Venom knew she was expecting to be an aunt, but with her broken leg hadn’t ventured out all that often. That and she didn’t wish to intervene in anything Toxicity wished to do throughout her pregnancy. With their last grad meeting Venom thought it best to keep any added stress out of either of their lives. The amount of times Toxicity visited her made Venom believe her sister felt the same.

After her dream with their father Venom was more determined to bridge the vast gap that suddenly grew between them. Despite their differences Venom could admit the need in her life for her sibling. Being humble didn’t come easy to the young Empress, but she knew the earth was nearly unending and there was a lot of knowledge that she did not have. Wisdoms as well, which was why she appeared at the shrine.

She carried with her a thick white ram skin, soft and plush to keep the warmth retained on the bitter cold days of winter. Wrapped within were dried flowers and nut oils. A gift to help in the building process. With one cat like paw Venom knocked softly against the temple wall. She hoped that Obi would answer so she might ask him about the silver markings that started to stain her dark pelt.

With the now four pups growing steadily, Obi could see Toxicity's demeanor relaxing slightly. She was sleeping better now, and her milk production had steadied back out. Everything was starting to smoothen out- then there was a knock at the shrine door. Perhaps it was that lad Hattori who occasionally stopped by. It was good timing, Obi had a box of goods to deliver to Venom, though he didn't expect to see her any time soon. It was important to still pay homage to the empress even if they had fallen out of graces in the past season. Obi creaked open the door only about an inch or two to keep the chill from entering the heated shrine. When he craned his neck upwards, he did not see the bight horned man, but rather the familiar face of Venom. Obi stepped outside immediately, quietly shutting the door behind him. Was she here to kick them out of the pack? Had she decided to punish Toxicity after all? Were the pups at risk? Reeling in his expression as a precaution- his face still too foreign for many wolves to read- Obi looked up at the woman. "Empress," he said with a steep bow. "What brings you to the shrine today?"

As her mind summoned so would Obi appear at the door, quick to bring himself outside the shelter to bow and greet her. She’d grown up with him, so knew him slightly better than most wolves but was still uncertain how to interpret his expression. One of the relics from her father’s time, Venom would always have a soft spot in her heart for the once companion of Archon.

”Well,” where to begin? She was often much more prepared but not so much today. ”To start, I had a vision of my father.” The dream was the catalyst of her visit. ”I wish to begin to heal the rift that’s grown between myself and Toxicity. A gift in congratulations for her new children as well.” Venom nudged forward the big roll of fur. ”Also.” She tried to find his gaze with her sunset eyes. ”After the dream my fur has started to change color.” She motioned to the rim of her eye and shifted slightly so that he might better see the streaks in her scruff.

Obi waited patiently as the girl he had been so used to hesitated in her speech. He took the time to smooth over his hair hat and his beard. Had he been expecting a visit, he would have made the effort to look less coal-smudged and all, but he had been busy and his hands were stained with his efforts. Venom mentioned she had a vision of her father. Though such words were not so uncommon for Toxicity, it was rare to hear it from the other children nd his surprise briefly showed on his face. She mentioned that she wanted to heal the relationship between herself and Toxicity, and offered a gift for the pups. Obi wrung his hands free of any filth with a damp, rough damp fur and dried them before accepting the fur with a steep bow. "Thank you, empress. I'm certain she will appreciate it greatly." He took a quick motion to deliver the fur inside the shrine to be gifted later. He returned briskly and allowed Venom to finish, saying her fur had begun to change color. As she shifted, Obi couldn't contain the small gasp that escaped his lips, "Is it true, Venom?" His hands hovered over the new marks, refusing to tough the empress without her explicit consent, "You have truly been touched by the Gods- by Archon." He fought back tears in his eyes as a lump rose in his throat, "A reminder he's always with you." ""

Obi wasn’t expecting to hear that Venom had seen Archon, but he didn’t interrupt as she went on to offer her gift. The fur was easy enough to acquire, but the nut oil was painstaking collected by the squirrel Venom called her companion. The dried herbs would hopefully make the promise of spring more apparent during the winter months. The primate assured her everything would be appreciated but Venom looked away from the door slightly in her moment of doubt as he placed the gift inside. ”I hope so.” Her words were quiet and meant mostly for herself. Venom didn’t want to doubt Obi.

Her sunset gaze looked out into the never ending forest of white trees, feeling the doubt accumulate in herself again, but she was heartened by the words her father spoke to her. The priestly monkey returned and she showed him where she was concerned. Obi leaned in for a better look, but his awe was obvious in the way he reacted and his accented words. When he echoed what Archon had said Venom very nearly let out an uncontrolled sob. She stopped herself by closing her eyes tight and biting her paw as she brought it to cover her mouth. Even after all this time his loss was still so very sore.

She pulled in a deep breath through her nose as the attempt to put herself back together in front of Obi was made. It was unbecoming of an Empress to be so emotional in public. ”So the ash covered the land, so his ash will stain my fur.” She closed her eyes again, and silently thanked her father. A physical sign of his otherworldly promise.

Obi may have heard Venom's words as he tucked the gifts inside, but he did not make a mention on it- her struggles were her own unless she sought out his guidance. As he spoke, Venom barely withheld a sob and Obi pulled back a moment, steep bowing in her direction, "Empress, I apologize for upsetting you." As she spoke, he moved towards her and held out his hands under her chin. If she remembered, he would do this as they were pups so they could put their heads in his hands if they wished and he would give them soft scritches. This way, he would not be the one to initiate contact with the empress, but if she wanted it, he was there. ""

The simple truth of it was that Venom missed her father’s presence. Even all this time later she still wished for his presence and strength beside her. She saw him in the other world, he visited her dreams, but she still felt his missing presence here in the physical world. She didn’t often cry or lose control of her emotions like this, but having Obi here and speaking so freely of Archon was too much. Her love and adoration of her father spilled over in the tears that stained her eyes and the ache in her heart. ”No, Obi. You’ve only revealed that which should already be seen.” She told him softly with a humble smile playing on her lips.

He offered up his hands beneath her chin, and without hesitation Venom lowered her head to him. She closed her sunset gaze as she was transported back in time, to when life was simple and she was an innocent child. Before the world and her life were completely changed. ”Thank you,” she whispered softly as she leaned into his affections. He was there to support her in her yearning for Archon but he could also act as a liaison to help repair the torn relationship between her and her sister.

Obi wordlessly offered his affection to the woman, seeing her as she was when she was just a pup. His face softened and his hands sank into her fluffy cheeks, allowing his fingers to work comforting circles up towards the bases of her ears. He didn't have anything to add other than a gentle smile and soft endearment that couldn't be described as anything other than fatherly. He still wished the best for all of Archon's relations- even Deathbelle though she had fallen to the wayside and now resided somewhere outside of his realm of thought or contact- and he would do what he could to help them in their mortal journeys. For now he simply offered his hands and soft shushing sounds as he aimed to soothe the empress. ""