Venom wasn’t taking it as easy as she had when the break first happened. She was probably pushing herself too far, but until this moment the thought never crossed her mind. The young Empress pressed her luck too far and again fell victim to the swamp, but this time it wanted her other leg. With her right one bandaged and in a splint she couldn’t get enough leverage to unstuck her left leg. The more she moved the more her pelvis sunk and the more stuck she was.

Worry didn’t take hold of her, she was just too prideful to call for Hattori to come and get her. She assured him that she was more than capable to making a trip like this on her own. She was just so close to being fully recovered. The shinobi trusted her, and he’d been a fool for it.

But that was blaming him, the situation Venom found herself in was all her own fault. Fear really set in when the scream of a mountain lion could be heard not far off. An unnatural chill ran down her spine and her quills lifted. Immobilized like she was, she was going to need all the defense she could get. Still she didn’t call out for help. Venom could still pull this out.

The lion appeared from the shadows, it stalked forward on short strong limbs and only had eyes for her. Venom growled deep in her chest, but the puma wasn’t stupid and knew exactly the predicament the she wolf was in. Venom was wondering if she had found the moment to panic.

The world was a funny place sometimes. The way that events unfolded sometimes seemed to have been planned by a higher power. Chimera had caught the scent of his bastard sister and had followed it with the intent to fight her again. Lo and behold, she was busy getting herself killed without his help. The thick, tangy scent of cat reached his nose and the young wolf smirked. He followed the pair of scents to the edge of the treeline and watched as the lion moved in. Why was the idiot just hanging out in the water? Surely she should be trying to run away by now. Unless she couldn't. Oh... that made things interesting. Rather than rush to the aid of his sister, Chimera's two-toned haunches folded and he seated himself comfortably upon a tussock of grass. The feline had no idea that the dire boy was there and so he could watch at his leisure. Venom would be able to see him though if she could pay attention to anything other than the cat that was trying to kill her. He wanted her to see him. Wanted her to know that he was going to witness her demise. Served her right for everything that she'd done to Siren. She was getting what she deserved. "Speech"

The Empress narrowed her gaze and bared her teeth as the massive cat moved forward. Though it couldn’t begin to reach her height Venom knew the creature outweighed her. She couldn’t move, but her highest priority was to keep the lion off of her back. She lowered her head and raised her hackles even higher as she subtly continued to try and unstuck herself. The lion didn’t stop, and seemed unfazed by her response to its presence.

From the corner of her eye she caught movement, and panic raced through her as she expected another Mountain Lion. Venom lost all composure when she saw Chimera sitting patiently in the tree line. Only a moment passed though, and she narrowed her gaze and showed her teeth again. Forced to return her attention to the lion. If it had been anyone else to happen upon her she could rest easy, but Chimera was just as likely to join forces with the enemy before her.

”What, Chimera?” She started, unable to keep her eyes on him as the puma stalked forward. She lowered her head even more as the lion put her on the defensive. She followed the cat as it circled her, trying to get a better shot at the back of her neck. Her growl got louder, but that tactic had already been proved useless. That was made more obvious when the lion jumped her. Venom screamed as the cat did and she felt more thankful than she ever had at her quills. The lion was forced to jump back, not expecting the sudden pain it self inflicted.

Venom was really getting worried. ”Alright. What do you want?” She returned her attention to Chi, it was obvious he would watch her struggle and potential fail here in the swamp. ”Get rid of this cat. You’ll have anything.”

She finally saw him and he couldn't help the smirk that pulled at his features. His gaze shifted when the cat attacked, only to get impaled by his sisters quills. Her scream had been like music though and he hoped he'd hear another soon. She deserved it for separating him from Siren. She deserved it for treating their sister like a piece of meat. She deserved it for attacking him as well, for she had been the first to attack; not him. All of this was her fault. Venom said his name and the boy's eyebrows raised. He gave his head a regal tilt and listened to her offer. Anything that he wanted? Oh, that was an interesting offer. How could he trust her word though? She proved that she wasn't the slightest bit trustworthy. "Hmm," he said aloud, tilting his head in the opposite direction as though he was truly considering the offer. "An apology for starters." The boy rose to his giant paws as the cat reacted to his voice. It turned its back on Venom and stared at him instead. There was a nervousness to it now. One broken wolf was one thing, but a large, healthy dire wolf? That was another. "Offer me things. And make them enticing." He took a step towards the lion and it growled low. "I can always leave if the offer isn't good enough."

