Well if this wasn't new. Hanako didn't frequent Auster all that often and hadn't properly left the pack's borders in what felt like forever, but from what she knew of the neighbouring packs she hadn't heard a peep about this one. Or maybe she just hadn't been paying attention. Carefully treading along the outside border, the pale of her nose twitched as she took in the myriad of scents. Naturally she'd trot back on pretty paws and tell Sirius about her discovery, but not before she did a vibe check. Just to see what sort of pack called this place home.

She'd been soooo busy with the kids, her usual duties had sort of fallen by the wayside. Her fishing skills had no doubt gotten rusty beyond belief, if she tried she'd probably fail and make an embarrassment of herself so... better to leave the hunting to those who could get it done, right?

Anyway, she wasn't much of a lurker. Might as well introduce herself. Tipping her back she let out a pretty sing-song of a howl, hopefully they wouldn't leave her waiting for long. Busy busy and all that.

Luckily for the one doing the summoning, Chimera was at the Dam today. He didn't often frequent the land, but he checked on it every now and again. Mostly to make sure that the beavers weren't booming in numbers and that his wolves were making their rounds properly and as expected. For their sakes, he was glad to discover that they were doing just that. The borders were clearly marked. The beavers, however... their numbers were indeed increasing. With the rainy season upon them, the rodents were making a mess of things. He would have to cull their numbers once more.

Mismatched ears swiveled, catching the call that cut through the land. The massive man turned his head in that direction, looking off into the distance for a moment before throwing himself into a distance eating lope, his long legs propelling him across the waterlogged land. He saw the woman long before he drew near. She was a bright spot on an otherwise dull, green landscape. There was something familiar about her that pricked his mind, but he couldn't quite pinpoint it, so he stopped thinking about it.

The two-toned behemoth slowed to a stop before the spotted woman. Chimera gave a curt nod as he looked down upon her."Chimera, King of Fenmyre. What can I help you with?" It wasn't often that wolves came calling to his kingdom, so Chi was curious as to what this woman could possibly want from him.

"Chimera Klein"

Hanako rocked her weight back and forth between front and back limbs, humming a soft tune as the moments passed by. She really hoped this wouldn't turn out like her trip to Lirim, where she'd sat and waited for ages only for no one to heed her call. Even now she wasn't really sure what had happened there, whether the pack had simply collapsed or what. All she knew was that she wasn't in the mood to wait too long, had better things to do, you know?

Fortunately, it was pretty clear history wasn't gonna repeat itself here as a black and white figure soon loped into the frame. Strangely familiar, like a face she'd forced herself to forget. Putting on an easy smile, her tail wagged high behind her in friendly, if not casual sweeps. Her social skills were a little rusty, but her old mask fit on well enough that a charming shine settled in the pale of her eyes. Undeniably, he was the large and in charge, handsome sort. Exactly her type, if she had one.

"Oh hello." She greeted, offering him a polite head dip, as was custom in some places she'd passed through. Some habtis were worth picking up, others not so much. "I didn't know there was even a pack here. Not the sort to traipse through someone's home, of course, but I got curious." She paused a moment to roll his title around in her head. King of Fenmyre. Fancy. "And I'm Hanako Fatalis, Diplomat of the Armada." She gestured a paw at herself, as though it was self-explanatory as to how she'd earned such a role.

Her icy gaze flicked back to his features, strong lines of black and white. Beyond the appeal of his face and form it really was an itch she couldn't scratch, where had she met him before?

"Say have we met before?"

The speckled woman was pretty enough with her odd markings, but Chimera didn't feel a sexual pull towards her. Perhaps he was growing up in more ways than one. No longer thinking with his lower bits first. It was a step in the right direction he supposed. With three very different, very beautiful women at home, that's all that he should want and need, right? Right. The realization almost made him smile and the corners of his maw shifted slightly upwards, though not in anything resembling a full smile. More akin to a look of amusement.

As the woman spoke, admitting that she didn't know there was a pack here, the striped brute chuckled low. "We tend to keep to ourselves, so I'm not surprised." Fenmyre didn't bother anyone and the hope was that no one would bother Fenmyre in return. They were essentially a family pack with a few misfits pulled in here and there. They caused no trouble for anyone and barely even made contact with their allies, let alone anyone else.

