He had stuck close to his parents while his sire was ailing, rarely straying beyond the borders for fear of what may occur in his absence. Most of his siblings had taken off for their half sisters new pack, and he wondered if he would be better suited to joining them. To keep an eye on his sisters, and provide aid to his family as opposed to this unrelated monarchy. Thoughts best set aside, for the time being.

Long limbs wreathed in smoke-like markings of marbled onyx pulled him from the familiar boundaries of the pack, and further afield than he had strayed in many moons. Ghostly pale in the moonlight, his champagne coat turned liquid mercury by the rays of the rising full moon. Mismatched eyes scanned over the landscape, catching sight of his mastiff companion lumbering through the undergrowth towards him. He greeted the smaller canid with a gentle nip to his shoulder and continued onwards.

They did not wander for long before the vestiges of a familiar aroma met his nares, one which set his hackles bristling and tail lashing with a mixture of excitement and ire. So she wasn't dead! That bitch! He'd mourned her for months, despondent and lethargic for days and weeks after she'd vanished. Though they hadn't found her body, two of his other sisters had already passed, and so the notion wasn't so far fetched.

Aethon swept across the terrain like a thunderhead, his willowy physique cutting through undergrowth and still night air like a blade. As the strength of Gem's scent increased, his blood rushed harder and harder in his ears until the roar of it drowned out even the ragged sound of his own breathing.

And then all at once, he was upon her. Brows furrowed with a host of emotion that he wouldn't admit to quite yet, the towering ghost of a man sought to leap into the space just behind his sister and seize her scruff. Not to shake, not to harm, but to secure her. To hold her still, and ensure she didn't leave him until he had some answers.

"You left us." it was not a question, and the hardness of his voice made it abundantly clear that he was displeased. Deep down, he was hurt by her absence. Afraid for her safety, concerned that she had been hurt or captured, all manner of possibilities. But on the surface there was only the stony coldness of his flat expression and his sharp gaze.

ooc. I figure they can have a lil reunion and then have a lil devils advocate argument for funsies

It wasn't often that Gem found herself out toward the eastern lands of Boreas. She enjoyed the brisk chill of the north or the damp swamps of the south. The more coastal regions where plenty of water and sea life lingered hadn't been of much interest until now. After starting back at the beginning in the search to find her family, Gem had received a tip that they had ended up first with Elysium and then onto Obscura. Where her parents were exactly wasn't confirmed yet, but she would check with both packs. At least some of her siblings would be in Obscura if their new leader was a Klein as well, no? This hunch led Gem out to the Rustling Thicket. Spring was in full bloom. Her heterochromatic gaze taking in the sights, noticing how the thorns curved far from the twisting vines. Having spent the time to bathe and brush her fur clean so that she looked her best when she found her parents, she didn't spend much time daydreaming this time around. No, today wasn't a day for exploring or berry picking. Even if the thicket was ripe with fruit that smelled tart and delicious. Rather her paws were hurried through the leaf litter, barely a look behind her as she had grown accustomed to. Being alone in the wild meant always looking over her shoulder, but the idea of seeing her family again made her mind forget that tiny detail. It would be a mistake she'd never make again. A giant form rushed toward her from behind. She barely felt his presence until he was on top of her, scruffing her as if she were a pup again. Surprised and terrified, Gem releases a shriek. Writhing around in hopes that she would be released by her captor, she notices from her peripheral that it is someone familiar. "Aethon?!" She cries, tears brimming her eyes as he lets her go to say the three words she didn't want to hear. You left us. The words repeat in her head over and over again as she crumples to the ground, cowering beneath her brother's imposing figure. His emotions are clear on his face. Pain. All she ever did was cause them harm and she can't hide the well of emotions that bubble out and down her cheeks. "I-I'm sorry," Gem chokes out, rolling over onto her back to expose her belly, tail tucked firmly between her legs. "I got lost!" She manages to get the words out in a shrill tone, front paws reaching up to cover over her eyes. Gem Klein

