It hadn't been a cold or indigestion or some silly flu bug. Chimera wouldn't have even considered giving up his home for something so trivial. When the once proud King of Fenmyre had begun wasting away, then there was something to be concerned about. In such a state, he wouldn't be able to protect those that he cared for; those within his rule. For the first time since his childhood, the brute had been uncertain. He didn't like relying on others and he definitely didn't like not being strong enough to defend his home and family. Healers had been consulted. His queens went above and beyond for him, searching for cures and things to alleviate his symptoms. In the end, a wiry old wolf advised him to seek out warmer climes, having seen such an illness before. So... he followed that advice.

The going was rough and more than once Chimera thought that he would die. With the warmth of the southern sun and the never ending love and care of his queens and their hard work, the giant man thwarted death and began to recover. It was a long road, but once he began to feel like himself again, the first order of business was going back to rejoin his family. Things would be different, however. The illness had come back once and the man wasn't sure if it would be a recurring thing. It would be a waste of effort to reforge his kingdom until he was certain that he'd beaten back the illness for good. So, he sent word to his sister, Venom. They needed to have a talk.

At the edge of the territory, the dire giant gave a low howl, calling for his sister. He would be respectful of Ashen's boundaries until he was sure that he and his group would be welcome there. The man seated himself in a patch of sunlight. The temperature was drastically different from where he'd been holed up. Winter was making Boreas chilly, though it wasn't as bad here as it was in the northern reaches, he was sure. Still... he would need many furs to line his future den. Already he planned to make trips to his former lands to salvage what he could. First he needed to speak to his sister and swallow his pride to ask for her help.

"Speech"

The sounds of Chimera’s voice was not unexpected, but she was a bit perturbed at the time that she was called. Venom was a creature of the night, but with her brother’s sickness she couldn’t really blame him for traveling during the warmest parts of the day. Begrudgingly she left Maverick and the pups sleeping in the den and swiftly made her way to the border. Her sight remained clouded, but as time went on her paws relearned her home. There were only very subtle tells that she was without vision.

White gloved paws carried her to the border where her brother waited for her. Once upon a time their roles had been reversed. He had been the one to save her, and now he was coming to her for similar help. She hadn’t been able to aid him while he was ailing, he’d had to travel too far away, but now with his return to Boreas the Klein Monarch was eager to offer her assistance to her kin.

"Chimera. Welcome, I hope you are well.” She greeted him as she took a seat before him. So much had happened since she last saw him. "I hope that you found our new home easily enough?” He was too young to remember the ravine as home, she herself had been a child at the time of the great move.

"Venom"

Venom made her way to him swiftly. More swiftly than he imagined she would, given the time of day. His sister welcomed him and the giant nodded, not knowing yet that she couldn't see it. "Venom," he replied in his rich, smooth baritones. "Well enough. The light is a bit irksome, but it's been a long journey. I didn't think you'd mind the inconvenience." They wouldn't be out here terribly long if he had any say about it.

Talk moved to Ashen's new lands and again, Chimera nodded, though this time he noticed the lack of movement in his sister's gaze as he did so. Lifting one big paw, Chimera silently waved it back and forth and when there was no reaction, the brute frowned. "It was easy to find," he assured her. Then he lifted himself from the ground and moved forward, one paw moving up to gently cup his siblings chin so that he could lift her face and better stare into her sunset gaze. "How long have you been sightless, Venom?" There was deep concern in his tones. Had some sort of illness taken her vision? The man then added, "Aliana has been working tirelessly in an attempt to repair my blind eye. Perhaps she could assist you as well, if you're willing."

Once the offer was made, Chimera surprisingly didn't pull back. Instead, the behemoth pulled his sister gently into his embrace, pressing her into his chest with one foreleg holding her to him much as he had when the koi bastard had left her. "My pride is wounded by this, but I'm here to beg for a home for myself and my family. I don't..." Chimera stopped, grimacing with a flash of teeth that of course, Venom couldn't see. "I don't know if this illness will return and I don't want to leave my family unprotected. My que-... My women are very talented healers, hunters and fighters. We will pull our weight and then some. I will do whatever you need." He felt as though she would say yes, but there was always that chance that the numbers were too high and that there just wasn't enough room. Chimera waited, his body a little tense, for an answer.

