Travel and hardship had turned Pleione into a hollow shadow of the wolf she could have been. Pride had at long last been swallowed by desperation, time wearing at her meticulous routines, training and cleanliness forgotten when all spare time was spent finding enough food to carry her to her next meal. Dirty and matted, salty seawater crusted in her fur, washed up on a beach like a dead squid, Pleione had never felt lower in her life. And yet, she lived. For now, that was all that mattered. Coughing up a spray of ocean foam and dragging herself through the sand, Pleione had no idea how long she’d been lying there, baking under the open sun. Maybe hours, maybe days. She couldn’t remember going under or passing out but she supposed she must have, and that she must now be incredibly lucky just to be alive. Right at that moment it was hard to feel lucky. All she felt was cold and sore, sea breeze sinking into her very bones as heavy paws struggled to pull her deeper inland. She knew what she needed now was water, but all she could think about was finding somewhere safe to rest. There was no such place. Not now, when sleep could mean death. Her body felt fragile now in a way she hadn’t felt since she’d been weaned, and her mind felt cloudy, far away, like her spirit wasn’t quite synched up inside her frame. Water first, and then maybe she could think again. By the time she found the mouth of a river to follow upstream, Pleione was on the edge of collapse. She distantly registered both the sound of birdsong and the smell of pack wolf, neither of which she could do anything about at the moment. She didn’t sit by the river so much as crumple on its bank, forepaws splashing in the shallows as she lapped at the cool, clear stream.

Venom often took extra patrols these days, in part to keep her mind from wandering too far. It was a bad habit, but one that would hopefully soon be put to rest. The future was too uncertain for her to put much stock into anything but herself and the Empire. So white gloved paws carried her over the island beaches, taking the sand bridges during low tide. These were the places less patrolled due to the barrier of the ocean. Not many wolves or dangerous creatures wished to get themselves wet seeking out her islands.

The Empress continued, her stroll uneventful before she caught a scent that did not belong. Her hackles raised with her quills as she went on high alert for a stranger within her bounds. Venom’s feet were fleet as she followed the trail from beach to river. There wasn’t too much ground to cover before her sunset gaze fell on the crumpled form that had fallen at the mouth of the creek.

There was absolutely no recognition as Venom looked the creature over, half drowned and exhausted. The Empress never really did let her guard down, but she could tell when there was no real threat to her. "Best hurry with your drink, trespasser, and state your business.” There was a warning in Venom’s voice, but at the moment the only real threat was being chased back to the mainland.

"Venom"

Pleione could feel eyes on her, but she assumed them to be the birds. The sound of them had become overwhelming, a screaming cacophony to her overstimulated mind. Ears ringing, head throbbing, she almost didn’t recognize the sound of a voice. She froze, hair rising on the back of her neck, lips parted to pull in extra scent. Mistakes like this cost wolves their lives. Embarrassment flashed through her, and then shame at her weakness, before she steeled herself, tongue lapping over her lips just once more before she raised her head and turned to face the towering shadow of a beast. Pleione had never considered herself small, but it appeared wolves were built differently around these parts. Salmon-toned eyes flicked over her slender form just once before politely averting, showing all the respect she could muster. Half drowned and more than half starved, nonetheless she was supposed to be better than this. She had been raised better than this. Pleione corrected her posture, steadying her shaking legs, tail held respectfully low without cowering, her body language carefully loose and passive. She was a trespasser here and she knew it. This large, intimidating woman had every right to throw her right back into the sea. Pleione swallowed heavily before speaking, throat still ragged from choking on sea water. She spoke slowly, carefully, articulating her syllables to sound elegant despite it all, even as she panted for breath between words. “You have a lovely home. Forgive me for drowning on its shores,” she said, and then had to stop for air. Some combination of the salt water in her stomach and drinking from the driver too quickly had her insides churning, and it was a struggle not to heave. “My only business is making it to tomorrow. I’ve traveled very far.” It was as much of an explanation as she could give at the moment.

Venom had lived with the doves of the island for a very long time, they had become a comforting background noise. The sound of them cooing made her feel like she was home. They were part of the reason she could never follow through with leaving this place. The part of her heart that remained loyal to her father and everything he was wouldn’t let her cede control over the shrine. This was Ashen’s home and it was hers, Venom would defend it with her life.

That would include against the she wolf in front of her. As the woman took her last sip and turned to Venom the Empress was more assured of her assumption. There was very little threat from her personally. What Venom needed to worry about was a trap, in case this was just the bait to distract her. Her head was on a swivel, but as sunset gaze locked with the she wolf’s eyes that thought was just as much put to rest.

