Leading the way, Kuroki figured there was no time like the present. He'd offered them both a place in Ashen if they wanted and they'd said yes, so there was no reason to dawdle or make this any more complicated than it needed to be. All he needed to do was get the okay from his mum-just his mum from here on out, a bit weird that- and they'd be great. Stepping just over the border, with his front legs on the inside and his back legs on the outside, he tossed a look to the followers who trailed behind. One naked and one with a luscious black coat. Guess who was who?

"Right so here's the deal, my mums the boss lady of these parts " He explained keeping it short and kinda sweet. "I'll flutter my lashes and ask real nice for you two to stay. She'll say yes then we can get some furs for the naked one. Capiche? "

And then he tipped his head back and called for mummy dearest.

"Pretty sure this wasn't what I had in mind when I agreed to being kidnapped," Cy shot a glance at the naked creature that walked along with them. Her steps were high, the killer grace of a big cat. Everything about her was sharp in these moments, and she's tense. A special, certain kind of tense that was an inherent challenge. Cy ached to run, to take off like a bat out of hell, to run ahead of him and dance with the energy that had built up in her system. There was too much energy crackling beneath the surface. The boss lady, shit. Cy would need to play this one off like she was gentle, a real lady, and not the scrappy little bitch that's managed to survive on her own for the last six months. She didn't have the manners for this, but she'd pretend. "What're you, some kind of golden boy?" Cy quipped, her head high. As they reached the border, she took a half a step back. Postured for ambition, but waiting by his shoulder instead of even with it as a show of respect. The culture here was one she didn't know, but for now Cyanide could guess.

At first, she had thought that his offer to take her back home was the next step in their budding friendship. He had been a gentleman enough, through the laughter at her current state, to recommend she follow him. Of course, she'd agreed. Being in such a vulnerable position was not a chance she was willing to take out alone in the wilderness. Even though she was small compared to the other two, Celeste made sure to keep her horned crown high. Walking along the other side of Oki, she took note of the stares and grumbles coming from this other girl. Was she jealous of her coat? No. When her's would eventually grow back, it would surely be prettier than this plain black coat walking on the other side. Tch. Celeste made sure to successfully ignore the other girl as her aquamarine eyes stared ahead to the border they approached. If the girl enjoyed the idea of being kidnapped, she should have made sure to find someone who was capable of kidnapping. Not escorting them over the borders to ask permission from his mommy to stay. As Oki explained the plan, her eyes shifted over to him for a moment. Mouth pursed into a thin line, her naked shoulders shrugged. While the other girl was chirping about him being a golden boy, Celeste couldn't help but stifle a giggle. This really did make him seem that like, huh? Either way, she was going to be glad to be getting some type of protection for her skin until the fur grew back. "You really think bringing both of us back at the same time was a good idea?" Her Japanese was quiet but she knew he would be able to understand. Stopping just by his other shoulder, she felt no nervousness as his call rang out.

Kuroki did as he pleased most days. With the curse lifted he’d been given much farther reign in his duties as Chunin. Letting her children out into the world was one of her most difficult challenges in life. Rivaling Hattori’s acts and the death of her father. Seeing her little beans turn into real wolves, as susceptible to the dangers of the world as any of them. She opened the door and let them fly, knowing they would see their own fair share of heartache and pain. To hear her son call for her at the border now could only mean he had another wolf with him. For a moment she felt fear that he had brought his father back to reunite, but the foolishness was obvious even as she thought it.

White gloved paws carried her through the pale forest that surrounded the shrine and approached her son and the two young she wolves at his side. The Empress raised a pale brow to the prince in curiosity as she couldn’t help but notice the bare skin of one of his companions. She might have been worried if they were in a colder season. ”Yes, Kuroki?” She asked briefly, sunset gaze assessing the company at his side. Both were roughly the same age as her son, but there wasn’t much else judgment she could rend at first glance.

His tail still wagging, Kuroki turned to shoot Cy a sly little look. A golden boy? PAH! Couldn't be further from the truth given that he was basically the black sheep, the one everyone thought wouldn't ever amount to much. And that was fine, folks could think whatever the fuck they liked, Oki wasn't gonna stop em. Celeste was  getting a little cagey though, her wrinkled face furrowing even more as Oki raised a paw to shoo off her concerns. He didn't bother responding in their native tongue, wasn't here to make anyone feel like they were being left out.

