He would bound from the battlefield, his senses hot on Chyrsanthe's trail as he pursued the broken soul endlessly. She seemed to be heading eastward, and despite his tiring legs and screaming thirst, he would continue on, his heart overtaken by sadness. He could only imagine how badly she felt, and it hurt him. He would attempt to pant through the bundle of herbs and bandages within his mouth, but it was hard to breathe other than out his nose. He had grown accustomed to overcoming great feats over Chrystanthe, so this chase had been expected from the taupe man. He would bow to her every command, even kiss her feet if she'd allow it. Twig's beautiful features crossed his mind, and her voice whispered sweet lullabys, which brought a smile to his face. Though it would quickly fade as Chrysanthe took over, pushing all other thoughts from his mind. She was hurt, emotionally and physically, and he needed to help her despite his mixed emotions.

Finally she seemed to stop within sea's plain, and he would begin inspecting every inch of the territory until he found her. He would break free of the thick vegetation, which revealed the ocean and a wide sandy beach. There, upon the horizon, was the figure of a wolf, and at that moment he knew he had finally caught up with her. He would rush toward her, reaching the bank within a few lengthy strides. Slowing to a trot he would come to a complete stop only feet from her, sun kissed gaze searching desperately for her pools of hypnotizing cobalt. He would set his herbs and bandages on the sand so that he could speak to her, as he had so much to say. "Chrysanthe... Let me help you." He would murmur, and come forth and proceed to dress her wounds without waiting for permission. Tenderly his tongue would stoke the laceration on the left side of her neck, audits flicked backward as he waited for her to respond.

Speech

There was so much missing now. Without Valhalla, without the wolves that had held her up and respected her for so long and a place to call home, she was lost. Surely the other Valhallans were lost as well... and yet she still stumbled toward Nephilim, because that was their safe haven, she had made it such, it seemed that those tha thad left the battlefield had come in this direction. Was it still home? Was it still her home? Exhuasted, the woman would come to a stop near the sea, her legs quaking beneath her as she lowered her head. It was over, she had lost everything for them. How was she to return?

Her single eyed gaze would stare at the water, she loned to cross the space between she and the others - but it simply didn't feel right anymore. Her dark lips would twitch as she held back a sigh, and she swallowed down the bitterness because the last thing that she would allow herself to do now was cry. But losing her father's gift to she and her siblings hurt, far more than the wounds she had acquired in battle.

She barely noticed that she wasn't alone, it would take Themisto's whispered words to pull her from her thoughts. Confusion would fill her gaze for a moment, before she focused on his amber gaze. It was calming, but she shouldn't accept his pity. Still though, she didn't have it in her to stop him from licking her wounds - she couldn't reach the deepest ones around her neck and it was good to have them cleaned before they became infected but- "Themisto what are you doing here?" He should be relaying her loss to Seracia. He should be ushuring in those that wanted a stable pack to be a part of to his kingdom, he should be anywhere - anywhere but here.

There was no way that he could still care for her after he saw her lose Valhalla to a little girl.

Gideon had been around less after the war - perhaps the loss of her eye had proven too ugle a blemish and too much of a reminder of what she could not manage to pull through. She told him that all she had wanted was for him to be closer to her... but after this though, she never expected to see her husband again... he had no reason to return to her now. Honestly there were very few that did. Yet time and time again they would end up like Themisto, acting out of kindness and pity. Her mother, her daughter, they would coddle her to hell and back and she didn't want that.

"They're homeless now Themisto, and Azalea..." Her niece should not be fighting for her children's freedom - that should be her there. What use was an alpha if she could not protect her members? Her pack? Her pride? "I can't protect them anymore." It had been a whirl, a struggle, fighting without proper depth perception and an entire field of vision had been more difficult than she imagined. She wasn't cut out to be any sort of shield for anyone now - that much was far from obvious.

