could no longer be the passive leader that Baphomet had allowed her to be. She hears Ruvindra scold them, and she could not stand it anymore. Again her voice rings out, directed to all of them that thought it an appropriate time to fight with each other. "ENOUGH. It seems the only one mourning is my son, Saqr. My children should know that if Baphomet's body is found that it is their job to be chief mourners. Start acting like it." She snarled, silently mourning the fact that she and Baphomet were not bonded and thus she would not be the primary mourner. Her grief would be a silent affair.

Her golden eyes then sweep over them all. "Baphomet was killed by the largest alligator I have seen in these parts who sprang up unannounced and dragged him beneath the water to his death. I searched as hard as I could, and found only blood." She steadies her voice against the tightness in her throat. "As for revenge, all alligators have rendered their lives forfeit. If you find a nest, destroy it. If you find young, snap their necks and eat of their flesh. If more than one of you come across an adult, you shall antagonize and kill them if you can. If you come across one of their kills, you will steal it from them to starve them out." Her voice was strong, dangerous and oh so serious. Ishtar could not defeat the reptilian king but what would happen to him if his kills were stolen? What would happen when his children were slaughtered? What would happen if his females were slaughtered and worried? Wolves were only efficient killers because they worked as a pack, as a team. Alone, a wolf could accomplish very little but together they would defeat anything in their path.

She inhales deeply, moving past their fallen leader. "With Baphomet's death, I am your Queen. I am your Alpha. Those that do not wish to remain under my rule should leave now, for if you are not with me, then you are against me and my enemy." She scans them all, making sure she had their attention because she would not be ignored. The Blood Mouth speaks again, her voice low so that they would listen. "Those of you that earned rankings within my pack through Baphomet will keep them." She had no need to doubt her Baphomet's decisions. Her glance then turns to Andras, "I am raising you to my second. As you were like a brother to Baphomet, I hope you will come to look upon me as a sister." She needed to keep the upper rankings sturdy or else Iromar could crumble beneath her paws.

She then looks out upon them. Her eyes fall to those that were barely known to her. They fell on Amissus Anima. On Dimitri who she could see nervous in the mists. On Vague who was supposed to be Ruvindra's mate and yet she had not seen them together much. On Paldor who she knew only as Ruvindra's white, creepy, pupiless shadow. Seriously, stop staring at her. Creeper. "As for those that so desperately want something from me, the customary grieving period is six days in Hell. Though we do not have a body to mourn, we shall observe it nonetheless. After those six days, approach me whenever you wish." She sighs, exhausted from the rollercoaster of emotions that coursed through her. She glances towards Andras, knowing the male was more emotion than the cool intelligence that she posessed. And then to Lillith, the sensual playful creature that she had always been, and then Jezebeth, her social, intelligent daughter (though most things that slipped from her mouth were lies), Limoira who was not happy with her for making her father's death a party, and finally Saqr who freely expressed his sorrow for his father's untimely departure. "Though we have no body, we shall mourn him all the same."

She steps down from the throne, and she lifts her head to let out a mourning call before she begins the appropriate prayers. "BAPHOMET. Redit patribus tuis, ut tibi grata gehennae incendiis, tu convivium in multis enim escis, ut in perpetuum ordinem vestrum, ut contremiscant coram Angelis. Ut DÆmonibus receperint vos fratrem suum." (May your soul return to our ancestors, may the flames of Hell welcome you, may you feast on many meats, may your line continue forever, may Angels tremble in your presence. May Devils welcome you as their brother.) She spoke in the old language, knowing that at least her eldest children, Andras and Lillith would know how to respond, to finish the the prayers that would deliver Baphomet's demonic spirit back to the arms of Hell. She looked towards them to finish it, knowing this was the last small favor she could do for the Demon King.

ISHTAR.