It was counterintuitive, but Modesty was far from in the best frame of mind. Still fairly drunk for someone that managed to keep most of her drinking to special occasions, (she supposed there was some humour in marking her whole world falling apart around her as special), she stumbled towards the Ashen border relying solely on the vaguely familiar scents that also traversed the landscape. The scents that smelled like home. The earth swayed beneath her paws as she hit the border, and she paused. Any other night she probably would have just swanned straight over the invisible line, but tonight... Well she wasn't exactly presentable, and it had been a long time that she had been gone. At least she still had enough manners to come after the sun was down, right?

Yes the pack had cast her mother, and her by extension, out, but she had never had any beef with the Ashen wolves, and they were bound to have a more cohesive network than the Raiders did, right? So she took a moment to stumble over the dominant scents that lay across the border, despite the way it made her brow furrow in question. Uncle Chi? Hadn't he been somewhere way down south with all his wives? Oh, that made her stomach roil uncomfortably. Some people didn't mind living that way, but she could only assume he wouldn't much like seeing his wives with other men, so why should she feel bad about hating the fact her husband was interested in other women? Other women that weren't even wolves at that.

There was a scowl on her face and she did her best to brush it aside before someone came across her (it didn't work, bitch face was in full effect).

Modesty tried to sound polite in her requesting howl, although her inebriation did have her call warbling a little. She thought she saw a familiar black fluffy dog with hints of white. She hiccupped and giggled. “W-watch out honey, I'm sure my not-husband would just loooove a pretty thing like you.” The thought of the dog spinning to try and rip out her husband's throat for even trying actually bought her some degree of joy, but laughing made her dizzy and before she knew it her back end was slumped rather sloppily against the ground, before sliding the rest of the way back, until her paws curled against her chest and her rear paws pointed at the sky, belly on full display and head held at an odd angle on account of her antlers (she still thought she was standing).

Wow, the stars sure were pretty tonight.

“Speech.”

It was night and, while Chimera wasn't asleep, he had been nestled down into a pile of furs, going through the last of the business necessary to move the pack elsewhere. If he was ruling Ashen, then he was thoroughly ruling Ashen. The pack would continue to claim the ravine as their own, but they would shift their land claims to the side. The estuary would allow them ample food and herb supplies and the island would provide the kind of seclusion and security that the dual-toned giant required.

As Chimera went over ledgers filled with tallies, Meg came to the door. The mastiff poked her head within the chamber and informed him that someone was here to see him and that she seemed to be either sick or drunk. With a furrowed brow, Chimera rose and followed the smaller canine out into the darkness.

In the longer grass, all that he could see at first were paws pointed towards the sky. As he neared, the body attached to them took form. Modesty. It had been a long, long time since he'd seen his niece and he hadn't expected their reunion to be quite so... upside down. "Modesty," low tones rumbled like far off thunder. "Do you need help standing?" The brow above his milky white eye lifted as he stared down at the colorful fae.

"Chimera"

   

Now that she had a minute to think about it, why were the stars beneath her? Was this finally her moment? But then a familiar looming form approached and she was distracted from her train of thought, tail sweeping through the grass at her back. “Uncle Chi! ...Why are you in the sky?” It was the canting of her head that got her antler stuck in a clod of earth and turned the earth the right way up with an Oof. She propped herself up on her elbows and groaned as the earth rolled beneath her like some sort of queasy raft. She pinched her eyes together and took a steadying breath.

“I thought you were down on an Island with your wives! Are you visiting?” She gushed excited to see family again, despite the way her mind and the earth both were reeling. But that didn't make sense, his scent was everywhere, her mouth fell into a silent 'O', her eyes growing wide, “No way! Are you leading here now?!” her tail waved at her back betraying her excitement, her purpose forgotten for the moment.

“Speech.”

Such an odd encounter... Chimera watched as Modesty lodged an antler in the earth and was forced to roll onto her side. The man's head tilted and his brow scrunched up in confusion for a moment. A huff of amusement ghosted through speckled nares as he realized she'd asked why he was in the sky. Haunches folded and the man sat, waiting for his niece to get herself situated enough to figure out what in the hell was going on.

The woman questioned him, then answered her own question without taking a breath in between. Chimera's brows lifted and he couldn't help but chuckle. Oh boy... She was plastered.

"Yes, I'm the King of Ashen now," he confirmed her suspicions. "What are you doing here, Modesty?" Not that she wasn't welcome, but she seemed as though she was on the edge of a manic episode or something. Though she seemed happy and drunk now, at any second it might all crumble.

"Chimera"

   

Wow! She was happy for him, really she was and her tail started to signal her congratulations a smile growing on her face until he asked his own question. Her expression crumpled and tears gathered at the corners of her eyes unbidden. Oh shit. Oh shit it was happening again. Her breathing came short and sharp and she hiccuped before a pained wail was pulled from her chest. “He doesn't love me anymore, he fell in love with a dog instead!” Her paws reached out to grab at the earth as though her life depended on it, and she did her best to get her breathing under control but the alcohol wasn't helping her situation at all, and the hiccups made it harder. Here though, why was she here? “I thought maybe the Ashen network might have some idea where mum is? I haven't been able to find her for so long...” Her mother would have the answers right? Who else could possibly make it better when her world was falling apart around her?