Venom didn’t expect Chimera to step in, nor would she have asked him had she not felt like she was forced. This really was all her fault. Getting stuck in the mud without her companion, getting her leg broken so she couldn’t even get out of the swamp now. How had she ever made it back the day it happened? The young Empress grit her teeth as the mountain lion bobbed its head lightly, looking for an easy opening, but it was obviously distracted by her half brother’s deep rumbling voice.

Her dark ears were swiveled towards him, but her eyes were glued to the puma’s body. She couldn’t afford to give him anymore than that, not when her life hung in the balance like it did. Venom should have called for help, but by this point she had waited much too long. If she didn’t get out of this on her own, or with Chi’s help, there wasn’t anyone to save her. Poison was already on his way back to try and fetch Hattori or someone, but that would take time.

”Hmm.” He really had to contemplate if he was going to save his sister or not. Not that she had done much to claim that tie. If anything she’d always looked down on her bastard siblings. Worse than bastards, they were inbred. How Klein and Abraxas ever came together she still couldn’t understand, but there was a lot of history that she would rather forget.

”I apologize.” She tried to put her duty to the Empire first, and she hadn’t been able to control a facet, much like another sibling. Venom had little faith in her blood anymore. ”I’m sorry for giving Siren away without asking what she wanted. I’m sorry that I couldn’t step back and bargain better with you.” He was unpredictable to say the least, and at the time she’d thought she was making the best decision for herself and the pack.

But there was no way she knew what he could possibly want from her beyond that apology. ”Fuck if I know,” She panicked as the cat shifted to keep her body between it and the massive Klein wolf. ”Dinner, bedding, armor, weapons, Siren?” Venom had no idea, but she could manage to get any and all of what she listed. ”Prestige, a rank?” All the while she continued to struggle. Her paws had eventually hit something solid, an ancient buried tree or a rock she wasn’t sure but she could free herself if she didn’t have the mountain lion aiming to rip out her throat.

The apology was quick to erupt from Venom's mouth, her forked tongue wagging, telling him what he wanted to hear. Did she feel it though? He wasn't convinced. Her wording though was interesting. She realized that she hadn't tried hard enough with him. That bit spoke true. He considered her words a bit more, making yet another noise of contemplation. His sister cursed aloud and Chimera chuckled. "Language... Did your mother teach you how to talk like that?" His gaze narrowed slightly. "Mine didn't. She abandoned us; Siren and I. Remember that in the future. We raised ourselves." Not that she should have been able to forget it, but if the pair of pups were a little fucked up, it couldn't all be their fault. As Venom continued, offering him all of the things that she could think of, Chimera scoffed. "Siren isn't yours to give." Ah, so she hadn't learned that part yet. The two-toned wolf took a step towards the lion and it snarled low, lashing out one paw as it to ward him off. "Rank. A permanent home for Siren and myself. " He continued moving forward. "And you have to apologize to her too." The lion hissed and backed up a pace, but he could tell that it was getting ready to leap. "Do we have a deal?"

""

Venom could honestly say that she held no ill will towards Chimera and Siren and hadn’t wished to cause either their undue stress. She was sorry for that, but not for trying to put the pack first. Venom tried to ignore his commentary, but he was right. Without proper guidance they’d led themselves astray. She silently vowed to give him a more patient hand. Not that she had time to think of all the finer details in the interaction going on between them. She was half dancing with the mountain lion while dealing for her life, she could work out kinks and make more full hearted apologies later. ”I can help in a reunion, though.” She didn’t argue mush as her voice dissolved into a growl.

What astounded her was that Chimera wanted to return to the Empire. That was one of the last offers she expected for him to take. She wasn’t sure how the end deal might work out, but it was worth it if she made it home.

”Deal.” She said without hesitation, details forgotten as she crouched lower, protecting her throat and offering her quills before the lion leapt.

Venom agreed just as the lion was making its leap towards her. Chimera grinned and made his own leap. The giant boy dashed forward and latched his teeth into the puma's haunch. The cat screamed and rolled onto its side, shoulder hitting the ground hard. Chi pulled, dragging the cat backwards and away from Venom. He only released it when it curled its body and took a swipe at him. He narrowly dodged its claws. Chimera spared a glance at his sister to see if she was at least trying to get out of the damn water. The cat was now ignoring her completely. It's intended victim was forgotten as the new threat closed in on it. There was still a grin on Chi's face as he danced with the cat. The pair slowly circled until his back was to Venom and the cat was far from her.

