Something about this place felt strange. The atmosphere caressed her skin with a haunting sweep as Melanth trekked the length of the Polar Sound curiously. Various scents evaded her nose. Tickling the dark walls of her nostrils the moment she took a sharp inhale. Winter's frozen touch welcomed her presence the closer she descended upon the heavily marked territory. There was just something that urged her forward. Not much crossing over the unseen line; but, more so scratching at the surface edge. Teasing the perimeter with her own intoxicating scent.

A crow's call pulled her attention away from the towering tundra. Its peaks cast a shadow over where she stood as if ensuring she did not cross into what did not belong to her. Helonia gave a smirk from within. Those sharp eyes of bloody temptation peered up to the pine trees just in time to see another set staring back at her. Beady black gaze zeroed in on her. Curved beak opened to release another hoarse caw in her general direction. Before long, feathered wings unfurled to fly down. Landing down just in front of Mel's paws.

"Well hello, little bird." Melanth leaned down just a bit to better inspect the Crow. And it seemed the creature was doing the same to her.

"Helonia"~~"Melanth"

Sage green eyes would follow the monochromatic fae's movements along the edge of their territory, her coat almost blending amongst the snow-covered ground. Azrael observed the woman from a distance, standing still where he had been gathering valerian root from the loamy soil. She was a lithe thing, curvy in all the right places, young and beautiful. She seemed to be skirting the Syndicate's lands, just barely scraping by the edge of their territory. He'd seen her before. She had been part of the little hunting party he'd joined. Was she a spy sent from one of the other packs? The brute surely hoped so! The second she set paw over that boundary, he could be on her then, taking her for questioning. The idea tantalized Azrael as he imagined getting to play with her.

As much as he'd hoped for her intrusion, the woman denied his wishes, keeping safely to the other side of the border, even if just by mere inches. The large Saxe brute remained still, content to simply observe her for now. What was she up to? Who was she? Her head turned upward, looking at something up in the trees. A crow's caw broke the stillness of the winter day. Ah, she'd found a bird. Az waited and watched from the shelter of the pine thicket while she stared at the bird until it flew down to her level. Unable to resist the temptation of engaging with such a curious wolf, Azrael finally began to move, the trained steps of a hunter moving almost silently across the ground save for the soft crunching of snow under his feet. He wanted to speak to her; to hear her voice and find out who she was. Unraveling a mystery was one of the greatest delights in life!

Azrael came near enough to hear her speaking to the crow, the lilt of an accent in her voice catching him by surprise and delight. A crooked smile played on the violet and ebony brute's lips as he approached her, remaining squarely inside Syndicate borders all the while. His steps were deliberate, crunching the snow louder to announce his presence. No sense in scaring the poor dear. "Crows are one of the most intelligent birds known to wolfkind," he mused aloud, looking between the fae and the corvid. "It seems this one has taken a shine to you. Treat it well, and you've made a friend for life." Azrael's gaze settled on the stranger at the border, considering her with a cursory glance and a curious tilt of his head. Who was she and what was she doing here?

"Azrael Saxe"

Absinth approached the border with purposeful strides, her ravens' alert caws still echoing in her ears. The monochromatic fae's sharp eyes scanned the snowy landscape, searching for the source of the disturbance. The sight of Azrael conversing with a young, unfamiliar woman caught her attention. She observed the exchange from a distance, her gaze narrowing as she studied the lithe stranger. The woman's beauty and grace were undeniable, and there was something vaguely familiar about her, though Absinth couldn't place it. Her curiosity was piqued, mingled with a hint of suspicion.

Stepping closer, Absinth made her presence known, her movements fluid and silent until she spoke. “Look what we have here, a proper party.” The fae gave a wicked smile as she called out, her voice cutting through the stillness like a blade. “Who's your new friend?” Her tone was calm but carried an undercurrent of mirth. Her eyes flicked to the woman, studying her more intently. The faint scent of.. something familiar again teased her senses, but Absinth pushed the thought aside, focusing on the immediate situation. She was addressing Azrael, emeralds sharp as she acknowledged the brute. Another of Sephiran’s kin, come out from the woodwork though they had not yet had the pleasure of speaking face to face.

