"Nothing revives the past so completely as a smell that was once associated with it." ~Vladimir Nabokov In all his years as a wolf of the pack first known as Starlite, then rechristened Valhalla, he never expected the events of today. He hadn?t expect that he would have fallen in love with Blu, nor that he would have ever become beta of Valhalla in the old Alacritis lands. He never expected to leave his first home since Acanthos and he had been ripped apart from each other, by the claws of the avalanche. He didn?t expect to get to come home and tell Blu how he felt, and he sure as hell didn?t expect to be leaving Valhalla?s borders so infuriated. He just didn?t understand where Aislyn had gotten the nerve to treat him like that- to treat Blu like that. He had spent years serving Valhalla, and she just assumed it was his fault that he left? Like it was some selfish reason? When had Chronos ever been selfish? He hadn?t made it far from the borders of Valhalla when he felt the familiar rushing in his head. Sounds magnified and his vision swam, and he shook his head violently as he staggered to a walk. As always the flash-back ended with a heart wrenching screech and a flash of red. Panting he sank to his haunches, reveling in the feel of the cool ground underneath him. The dizziness slowly faded, back into the dull throbbing headache that had become his constant companion since he had his first lucid moments. The sun was sinking into the horizon, its warm glow slowly dissipating into the night sky. Star crept out, adoring the light blue night, as the eastern horizon slowly turned into an inky velvet blue. Head tilted back he stared through teal colored eyes at the stars, contemplating his choices and the consequences of his choices. His head was amuck with the chaos of his thoughts, so much so that when the summer breeze ruffled his fur, he missed the scent of another, another that meant more to him than his own life, his light at the end of the tunnel. I gave my life for you, Totally devoted to you, it's why I stayed Faithful all the way, This is how I fucking get repayed? '25 to Life' -Eminem Speech,

Blu would waste no more time. Her thin legs would propel her away from Valhalla's border. She wouldn't go back, she couldn't, not after all of the venom that Aislyn had spewed. Her heart sunk to her chest, devastation filling her as she realized she had abandoned the only place that had ever felt like home. The only place that had ever accepted her and in doing so, she had more than likely banished Chronos right along with her. "Chronos!" She called his name heavily, a hint of desperation to her tones as she struggled to run. She was accustomed to moving about on her remaining limbs but she was considerably slower. It took her a moment to catch him, and when she had she practically crashed into him, tucking her head into the heavy curve of his neck. She hadn't seen him in nary a year and she would be damned if she would lose him now. "Chronos! Please... I love you. I'd be dead if it wasn't for you. Never seem so disheartened again... please." She whimpered, willing him to smile, willing him to look at her. "All of those things she said, all of that hatred she held for you... we cannot live in such a place Chronos, I... I turned my back on Valhalla, I denied her acceptance. I dont want to be anywhere that dosen't realize how beautiful you are, how noble, how respectful, how honest. You work so hard, and you've done so much for Valhalla... They can say what they will about me, but you... you're perfect Chronos, and I don't want to live anywhere that cannot see what I see every time I look at you." Blu murmured softly, hugging him to the best of her ability. Speech,

Her words where heaven, soft angel caresses uttered from her lips. She brought him down from the infuriating high he had been on, she pulled him away from the precarious cliff he had been hanging by a thread on. Feeling her press into him, he took a deep breath in, taking her scent, the heat of her body pressed into his. He tore his eyes from the sky, and turned his head, burying his face into her bodice. Crystal tears brimmed at his eyes, and slowly one leaked down as he pressed into her, clinging to her as a life vest. What had he done? He had cast them both from his home all because he couldn?t control his mind. Guilt burdened his heart, and a soft whine escaped his jaws as he nuzzled her. He stood like that, for several moments without speaking. He just couldn?t talk, couldn?t verbally admit what he had done, yet. It was all his fault. She had been his anchor today, he wasn?t sure he would have made it through the night and like a God-given gift she had appeared on the border. His heart had been through hell, it had been an emotional roller-coaster of the day and he had reached his limit. Burying his face deeper into her fur, several other crystalline tears leaked out, accompanied by shuddering breaths, before he finally spoke. ?It?s all my fault.? The words were uttered upon a broken whisper. Hold on, Don?t turn and walk away, Save me And I cried these words, but nobody came. I?m all alone Running scared, losing my way in the dark I tried to get up, stand on a prayer But I keep crashing down hard. This is my side of the story. Only my burden to bear Nobody?s there. Nobody cares No one will ever hear My side of the story ?My Side of the Story? ? David Hodges Speech,