"Well, at least you haven’t left me a corpse to dispose of.” Venom returned as the girl apologized for drowning on the island’s shores. Her words were dismissive and forgiving, this nameless woman would not catch Venom’s ire. "Tomorrow is all the further your reach goes?” She asked almost rhetorically. With a slight tilt of her head the monarch questioned further. "Do you have any alliance to rely on? Loyalties to keep?” Venom wasn’t cruel but she couldn’t be considered altruistic either. Everything had a price in life. "What is the next day worth to you?” It wasn’t a threat, Venom wasn’t going to hinder the woman, but her help wasn’t without value.

"Venom"

The woman’s eyes burned through her, cold and judging. Pleione could feel her writing her off as nothing and nobody and it made her body ache from the inside worse than the sea water. It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t meant to be like this. How dare the fates conspire against her and present her as this feeble, disgusting little drowned rat in front of a capable warrior queen such as this? She let exhaustion quell her temper, reminding herself that lashing out now would be the end of her. Pleione wasn’t stupid, she clearly wouldn’t stand a chance against this wolf even in health. Harnessing her own shame and fury, she let it burn and simmer in her chest, warming her from the inside and helping to keep her on her feet. She could prove herself something more- no, she would prove it, somehow. "Tomorrow is all the further your reach goes?” Pleione’s nostrils flared, jaw clenching and unclenching. She took it as a challenge. “My loyalties are all dead, if they follow me now it is only in spirit,” she said, forcing life into the sound of her own voice despite the pain of it rasping in her throat. “But you misunderstand me. I will make it to every tomorrow, no god or wolf will stop me without the decency to strike me down by their own tooth and claw.” Now was the time to weigh her options. She wasn’t entirely certain, but from what she’d seen of the beach she thought she’d have to swim again to reach the mainland, a folly that would certainly end in death now. That left her with no option at all, really. To live now meant begging for mercy. “My name is Pleione,” she said, leaving her surname out of the introduction to save from soiling it with her groveling. “I wouldn’t offend you by asking to join your ranks in this state, but should you offer me amnesty and shelter long enough to prove myself worthy, I would repay you with my loyalty and my life.”

Despite the exhaustion and near death drowning the fawn woman had a fire in her eyes. She wasn’t defeated yet. No matter how much fight was in there she didn’t have much hope of overpowering Ashen’s royal head. She had more spirit than Venom had anticipated, and her mind was working clearly enough to see the challenges ahead. The answer didn’t seem any kind of obscured as she spoke up again. There was no one to be loyal to left, they were all dead but her reach for tomorrow stretched further than one. She wanted them all.

Now that was something Venom wanted to hear. She wasn’t about to give up. The Empress might not know her history but there was still a bit of pride that wasn’t quite willing to extinguish. At the very least she had Venom’s full attention, her silver marked features tilted curiously and remained quiet. Allowing the she wolf to speak her piece, and she was given a name as well, though her introduction was cut off. As if she had consciously omitted her last name.

It didn’t matter, Venom didn’t recognize her at all, not her face, not her pelt, not her scent. Venom didn’t really expect the next words, but she bit at the opportunity to make a deal. Give her shelter, build her strength, and her loyalty would be given freely. "You strike a good deal.” If that fire in her eye was anything to go by, this would be a good deal. A little bit of help with a potential greater help in return with a loyal subject.

"As you wish.” Venom conceded easily. "I am the Empress Venom Klein Abraxas, I rule over the pack known as Ashen and my allies form the Ashen Empire. I’ll give you the temporary rank as peasant, you have up to half a season to prove yourself and earn a better rank.” She explained as briefly as possible. "We’ll revisit this conversation at that time if you’ve failed to do so. For now, drink your fill. I’ll feed you and give you a place to sleep. You’ll need your strength.”

"Venom"

Pleione watched the great queen watch her, picking her apart with analytical eyes, judging whether what was left of her was worth rehabilitating. Exhausted, even so she stilled her tremble, standing regally poised and ready, feet braced in the dirt and tail loose and low. She refused to be a burden, or worse, a victim. The only title fitting for her now was ‘survivor.’ Fury would spur her forward, pride burning in her core. She would live. Her heart jumped and turned in her chest at the Empress’- her Empress’ next words. First elation and then disgust gripped her. Peasant? But that was only temporary. It wasn’t fair. She knew she should be standing where Venom was, but at the same time, knew that it was only Venom’s mercy that granted her survival. There was no intention or even idea of an intention to overthrow her, but at the same time she couldn’t help but be jealous. It should be her, these or some other borders should be her borders. She should own the world. No. She had left that behind with her dead home and her dead island. The reputation of her father would do nothing for her here. Rather than fight the jealousy she let it fill her and heat her frigid bones. Pleione only needed time, and not a long time, and she was sure- she would prove herself. She would be Venom’s finest weapon and warrior, no peasant. Bowing her head and shoulders, nose nearly to the dirt, she said, “Thank you, my lady Empress. You won't regret this.” -FIN-