Slow down, time

As Chimera reached out to take her paw she curled hers around his with a gentle squeeze, an adoring smile pulling at her lips. She did feel guilty for having such long stints away from him over the course of their relationship, but he knew that it had all been for the sake of their daughter and his other children at one point or another so she couldn't let herself feel like it wasn't for nothing. They had one girl and Ruse was her entire world. They no longer had the sprawling island to themselves or the countless members of their branching family around them, but that didn't matter. The kids were out living their own lives and now she, Chimera, and Aliana would get to spend their remaining time together. Considering how short she had once thought her life would be this felt like a pretty fantastic way to spend how ever many years she had left.

"Good. I'm glad," she replied genuinely as she leaned forward to nuzzle her nose against his cheek. Ali had filled her in on just how bad he had gotten at some points and with that knowledge just knowing that he was able to speak with her and hold her paw meant the world. She let go of his paw for a bit so that she could finish preparing his medicine for him and hold it out for him to take before giving him some of the tender red meats and a couple of pieces of rough flat bread that had been baked by a fire and made from wild grains. Red meat to help rebuild his strength and grains to keep his stomach settled from all of the medicines he was having to take.

"Eat up, my love," she said with a little chuckle as she moved to settle beside him, leaning gently into his shoulder to simply be with him while he ate his breakfast. "Ruse sends her love, by the way," she shared with a smile. "I asked if she wanted to come live here with us before we parted ways, but you know her... Always a wild spirit."

"Chimera & Dalila"