Sometimes, Cainsmark thought that his retirement was going pretty well. His spouses were back and not at war with one another. Venus had silenced the darker impulses that Set had been insistent on passing down to him. He felt less unbalanced, more at peace, and had absolutely no responsibilities to tend to aside from his children and supporting his wife. He could just lean back, cheer her on, smite her enemies, and sip his goddamn mimosas in peace. It was an excellent lifestyle, and though his soul still sung for chaos at times, he found that Venus' influence was greater.

Other days, he ran into situations like this, and realized that may there was no escaping the past entirely.

Cain had a similar stance as Sola: he realized that the majority of their kids were missing and nearly lost his shit, before tracking them through the realm. He wasn't at all surprised to find that his wife was already there, likely wrangling their children, but as he stepped forward and materialized out of a swath of shadows he realized immediately that things were just a bit more complicated than he was anticipating. For one thing, his hound was there, and his gaze fell on her immediately.

Malkyn. He felt the crackle of dull energy igniting between them, trying to suck her into him, the flickering impulse to reclaim what was his even when the threat of Roy was obsolete. But there was also the tinges of regret, the softer edge of the sword that wanted to check in on her sorry state and figure out who the fuck had done this to his hound. His sea-green stare lingered on her for a moment before it swung to his sister, and he exhaled slowly. Looked back at Talia and nodded once, well aware now was not the time for this. And then his attention was on his wife.

Cain's gaze was sharp, analyzing the foreign Tanglewood members quickly, and he narrowed it on Malphas in particular. Who the fuck did this scrap of fur think he was? Underestimating Sola and her wrath was one of the stupidest things he'd done. Hell, being rude to innocent children -- their children -- was close on the list, but openly antagonizing his queen? Definitely took the cake. His voice was even and calm as he spoke, however, noting, [b]"I don't know about you barbaric animals, but we don't use our children as pawns. We have standards when it comes to who we endanger." He didn't even bother to address Malphas directly, deeming him too insignificant to bother with. "You all might want to consider a better approach to foreign affairs, however. Pissing off your neighbors with little information and underestimating the hell you might be signing up for is sloppy and going to get you all killed."

[B]THE ROSEBLOODS — DEMIGOD OF CHAOS — KING OF THE DREAM REALM — TAGS[/color]

I AM NOT A GOOD THING
[color=white](i am barely a thing at all)

It was going so well.

It was going so well, until they’re proudly announcing their parents’ names, proudly announcing who the leader is and she suddenly can’t breathe. Talia’s arrival is one second too late, lungs squeezed so tight she can’t get anything in. It’s not real— It’s not real.

She watched Finn disappear into the Ocean, she watched them disappear for two years— her breathing is shaky, wheezed struggling to get up, struggling to move, to back away from the eager kids. Malkyn can’t get her back legs to move the way she wants them to, fighting the rising panic in her chest and climbing in her throat.

She doesn’t want to be here anymore, she wants no part in these kids (she’s lying through her teeth). But before she can get up and leave, she's watching through Talia's eyes as Sola runs into Malphas from the swamp's underbrush, knocking him to the ground and pinning him there. She's too out of it to do anything, struggling to her feet and sidestepping into Talia in her attempt to turn around. Not that she would otherwise, Malphas was the one getting hissy about children. Perhaps she's biased, having a soft spot for young kids. Sola's aggression and initial attack is understandable, Malkyn would've done the same had circumstances been different.

She almost laughs, a wheezed and distant sound at the Roseblood leader, 'Enemies. Effective immediately.' Malkyn's heard those words before and suddenly she can't believe she's standing in the face of another bumbling idiot.

A familiar feeling, a familiar voice, one that held too many memories and emotions. Her heart slams so hard in her chest, she almost can't hear over the loud rush of blood in her ears. The five foot and disabled hound uneasily tries to back away, tries to leave, shaking so hard she kept losing the rest of her control of her back legs.

She can't be here right now.

[ this is So Messy but ]

MALKYN RHODES — ALPHA HELLHOUND — TANGLEWOOD CHASER — TAGS