The way she thrashed in his grip filled the ghostly youth with self-loathing, bile rising in his gullet instantly. What was he doing? And so he released his sister, her chimeric form falling limply to the ground at his paws. She rolled onto her back, showed her belly in submission and fear. He hated the sensation of making his sister afraid. Her apologies rung in his skull in much the way his own accusation had within hers. A quick explanation, a simple one at that. She'd been lost. Brows furrowed in anger quickly found themselves scrunched together in confusion, and then in concern. Joints loosened, a subtle tremble in his limbs, as he crumbled like an ancient citadel. Alighting upon the ground, he sought to frame his petite sister's form between slender forelegs and pull her closer. "I thought you.." his airy vocals were tremulous, soft. "After Sim.. Hydrae... I thought you'd died, too." why was his face so hot? Why was everything so blurry? Oh, he was crying. Those were warm cascades of tears staining the champagne and smoke hued fur of his cheeks. If she would let him, the ghostly young male would bury his features into whatever part of his sister's fur he could reach. Hide the ugly display of painful sorrow from view, and soak up the sensation of living flesh within his grasp. At least she was still here. At least he hadn't failed another loved one. "Dagger Prince" pixels by squishyalpaca

Still she cowers beneath him, hiding her own tears from his view as he crumples before her. A formidable figure dissolving at the sight of sorrow and fear. Though Gem did not fear for her life, her heart raced as if she were about to be slaughtered. His anger had been palpable and that much she too loathed. Loathed that she was the cause for such a powerful emotion. Trembling on the ground, curled up into that submission ball, she is surprised when she feels warm encircle her. Pulled closer into his chest, large form enveloping her into a comforting embrace, Gem peeks out from around her paws. Large, doe-like eyes blink away tears as her ears listen to the words that he says. Simurgh? Hydrae? Dead? Dead. Died. Dead. They thought she was dead. A sob chokes her. Her chest rattles, sides heaving as she fights for an anxious breath. Frazzled, confused, lost. Gem can’t think. What about the others? Phobia? Arachne? Barghest? Selkie? “Elle… Ellara is alive. I-I saw her recently. In the north,” Gem chokes out, her own face and paws reaching up to grab ahold and press tightly back into Aethon. “Wh-what about the others?” Her voice is a hoarse whisper, fear overwhelming her as she tries to believe they’re okay too. “Do…,” no, she couldn’t dare ask. She didn’t want to believe she had broken her parent’s hearts too. Gem Klein

Pliant and timid, his sister did not resist his embrace. And so he did not release her, the ghostly titan suddenly anxious to lose her again. His heart twists painfully within the confines of his slender ribcage as she chokes out a terrible sob, his tactless admission of their losses rendering her as teary eyed and frantic as he was. She managed to choke out that she encountered Elle in the north recently enough, and it feels as though some weight of his mounting failures tumbles free from his shoulders. He nods solemnly, but does not speak. She asks about the rest of their siblings, and he lets loose a soft sigh. "Barghest and most of our older siblings have joined up with our elder sister Scylla, she took a pack recently. Obscura, it's called." he assured her, the gentle rumbling of his vocals impossibly quiet in the wake of his outburst. "Phobia and I are still in Elysium, though. Not sure about Selkie or Arachne, I haven't seen them since the move either. Dad has begun to recover, but I am not eager to leave mum alone quite yet. I worry about how she might find herself overwhelmed again if he takes ill again, and she has to tend him all by herself again." he spoke the words with a furrow in his pale brow, unconsciously shuffling his forelimbs to curl a little tighter around Gem's small form. He doesn't want to lose any more family, and he doesn't want to let anyone else down. Ever. "Mum and dad held out hope that you were alive- we never found a body, after all. I know they worried about you and Elle, though." he added, noting the hesitant start of a second avenue of questioning that died on her lips. It was easy enough to guess what she was trying to ask, after finding out their other sisters were dead. "You ought to go see them, soon. I think it would do them well to know you're alright." the champagne prince admitted, lowering his skull as he sought to press a gentle kiss to the top of her head unconsciously. Seeking comfort in her presence. "Where did you go, Gem? Were you safe?" that ugly, possessive streak manifests under the guise of concern as he looks earnestly upon her features, brows knitted together and mismatched eyes searching. "speaking"

