The past was often on her mind as Venom found her white gloved paws carrying her out of Ashen lands. Seeing her beautiful home changed so abruptly and completely had the Empress out of sorts. Memories, early early memories of the volcano cropped up with much more frequency. The incredibly long winter the whole world endured. The way she had seen her pack through the challenges they faced. She knew much of it wouldn’t have been feasible had she not had Hattori at her side. She worried most over him. The ever present darkness, and the glowing had effected him much more harshly than she ever would have imagined.

Many what ifs clouded her mind and her decisions as the future was as clear as the fog filled air before her. Venom slipped in and out of the mists, her paws carrying her through the dying grasses. New glowing species appeared through the dying blades of the old, and as life found a way she wondered if she too would persist.

Things inevitably went from bad to worse. Luckily Kuroki managed to slip by unscathed, but the same really couldn't be said for the Shogun who was sliding down a slippery slope, fast. The usually calm and stoic man was now often seen muttering to himself, completely out of it like he was disconnected from Ashen as a whole. Here in physical presence but not quite in mind. For once Kuroki was wise enough to give him a wide berth, didn't want to run the risk of getting snapped at, or worse. Which Hattori seemed wholly capable of right now, which again really wasn't like him at all. Roaming north towards the Grande, he was surprised to see Venom lingering by the riverside. Clearly lost in thought. "Mum." He greeted as he came to sit next to her, brows uncharacteristically furrowed. He looked more like Hattori than he cared to acknowledge, least of all now when he was like this. Not right in the head. "It's all kinda fucked ain't it?"

Hattori was obviously on edge, and she saw him even less than normal. Like he had turned into a ghost himself. He kept to the shadows, he avoided her, he avoided the pack. Venom wasn’t nearly as affected physically by the strange times they entered. The potential of their destruction was often on her mind, and she didn’t even have her Shogun in full capacity to assist her in the threats that were posed against them.

The voice that disturbed her thoughts was much different than the voice she had last spoken to here on the river. Sunset eyes lifted to find Kuroki approaching her side. He bore a striking resemblance to his father and Venom was reminded how swiftly her children were growing and how fast they approached adulthood. She hoped there would still be a future for them.

Venom flicked a silver tipped ear in his direction, flicking her tongue before she spoke. ”A prince such as yourself is far above language like that.” She chastised him subtly. ”But yes, it is indeed.” She allowed him to see her worry for once. They were getting old enough now that she would no longer hide the challenges she and the pack were facing. It didn’t feel right, especially when the dangers were so blatantly in their face.

Kuroki shouldn't have been surprised his language would earn him an admonishment, but at least he had the mind to look a little guilty. Ears twisted to the side as he offered Venom a side glance, catching sight of her flicking tongue. He was quiet for a moment, thinking over his words and giving the situation the consideration it deserved. Deep shit deserved deep thought, you know? "I think...I might roam for a little while. I'll come back whenever but-being around Dad like this. It feels...dangerous. I've seen him kill someone before, he might do it again." Would she be upset? Probably. Seemed like a very mum thing to do.

The prince took her disciplinary words well, had his father spoke like that she could easily predict the reaction their son would have. Hattori and Kuroki had seemingly been at odds since the boy was able to walk and talk. Truly, Tori could be harsh with his children but like their mother his only desire was to see them reach their full potential. With the state of the world such a dream seemed fruitless.

Then Kuroki spoke again, words that caused her heart to fall from her chest. All she could think about was when Pestilence had claimed she no longer wished to reside in their home. Her son’s desire to leave the moment life became difficult caused disappointment to course through her veins. A feeling she never expected to experience in regards to her offspring.

”If you leave now, when your sisters, your mother, you pack, need you the most young Prince… I don’t know that I could ever forgive you.” She warned him softly, feeling her quills rise along her back as the emotions filled her.

Yeah...she was mad. But it wasn't abandonment, like he was never gonna come back. Cause he was, he said as much. What was wrong with wanting some space to breathe? Instead of backing off as he probably ought to, he doubled down and pressed his case. Speaking as calmly as he could manage, cause duh he wasn't gonna yell at his Mother, an Empress. "Ain't it a Chunin's job to leave Ashen? What't the point of giving me a rank if you're just gonna chew me out for it?" He puffed out a breath, wondering whether this was a fight he could even win. "Like I said, I ain't running away. And it might be good for Ashen, I don't know. Find some new meat for Dad to whip into shape when he's not leaking and talking to himself."