ooc: left Azalea's fight outcome vague because it's still in progress

Chrysanthe would not recoil from his tongues tender touch, which oddly caused his stomach to flop wildly within his rib cadge. Despite the recent events she could still put a smile on his face, and a flutter in his heart. Why is she so hypnotizing? "Themisto what are you doing here?" "Tending to you of course" He would counter, a feeble smile played across his lips. He had always come to her rescue, why would now be any different? She had lost a challenge- so what? A thousand losses couldn't alter his overpowering attraction toward her, she was his magnet, and he would regularly be drawn to her no matter the circumstances. Beaten and bruised, or elegant and mighty, he would always be there for the belle. "They're homeless now Themisto, and Azalea... I can't protect them anymore." Lips would quiver as they threatened to sag, disappointment lurking at the surface of his facial features. Had she really given up on herself this easily? She was stronger than that, and he knew it. He would not pitty her any longer. He would take on a more serious expression now, his eyes narrowed as he sternly gazed into the eye of his star crossed lover. He rarely allowed his vision to hover across her missing eye, as he hardly noticed it in comparison to the captivating eye that had been left behind. To him nothing could blemish her features- she was eternally beautiful. "They must learn to protect themselves, Chrysanthe. You served your purpose as a mentor, as an alphess. You threw yourself into the jaws if a tyrant, and fought for your pack until you could no longer stand-" He would pause momentarily, his neck beginning to scrunch as he attempted to press his nose into her left cheek in a reassuring manner, salmon tongue intertwining with her fine hairs. "And to me, to them, that's more than any of us could have ever asked for." He would chuckle weakly as he attempted to pull his head backward and press his nose into hers, his right brow raising as his sincere gaze aimed to align with her single cobalt orb. "Seracia didn't even come looking for me when I was imprisoned. You? You'd go to war over the fate of one of your members." His neck would recoil further, pulling backward so that they could talk face to face now with no contact. Sunset kissed gaze would roll impatiently over her frame as he searched for any other injuries he needed to tend to, another thought crossing his mind. "And you are alive. She could have tried to kill you when you were quelled..." He despised the thought of her demise, and it was ironic that he would say such a thing. Little did he know the nymph tyrant was in a death match right now with a Valhallen. Thoughts would momentarily change and he would wonder if what he was doing was the right thing. What if she didn't want him here at all? What if he was being a burden, always showing up at the end of her losses? What if she didn't feel the same... and never would? Were his efforts pointless? Doubtful thoughts would begin to spill into his mind, but he would do his best to ignore them, and await eagerly for a response, gaze still bounding between each crease in her body. Speech,

She would relax against his answer - even though it was the wrong one. Even though he shouldn't be here, even though he shouldn't. She would relax against his answer and because of his smile - and accept the tender touch for what it was - he was tending to the wounds that she had acquired. Still, there were others that could use his assistance as well, she was not the main concern, and she never would be in her own mind. "Thank you." She would respond simply, sweetly, it was hard not to depend on the man when he was a constant for her - win or lose, whether she was victorious or had failed miserably he was there all the same. It was calming and consoling, and slowly her churning more miserable feelings deflated enough for her to appreciate the kindness that Themisto seemed to have an endless amount of.

It felt like she was being incredibly selfish when she enjoyed his company. But she was running out of excuses to distance herself from him. No pack boundaries, an m-i-a husband, a scattered family, why not let herself indulge just a bit? Why not depend on someone that wanted to be there for her? She would peer at his stern gaze, her tail curling slightly as a spark of doubt lit fiercely at his narrowed expression. Had she finally let him down too? Perhaps she was jumping to conclusions, maybe he was here for medical reasons alone and he wanted to be elsewhere - anywhere that he didn't have to hear her complains, her concerns, her fears.

But he would gently sweet that aside as he spoke, saying that her family, that Valhalla would have to pick up the pieces this time. It was her job as their alpha to keep them together, but now that she wasn't... who would carry the banner instead? Her half mangled gaze would flutter shut as he pressed his nose into her cheek, a small sigh escaping her lips as he placed a kiss where his mouth just barely touched. To him she had not failed - to him, she was still a fighter, someone worth the title she once held. To Themisto she still mattered - the thought was heavy - important - and made her feel lighter all the same. His timid laughter would bring a tiny upward quirk to her lips and she would touch her nose to his own.

