Question 1: Where did they build Hadrian’s Wall?

My Mothers call could not have come at a more inconvenient time. My creation was hardly complete. In fact, I think it may well be bordering on an utter failure. It was supposed to be a salve of sorts for healing minor wounds. What I had was best described as some sort of…semi…solid….slime. I pressed one ashen paw into it, smearing the contents out and along my preparation stone to better examine my great work, lips pulling into a grimace of sorts. Why…hadn’t it worked? I’m sure I followed the recipe Meryl gave me right. I mean, I added a bit to it, after all, I was sure I could make it stronger and yet I seemed to have kinda….destabilised it entirely. The violet and heated fire of my gaze rested upon my attempts at creating life-sustaining power with some measure of discord, sighing slightly as my Mothers call echoed within my den space. I wanted to keep working on my creations and yet, for my plans to actually see fulfilment I suppose I am required to appear. I need my Mother to see me, I need my siblings to support me. I need to be the one they chose over Achilles. He was born first, he has produced his own children and he may well be one of the better looking amongst us- perfect like Solaris and Calliel, white and gold and red, not carrying the black of Haziel and Phedra and Evero or the grey of myself. I still have an Angel Mark of course and I’m proud of the way it snakes about my ruff like embers but I wonder sometimes if maybe my parents chose Achilles because he was, well, first. What if one of us is better qualified? What if, despite the fact I am a little younger and grey- an apparently previously unseen Angel colour amongst our family- I was the better choice for Heir? Maybe I’m not an assassin or a warrior but they’ve had their chance, they’ve had the world lord them for their mystery and bravery and courage. It’s time the rest of us had a turn, time I showed them the true use of the Healer, the power of both life and death at my paws. I would make a better King and as such I suppose I can put down my work long enough to greet my adoring public.

My Mother thinks I am to much like my Grandfather, she thinks my attitude mirrors his too closely and yet I fail to see what is wrong with walking in the pawsteps of the greatest King that these lands have ever had. He made an empire built on the ways of Assassin, my Mother embodied the Angela dn the warrior- it’s time the Healers and the Earth had a chance to rule. After all, healing is powerful, it can kill just as easily as it can sustain if the knowledge is right. Meryl was the right choice as my teacher, of that I am entirely assured, my uncle by far the most celebrated healer amongst the many in our ranks and I know, I am sure, that he knows far more about the darker side of our Art then he lets on. I just need to convince him to share it with me. I want to build a different sort of empire because the power I wield- well, it’s something no one has ever seen before. I paused long enough to collect a little of my cream stepping out of my den, carrying my cream-smeared leaf within my ashen jaws, pristine white underside the only part of myself light enough to give away my approach as I moved to lope with graceful ease towards the gathered group, surprised to see so many of my siblings having gathered already. Alright, so maybe I was a little late, but I was creating an empire which is more then Calliel has ever done, I honestly think all she does is talk, Haziel, well, I like him alright he is quiet and perhaps someone to be won over to my side and my cause, he will never be King, not with his condition and yet that hardly means he is useless. Evero scares me a little, he sees far to much and says far too little and Phaedra, well, I have always had a place for my sister of sunset, an ally if ever there was one to be had- even if she thinks True Angels are running around.

“Hold your applause, I have arrived.”

I grinned readily, pleased to be amongst them all the same even if no one actually clapped, placing my leaf at my paws as I placed myself between Haziel and Pheadra pausing to offer my sunset sister my attention first.

“Good evening, Sweet Sister.”

She was my favoured sibling after all, not that I sought to make that too obvious tonight as I turned my attention upon the others.

“You could look a little shinier if you wanted Calliel, I have a hair treatment that will really bring out your highlights. Nice to see you Evero, ah ah, don’t say to much at once and Haziel, how’s the dark side?”

Obviously I meant Glorall. I think. At least I don’t just entirely ignore his condition like half the pack seems determined to do, playfully bumping my muzzle into my blind brothers side to assure him of my position beside him, offering him a grin, even if he couldn’t see it, til waving now as I looked upon my Mother, muzzle reaching for her own as she licked at my cheek.

“Would anyone like to let me test my new creation out on them, I can promise almost no hair loss- Calliel, let me heal that scratch!”

Alright, so I was a little enthusiastic.