The thing about her family is that Gem inwardly knows they are a bit more possessive than other families. It was shown to her from birth. How they wanted to keep her close, never really letting her out of sight. In a sense, it wasn't overbearing for her. To Gem, she felt safe, protected, always looked after. She was almost the smallest one of the litter anyway so having so many larger siblings and parents to look after her was nice. Comforting. Even now, as Aethon embraces her, Gem quickly returns the gesture by snuggling closer. Feeling his heart thump against his chest and into her ear canal. She keeps her eyes closed and listens to his quiet words that seem very unreal compared to what had transpired moments earlier. Even deeply inhaling his scent seemed to help calm her down. Why had she had to go missing? This was a thought that had her both trembling and eyes watering once more. "What if I hadn't gotten lost? What if I had been able to stay with everyone?" Her voice is quiet, timid, terrified. "Do you think the others would still be alive?" She turns her chin slightly upward toward Aethon's face. Even though she can't really see his expression, she wonders what he will think of her grim line of thinking. "It was all my fault wasn't it?" Each word trembles as she speaks. "If I hadn't gotten separated, I could've gone with and helped mom care for dad," Gem whispers, quickly burying her face back into his thick, pale chest fur. Her paws even grip onto his shoulders harder though it seemed impossible for such a thing to happen. "Selkie and Arachne haven't been found either?" She questions, mostly to herself. If two of her siblings were already dead, that would mean Arachne and Selkie being dead were very good possibilities too. The thought brings a chill down Gem's spine as she shuts her eyes tightly. Though none of this was actually Gem's fault, she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her father's illness, her mother's worry, her siblings dying, worrying her other alive siblings as well. "If I had just been more careful and stayed closer to everyone, we would all still be together, wouldn't we?" Gem questions, her words and voice muffled by Aethon's fluffy, soft fur. "If Barghest is in Obscura alone, what if I joined her and Scylla? Then she wouldn't be alone anymore and I could still go look for Arachne and Selkie. If they're still alive, they need to know they're missed," Gem's tone becomes frantic, slightly more high pitched as she suddenly pulls away from Aethon's embrace. Slipping from his tight hold, she drops to the ground and begins to pace back and forth. She didn't care if the nearby thorns tugged and pulled at her chimera coat, the pain would be welcome in her state of anxiousness. "I... I met a boy recently. He's a Raider. His mum is dad's... niece? Yes, Modesty. She's the Raider Queen. She's looking for dad. I'll have to send word to her that he's alive in Elysium," Gem's words are quick as her brain titters on and on. But he was getting better! That was good! But he had no idea she was alive... And neither did mom. A sharp inhale pulls Gem's breath inward as she stops, paws freezing as she turns back to Aethon. Her eyes are wide, a wild look about them that clearly shows the white around the edges. "What if I found Arachne and Selkie? I could convince them to come to Obscura or Elysium. Do you think dad would entertain rising Ashen once more? Or even Fenmyre?" Excitement dribbles along the edges of her hectic tone, tail swinging fiercely back and forth, but not in a happy sort of way. Yes, she'd had Chimera tell her stories of the island down in Auster where he had once ruled as king. "If he was king of a pack once more... Everything would have to be okay again, right?" Her tone picks up another pitch as she continues to stare wildly at Aethon. "Oh this is genius, is it not!?" She squeals, paws beginning to tap against the soft dirt as another shiver rolls through her body. If she could accomplish such a feat (which genuinely is not actually possible) she could fix all of her family's problems! Everyone would be happy again! "Oh, Aethon, what if it's really possible? The whole family together again?" Gem sighs, tears once more pooling around her eyes as she hurriedly scrambles back toward him. Practically jumping back up into his arms, she wraps her own legs as best as she can around his wide chest and tilts her chin to look up at him with a widening smile. It's fragile, almost on the edge of insanity, clearly he must see that, but she doesn't care. Reaching upward, Gem licks her brother's chin in an endearing kiss. "What if trying would be all that it takes to make it worth it?" She whispers, her tongue sweeping over his chin once more. Gem Klein

