These plains, had once, for a short time, been hers. She had given them up for a Western home, and then lost it. Life was constantly giving and taking, it was tiring... the woman was beginning to feel a bit old. Four years old as of the previous winter, and she had seen so much. War and sickness, love and loss. Having Gideon at her side again was surreal, but it had lifted her spirits quite a bit. Still, she yearned for something she had not had while she was fighting her sickness - her family. Her daughter was self sufficient now, she was sure - and her siblings had created families of their own, it stung a touch, knowing that she was no longer a necessary part of their lives. But she wanted to know how they were, and she would start with her sibling, her beautiful litter mate that was no doubt lingering around here somewhere.



Tracking her was not as easy a task as it should have been - Chrys had lost some muscle mass that fall and winter while trying to fight the sickness on her own. But she didn't walk with weariness in her step - no, she had enough pride to carry herself with a level head. Valhalla was now lost to her, and their family - did Epiphron know? It wasn't the best of news, but at least she could come to her sister of ample health. Relief was already present that she was around to track - the disease had not felled her. Knowing that it had spread regardless of her disappearance was devastating at first, but it gave her a reason to set off and find those that she considered close. Odette was ever present on her list, but she had not run into her daughter quite yet.



Tilting her head back, she would howl for her sister - and if she didn't respond she would continue seeking her out by foot.

Family was what she craved now. For so long she had been engrossed in her life with Maverick, and her children, that she had nearly forgotten about those that mattered most. Those she was bound to, by blood, deserved so much more than she had given them these last few seasons. Chrysanthe was no exception to this. She had been her closest friend growing up, her constant companion, despite their differences. It had been so many seasons now since she had seen her blood sister, and she longed for her terribly, much more so than she would ever admit aloud. She didn't know how much she had missed -- there was no way for her to understand how drastically everything had changed. She knew not of the plague that had rattled all of the packs, nor of Valhalla's defeat. She found it strangely comforting to be in the dark, but she worried for her family more with each passing day.

Her journeying was aimless now. She had reunited with Isolde and had even seen Finiarel for a short while, and she was happy that her daughter seemed eager to follow her and make up for lost time. It made her lack of direction feel much less fruitless and wasteful.

Today she found herself alone, albeit temporarily. The snow had begun to melt, giving way to grass that struggled to grow as the sun and warm air began to feed it once again. A sigh escaped her pursed lips, her attention drifting over the plains she had been so familiar with once. Somehow, it seemed that so much had changed since she had been her.

She was surprised when a call sounded over the flat terrain. There was no mistaking the source of the call, and she found her paws quickly redirecting her toward her sister. Her voice was unmistakable, and she found her head beginning to spin. She hadn't seen her since after the siege, since she'd been blinded and maimed, and Epiphron found herself fearing what might she see this time.

But as the red-faced woman came into view, she saw nothing different -- only a sister that she had not seen in many seasons. Quickly she moved forward to embrace her, unabashed in her affection for her sibling, only wanting to feel her presence and know she was well.

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She did not get an immediate answer to her howl - and for a moment, the russet faced woman thought that she had failed to catch her sister's attention somehow. Yet moments later she would blow those worries completely away, and raced to meet her. Chrysanthe grinned, leaning into the other woman's embrace. "Pip..." She had so much to tell her, but it could wait until she had a good snuggle with her favorite lady. Holding back a bit of laughter she would lick her sister's cheek, her tail wagging quickly as she reunited with her sister.


"I've missed you, so much!" Her head was always filled with thoughts of family - those that she had lost track of, that she had in the long run, failed. The woman needed to find Azalea - she had puppies right? She hadn't seen them herself, and with the timing of the challenge she would have to track her down now too. But worrying would be put away for a few minutes - she would not fret while with Epiphron. Between the two of them, they could do anything. "Like hell I'm letting you so far out of my sight again." The woman would close her bad eye and nudge Pip's nose with her own, before pulling back juuust enough to talk to her.


"How have you been? You don't smell like a pack anymore..." Or her mate, which worried her some. If Maverick had abandoned her she would hunt him down and maim him herself! Her sister was a freaking catch, he would be absolutely stupid to treat her as anything less than a Queen. "I have so much to tell you..." And she didn't know where to start either. She just knew she wanted to stay with her sibling, when she was with Pip everything was just easier.

How easily their relationship could have grown strained and forced; Chrysanthe had been named as heir, and Epiphron has only been given the throne when she wanted it least. What would've happened if she had not told her sister why she had wanted to go to the Kingdom of Seracia instead of remain in Valhalla? What might be different now, if she had stayed? Perhaps it would be she that had taken up arms against Isardis, perhaps Chrysanthe might still have use of both eyes, and she instead be the one blinded. But dwelling on the pass offered little relief to her, but she couldn't help but be nostalgic as she was overcome with her sister's familiar scent and touch. Affection was never withheld from family, at least not her brother and sisters; she was eager to embrace her and nuzzle into the fur of her sister's neck. She found herself longing for the days of their childhood, when everything was simple and their father was still alive, steering the course of their lives, rather than letting them wander aimlessly. It was all she did now -- though she wondered where Chrysanthe had been, and how Valhalla was faring. "I've missed you too, Chrys, she responded as she pulled away, watching her with a gentle smile. She was never particularly soft, but she felt so many of her worries ebb away as she came to the realization that her dear sister was alive and well. 'Like hell I'm letting you so far out of my sight again,' she told her firmly, and she found herself laughing. "As if I could truly lose you if I tried." She couldn't imagine being able to escape her siblings completely, not that she ever would want to. She knew Chrysanthe would notice that things had changed with her, but she could say the same for her sibling. "We are without a home currently," she explained, her words deliberate and paced. Epiphron had considered returning to Valhalla, but had decided instead to spend some much-needed time with her children, away from the influence of packs and politics. "And I have been spending time away from Maverick. But first, tell me -- how is Valhalla? How are Erani and her children?" Her own story seemed so much less important than her sister's, and she wanted to know it all. She would lean to bump Chrysanthe's shoulder with her nose before pulling away and letting her body recline, settling down to her hindquarters.