In time, the russet, snow and ebony fae gave her name and title. In Chimera's mind, her mention of the Armada made something click. Now he remembered her. It seemed so long ago. As if feeling the same sort of familiarity, Hanako asked if they'd met before. The situation was humorous and once again a look of amusement crossed the beasts features, this time accompanied with a soft laugh. "Yes, in fact we have. It took me a moment as well." The brow above his milky white eye arched as he looked down upon her. "We had a run in when I was a pup and I said some awful things to you." Chi shook his head before his haunches folded and he seated himself before her. "I was a horrid little wretch back then." Lips curled upwards in a charming grin. "I assure you that this is no longer the case." Then he shrugged lightly, his tones still humorous. "Most of the time."

With that out of the way...

"So, Hanako of the Armada, why have you come to Fenmyre?" There had to be some reason unless she was simply out wandering around, which he doubted. Not many came this way. There had to be a purpose for her visit here.

"Chimera Klein"

Hanako smiled along with the sound of his laughter, rump wiggling in tandem with her tail. She couldn't really get where he was coming from, since she used to be a social butterfly and all, but it sorta made sense. If they had what they wanted and needed why bother going out? It was a habit she fell into more often than she'd realised, all too eager to take advantage of everyone else's hard work and still reap the benefits. Just her nature, nothing really deep about it. Like not being able to see your nose unless you made an effort to look, sort of deal.

At his explanation it all clicked into place, hazy memories focusing and becoming clearer as the sands of time shifted aside. She recalled how needlessly rude and callous he'd been, snapping words and loathing glares as though her existence was a personal affront. She did well to cling onto her smile, to pretend she wasn't the sort of girl who clung onto grudges and grievances like comfy pelts and silken drapes. Maybe he hadn't really meant it at the time, but his insults had hit the mark perfectly and the damage done.

Why were the hot ones always so mean? And why she was always tempted to look past this kinda stuff, just to worm her way deeper.

"Ahhh."  She said, reminding herself this was still business. It really had been too long, she felt a little flabby and out of practice. "Water under the bridge then."

She took his prodding in stride, his question and curiosity was natural, most wolves didn't like a stranger sniffing around their home. Even if said wolf was exceptionally pretty.

"Well to be honest, I was cooped up for the Long Night and just wanted to stretch my legs. I sort of...hoped to run into a new face, so this isn't a diplomatic thing but I can pass something onto the Warlord if you wish." She flicked her tail to gesture at herself, a glorified messenger.

Chimera watched the subtle shifts in the speckled woman's features as realization struck. Water under the bridge, she eventually said, but he wondered if that was true. Women were sensitive things and he'd struck her with venom filled words back then. He wasn't the same wolf now, but they'd only just met again. She had no reason to believe his words and he had no way to make her believe them. Good thing they would be parting ways again soon and would most likely never see one another again. Although, he didn't mind if they did see one another again. She was prettier now than he remembered her. It looked as though she'd filled out a bit, which he appreciated.

Hanako spoke of needing to get away after the darkness that had plagued the world and Chimera accepted the explanation with a nod. "It certainly took it's toll," he replied softly. So many had been brought low by the infections from the mushrooms, crystals and ooze. If he never saw any of it again, he would be too happy. His children had almost died. Viper did die... The whole situation had been bizarre and taxing. The endless efforts that he'd employed to keep everyone safe and healthy during the event had brought illness to him after. He was only now getting back to full strength.

The woman's offer to take word to the warlord was met with yet another soft chuckle. "No thanks. I've nothing to say to Sirius." He knew the Warlord from when he was a child. They'd never had a relationship of any sort. If the woman had something to offer to him, perhaps it would have been different. But a diplomat coming to a pack with no gift, no word to offer on her packs behalf... Basically there was nothing in it for him. No matter though. Fenmyre was allied with Ashen and was working on an alliance with The Hallows. Did a small, family pack need anything more?

"Come," he said suddenly, rising from his place and motioning for her to follow him into the territory. "It's better than just sitting here waiting for it to rain." Turning, Chimera began walking alongside the river where the beavers built their plethora of dams. At least the woman would get to see a bit of the scenery. He didn't mind outsiders seeing this place. It was only under his rule for the sake of food.