She would press to him, unsuccessfully fusing them into one body, but she would squeeze him, coil her bodice around his as tightly as she possibly could because she would make him know, she would make him see that he was everything to her. That the love she held for him was better than any pack, any home, any land. He was more important to her than all of the wild game he could ever hope to catch or the bonds and the strength that a pack brought with it. So long as he was glued to her side, there was nothing she could not do and she would make him understand that he was her everything if it killed her. She squeezed him tight enough to partially choke off her own air supply, God did she love him. He would bury his snout in her fur as the levity of what had just transpired settled over them. Aislyn had not only disrespected Chronos, she had banished him. Banished him. Is that what loyalty earned now-a-days? Blu wouldn't have it, she would not see his destruction and if he needed her to be, she would be strong for the both of them. Valhalla had been there home... well... forever. It wouldn't be easy, it wouldn't be simple for them to simply forget and move on, but they would have to manage. His words would reach her and she would frown, pulling back to see his eyes, he would know she wasn't lying. "It's not your fault Chronos, what happened to you, what happened to me... it was devastating yes, but it's no one's fault. I won't, I won't stay somewhere that can't see all you have done. For five years we have been a part of Valhalla and that is how we are treated? Do you remember how we met? That day you tripped into the lake? Remember Blitz? How he almost laughed? That was our home Chronos. Back when they treated their members as family, as friends, whatever has happened has turned Valhalla's members cold and I do not want such negativity for our pups, our family. We can get through this Chronos. I know we can. It's never been your fault and it never will be." She would lick his snout delicately, bathing him in soft kisses. Speech,

Pressed into Blu he felt safe- sane, even, for the first time in a long time. He wrapped his own right paw around her, and squeezed her into him tightly. Her words fell upon on his ears, and she spoke with such determination that he wanted desperately to believe her. When she spoke of the first time that they met, a small smile crept upon his jaws. He had been running through the Valhallan, then called Starlite, territory, just enjoying the sereneness of it, when his leg had caught on a rock and he had tumbled down the hill and into the lake. He had met Blitzkrieg then, and Blu for the first time ever. Even then, he knew he wanted to get to know the shy lady. She said what had happened to him- to them hadn?t been their fault, rather she pointed it out as if it was the fault of the fates. Letting out a sigh, he looked down into her golden orbs and smiled slightly. He paused before speaking, staring down into her eyes as he took in a deep breath. ? Valhalla isn?t the pack I used to know.? He agreed quietly. It was true, Aislyn?s behavior hadn?t been typical of the pack he had grown to know. It had been almost vile. ?I hate that you have been chased away from your home, Blu. Aislyn only was angry at me, you don?t have to follow me, you know.? He spoke these words at a hoarse whisper, hoping she wouldn?t take them seriously, but he still felt the need to say them. These times will try hard to define me But I will hold my head up high I?ve seen despair, here from the inside It?s got a one track mind. Speech,

The lord had watched the scene unfold, and displeasure coursed through his veins. Aislyn knew far better than to pass judgement on any member of valhalla knew or old and thus the King would turn his head and follow the fuming wolves from Valhalla, his scent masked downwind he watched, silently, vigorously, and intently. Dying eyes rolled themselves over the body of Chronos and to the tattered one of Blu. This would be rectified.

