The endless night was both a curse and a blessing. All manner of creatures were becoming nocturnal, but it was easy with the bright glowing around and growing within them. Venom was grateful for their fisherman like ways, glowing attracted fish where it alerted all other prey. Ashen was still doing well, but evidence of the curse was everywhere. It riddled the land with its poison mushrooms and toxic crystals.

Venom slipped past pale white trees as her sunset gaze searched the land, it truly seemed like everywhere held the same story. Forever night, strange lands and occurrences, ghost filled mists, and sickness.. Everything seemed bleak and it was hard not to focus solely on how hopeless they should all feel. She couldn’t move the sun, burn all the mushrooms, or uproot every crystal. She just prayed it would be lifted.

Her expression worried as she walked, Venom dared to step out of Ashen lands.

Manea broke away from the band as they settled to rest for a while. They had made good progress making their way down from Alias Island toward the southern portions of Boreas. She was sad to leave the island behind, but it wasn't a permanent goodbye to the island they had called home for a couple seasons now. They only needed set the ground work for the pack that she wished to build and continue to work on their skills so when the time came they would be ready. The pups at the very least were worn out form the journey so far—especially Avacyn as she continued to recover from the mushroom related illness that had gripped her for a time—so this area was as good as any for them to take a rest. At least she and Alastor knew this area well and it put her in a good place to start reconnecting with the alphas she had met along the way.

As she followed the river that ran near one of the very packs she had in mind, she spotted the memorable black and white woman ahead of her. She smiled softly and moved toward the Empress, happy that their paths just happened to cross out here away from the monochromatic woman's pack. As much as she had enjoyed seeing her beautiful children and having the chance to meet the orange-marked man that had sired them she relished the chance to speak with the woman one on one. "Venom," she greeted simply with a respectful dip of her head as she walked over to her, falling into step beside her. "It's a pleasure to finally see you again. How have you and your family fared in all of this?"

Manea | Temno | Ciemny

Venom paced along the bank as she usually did, with no one to fill the Renja rank she had taken to scouting the lands beyond Ashen’s borders to keep better prepared for the next threat. Finally the sickness was lifting from the land, her children were recovering and their parents were as well. The crystals had all fallen from her body, leaving fur-less pink marks where they had once been. Over all Venom was in pristine condition considering.

Her thoughts were often on the curse of the land and the illnesses it brought, even as she scanned the horizon she wondered where it had come from and why they were spared. Sunset gaze caught movement, and suddenly Manea was at her side. Venom’s pale brows lifted curiously as she nodded her head in greeting. She was no pack alpha, but Manea’s scent had changed, she was leading a band.

Manea was well spoken, something the Ashen Monarch could appreciate. ”Greetings, Manea.” She returned lightly as the pair easily fell in step. ”The pleasure is mine, though I do wish I had better news.” She tried to shrug off how heavy the question was. ”Many of Ashen’s own were infected.” Venom wasn’t certain how candid she should or could be with Manea, but took a chance to offer her s nippet of sensitive information. ”I worried for the state of the crown for a long time.” It was nearly impossible to judge just how long the endless night had been.

Manea gave a nod of understanding as Venom mentioned how she wished she had better news, stating how many of Ashen's wolves had been infected. She gave a small frown and a nod when the Empress shared how she had been concerned for the state of the crown, revealing in her own way how she had been one of the ones infected as well. "I'm glad to see that the crown is still intact," she replied, her frown lifting into a small, appreciative smile. Aside from her desire to ally their families and build the relationship between them, she did quite like Venom and would have been severely upset if she had found out that the Ashen Empress had been swept away by her illness. "I avoided it somehow, but my mate and daughter were badly infected for a time," she shared as well, glancing toward the ground in front of them as the deep worry that she had felt for losing two of the most important pieces of her life flickered through her memories, but she quickly shrugged it off. They were healed now, just as Venom was, and they could all begin to put this behind them.

Shifting the topic to other news, she brought her aqua gaze curiously up to Venom's as they slowly meandered down the bank of the river together. "The northern pack you mentioned when we talked last has crumbled," she reported after walking in silence for a moment, wondering if this was news that had reached the Empress already. "I went there when I noticed the scents at the border fading and when I attempted to lay claim to it I was challenged by a woman named Sparrow and her... rude associates." A slight scowl pulled at her lips at the thought of the group of wolves that had surrounded the brazen wolf. They had treated the whole situation flippantly and haphazardly that it infuriated her to no end that she had lost, but it couldn't be changed now. All she could do was move forward and continue working toward her ultimate goal.