The raven perched nearby cawed again, the signal that had initially brought her here. Absinth grinned widely, the antlers atop her skull standing proudly as another raven flitted down to perch itself onto her back. “The ravens alerted me to a would-be intruder,” She continued, her gaze unwavering. “Care to explain what’s so interesting about our borders?” The least they knew, she was a spy from another pack. Or perhaps just an idiot who dared to come too close to the borders lined with death and warning?

Her emerald eyes met the stranger's crimson ones, and she felt a strange pull for a moment. Shaking it off, she maintained her composure, waiting for an answer from either Azrael or the mysterious woman before her. She cared not for the games of the Saxe’s, only that she fulfilled her role.

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Scents carried their way through winter’s sigh. The chilled breeze licking at her flesh to draw forth attention from the lingering crow. Whom decided to take refuge between the canid’s long, muscled legs. Both sets of eyes, one the color of night from the bird and the other a pigment of crimson death from her, observed the two who’d come from the other side. Melanth and Helonia took sight of the larger brute. He revealed himself to be quite strong. Toned legs held up such a beast. Dark violet painted their way over his body. Which appeared perfectly matched with the rest of his dark coat. However, it was the sharpness of emerald pools that brought her to raise a singular brow.

Pupils dilated the moment Hel took over. The red becoming eclipsed with that of an abyss. "Well, I will definitely keep that in mind. Won’t we, little bird?" Her voice nearly cracked from the quick shift. Glancing down at the crow that hadn’t moved an inch. Only stared up at the Ravens above with a curious gaze and a cocked head. Helonia easily let a smile slip over their black lips. Before returning full control to Melanth. Whose focus now settled on the other in silence. A sense of familiarity tugged at her memory. Bringing a scent well known to flaring nostrils. Their purpose to inhale taken in that very moment as she held herself in place.

"You." Mel spoke carefully. Every twitch. Each breath taken in by her gaze. She would not let anything go unnoticed. "Someone told me… my sister would be here and it appears…" There’s was a second where she fell from front stage. Forcing Helonia forward abruptly without warning. "Seems our poor Melanth couldn’t handle the shock." A chuckle vibrated her throat. "Hello, Absinth."


"Helonia"~~"Melanth"

The lithe woman before him regarded him with curiosity, clearly sizing him up with her gaze. Then there was a shift in her, the wolves locking gazes so Azrael could see the moment her pupils dilated, and then he was talking to someone entirely different. She was cool, confident, and spoke with that alluring accent once more. Azrael hadn't been interacting with the stranger for more than a couple of minutes before the cawing of ravens overhead alerted him to the presence of another—the flock's master. As if right on cue, Absinth emerged, looking plump as ever with her unborn brood taking up residence in her belly. Azrael regarded her with a tip of his head, following her similar green gaze to the stranger at their doorstep. "I don't know. She hasn't given me the pleasure of her name yet." His voice was even, confident, but his tone was downright playful, as if this entire interaction with the stranger was a game to him. Who was she? He just had to know!

As soon as Absinth arrived, Azrael noticed the shift in the stranger's disposition again. Her pupils contracted and her ruby red eyes returned to normal as she looked upon the pregnant fae with recognition. "You." Ah, now this was an interesting twist! Quirking a brow above sage eyes, Az turned his curious gaze back to Absinth. The women knew each other? The mention of sister seemed to cause anguish to the stranger, and in the blink of an eye, her personality shifted once more, back to the suave and self assured wolf he'd just seen. Oh, now this was getting interesting! Dissociative identity disorder? That seemed to be the case as the stranger referred to herself in the third person, and then greeted Absinth by name. The cogs in Az's sharp brain began to turn, pieces falling into place.

"You know this fae, Absinth?" Azrael kept his gaze on the stranger, though he spoke directly to his compatriot at his side. He would let her take the lead on this interaction, since they seemed familiar with one another. He didn't know what sort of history these two shared, but if the stranger decided to get violent, Az wanted to be sharp and focused to intervene to protect the Katil and her unborn children. Not out of a sense of altruism—but because he didn't care to imagine the fit Aresenn might throw if he stood by while she was attacked.