""

The young Empress still wasn’t sure if she could get herself out of the muck but as soon as Chimera came flying over her head she scrambled harder. The only time she exerted more effort was when she had fought against Sirius. She had wanted so badly to win that day. Now she was fighting for her life and for her freedom. Venom continued to struggle as Chimera swiveled and brought the cat away from her.

Back and forth she rocked until she was finally able to free her good back leg. With a heavy grunt and one last heave Venom was freed from the mud hole. Breathing hard from the exertion and adrenaline Venom turned about to make sure that Chimera was done and she could return to Ashen. She wasn’t sure she’d ever wanted to see the palace so badly, and how much she’d need to apologize to Hattori for leaving.

She wouldn’t forget her debt to Chimera and her sister. They would be repaid as soon as possible, and she’d keep her toes crossed that this time their relationship would turn into a productive one. If not she could be confident in calling herself a fool.

Teeth once again found the cat as it dove at him. Its claws sank into his ruff but the cold weather had brought the fur to thickening and so he barely felt the pricks. The cat noticed it too and tried to let go and backtrack but the wolfs teeth were imbedded in the side of its neck. Chimera thrashed his head back and forth, tearing holes in the dusty colored coat of the puma. The cat threw itself backwards and kicked its attacker in the stomach, scoring his sensitive flesh with hind claws. The sucking sound brought Chi's attention back to Venom. She had finally managed to free herself and he noted how gingerly she held one leg. Ah, so that was why she'd been hanging out in the muck. Silly woman. If she was injured then she should have stayed home. Another growl drew his attention back to the cat. Chimera tucked his ears and dove, meeting the cat mid leap.

""

Overestimating her prowess was a mistake she had made one too many times. Liley with all of the exertion she’d already regressed on much of the healing she had been doing. The leg was sore and achy, getting back to Ashen wouldn’t be fun but Venom wouldn’t utter a murmur of complaint. She’d done this to herself and now she would push past the consequences.

Still tense Venom couldn’t take her eyes off the battle in front of her. Though she did slowly begin to back away, careful of where she might place her dainty feet. She flinched when Chimera and the mountain lion met head on, the cat wasn’t very smart if it hadn’t turned tail and run when Chi first went after it. The creature hadn’t much thought when it had decided Venom was easy prey. Even if Chi hadn’t come she would have given it a run for its life.

The cat had no chance against Chimera, and he gave no room for her to jump in even if she wanted.

Teeth bit into the feline's face and it screamed in pain as only a puma can. The cat backtracked, shaking its head in irritation before deciding that luck was not on its side. The cat wasn't stupid. It turned and ran away as quickly as it could. Chi didn't even have to run after it to make sure that it didn't change its mind. No, the feline had been bested. Chimera was the victor and in more ways that one.

The giant boy moved towards his muddied sister, mismatched eyes narrowing slightly as he drew close. "Remember your promises. Siren and I will have permanent homes in Ashen. You will never give her away again." Both ears flicked forward. "I will have a high rank, as promised." Hopefully she wouldn't give him some stupid job. He had skills, she just had to have the balls to utilize them.

Chimera stepped into his injured sisters personal space, staring down at the muddied 'Empress'. "Give me what I want, Venom. Give me your loyalty and you'll have mine in turn." That was definitely saying something. Chimera didn't care about anyone or anything other than Siren and his own pleasures. However, if Venom promised that Siren would have safety and a home for all of her days, he believed that was worth a bit of sacrifice.

Venom was slightly surprised that Chimera didn’t race after and finish the cat after he’d injured it, but they had other matters to attend to. As it raced away the massive dark and ivory toned man turned back to her, a serious gleam in his eyes. He returned to hi side, looking impressive for the fight he’d just finished. She was a ragged mess, muddied and sore and only just regaining her breath. She returned his gaze with her own sunset colored eyes, not backing down from the intense eye contact.

”I won’t go back on my word.” She assured him softly, confident no matter the quiet tone of her voice. ”As promised.” For now he would linger in the Samurai rank, soon enough she would create something much more suited to him personally. He moved forward again, nearly touching his chest to the muddied fur of her own. His voice was deep and he spoke seriously. She didn’t let her gaze leave his own, and wondered if he would keep his promises as well as she would keep her own.

”Siren will be safe as long as I rule.” She promised him. ”My life in exchange.” She continued, her head lowering slightly to further prove herself. If he would give her his loyalty he would have hers as well.