Manea gave a small shrug, trying to brush off the situation as she added, "I'm sure you can guess how that challenge went. Since then I created a band with the family and wolves I've gathered since we last spoke. Not ideal, but I hope it will give us a chance to build our skills and relationships in the mean time." She looked to Venom again, curious to see what her reaction would be. "I wish I could bring you more victorious news."

Manea | Temno | Ciemny

The two of them walked, their paces matching nearly perfectly as they spoke. Venom was relieved when Manea revealed similar, opening up the Empress’s trust. She was unaffected, but Alastor and her daughter were. Venom wasn’t so much a fool she didn’t realize she had by now given birth. She went on further as they progressed down the bank of the river. The northern pack, Winterfell as Venom knew them but perhaps not by that name when they crumbled. Manea had not been the one to oust them it seemed. Fallen by their own inferiority.

The name Sparrow was familiar but Venom wasn’t so sure they had met before. The Empress didn’t tolerate the rude very well. Though she wouldn’t try and allow Manea’s opinion to blur her own. Sparrow took the pack instead of Manea, which disappointed Venom but it was good to know the woman had created a band in its stead. It really was too bad for the pack, but maybe Manea needed the ability to do as she said. Increase her relationships and skill herself and her wolves.

”I’m sorry to hear that,” Venom offered truly. ”I did have my hopes…” She shrugged off the hopes of feeling her revenge through Manea. Knowing they just dissolved wasn’t nearly as satisfying. ”Well, if it’s training your looking for perhaps we can surmise a deal. My pack has recently split apart. My brother forming his own pack under the Empire and.. Another and her ilk were banished.” Venom told her truthfully, wondering how far she could push their trust, how much she could confide in Manea. ”Perhaps our wolves could train together.”

Venom's disappointment was understood and even expected. Manea hadn't asked why the northern pack in particular was singled out by the Empress to be her target when it was given to her, but Venom didn't seem to be the type to strike without cause so she assumed that they probably wronged her in one way or another. Even though she was sure it was at least a bit of good news to know they were no longer standing, it certainly wasn't the satisfaction she was probably hoping for. Manea only hoped that the disappointment didn't sour their relationship and once Venom continued with the possibility of training with her pack that fear was immediately relieved.

She listened curiously as Venom explained how her pack had fractured with the departure of her siblings, one seemingly on better terms than the other. The expansion of the empire was certainly good news or at least so it seemed to her, but the banishment Venom spoke of hit close to home and Manea gave a nod of understanding. The offer of their wolves training together pulled a smile across her lips and she nodded in agreement with a polite dip of her head. "It would be an honor. My band and I will be making our way this direction shortly and setting up camp near by. Once we've done that we can set up some more firm plans for training together. I'll be looking forward to it."

With that decided she paused for a moment before adding, "Removing family from your life is never easy, even if they have committed grievous offenses against you. I commend you for doing what needed to be done." She obviously didn't know the situation behind the banishment or what had brought it about, but she didn't need to. Venom had a good head on her shoulders and certainly loved her family. Manea was certain that wasn't a choice made lightly. "I was forced to banish my mother from our family once upon a time," she admitted, passing the trust they were building between one another back and forth in their shared experiences. "It caused me to become our matriarch much earlier than anticipated, but it had to be done."

Manea | Temno | Ciemny

The vibrant woman agreed to the prospect of training together, her band would make its way this direction, and then more concrete plans would be drawn up. It would give both of them time to inform their spouses and plan accordingly. What she really didn’t expect was the sudden understanding that Manea spoke, like she had lived those moments. She spoke with an insight that struck the Ashen Empress. Venom felt like she would not regret offering her own bit of weakness in exchange for Manea’s as she went on to reveal she had done similarly to her own mother. Venom had gone through a situation that wasn’t quite the same, but she had taken her mother’s crown when she showed her weakness.

She felt like she was disrespected twice, and Venom wouldn’t allow a chance for a third time.

”What needed to be done.” She agreed softly, averting her gaze as her thoughts jumbled. She wasn’t usually so easy to get off guard, but she felt the genuine understanding in Manea and it was easy to reveal more of herself than she intended. ”It seems we’ve lived similar experiences, Band Leader.” Venom brought her sunset gaze back to the blessed woman. ”I took my mother’s place at a very young age. Sometimes the weight is heavy… but always worth it.” She trailed off softly before clearing her throat. ”Thankfully I do have wolves to help me bear the burden.” Venom looked to Manea, wanting to include her in that group.