"Azrael Saxe"

Absinth’s eyes narrowed as she observed the shift in the stranger’s demeanor, the sudden change, the flicker of her gaze between two distinct presences. Recognition crashed over her with a clarity that made her pulse quicken. A madwoman, fragmented, her soul split in two, shielding her mind from the unbearable. The scent of familiarity, a mix of distorted memories, flooded her senses, but she pushed these thoughts aside for now.

‘I don’t know. She hasn’t given me the pleasure of her name yet,’ Azrael continued, his voice calm but laced with amusement. He seemed to revel in the unfolding drama, eager to see where this tangled situation would lead. Absinth offered him a sideways half-smirk, her features alight with intrigue, though her questions remained unanswered.

She felt the tension in the silence before the woman, now showing signs of profound internal conflict, addressed her directly. ‘Sister,’ She said, and ’Hello, Absinth.’ Her name. The fur along Absinth’s spine bristled, her teeth bared, eyes narrowing dangerously. A low growl rumbled from her lungs, tail lashing behind her. Who dared to insinuate she was their sister? And how did she know this was Absinth’s home? Setekh’s name crept into her thoughts, like cold fingers tracing up her nape. Who the hell was this really? A plot, a trick?

“Ah, so we have a dual act.” Absinth said, her voice steady, a hint of amusement dancing in her suspicious emerald gaze. She would not play this woman’s game. She took a deliberate step closer, her presence commanding but not threatening, simply asserting the space she had earned through trial and tribulation. She had her own games she delighted in. She could see the strain in the woman’s posture, the flicker of something brutal in her eyes. Absinth’s lips curled into a knowing smile, one that promised secrets and revelations. Her gaze flicked to the little crow, dwarfed by Absinth’s own ravens lingering in the trees above, then back to the woman’s crimson eyes.

Azrael’s voice broke into the scene, playful yet probing. ‘You know this fae, Absinth?’ He asked, his eyes shifting between the two women, a mixture of curiosity and wariness in his gaze that Absinth could almost taste on the air. He remained vigilant, ready to intervene if things turned hostile. Absinth grinned wildly, a chuckle escaping her inky maw as she moved closer to the woman. Predatory as always. “I don’t know this woman. But I am curious as to how she knows me.” The fae purred, her shoulders rolling as though preparing for action, her attention fixed on the woman like a dagger poised to strike. “Melanth, was it? Or are you the other? The nameless protector.” To Absinth, it was almost akin to Sol and Khonsu, how one protected the other; her proof? The change in the woman’s voice when she spoke. ‘Seems our poor Melanth couldn’t handle the shock.’ Two-faced bitch. An ear flicking back to Azrael, she added, “Seems we’ve found ourselves a bit of a puzzle at our doors.” She could pull no memory of this woman to the forefront of her mind, but there was an uncanny resemblance between them she couldn't deny. But blood meant nothing if it held no history to back it up.

Absinth’s smile widened, her tone laced with challenge, the swell of her belly forgotten in the thrill coursing through her veins. “Let's talk simply. What the fuck has driven you to seek me out? Sister, stranger, I don’t know you. What reason have I to believe a damn word out of your mouth?” She let the silence hang, her emerald eyes locking onto the stranger’s, her every movement calculated and poised down to the sneer on her face.

Absinth’s stance was firm, her focus unwavering. The ravens overhead cawed once more, their calls echoing across the winter landscape.


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Darkened gaze fell onto the protruding roundness of Absinth’s center. Now that the woman stood before her more prominent, she could further examine how far along her sister was. Or perhaps, Melanth’s kin was. Helonia held no relation to this monochromatic wolf. She was nothing but a simple personality developed overtime into something that Mel believed to be real. Even the thought of it cause her to laugh internally. Looking into the depths of their mind where Mel paced anxiously. A silent question lingering between them.

Did she wish to be the one to tell them? Or, would it be her?

Melanth casted a shadowed look through the eyes of Helonia. A noted visual as one of their pupils returned back to their usual red hue. They both will be present in this moment. Giving Mel the benefit to disappear again if need be. This entire situation was a lot to handle. Though she thought she would be prepared for all of this. "Our father, Setekh. He found us after our mother sold us to a hidden brothel at only four months old." Lips trembled under the pressuring escape of a growl. Memories rushed through their mind like a swarm of angry bees. Crashing against every wall of their brain like tidal waves to shore. Her heart clenched as one nearly caused bowel to burst from temporary sealed lips. She could not say nothing more.