She had lost everything, but her life was far from over. "And I'd do it again for you." The words slipped as he pulled back, and then the woman would fall quiet, letting his gaze drift over her wounded frame. It was quite the statement, but a true one - she would fight a loosing battle and barter with the devil if it meant keeping him safe. It never occurred to her that she shouldn't feel so strongly about him - he was supposedly a friend and not family - but that wasn't enough to change her opinion in the least.

As the conversation shifted back to her recently acquired loss - she was just piling them on wasn't she? - she would hold back the urge to pout, instead glancing away from the medic as her ears twitched and then pulled back in discontent. Considering the battle she had just been in, she could have been much worse off... but she would take those wounds as many times over as she could live through if it meant getting her home back. "It feels like she gave it a shot." That final blow had been what she couldn't recover from and win the fight - the yearling had taken a risk and gone for a blow near her spine. A little higher and she could be paralyzed, but she had gotten considerably lucky.

"Am I going to live, doctor?" She would ask after a moment of silence - it was a bit of a strange one. Themisto had gotten quiet a bit suddenly, and Chrysanthe would drop all half hearted joking aside and lean toward the brute. "Themisto? Is everything alright?" She didn't know what was bothering him, what was on his mind that seemed somewhat heavy. But perhaps he would tell her. "I can't thank you enough for this." 'For everything' For tending to her, for always being there - he was a better friend than anyone had ever been to her, perhaps even her own husband.

He would begin to relax now, as it was apparent Chrysanthe was starting to lighten up, and that made him lighten up. A halfhearted smile would tug at his lips, and he would continue to check her over visually. His mind was still heavy with the what ifs on the past and current situation, but he would sweep the contemplating aside for now. It was hard to stare into her eye without something crossing his mind though. He would remain silent until he had spawned an analysis, her words drawing his audits forward in acknowledgement. "Am I going to live, doctor?" "Of course. Give yourself a few days of down time, and in two weeks you will be good as new." He would reassure her, his husky voice drenched in sincerity. She had missed a deadly blow to the spine by inches, which luckily seemed to be the worst wound she had acquired. "Themisto? Is everything alright?" Her statement was what drew his gaze upward, his right brow raising as he reflected momentarily on her question. Why was she worried about him? She was the one who had just been attacked by a harlot of Glaciem, she was the one who had just lost her home. He was a typical healer, who mainly stayed within his packs borders unless a sudden impulse told him otherwise. Why would she be worried about him? "I'm fine- why do you ask?" He would inquire, though truly beneath the surface he was a mess of mixed emotions. With her always bounding into trouble and giving him excuses to be distant he had grown bitterly familiar with having to love her from afar- where as Twig was available and very interested in him. How could he not be drawn toward Twig, yet revolve around Chrysanthe? Internally he was a hot mess, and didn't know what he would do next about his dilemma. He was often so busy helping others he never found time to solve his own problems. Of course Chrysanthe knew nothing about Twig yet, all he assumed she knew about was his blunt feelings toward her that obviously didn't need to be explained. She must knew how he felt by now, why else would he come bounding to her side again and again? "I can't thank you enough for this." His mind would clear as he was pulled back into the bitterness of reality, her soothing words creasing his lips upward. She always managed to make him smile despite the feats they both constantly dealt with. They seemed to have bad luck with Glaciem, didn't they? "You're welcome, Chrysanthe." Sweetly he would respond, it felt nice to have his dedication to her acknowledged. He would chuckle sweetly as well, his gaze falling warmly upon hers as he sighed happily. When they were together the acidity of reality seemed to fade away every time he glanced over at her pools of sapphire. Something about those eyes.. eye.., enticed him. "What will you do now? What will they do?" Of course he was curious about what would happen to the prior members of Valhalla, and he wished to know what her next move in life was. What about her marriage? Her adopted children? Did she ever plan on having a family of her own? Would she avenge her loss? Start a new pack? Reestablish Valhalla? Now that she was free.. What would she do with her freedom? Speech,

A few days of down time. Down time was a little foreign to her at this point, but she would do it for Themisto. The last thing that the woman would do was take his advice and not follow suit. With a nod to his reassurance, she would watch him, waiting for a possible explaination to what was on his mind. There was something bothering him, she was sharp enough to see that - but it could have been anything. She had lost a challenge and lay before him wounded after all - that was enough to quiet the friend of any lupine. "It seemed like there was something on your mind. Something important?" She would gently nudge him toward talking to her about it - it would be nice to get her mind off of her loss, of her wounds, and she wanted to hear him speak. His husked voice was soothing, and although she was too tired to really smile, it put her at ease to spend time with the healer.