"Speech"

Chimera returned her greeting easily, but she could hear the fatigue in his voice. Venom wasn’t sure if it was tiredness from the journey or emotional wounds bubbling forth. He did make note of the time of day that he decided to call her, and he was correct, she wasn’t so bothered she would have said anything. Sleep would come to her once they were through. He said he was ‘well enough’ and the Empress would accept that answer from him.

The conversation moved along, he had found their new residence with relative ease. They weren’t so very far from the islands, though not any closer to Fenmyre lands. She smiled at his answer, but before she could say anything else the words that fell from his lips had her grin dripping away from her now pursed lips. His paw beneath her chin as she assumed he gazed into her sightless eyes. How long had she been blind? Being called out twice in quick succession was quite the blow to her ego, she’d been doing so well in keeping her disability a secret. Maybe she wasn’t quite as skilled as I had thought. At least Chimera posed her no threat, and would be much more of an asset than he realized.

He released some of the tension that had grown within her as he went on, mentioning one of his wives and her pursuit to cure his own half blindness. "Since the beginning of the season.” She answered truthfully, if not with hesitant shame. "I would appreciate her having a look, but none of Ashen’s healers have found any issue with my eyes.” Venom followed up with her doubts as they moved on. Surprisingly as Chimera shifts again to embrace her.

They had never been particularly affectionate with each other, in fact there had been quite a bit of turmoil as their relationship evolved. However, she couldn’t deny the comfort of having her brother’s arms around her slender shoulders. As Chimera held her as he finally admitted the reason he was here at Ashen’s borders. To beg for her help in the aftermath of his near death experience. As if she wouldn’t allow him entrance. She pulled back slightly, unable to see him but pulling back so she could ‘look’ at him out of habit.

"Of course Chimera.” She replied without hesitation. "For as long as you need.” Venom promised, certain that what he said was true, he and his family were welcome within Ashen’s borders. She had room for him and his ladies, but he hadn’t said anything about his offspring. "Who all will be joining you?” She had been planning to seek out the next couple to welcome puppies into Ashen, but adding a family of well trained Kleins was even better.

"Venom"

Venom admitted that her eyesight had been gone since the beginning of the season and Chimera frowned. Was this some sort of seasonal issue like the illness that had struck him low? Time would tell, but he severely hoped not. His sister agreed to the former Fenmyre queens seeing to her eyes. "I'll inform them as soon as they catch up," he informed her.

After embracing her for a moment and posing his request, Venom pulled back, giving him a look that made him grin even if she couldn't see him. She agreed to let them become part of Ashen for as long as they needed and, though he knew she would say yes, hearing it took a great weight off of his shoulders. The two-toned giant leaned forward and placed a kiss on his blind sister's forehead.

Sitting back once more, the man sighed, his ears slicked back. He would tell Venom because, as a leader, she would understand. "I haven't told the women, but I feel like a failure," he admitted, his voice low and full of shame. Illness wasn't something that he could control, but he should have been strong enough to fight it and keep their home. That shame and failure was eating the once proud man inside, he was just good at hiding it.

"Speech"

Chimera was a completely different man to the young punk that had once haunted Ashen’s islands. Age, experience, and suffering had all molded him into the mature and respectable man that stood before her. Despite everything he had lived through, and everything that had once been between them, their bond and loyalty remained true. They had their ups and down, but their relationship was stronger for it. As made obvious in the little affections they shared.

He kissed her forehead in appreciation for her kindness, but she would have offered the same to any of their kin that came to her. Chimera was special though, and their relationship was very different from any of their other siblings. While they were much closer now, she didn’t expect the vulnerability he showed her as he admitted the guilt that weighed on his shoulders.

Venom could imagine, if she were put into his shoes, what she would feel like. Her hope was that Shuriken would be ready to take over for her, but what if that wasn’t possible? What if an illness caused Ashen to fall? The Empress shuddered at the thought as she reached up to nuzzle Chimera’s cheek. "You can’t look at it like that, Chimera.” She warned him softly. "You did what you could to the best of your ability. Because you were quick to act, you’re still alive. You can rebuild everything that you have lost. You still have me, and you still have your family.”

"Venom"