So, Helonia finished for her. "I recognize this wolf." Her attention shifted for a second to appraise the brute once more. Recognition swirling in that one dark eye. "You are an exceptional hunter. As well as a very brutal male." She gave a seductive wink; before, returning her focus back to the pregnant woman. The one who, indeed, looked similar to them in coloration. Only their eyes were of difference. "You may have forgotten about her. But, the memory of you and your brother have not left hers. Melanth hung onto the thought of you two to survive as much as possible… until I came along. Setekh may be a beast of man and untrustworthy for my taste." The mere existence of that disgusting man caused her own hackles to bristle in annoyance. She could see right through his act. Even if Mel could not. "Believe us or not. But, you are my sister and we are kin.”

Their body shuffled on soft paws. "I am Helonia, by the way." And then, she was gone. Leaving Melanth to deal with the aftermath of everything else.

"Helonia"~~"Melanth"

Azrael was quite entertained by the show playing out before him! Absinth was equally curious about the mysterious stranger at their doorstep, but at the mention of them being sisters, that curiosity shifted into a bristling vitriol. Brow raised over a green eye, Az could only smirk sagaciously while he observed the confrontation between the two "sisters". Absinth seemed to believe this was some sort of trick; a ruse or a facade put on by the bizarre fae as a means of confusing them. The bizarre wolf before them continued her explanation, that they were indeed sisters, and Absinth rightfully questioning her motives for being here.

For now, Azrael sat passively by, yet attentively, paying close attention to this Melanth or Helonia's body language, her posture, her expressions, scrutinizing her for any signs of untruthfulness or deception. So far, either she was an exceptionally good actor, or she was telling them the truth. When Helonia brought her attention back to him and winked, Azrael offered her a sly smirk, his chest puffing up with a bit of delight as she complimented his hunting prowess. She had been part of the hunting party that had wreaked a bloody swath across the north for little more than fun. Well, if she wanted to get to know one another more intimately, far be it from him to deny her. His green eyes roved appreciatively over her curvaceous form. Yes, he wouldn't mind getting himself underneath her tail if given the chance...

Then the ball was in Absinth's court. This Melanth/Helonia wolf had said her piece, but she had failed to answer the most pressing question yet. "A touching family reunion, but that still doesn't explain why you are here, dear Helonia," replied the Saxe brute in velvety tones, cocking his head curiously to her. "Absinth asked why you're here. So why are you here?" Was she seeking to join their ranks? To reconnect with her sister? Or was she here for other purposes yet to be revealed?

"Azrael Saxe"

Absinth’s eyes remained locked onto the woman before her, a swirl of emotions flickering behind her emerald gaze. She felt the weight of the strange woman’s words, each one a stone dropped into a pond, rippling through her mind. She was familiar in ways Absinth did not like.

The woman's scrutiny of her pregnant belly did not go unnoticed, and Absinth’s hackles bristled, her tail flicking with agitation. The mention of Setekh brought a low, dangerous growl to her lips. Memories of her past, jagged and painful, surged to the forefront of her mind, but she shoved them aside with a forceful determination. ‘Our father, Setekh. He found us after our mother sold us to a hidden brothel at only four months old.’ The words hit her like a blow, and for a moment, Absinth's breath caught in her throat. Lips trembled as she held back a snarl. The recounting of their sliver of shared history was like a key turning in a lock, releasing a torrent of suppressed memories and emotions. All negative.

Absinth’s eyes narrowed as Helonia returned her focus to her after addressing Azrael. ‘You may have forgotten about her. But, the memory of you and your brother have not left hers. Melanth hung onto the thought of you two to survive as much as possible… until I came along. Setekh may be a beast of man and untrustworthy for my taste.’ The mention of Setekh again sent a shiver of anger down Absinth’s spine. ‘Believe us or not. But, you are my sister and we are kin.’ Absinth’s mind raced, struggling to piece together this new revelation. It was Setekh’s doing. A new game he was playing with her. The resemblance was there, Absinth did not doubt their relation; but irritation surged from her throat and dripped out in a growl as she heard mention of a brother and being kin.

