Balthier and Azzurra had traveled far from Abaven, hopping from island to island and sometimes camping off the coast of the mainland. Hunting seemed more difficult these days with the moon on the horizon, keeping the air chilled and most prey either dying from the plague or lack of food and energy.

He was travelling more inland to find a meal when he came across the falls, an eerie silence surrounding him other than the rush of the water. Just as his nose lifted to sense the air, a lioness leapt off the ground behind him and attempted to hop onto his hind quarters though with the falling leaves it was easy to hear and sense the cat on it's paws. Balthier spun around, facing the rather large lioness without getting struck. This was a new experience for him.

"Balthier"

Though Chimera was the lone protector of the island, even he needed a break sometimes. With the world still dark, the island had become rather depressing. He would never be gone for long, but sometimes he just needed to be gone. Today was one of those days.

Chimera had crossed to the mainland and had made his way towards the falls. His lope ate up the distance and he seemed to make if there in no time. Speckled nose to the ground, the black and white man sniffed this and that, seeing if anything had changed since the last time that he was here. Visually, everything had changed. Scent-wise, it all seemed the same. Until he caught the scent of cat, that is.

A loud commotion brought the dire brute moving forward. His blocky skull pushed through the foliage and he spied a young wolf and a cat squaring off. It was an odd sight and the stone upon which they stood looked more like a stage in the bright moonlight. Chimera moved into the open, seated on a stone shelf above the pair, watching with his mismatched eyes. If things got too dangerous, he would step in. Until then, he would watch and assess the boy.

"Chimera"

He was not aware of the audience that was nearby, only if his attention wasn't on the threat before him would he really have been able to spot the viewer. His tracking and hunting skills were much higher than his fighting skills at least.

He backed up from the cat carefully, building a quick defense and waiting for the cat to strike at him first. It felt like they were almost stalemated, and honestly if they cat walked off he would have let it. But it seemed the lioness was just as hungry as he was, and it wasn't going to go about it's way to the next of it's prey.

The lioness struck it's paw out, Balthier leaned back, avoiding the claws of the large cat. But when the cat leapt forward, he wasn't expecting it. He went up slightly on his hind legs just as reaction, and the cat was now on top of him nearly belly to belly and instantly going for a kill. Balthier's head tilted as his open jaw came down on the lioness' paw, using all of his strength to pushing himself sideways off the ground and successfully rolling the large cat over onto it's back and getting the upper hand.

"Balthier"

Chimera watched the boy as he dodged the first attack, but ended up on his back. At that, the resting giant nodded to his companions. Couldn't let the kid die. Gem and Meg made their way down the side of the falls, their heavy paws hitting ground as they jumped the remainder of the way. Wasting no time, the thickly furred dogs rushed in, teeth latching into the heels of the cat on one end and the front paw on the other end. The boy was on top, but without the assistance of the dogs, he would have quickly found strong paws wrapped around his body.

Relaxed as ever, Chimera sprawled out on his stomach, one paw hanging over the edge and his chin moved down to rest upon it. This was bound to be a good show. It wouldn't be the dogs first lion, afterall.

"Chimera"

At first, the sound of the dogs worried him. Like more cats or predators were here to take him down. But just as his gaze rose to the dogs that joined him, he easily found that they were here to help. He didn't know why, but he didn't question it. After all, he would have jumped in to save the day himself even for a stranger.

The cat moved to grab around Balthier's entire body, but just before it could meet paws and roll him back over, the dogs grabbed hold of it's paws. It's back legs started rising up and going to scratch down under his belly, and before it could get too much damage in he took the life of the lioness. His teeth came down on the cat's throat, leaving a bloody pool along it's neck and under it. It struggled at first, but Balthier waited just long enough before pushing off it's chest and letting nature take it's course. His gaze moved to the two dogs that had joined him, he nodded to them in thanks as he tried to calm his labored breath.

"Balthier"

Keeping the cat from harming the boy was easy. In the end, it was the young wolf that took the cats life. Chimera had watched through the entire thing and was ready to offer this boy a home. He had balls and Chimera liked balls. As the boy thanked Meg and Gem, Chimera slid down the hillside and joined them. "Well done," he gave praise where praise was due. Already the dogs had begun working to skin the cat. Feline wasn't great to eat, but the skin would be worth something.

The monochromatic brute came around the black and gold boy, making no effort to hide the fact that he was inspecting him. He looked strong and whole. The island could use fresh blood. "I am Chimera, King of Fenmyre," he introduced himself. "How about a home, boy?" One brow raised. Hopefully the lad would accept his offer and he wasn't already spoken for.

"Chimera"

Just as the large brute showed himself, the dogs went to work on the cat. Balthier couldn't deny he was confused, but he wouldn't jump out and stop them.

With the brute before him, he announced himself as a king, and Balthier had dipped his head slightly in response to his title. his breath was starting to calm now as he introduced himself, "Balthier Destruction." He offered a home for him and he could say he was still in a bit of surprise. He didn't really find himself so worthy of an offer like that. Azzurra had told him that maybe finding somewhere would be good for them. He wouldn't disagree that living inside another pack would keep her more protected than the way they were living. "Me and my sister have been thinking of finding a new pack to join." He responded, more so just suggesting that it wouldn't only be him that the king would be taking in.

"Balthier"

The boy gave his name as Balthier and Chimera accepted it with a nod. As the dark brute caught his breath, he admitted that he and his sister were looking for a new home. How convenient. "What skills does your sister possess?" Curiosity only. Chimera would have taken them both anyway simply based on the lads fighting prowess. He was always on the lookout for young minds to mold. If his sister was a fighter, that would be grand. If she was a healer, that was fine too. A crafter? He could find a use for her. Though he wanted Balthier to fill out his ranks, all wolves were expected to pull their weight.

"Chimera"

The king Chimera asked what skills Azzurra possessed, Balthier wasn't as optimistic. While Azzurra had grown stronger and better since her young illness, he would have never believed she was capable for herself. At least as far as they had made it out of Abaven. He knew she grew stronger everyday.

"My sister Azzurra," He started, just for her own unpresent introduction, "I've been training her in hunting but she has spent a lot of time crafting different things for my own hunts." Azzurra, in his eyes, was much better in her place at the den. Not that he would really stop her from doing anything on her own. He was just too protective of her.

"Balthier"

The boy spoke of his sister skills, but the look on his face made Chimera think that the girl wasn't that skilled at all. That hardly mattered, but Balthier would have to understand something. "Bring her as well, but she will be your responsibility." They would both have the safety of the pack, but if his sibling wasn't able to care for herself, then that responsibility would rest on the boy.

The dogs had successfully stripped the skin from the lion and were rolling it for easy transport. Chimera nodded to them and Gem took the skin between her big jaws before she and her sister disappeared into the foliage and moved back towards the pack lands. "There's an island nearby. Howl at the ferry and someone will come for you." Chimera turned to head back as well, but peered over his shoulder at the boy. "Your lion skin will be ready for you when you come home." And with that, he was gone.

"Chimera"