“Speech.”

She was fine... until she wasn't. His questioned seemed to trigger something within her and Modesty went from happy and wagging to sobbing and hiccupping. She spoke through her sobs, saying that he didn't love her anymore, whoever he was. He.. loved a dog instead? Well... wasn't this conversation just loaded...

As Modesty wavered on her paws, Chimera moved forward smoothly. Though she was a woman grown, the black and white giant wrapped her in his arms and held her against his chest like a child. If there was one thing that he was good at, it was being a father. One black-toed paw gently stroked the woman's back as he held her, providing the support that she obviously needed.

Modesty asked after her mother, requesting information and a low rumble reverberated through the man's chest. "We haven't heard hide nor hair from Toxicity in a long while," he spoke softly since they were so close. Chi didn't want her to get wildly upset again, so he added. "I can send dogs out to search for information for you, if you'd like."

"Chimera"

   

Her uncle wrapping around her offered a security she wasn't sure she had felt in her whole life. She pushed her head into his chest, surprisingly mindful enough to angle her antlers so they wouldn't poke him in the throat, and she focused on trying to get her breathing under control. Closing her eyes, she managed to take a few steadying breaths that at least stopped her eyes from leaking so aggressively. Drinking was always a terrible choice.

Chimera's rumbling voice washed over her, and Modesty sniffled when he mentioned they hadn't heard from her mother. Though her breath still came in short gasps, and her shoulders still shook with the aftershocks of her sobbing, she was starting to get her shit together. Why did the mention of sending dogs out make her stomach flip and her throat burn? Oh, that was right...

Biting her tongue to keep herself in check, she finally pulled back from her uncle's chest, ready to face the world again, though clearly not on her feet. “That shouldn' be necessary,” she still had the fucking hiccups, “Pont is at th' shrine,” hiccup “I imagine 'e'll let me know if she shows.” Oh god was it an earthquake that had the world rolling beneath her? But her Uncle didn't seem phased at all. “Apparently, alcohol isn' the miracle cure...”

Though she should have known as much from watching Sparrow over the last year, she still sounded puzzled by the revelation.

But surely that was enough of her own woes, she should focus on happier topics right? As if she could. “How'd'they do it? Your wives, how do they share?” Not that she had any intention of doing so, but she was curious, “Do they have boyfrienz on the side too?”

“Speech.”

Modesty cried and Chimera held her as she did so. He wasn't fussed about getting his coat wet or snotty. He could always dry himself or take a bath. His nieces comfort was what mattered. Though they hadn't interacted a great deal during their lives, she was family and family was important. The most important thing, actually.

Chimera's offer of sending out scouts to look for Toxicity was refused and Mod went on to say that Pontifex was at the shrine. "When and if you see Pontifex and Faith, let them know that I'd like to speak with them." The faults of the mother weren't the faults of the children. Chimera hadn't liked that and he wished to rectify a mistake and let his nieces and nephew know that he held no ill will against them. Again... family.

Modesty spoke of alcohol not being a miracle cure and the big brute chuckled. "This is why I don't drink, darling." It was very rare that he ever touched alcohol. He never touched drugs. Chimera didn't like the lack of control. He always had to be in control. Hopefully Modesty learned something from this experience, but...

Chimera was a little surprised when Modesty asked how his wives could stand being part of a group. The brute's ears flicked forward and he gave a contemplative hum in his throat. She then asked if they had boyfriends on the side and Chi scoffed in surprise. "They wouldn't dare." He'd kill whoever touched his queens. "They can find pleasure in one another if they wish it but I won't stand for an outside touching them, and especially not a man."

A sigh pulled from the giant and he shifted his position, sitting beside Modesty so that she could lean against him. It looked as though she'd turn to jelly at any moment. "It's not easy for a woman to share," he pointed out. "Each of my queens offers me something different. Something that I need. In turn, I do everything in my power to assure their health and happiness. I value them above all others because they make me whole." He nuzzled the woman's cheek lightly. "You have to decide if your man makes you whole." Chi gave a little wiggle of his shoulders and leaned in to whisper conspiratorially. "I can always come beat his ass for you." He joked, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Chimera Klein"

   

Her uncles request for her to pass on a message to her siblings was met with a nod, though whether or not she would remember in the morning was another matter entirely. Thankfully, her rabbit was close enough nearby to remember for her. When he mentioned that he didn't drink, she groaned rather pitifully, “I don' usually either.” She hated the way the earth seemed to rock beneath her feet.

She was distracted from her moaning as her uncle began to speak of his wives. She seemed to relate to his side of it better than theirs. Perhaps it was hereditary? But his perspective was enlightening. What was Gilgamesh to her, in the bigger picture? What value did their partnership add? But it hurt too much to consider in this moment. She was quickly distracted by his offer, which did bring a bright smile to her face, “Please?” She requested with a thump of her tail. “Though y' might want t' leave your girl dogs behind, in case he falls in love with them!” She was angry this time. What on earth was so appealing about the girl? Although now she considered it, they did both kind of look similar, drab spotty neutral tones. Perhaps, he just didn't think she was pretty after being ill for so long? She'd always been so self conscious, and anxiety quickly crept up on her. “Do you think it's cos I'm not pretty?” She was doing a better job of not crying, for now, but it was borderline.

“Speech.”