The Empress’s white gloved paws carried her back to the palace after a short patrol around the shrine’s borders. Patrolling the islands was much different, their borders were the sea and much more heavily defensible than a regular border. Visitors, raids, threats, they all came in through the shrine. A reason she was grateful that her home was placed on the middle island of the archipelago. The palace was one of the safest places in the Empire, at least from outside threats. The ocean and the weather were entities of their own, and both could and would threaten the pack and its residents. Especially her young children.

The five of them were vibrant, eager, and full of life. They were passionate about their freedom and abilities. Venom just worried they would think too highly of themselves and find trouble at their door. Especially her first born son. Kuroki was a wild boy, eager to prove himself with an ego three times his size. She shook off the thought, he was brash but he was also smart, and the young mother was determined to allow him to grow despite the danger he could find himself in.

She did have one puppy that didn’t often frighten the life out of her, Venom’s sweet daughter Ikigai. The child was a perfect little princess, everything she could hope for in a child of the Empire and a child of her own. Venom entered the palace, slipping by the thick pelt that protected the inside from the rough ocean winds. The young mother sought out her oldest daughter, bright sunset gaze took in the main hall as she arrived there, wondering if she’d find her daughter in one of the usual places.

"Okaa-sama," Ikigai greeted her mother in smooth, calm tones. The girl had been sitting in the main chamber, curled up on a pile of furs beside the fireplace. She'd been able to add some sticks and wood to stoke the flames all on her own. Ikigai tried to be self sufficient. Though she was very ladylike, she wasn't afraid to learn things so that she could do them herself. In the girls paws was a strange little bundle. There were piles of supplies laid out around her. Twine, sticks, chunks of fur. Silver eyes drifted from the item in her paws to the face of her mother. A little shy, dark ears tucked momentarily to the girls skull. "I'm trying to make gifts for Ike, Kit, Take and Oki." Reaching beside her, she lifted a little twig and fur shape that roughly looked like a little quadrupedal creature. The child's strange, dexterous digits had made tying the knots rather easy. Extending the toy to her mother, she asked, "Do you think they'll like them?" Eyes widened momentarily, their silver depths filled with hope. "Okiku Ikigai"

Sunset gaze fell on her pale coated daughter, little Iki was curled on the furs by the fire within the the main hall. Just as her mother predicted. A grin played on her white marked features as Venom walked forward on her white gloved paws. Ikigai greeted her formally, her elegant little body sitting sphynx like and regal there. ”Princess Ikigai.” She offered in returned with a sweeping bow of her own before she closed the distance and nuzzled her daughter’s ear affectionately. Where Hattori avoided much physical affection the pups got plenty from their mother. Venom couldn’t help herself, she was so in love with her brood.

Details came into focus and Venom noticed the supplies strewn about as the girl went on to explain herself. Sunset gaze took in the tiny crafted toys, the little bits of fur revealing the purpose of the objects. Tiny replicas of the creatures that once bore the fur. Venom grinned brightly as Iki told her the intentions for her creations and the young mother nodded her head encouragingly.

”They’re lovely, your siblings will appreciate them I’m sure of it.” She told her proudly. ”Do you want to show me how to make them?” Venom went on as she lowered herself before the child, mimicking her pose as she made herself comfortable next to the sticks and furs.

The nuzzle from her mother brought a smile to the girl's face. She liked that Venom wanted to be near her. Iki craved physical affection from her father as well, but understood that he just wasn't that kind of wolf. Because of this, she would take whatever affections her mother wished to bestow upon her and she'd take them happily.

Venom settled down beside Iki and the woman's words had the child beaming. She was glad that her mother thought that her siblings would like the gifts. She'd been working really hard on them. The collection that she had beside her were all prototypes. Eventually she'd learn how to improve upon the art, but for now, they were crude little stick and fur animals.

When asked if she wanted to show her mother how to make them, silver eyes flashed. "Yes!" Iki chirped happily before reaching for a new set of sticks and twine. "I cross the sticks," she explained, showing her mother as she spoke. "Then I take the twine and tie them together." The girl made a little triangular frame, then another. "Then I connect them like this," she tied a thicker stick between them. "After that, I cover it with whatever fur I want." Taking up a piece of rabbit fur, she covered the shape, then used a sharp stick to poke two holes in it. She then threaded a piece of twine between with her dexterous little digits. Another wolf would have a very difficult time repeating the action.

Once she was finished crafting and tying, she placed the little creation before her mother, looking up hopefully to see if she liked it.

Venom did not withhold any of her affection to her young children or husband. She knew that Hattori was not naturally physical with his affection. He would do absolutely anything for her, but he was distant with their pups. She knew he couldn’t stand to be his own father, and she could also see the side of him that felt pride in their young offspring. She would only hope that her own closeness with them would help ease Hattori’s distance.

Ikigai didn’t hold back as she returned her mother’s affectionate greeting. Seeing how bright her daughter’s reaction was only lifted Venom’s heart. She grinned lightly as Iki leaned into her and eagerly agreed to show her how she made her little dolls. Venom listened intently, amazed at what her daughter was able to do now in her infancy that she wouldn’t be able to accomplish at all. Pride swelled in her heart so much so that tears welled in her eyes but she refused to allow them to fall.

”That’s amazing, Ikigai.” Venom said softly as she blinked back the last of her unruly emotions and Iki looked up at her victoriously. Maybe her daughter wouldn’t be a warrior, but her talents were exceptional in other areas. ”May I keep it?” She asked while gently lifting the creation adoringly.

The pride in her mother's magenta hued eyes was everything to Ikigai. There was nothing that she wanted more than to make her mother and father proud. Though she was young, the pale girl was already severely devoted to her family. They were the most important thing in her life.

When Venom asked if she could keep the trinket, Iki nodded eagerly. "Yes, please." She was quite happy that her mother saw value in her creation and was glad to give the...whatever it was... to Venom. She couldn't wait to give the other ones to her siblings and hoped that they'd like them just as much.

With her craft project done, Ikigai looked up to her mother before moving to curl herself between Venom's front legs, her small body pressed against her mother's chest. "Okaa-sama... would you tell me a story?" Really, Ikigai just wanted to learn something. She always wanted to learn. It was her second favorite thing.

Likely, Venom would keep her tiny stick rabbit for the rest of her life, a memento to Ikigai’s young talent and one of the first milestones to her greatness. The young Empress grinned down as she was given permission to keep it but the trinket was swiftly forgotten. Ikigai moved and situated herself comfortably between Venom’s paws. Seemingly content with leaving her craft project where it was in favor of some snuggle time coupled with a story.

The serious woman wasn’t really one to tell a good tail. She was for the most part eloquent but concise, and didn’t feel like there was much room for imagination. Still, Venom held Iki a little closer and settled in with her against her chest. The way the tiny child looked up to her made Venom fall in love with her all over again. She adored all of her children, a fact that she would never call to question.

”Hmm a story...” She started, truly thinking about what her next words might be. ”What kind of story? Do you want something about a Princess?” Surely she could think of a story worthy of telling Ikigai. ”Maybe a slave?” She could tell the story about Sirius and her mom growing up together. ”Or maybe about love?” Perhaps a little snippet of her own parents’ story?