Venom was thankful Kuroki’s desires did not lead towards the life of a leader or ambassador with his poor communication skills. Forever her son would be much more highly valued as the muscle and brawn he represented than his ability to persuade and enchant with words alone. That was one area each of her children differed in wildly. Kuroki retorted in a way his mother did not anticipate. Her brows furrowed, maybe his rank entailed missions beyond their border but he obviously didn’t understand when such activities were pertinent and when it was more important to remain close to home.

”Roaming and being sent on a mission are very different activities my prince.” She chastised him lightly, but she would not restrain her Chunin like she would a wayward son. ”Perhaps you’re right. Go, but go to find out more about the curse over our lands and people. And do not stray so far as you would not be able to return quickly should I require… your assistance.” Hattori was volatile, she needed everyone in the pack to step up in this crisis.

Oops. Yeah okay, he could see she had a point. His intentions weren't wholly selfless and no matter how much he tried to fluff it up, Venom would always be able to look beyond the bullshit and see the truth. He might be able to talk his way out of trouble with his Grammy, but not his Mother. She was just too good, damn it. Even then she still gave him some leeway, didn't try to smother him and keep him on a tight leash like a certain drooling father figure might and for that Kuroki was endlessly grateful. She understood him leagues better than his sire, maybe it's why he'd always been a bit of a Mumma's boy. They just got each other. "I've been looking into Abaven, you know. Think they're starting to like me." Which wasn't entirely true, but Theory hadn't chased him off yet either so...win? Still, from the grim look she cast his way he knew what she was alluding to. If the Shogun really REALLY went off into the deep end they'd need all the muscle they could get. Even Kuroki shuddered to think of what the Shogun was truly capable of when his mind was not his own, all action and no thought. "My bird can stay. Send him whenever you need me. I'll come running, Mum."

Kuroki seemed to understand quite well where Venom was criticizing him, and the young man accepted her verdict with as much grace as he possessed. He’d always reacted better to her admonishment than Hattori’s but then again she understood her son better than his father did anyway. Hattori was her rock and foundation, but he lacked in the art of the tongue, in different ways than his son.

That was the last that was said about the misunderstanding as Kuroki mentioned the pack he had his sights set upon. Venom knew relatively little about Abaven, mostly what Plague told her about his husband’s pack. That and their aunt Samara lived there with her mate and their cousins. Abaven wasn’t a continent away either.

”Well,” she tried not to be insulting, she really was proud of her boy. She couldn’t help but keep her paws crossed he didn’t make things any worse between the two packs. ”If that is where you wish to focus your efforts I won't stop you. And, you already have an entry to the pack, your great aunt Samara lives there.”

Kuroki made a face, his ears wilting a little as he picked up on the slight note of uncertainty in her voice. Like she wasn't gonna start holding her breath anytime soon. And yeah, maybe she had every right to. He wasn't the most dependable of sons nor had he really gone out of his way to serve in any real capacity just yet but...he was just a kid. Was he always gonna be backed into a corner just because of his be-all and end-all  heritage? Then again, this was just what he felt like for now, who could say what the future would hold? Whether he'd get bored and try chomping for something else. He puffed out a sigh and slapped at the ground with a frustrated paw. He had too many choices to make and not enough time to live, to feel each option out one by one. "Honestly Mum... I don't know what I wanna do." He admitted, his brows furrowing. "Like in the grand scheme of things. Did you know you wanted to rule when you were my age?"

Kuroki’s brash attitude and his flippant use if language did not leave his mother in confident spirits but Venom did believe in her son. She believed in the blood that flowed through his veins and the upbringing he was given. He had all of the potential in the world her question was if he would use it. Unfortunately Oki could feel her confidence in him dipping and he sighed heavily revealing further his inner feelings. Venom watched him, her expression softening as he spoke again.

The boy opened up to her, revealing his innermost feelings. He didn’t know what he wanted over all. He couldn’t see a clear path, and then he asked about her own experience. What did she feel when she was his age?

”I always knew that I would take the pack.” She offered quietly. Unlike her own band of children where there didn’t seem to be a clear choice she knew from very young. Venom was the most devoted and talented of her litter, she had fought the hardest for her potion and in the end she had taken it for herself. ”I was not so much older than you when I became Empress.”