word count: 860 / 1500

It was easy to sense the tension building throughout her petite frame, he anticipated some kind of outburst of emotion to follow. Would she be angry with him for worrying? Was she equally distraught by her absence? Had she been harmed? Hackles bristled slowly, a gradual rise of gunmetal and alabaster fur over his shoulders as he waited for her to speak up. A flood of questions escaped Gem almost immediately, vocals tremulous with emotion. He sighed softly, peeled his eyes from her features and over to.. anything else. The earnest terror in her mismatched eyes was enough to make him want to cry again. He couldn't look at her. "I couldn't say, Gem. Their deaths weren't very preventable, from where I was standing.." he murmured, the softness of his vocals betraying the pain in his heart. It was true, their deaths had been sudden, of the manner that might each be labelled an act of god in their own right. He could feel the way that her eyes bored into the pale flesh of his cheek, searching for answers that he lacked. He listened, a dutiful brother, but he couldn't help objecting. In his own odd way, trying to redirect her misery towards something far less self-deprecating. "What if you didn't get lost, and they died anyways?" he returned carefully, tilting one keen eye to her. Tall auds tipping backwards, unable to hide his distress at the painful line of questioning. If she wanted to talk about it this way, he could play ball. "What if they still died, no matter what? You would have been here to mourn with us, but they would still be dead. And you would find a new way to take the blame, wouldn't you?" his question rings out in the painfully silent clearing as she pulls herself tightly against his chest, warm tears soaking into the soft fur around his neck. The sharp pressing of small claws into the flesh of his shoulders does not garner a response beyond the slight curl of his pale lip, as he turns his muzzle to curl his skull about her diminutive neck and shoulders. And all at once she'd found a new avenue of self-sacrifice, all too eager to right wrongs that she has not committed. As Gem pries herself from his embrace, and sets about pacing back and forth, the willowy giant pulls himself up to a seated pose. Head hanging between his shoulders as he tracks the repetitive path of his sister before him. There is a grim angle in his shoulders, a tightness that one could easily misidentify as the rigidity of good posture, and not the taut pull of muscles straining to contain a host of emotions. Aethon is keeping a lid on it as best he can, for his sister's sake. It would be too easy to pluck her up in his jaws again, to cart her off to Elysium as a prisoner to ensure she doesn't put herself in harms way to rescue their wayward sisters. Gem mentions meeting a boy, and his ears flatten. Something painfully similar to jealousy trips down his spine, a possessiveness borne from the intimate knowledge of the male psyche. No boys would be anywhere near his sisters unless he got a good look at them first. Gem explained that they were in some way related, that their sire was the Raid Queen's uncle- not that such things were much of a barrier to their bloodline, from what he'd heard. Best to keep an ear out, for now. He steels himself as Gem whirls on him, the whites of her eyes flashing, and asks him about finding their two missing sisters. She's entertaining the notion that they are also alive, which he appreciates. It seemed so likely that the other two were dead, but with Gem here before him, there's every chance they were also lost. Elle too, she's out there somewhere. Their once massive litter hasn't dwindled as much as he'd originally feared. He opens his mouth to speak, but finds himself faltering. Raising Ashen again, or even Fenmyre? The old pack hasn't stood in a while, felled long before their birth as Chimera's illness first struck. Aethon found his gaze dropping to mismatched paws, as he seeks out the best way to respond. "I.. I don't know if he would, Gem." he admitted it slowly, with a furrowed brow as he looks back up to where she's locked him into an expectant stare. "He's only recently begun to feel like his old self again, and I don't know if mom would let him put himself under such stress again. What if he got sick again?" pragmatism is an unfortunate side effect of being the quiet, lurking observer that he has grown to be. He can see the way her tail is lashing with manic energy, a fervour overtaking her as she clings to the notion of their family piecing itself back together under their father's reign. The chimeric princeling passes his gaze over her wide-legged stance, and the wildness in her eyes. "It may be better to think about one of us taking the crown for ourselves, you know." the tone he used was measured, careful. Yet, he wanted so badly to feed into the hope that he could see in her eyes. It almost seems like she's in another realm, and all at once Gem flung herself into his grasp. One long, slender limb curled instinctively to wrap around her, to grant her a perch as she clung to his chest and shoulders. There are tears in her eyes, and a not insignificant amount of mania. He smiled sadly, accepting the frantic kisses applied to his chin and jaw without question. Pale tongue slipped from his own maw to swipe over one of her cheeks, tasting the tang of salt as he swept the accumulated tears from her soft fur. "I don't think there's ever harm in trying, but Gem...." he hesitated again, faltering in the face of her belligerent hope. How was he supposed to crush her dreams? Perhaps he should simply shut his mouth and follow along, if that would make her happy. Was that not his duty? "Nevermind." he shook his head, pulled his lips into the best smile he could. "Let's set ourselves to searching for them, and we can see where that takes us. Where would you like to start?" (WC: 1102, 1962/1500 COMPLETE) "speaking"