Absinth stepped forward, a moment after Azrael spoke again, her eyes burning with a fierce intensity. “You come to my home, spin tales of kinship and suffering, but you still haven’t answered the most important question.” Her voice was low, dangerous, each word laced with suspicion. “Why are you here? No. What do you seek from me?”

Her gaze bore into the woman – Melanth or Helonia, unwavering and unyielding. “If you are here to do our father’s bidding, you can leave. Go back and tell him I will not be toyed with. Anything else, well, we can settle that right fucking now.” Her threat cut through the air like a jagged blade, a massive contrast to the usual honeyed allure of her voice. Her posture shifted dramatically, head lowering between her shoulders, lips peeling back in a menacing snarl that promised nothing but malice. Liquid venom swirling in her eyes.
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The course of direction this interaction took wasn’t what Melanth had been prepared for. She knew there would be hesitation to the reunion at fault. Years having passed between the two do them. Memories lost in the wake of life itself. However, it did not stop the thought to pursue such a situation all together.

Her attention registered the atmosphere shift. Helonia’s words clearly not enough to satisfy the only question which really mattered. Why did she come? What was reason was she here? The answer itself lingering on her tongue. It choked her into silence. Closing off any further conversation from being spoken. Detesting the way Absinth was making her feel.

She, herself, felt the oncoming of a responsive growl. The sound built in the back of her throat. Yet did not reveal itself as she swallowed it down. ~"I did not come here to be chastised." Mel knew she held no such power when it came to the dance of fighting. The skill alone only a small fraction in her world. Enough to survive; but, not to win. ~"Our father did not send us. We came on our on accord. If it were up to us, I’d prefer him rotting amongst the corpses that line your territry." A paw rising to prove her point by sweeping over the various carcasses. ~"I only wish to reconnect with a sibling long lost. I’m here to start over."

Melanth glanced to the male who’d remained nearby. Before her gaze sought out the roundness of Absinth’s belly. The protruding abdomen quite visible and what was within moving about. ~"Do not turn us away without trial and error. If I am not but an enemy, I will present my throat myself." Subtle snarls from Helonia in protest rang like sirens from the back of her mind. Not agreeing to the idea given.

"Helonia"~"Melanth"

Azrael simply sat by, watching and waiting. He had no horse in this race; no stake for him to defend. He was amicable with Absinth, though the two had shared minimal interaction thus far, and he was equally a stranger to this Melanth or Helonia, whoever was speaking through the vessel currently. He knew only of her hunting prowess, but nothing of her character or her past. At least not enough to be vocal in her aid. For now, he would sit by and watch the interaction between the sisters unfold. If Absinth needed his assistance, he would offer it. But otherwise, he solely bore witness to what the faes had to say to one another, his gaze lingering on Melanth's ruby eyes when she looked his way. She was rather pretty though... It would be a terrible waste if Absinth chose to kill her.

"Azrael Saxe"

Absinth's stance remained firm, her emerald eyes locking onto Melanth with unyielding intensity. The woman spoke of her preference to see their father strung up like the carcasses that lined the border, and to this Absinth grinned widely. Her tail flicking, a hint of delight flashing in emerald orbs. It painted a pretty picture, but was it all lies?

“Reconnection. Fine. But a fresh start?” Her voice was icy, each word sharpened by the edge of suspicion. She wanted to laugh, because in many ways she had found her own fresh start here. But the past kept finding her. First Setekh. Now Melanth. She moved forward, so that she could look her sister in the eye, inches apart. Oh the resemblance was uncanny. They would never be twins. Absinth was far more muscular in her sultry way, while Melanth was a slim, curvy thing. The heaviness in her gaze did not waver as she continued, mind finished appraising her lost sibling. “Prove it.”

Absinth stared as she spoke, the weight of her pregnancy doing little to diminish the ferocity of her stance. “Not now. If you mean what you say, you won’t come back here until I am ready to seek you out.” Ready and unburdened by pregnancy. Besides, this woman lingering so close to the borders, blood or not, could easily be turned into yet another Saxe slave. Absinth did not want to be associated with one of their Sidi’s. It was all she would offer for the moment, a threat yes – but also a promise laden in her words. She would find her, once the pup’s writhing in her womb were born.

"Then we'll see if we have any future in store for us." With that, Absinth turned on her heel, lips curled in either frustration or anticipation; who could say?

[exit absinth]


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