As he politely responded to her thanks, she would wonder if he really understood what she was thanking him for. Not just his attention, not this one moment where he was making sure that she was alright - but for everything. For being there for her repeatedly, for making sure that she was alright, for fighting at her side, for tending to her physical and mental health. He made her happy, and there were few that did that for her the way that he did. Her mother, her daughter, and a few members of Valhalla could make her truly happy - but Themisto was the only exception that wasn't related to the pack that she once lead. "I don't know - I thought I would lead my father's pack forever, as silly as that sounds." No leader lasted forever - perhaps her days of leading were over, she was barely half way through her prime though there was no telling. "They are together now - on Nephilim." She would say, motioning toward the island that lay over the ocean before them. "I... think they'll stay together, whether under the banner of Valhalla or not I'm not sure."

"I will follow them, I'm sure. But maybe not forever." She didn't have to - she could support her family, no - she would support her family. Yet she didn't need to watch over them anymore, they didn't need her, they would appoint a new leader and Chrysanthe would accept whoever stepped forward. The healer before her had shown her that one could be supportive and be part of a different pack entirely - Themisto... did he realize what he and his question had shown her? How much she was free to do, had always been free to do? "I've always wanted a family, I thought Nephilm would be where I started one." She would say quietly, admitting something that she had been placing aside for over a year. It was never the right time for one reason or another - and now, for over the past two seasons, Gideon had been scarce, if not gone completely. She would hesitate, her gaze leaving Themisto's lovely gaze and dropping to the ground. Her voice held a guilty edge, she should have been a better wife. "Gideon's missing, I don't think he's coming back this time." Would he blame her for this? She had been his wife and... this was the first time that she was admitting out loud that he was not there and had not been there the way he should have been for so long.

"It seemed like there was something on your mind. Something important?" For a moment he would consider confessing his problems, but he would refrain. Sure, he could tell her all about Twig and his confusion, but what good would it do right now? He would bite his toungue to drown out the confessions lurking below his surface, and luckily for him Chrysanthe would begin on a new topic, which gave him an excuse to drop it. Hopefully she wouldn't dwell on the thought much longer. "I don't know - I thought I would lead my father's pack forever, as silly as that sounds." Her words would crease his smile wider, he thought it was adorable how she wanted to live her fathers legacy forever. He believed she could do it, all she would need was time to heal and regain her strength. "I thought Gerhardt would always be Seracia's alpha, as silly as that sounds." He would chuckle lightly as he made a remark about his own home, which had changed leadership four times now since he had joined seasons ago. It was odd how quickly leadership within a pack could change, and it was always a struggle to get comfortable with the sudden alteration. "They are together now - on Nephilim. "I... think they'll stay together, whether under the banner of Valhalla or not I'm not sure." She would motion toward the island far off the coast, and his gaze would follow so that he could observe. He had only been on an island a dozen or so times, and wasn't exactly familiar with the foreign terrain. He preferred the mainland anyway, despite how many enemy's lived there. "I don't doubt their capabilities. Valhalla will rise again. It just takes time." Someone would recreate Valhalla, he was positive of it. They were too close to fall apart over losing their territory. They could always reestablish it again somewhere else, and surly, they would. "Who would be capable enough to lead?" He was curious to know who within the pack was strong enough to rise as an alpha. Perhaps it would be one of her siblings, or maybe a new face would rise to power? Only time could tell. "I will follow them, I'm sure. But maybe not forever." He would nod in acknowledgement, his own loyalty toward his home spilling into his mind. He too was considering leaving Seracia, not only because he was overly bored there, but because he didn't seem to fit in as he once had. Gerhardt had disappeared, and he hadn't seen Maverick in a long time either -what else did he have there besides his dwindling family? And Gideon... "I've always wanted a family, I thought Nephilm would be where I started one." His head would turn more toward hers, a warm smile played across his features. The word family easily brought a smile to his face, as he too was a family man. He had been wanting a family for a very long time as well, but now that he was older it seemed his chances were wasting away. Chrysanthe was still young, he... he was reaching six years old come winter. "I was hoping I'd find a girl and start a family when I came to Seracia... Obviously it didn't happen though." He would admit weakly, a feeble laugh following his words. If only his expectations would have been met. Her gaze would drop toward the earth, and Themisto would cock his head in confusion, his gaze hovering above hers until they met again. "Gideon's missing, I don't think he's coming back this time." Audits would pin as his gaze finally fell toward his paws, a sigh leaving his cracked lips. Gideon was family, and he loved his cousin dearly, only he knew from the moment he discovered their relationship their marriage had been a bad decision. Gideon wasn't a man to hold down, he was a free spirit, and not even the love of a good woman could anchor him. And now Chrysanthe was suffering because of it. "I'm sorry..." In all honesty he didn't know what to say to her, especially since he secretly wanted her to himself. But still, Gideon was family, and he had always respected their boundaries. "Sometimes you have to let something you love go so that it may have the option to return to you- and if it doesn't, than you know it wasn't meant to be." He probably sounded cheesy, but it was the truth. Gideon was a wanderer, but perhaps he would return to her in time. Though by then, Chrysanthe may have moved on. "He's the one who's missing out on something great..." He would murmur weakly, his warm gaze lifting so that it could meet hers should she look up at him. "Speech"