Paws moved more rapidly and the older man torqued his figure, attempting to swim before them, his gaze was hard, though, not cold. Tongue slid over his inky lips as he stared at them for but a moment, his immense head dipping to them both before he spoke in defense of his home, Aislyn's behavior will be handled by myself, Valhalla has been through a lot, we're older than the pack you used to know," whether it was still a home to the black boy, well, that was for him to decide, but fact of the matter was, there was little Cairo could do to sway their opinions and if they chose elsewhere, so be it.

His eyes flickered to Blu and he stared at her a long moment as a smile caressed his features, "we feared you had died, we looked for our Valhallans for weeks before we gave up," he nodded his head to her, pleasantly happy to see her. Eyes turned to Chronos, "---as it is good to see you, too, did not perish," he, honestly, didn't have much time to explain things to them, and though he would answer any questions they held, he would find himself quick and to the point, "I extend a home to the both of you, in Valhalla, Chronos, award of the rank Delta should you return. Keep in mind, I'll not beg of you, you know it is not in my nature, and yet, I suggest should you wish to deny Valhalla, that you go to either Seracia or Glaciem, they are our only close allies," Cairo need not explain members of other packs would be silenced.

Blu tensed, body strung like a wire, the ex-king of Valhalla would approach them. She feared a war, a fight, a blood bath, her life had been riddled with obstacles, how could she think she could leave Valhalla without bloodshed? Chronos was in no fighting shape and she... she was better avoiding battlefields forever more. Despite Cairo's aging form, the scales would be tipped in the brown brutes favor. She sucked in a large breath as the familiar form approached, pressing herself that much tighter against Chronos. She feared the worst. "And what will happen to her? We both have been with Valhalla since before Aislyn arrived, and she was willing to slay my mate where he stood, only because he defended my honor. I cannot live somewhere I do not feel safe, I won't. My parents they..." The remaining tattered stump of her leg twitched and she shook her head. "I cannot trust her, and I won't come home so long as I need answer to her. If Chronos hadn't of saved me I would have died and she has such little respect for him... I will not subject him or myself to her torments." Despite her timid nature her words were strong, powerful. She would not return to Valhalla just because a word was given, she knew better than to trust a spoken word. "I...I thank you for your kind words... on my three legs I couldn't outrun the lava, I was burned horribly a small band of loners saw to my treatments and saved me. I came back as soon as I was able... I just want a peaceful life in my elder age Cairo, I'm tired of fighting." Her words were soft and gentle, but brimming with truth. Speech,

The arrival of the king of Valhalla, Cairo, definitely made things interesting, though Blu?s words would greet the once king before Chronos could comprehend what Cairo had said. Blu was right, about several things, and Chronos listened to his mate?s words intently while planning his own speech. Blu had been through hell, and he wouldn?t go back to a pack where she couldn?t feel safe, not after all she had lost. At the same time, Valhalla was his home for so long, though the pack had greatly changed in his absence. His blue eyes rested warmly on the kings, one of the few wolves in Valhalla that he remembered and had respect for. Cairo offered him the rank of ?delta?, though Chronos didn?t know what rank that was- nor did he care. He could care less if he had ?rank?, as long as he and his mate could live out the rest of their lives in peace, while raising their family. When he had returned to Valhalla he hadn?t expected to gain any rank before his time in this place was up. He just wanted to find Blu, and live but should he choose to go home, he didn?t think he would deny the rank. ?Cairo, it?s good to see you, though I wish it was under better circumstances.? Chronos began, his words falling softly, as he wrapped his tail around Blu, where her bodice pressed into his frame. ?Cairo, Valhalla was our home, but Blu raises a fair point. Aislyn won?t accept me, and I am in no condition to challenge her. I will not run from a fight, or hide like a coward, and I won?t have anyone questioning Blu. I?m sure you can agree she has been through enough.? He would stop there, for a few moments to take a breath, glancing at his mate before looking back at the king. ?So I ask you? What do we do about Aislyn and others like her? Cairo, I?ve never been in a position like this, and yours is advice that I hold to high esteem.? His speech would end, his voice growing hoarse as he waited for the kings reply. Speech,