"Chimera Klein"

Hanako wasn't overly surprised he had nothing to say. Most packs, if nothing else, made a cursory effort at first to sow diplomatic seeds. But if that wasn't Fenmyre's cup of tea then Hanako really wasn't in a position to force the issue, the less packs the Armada had to juggle the better really. Kept things simple, for the single-minded group of warriors. She nodded her head, simply, willing enough to leave it at that. It wasn't as if Sirius had sent her here with an incentive in mind, there was no agenda to fill or list to check off. Hanako wasn't in the habit of pushing and shoving just for the sake of it, had better things to do.

"Oh if you wouldn't mind." All softly-softly. Polite and appreciative, manners never dropped for even half a second.  "I'd hate to be an inconvenience-more than I'm already being anyway. " But he was right, standing outside in the rain wasn't her idea of a good time.

As she followed in step she noticed how he seemed to favour his left side, as though the milky white of his right was useless. Perhaps to another wolf it might prove to be a disadvantage, but from the way he moved he seemed completely at ease with it. As though it barely even held him back, both as a warrior and a king.  Interesting.

"Hmm, your markings are different from what I remember too. Did they change during the Long Night?" She'd seen it happen before, wolves shedding their coat as though to become someone new. Sedna in particular was unrecognisable.

As the Armada woman agreed to enter Fenmyre territory, the sky above rumbled threateningly. A lesser wolf might have left a non-pack wolf out in the rain, but Chimera had come a long way from being the petty child that he had once been. The pair moved around the waters edge until they arrived at an old abandoned beaver dam. Chimera had reinforced the structure, creating a simple awning large enough to shield those that might be patrolling from the elements. Today it would shield them.

The sky parted and great torrents of rain began hurling into the earth just as the wolves stepped beneath the shelter. The ground would be soaked and, if the ferocity of the rainfall continued, there was a possibility that the river would flood. Thankfully Chimera had been wise enough to raise the flooring at least a foot off of the ground. The slats of connected saplings would keep the wolves quite dry.

The woman's observation of his appearance was met with a low chuckle. "I acquired these long ago." The stripes had just gradually grown in. "Thankfully the night sickness didn't touch me." The same couldn't be said for his children, unfortunately, though they were well now. The two-toned giant settled onto the wooden deck, curling his big body and hanging his black-toed paws over the edge. "Were your people affected greatly by the sickness?" He sought to make conversation since it looked as though they would be here for a while.

"Chimera Klein"

Following the King's lead, Hanako was quick to settle down beneath the shelter. She missed the feel of something plush and soft beneath her paws, but she wasn't gonna make any demands for better accommodation anytime soon. Wrapping the newly grown in fluff of her tail around her side, her gaze flitted up to the dire wolf who loomed beside her. She felt...smaller these days, like she had to tip her head back further than she used to. Weird.

Eying his markings once more, she supposed it made sense. Not everyone got tangled up in...whatever happened last season. Maybe the wolves of  Fenmyre were smart enough to bunk down and wait it out, unlike herself. She was now convinced that she was cursed, bound to be tormented whenever spring rolled around.

"Ah that's good. Same can't be said for the Armada, we went through the ringer but we seem to have come out stronger for it." She'd noticed that a few wolves were taller than before, had gained new mutations and markings. Even she felt as though she had a new spring in her step...even if her hunting skills had gotten rusty as hell. "I suppose Auster is the perfect place to keep to yourself, always marked me as sorta empty. I don't know why more don't come out this way. "

Outside the rain continued to fall and the thunder spoke to the lightning. Chimera was comfortable as ever watching the downpour rage on around them. Rain was comforting. It made him mellow and sometimes tired, though right now he was wide awake. The woman beside him was an outsider and, though not a total stranger, he wouldn't put it past her to spy. Once the rain let up, he would escort her back out and they would likely never see one another again. Not unless she made an effort.

Though he didn't look away from the rain, the man's mismatched ears shifted, catching the fae's words as she spoke of the hardships that the Armada had faced. The brute gave a rumble of agreement, but said nothing aloud. Truthfully, he didn't care what happened to the Armada. He had no ties to them. His care extended to a few members of Ashen and that was about it, aside from those within his own pack.

Hanako spoke again, mentioning how Auster was empty. The behemoth chuckled, lips pulling back to flash wickedly sharp shark teeth. "Hopefully it stays that way." Pulling his attention from the rain, he looked towards the speckled woman. "We're a very self sufficient pack. We stick to ourselves and that's how I like it." They didn't run about seeking out allies. They didn't go to group gatherings or festivals or the like. They did for themselves and expected others to leave them be.

"Chimera Klein"