ooc: yes those are rocks :3


He would choose not to tell her exactly what was on his mind, and she would wonder for a moment what had crossed it that had affected him so. Yet she would let it go if that was what he wanted, the woman was in no mood to push - and she rarely was. He seemed to appreciate the sentiment, as he smiled she would hold back a sigh, seeing him happy was good for her nerves, that was good for her healing right? Maybe she could convince him to keep her company in Valhalla for a bit if he wasn't busy in Seracia... "I hope Maverick and Epiphron are living up to the legacy." She would comment, not knowing of Loccian and then Destruction's recent ascent into leadership. With happening after happening, she had lost track of the going ons of Valhalla's sister pack.


Valhalla... it would be alright, she was certain. What she was unsure of was her own place within it, but that would come with time. For now, she would trust in Themisto's words. They would rise again, they were a strong family that wouldn't scatter because of a loss of leadership. "I'm not sure - but I know that my mother would not let anyone be homeless for long. She's getting older, but nothing seems to slow her down." The healer was surprisingly healthy for her age, it was definitely something that Chrysanthe was proud of. The sentence would bring a small smile to the woman's lips. "If not her, there are a few that might step up." Sephiroth, Surreal and even Vahva came to mind. The maned woman had surely had her pride wounded earlier, but if Chrysanthe could force herself to get back up she would drag Vahva with her.

He wanted to start a family when he came to Seracia - and a flash of the meeting they shared all of those months ago would spring to life for a moment - and Chrysanthe would nod at his statement of that not coming true. She... had doused that dream herself, hadn't she? Guilt would eat away at her stomach, causing it to idly tighten until she mentally willed herself to ignore it and prayed that it would go away. Themisto wouldn't want her to feel bad about the way he felt about her - she knew that much, she could practically hear him getting after her for it already. "You're a catch Themi, you'll find someone." The words were enough to get her to wonder what sort of female he would pursue without her there to make things complicated. Would she treat him right? Would he love her more than he loved the russet faced woman already? "I'd bet she's out there waiting for you already." Chrysanthe would move to nudge the other with her muzzle, her tail giving a good natured thump.


If only she knew how close she was to hitting the nail on the head.


