She felt like Chimera had been gone for an eternity, but when the pack was finally called together for a raid se knew the time wouldn’t be much longer. She almost waited on the beach for him, despite her perfect life here she felt his missing presence. The island wasn’t the same without its protector. She had so much to talk to him about, the raid, Viper’s condition, her visions… the latter could be more easily dismissed, se hadn’t felt like she had deciphered anything from them so the former two would be her focus. Whenever he returned.

The beach would have been crowding him anyway, what if he preferred to sleep first, or see Viper or Aliana before he found her? She was never able to predict him anyway so Siren spent the day organizing herbs and creating poultices while she waited his return. Dalila was out patrolling the beach, looking for easy game, and keeping an eye on the sea lions that attacked them. Another note to mention to Chimera.

Siren’s dual toned eyes were heavily lidded as her delicate paws worked the plants on her work station. She hummed a soft tune, nothing recognizable just a peaceful noise as she worked. Worked and waited as the sun began to set over the island paradise.

"Speech"

It felt as though he was never going to make it home. Though the man on the ship had given him something for pain, the herbs had long ago worn off. Chimera's ever step was excruciating as the busted ribs within him creaked and ground together. He never complained about pain, but he was very close to doing so now, not that there was anyone to listen. With each step, he had to convince himself to take one more. Then one more. Then one more. By the time he made it across the rope and barrel bridge, the dire brute was at his limit.

Chimera collapsed into the sand, his breathing labored. The giant's mouth hung agape and he panted away the heat brought on by the pain in his chest and side. He needed Siren. She was the first wolf to enter his mind. He needed Siren. From his place in the sand, Chimera released something close to a howl, though it was broken and pain filled. Then he waited, laying on his side in the sand with his busted ribs exposed to the slowly darkening sky. His eyes closed and he slowly regained his breath. At least he had made it home. Pain and exhaustion worked together, forcing him to accept little spurts of sleep while he waited for his sister. His savior.

"Chimera"

The evening was quiet, she could just barely hear the surf crashing against the land. Her home always smelled fresh and of the ocean. She didn’t have to ask for anything, she was always provided for be it from Chimera or Dalila. Siren was dependent on them for everything. Food, shelter, protection, and love. Those were the most difficult emotions to untangle. She never got around to bringing up the kiss Chimera gave her in parting. Though it remained heavily on her mind even as she stood here now.

It was uncanny the way her thoughts could conjure reality. Siren jumped at the pained sound of Chimera’s voice and even before she could think Siren had grabbed a satchel with herbs prepared and raced from the den she shared with Dalila. Delicate paws carried her over the sand, leaving a trail of small paw prints as her dual toned gaze fell on her brother’s crumpled form. She was thankful she kept powerful healing herbs in this bag. He wasn’t even standing when she got to him. He looked like a wreck, broken and barely returned home.

Siren rushed to his side, careful not to touch him quite yet as she threw open her bag and began to ready the herbs he would need just to manage the pain. "I’m here,” she said softly as she glanced over as she put the finishing touches in her concoction. Siren offered the mixed herbs and a skin of fresh water for him to wash them down. "What happened, where is it the worst?” She looked closer and could see by now the way his ribs weren’t quite right and neither was his breathing.

"Speech"

Siren's presence barely registered until she was speaking to him. He lifted his pain filled gaze to her before pressing his cheek back into the sand beneath him. She told him that she was there and her tones soothed him, though nothing short of a miracle would soothe the pain in his ribs and chest. His sister asked where the pain was and Chimera grimaced as he spoke. "Ribs," was all that he could manage. The herbs that the purple man had given him had long since worn off and the pain was unbearable. Breathing hurt, speaking hurt. He couldn't fully expand his lungs due to the bruising and the breaks. The man was a mess.

The offered herbs were devoured and he carefully sipped some water. "Stay with me," he whispered to the tiny woman, opening his arms for her. So Chimera was a giant douchebag. He was aggressive and abusive and a total fucking bastard. But... when he was injured and in enough pain that he couldn't cope, the brute was a giant baby. He just wanted his sister to curl up in his arms and make everything be okay.

"Chimera"

He was in terrible shape, Siren wasn’t sure if she had ever seen him look quite so bad. He told her it was his ribs, which made the most sense. He couldn’t breathe, he was exhausted. He would do well with the strong plants she gave him. She’d just have to try and get him somewhere safe sooner rather than later. He sipped the water conservatively and caught her with his good eye. Stay here with him. Caramel ears fell to her skull, there wasn’t much more than the herbs she gave him to do. Besides keep him stationary for a while, maybe wrap his chest but probably not considering how big he was. She was pretty sure he hadn’t already collapsed a lung.

He wanted her close and her affection, and Siren would not deny him. With no hesitation she curled up in his arms and gave him what comfort she could. She wrapped her paws around his neck and stroked the fur there while she just held him. Careful not to jostle his poor battered body. She buried her features into the soft familiar fur of his chest and relaxed against him. "My herbs should begin to work swiftly, once you can breathe a little easier you need to be in bed.” She told him quietly, not hiding the concern in her soft voice.

"Speech"

Siren wasted no time in acquiescing to his request, curling her tiny frame against his massive bulk. Chimera held her to him as best as he could. His neck curled over her protectively and then... he cried. Perhaps it was the pain finally allowing whatever dam he had inside him to burst, but the man felt raw and damaged and panicked. "I'm sorry," he murmured quietly as he pressed his nose into the thick fur at the back of her neck. "I'm sorry for all of the bad things that I've done to you." Did she realize how much he loved her? Was he being dramatic because the pain in his ribs and chest made him feel as though he was going to die? Was this the last time he'd ever speak to his sweet sister? "I know that I'm terrible..." he sniffled, giving her a squeeze. "You're the most important thing, Siren." Tears continued to work their way out of his eyes. "The most important thing."

Chimera lay there for quite a while, simply holding the delicate woman in his embrace. After a time, the tears stopped. It was right around the time that the herbs started dulling the pain within his ribs. Along with the dulled pain came other things. The world seemed to slow and there was an odd glow to moving items. Chimera's eyes went wide as he blinked, trying to rid his eyes of the glassy, starry look that they held. It seemed as though he was having some strange reaction to the concoction of herbs that Siren had given him. But hey, at least he didn't hurt much anymore.

"Speech"

She curled against him and Chimera immediately held her closer, defying the pain in his ribs as he held her tight and released the built up emotion within. He held onto her with that familiar protective grasp, his head over hers as he shielded her from the world and showed her the real Chimera. The uncertainties and emotions beneath that were always buried while he was at his full strength. He was laid low, and bore her the purest of his emotions as he softly apologized to the tiny woman. He was sorry for every transgression he made against her.

"Chimera,” She tried to soothe him as she squeezed her arms around him just a little tighter. Siren knew the pain was getting to him, he was never this candid or revealing. He wasn’t weak, he was her protector and she deferred to him in all things. She thought she had done wrong in asking for Dalila but even that gruffness he had shown her had long been forgiven. She was his after all was said and done, he could do no wrong. He squeezed her back, revealing his inner reflection. He knew he was terrible, but despite all of that she was the most important to him.

She held onto him tighter as he repeated himself, reassuring her of his words. Of this truth. "I know,” Siren assured him deftly, whispering into his mixed black and white chest. "You’re the most important to me.” She confessed. They both had other wolves in their lives, she loved Dalila and he kept Viper and Ali close, though she couldn’t know his true feelings about them. All she knew was she was the most important to him and the inverse was true as well. They only had each other growing up, and that dependence remained.

"Speech"