"Nahhh it'll be fine. Trust me." They didn't have to wait long at all till Venom arrived on the scene. Her shoulders hung heavy and she'd lost a lot of shine to her eyes, Kuroki knew well enough to know she was still struggling but she was doing her best to hide it. Kuroki got it. "Wow Mum you are looking lovely today, did you do something new with your quills?" A strong start, if he did say so himself. "I was roaming about as you said I was most welcome to do, and I just so happened to stumble upon these two damsels in distress."

Time to cut the shit.

"Yo they wanna join Ashen, that's cool yeah?"

When Oki raised his paw to shoo away her concerns, Celeste's face blanched. "I'll teach her our native tongue so she can talk shit to you," she rumbled in common tongue under her breath as her aqua eyes cast a glance toward both Oki and the other girl. As her words died under his breath, the sound of paw steps upon the ground attracted her attention to the midnight woman that approached. She could feel the assessing gaze of the head lady in charge roving over both of them and she felt suddenly a bit self-conscious. What a way to first be introduced to someone of power. While Oki complimented his mother and spouted that they were damsels in distress, her eyes did a little roll. She was only in distress because her damn fur had fallen out. Otherwise, she most certainly was capable of taking care of herself. After he had stated that they wanted to join Ashen, her eyes moved back over to Venom while she waited for her nerves to calm down. Stepping forward so that she was more aligned with Oki, Celeste dipped her head respectfully. "Kuroki may be forgetting some manners. I am Celeste and though I am indisposed currently, I can assure that I could be helpful with the pack if need be," her tone is confident as her chin lifts back up. While she may be the smallest of the bunch, there was nothing cowardly about her.

Cy hears the girl say something too low to make out... wait, was that even English? Nope. Sure wasn't. Secrets don't make friends, but she'd hold her tongue. Cyanide would do her best to withhold looking like an asshole, at least for now. Maybe indefinitely, even, depending on how things went. The naked girl mentioned something about teaching, but the wraith doesn't quite catch it. It's enough to bring a smirk to her lips though, chatting shit was an excellent passtime. She was quick to drive the snarky edge from her expression as the lady of the land arrived. Cy righted her posture under Venom's gaze. At the damsels in distress comment, the wraith can't help but shoot Oki a glance. Right, no, gotta fix your face so you look reasonable and acceptable. Celeste introduces herself, and a part of the girl is glad she went first. What the hell was she even supposed to say at a time like this? It's all Greek to her. "I'm Cyanide." The introduction comes after her naked compatriot is done speaking. "Fighter by trade but yeah, whatever you need." Celeste was better at this than she was, apparently. Still, Cy dips her head briefly, offering a smile. It's the best she can do on short notice, but she means well.

Kuroki greeted her with compliments instead of getting to the point, part of her appreciated the superfluous compliment. She needed encouragements no matter how empty, and she knew her son was softening the real reason he asked for her presence here. ”No, Kuroki, but thank you.” She didn’t completely predict the next words he spoke, but she wasn’t incredibly confident in his reasons for bringing them home into Ashen. Her trust had been broken more severely than she had ever experienced before, and that shook her outlook on the whole world. Were there ulterior motives here? Why would two young women suddenly decide they wished to reside in her pack on only the word of Kuroki to go by?

Ashen was not known for its charity or open borders, not all were welcome or could prove their worthiness to serve the Empire’s heart. Both she wolves seem to realize this at a more basic level as both spoke their own peace. First Celeste, the one who had lost the glory of her fur coat. She picked up a familiar accent and fought against the bias that flared. The girl didn’t have anything to do with her estranged husband. Venom considered her for a moment before attentions shifted to the second girl, Cyanide, who very nearly mirrored Kuroki in mannerisms.

”Very well,” Venom relented, withdrawing her gaze from both young women and returning her gaze to Kuroki. ”Show them around, tell them our laws.” She continued, giving the young man the responsibility. If they proved to be productive pack members he would be given the praise, just as the reprimand if they proved a disappointment. Her gaze softened as her attention flicked to the girls at his side. ”Ladies, welcome to Ashen. Celeste, you’ll be given the scout rank, and Cyanide you will occupy the Genin rank. I’ll expect Kuroki to help in your training.” She gave her son another look. ”Do you need anything else?”