His apology for Gideon's disappearance would cause the woman to shake her head in disagreement."Don't apologize, you didn't chase him off." She would try to hide the bitter touch to her voice, but there would always be a part of her that blamed herself. Letting go of that, and of him - seemed nearly impossible. Yet as she met Themisto's eyes, she would feel something stir, from her beating heart down to her toes - something she had only felt for Gideon in such a noticeable way. "I think I may be missing out too, Themisto." Would he catch her hint? She would look him in the eye as she spoke his name, hoping that he would understand that she was willing to give something between the two of them a chance if it was. Perhaps she should think on what she wanted to do, wanted to say, what she was feeling - but he made her feel so happy - and being there for her even when she was at her lowest was quite the way to realize that she could actually see herself beside him...


"If you aren't busy in Seracia, would you stay with me for a while? I..." What excuse did she have? Her mother was one of the best healers on Alacritia, she had a family to look out for and that would look out for her whether she was an alpha or not... but she wanted Themisto there. "I would really enjoy your company, especially while I'm healing and Valhalla's resettling." In all honesty, she really didn't want him to leave. Maybe if she asked him to stay beside her he would - this wasn't the first time that she had wanted to take the amber eyed brute and keep him with her. It would be the first time though, that she acted on the urge.

"I hope Maverick and Epiphron are living up to the legacy." Her comment would bring a rarely placed smirk to his face, a chuckle bubbling within closed jaws. "They left too, Chrysanthe. My whole family left Seracia..." He would say in response, his features morphing into a saddened expression. He was nothing without his family, and with all of them gone he had no reason to really be in Seracia. "I'm not sure - but I know that my mother would not let anyone be homeless for long. She's getting older, but nothing seems to slow her down." Her next comment would bring his mind out of a fog, and his gaze would rise to meet hers, a warm smile quirking the corners of his lips. Indeed, he assumed her mother was a powerful woman seeing that she had raised such a stunning daughter. "If not her, there are a few that might step up." He would nod in acknowledgement, since he too understood that someone would bring Valhalla back at some point. "You're a catch Themi, you'll find someone." His lips would crease as his smile widened tremendously, and his cheeks would burn as he blushed shyly. His gaze would momentarily flash toward the ground, his stomach flip flopping wildly within him. She had never really complemented him before, at least not in this way. He like it, hell, he loved it. And he could get used to it. "I'd bet she's out there waiting for you already." Sunset hued orbs would rise to align with her pools of sedative azure. All his regrets and worries would melt away as he gazed into her eye, and his lips would crease and he barley breathed the words "I hope so..." She would nudge him, and he would gently nudge her back, a warm, tingly sensation enveloping his frame as their flesh tenderly met. He would chuckle happily, and he would begin to wish that they could live in this moment forever. But, she would continue on about a different subject now: Gideon. "Don't apologize, you didn't chase him off." He would nod silently, and he would nudge her in a comforting way. He could only imagine how heart broken Gideon's disappearance had made her, and he certainly did not want her to feel somber. Their gazes would meet again, and he would find himself gazing aimlessly into her one eyed stare. Only the murmur of her sweet lyrics could trigger consciousness again, and he would smile, a lighthearted chuckle bubbling forth as she spoke captivating words. His head would tilt slightly, his fangs revealed as he beamed warmly at her. Was she finally starting to see that he had been here this whole time? Was she finally starting to see that they had something? His stumped tail would wiggle behind him as he barley managed to contain the swell of emotions inside him. "If you aren't busy in Seracia, would you stay with me for a while? I..." His ears would instantly swivel toward her, a look of disbelief crossing his features. Had she just... invited him.. to stay in Valhalla with her!? "I would really enjoy your company, especially while I'm healing and Valhalla's resettling." He would nearly jump out of his seat as he rose instantly, his tail wiggling madly behind his massive frame. "I would love to stay in Valhalla with you. I will speak with Seracia's alpha, and I will return to your borders and call for your leader. Meet me then, alright?" He would say with a smile, excitement dancing within his eyes. He was so overwhelmed with joy he could kiss her! But he wouldn't, as he intended to save that moment for another time. "For now, I bid you farewell, my lady." He would say with an amused smirk, his upper body lowering as he bowed before the once queen halfheartedly. He would rise and attempt to plant a tender lick upon her left cheek before nodding toward the island before them. "You better get going." -ATTEMPTED THEMISTO EXIT AFTER SHE EXITS- Speech,

OOC: And she may reply here now! :3