Paradise

Fate, it seemed, had an agenda of it's own.

Asmodeus had lingered on the edges of the Ruins for no more than a week before the need to know what had become of the Shore had pressed on his conscious too strongly for him to ignore. It kept him awake at night and dogged his thoughts through the daytime, building and running dark scenarios that ended in his family's death.

When he had at last managed the swim from the Ruins to the Crossing and from the Crossing to Atlantis, it had not been with the intention of reclaiming his home. The Shore was too big of a target, too known of an association, for him to risk it just yet. Not until he'd done more research, and figured out where things currently lay.

It was both a relief and a curse to find Killian's scent holding the Shore and no trace of Marceline or Daciana or the rest of his herd.

As he edged away from the Shore to contemplate what he'd learned, his hooves crossed the borders of Paradise again and it wasn't until he was fairly deep within that his busy mind realized the change of scenery. Backtracking showed him that Annubis's scent was here, but faded, like Killian's.

For a long moment, he'd stood quietly, contemplating, chewing on this kernel of possibility. Paradise was still closer to the Shore than he wanted to be, and not quite right, not his birthright. But it was at least Atlantis, still the warm, comforting, familiar jumgle. And perhaps there was something to be said for being next door to the place his enemies were most likely to attack.

Plus, he mused, there was an advantage to be found here.

Once he dealt with his little problem, there was still the matter of the crown. Such a thing felt very far in the future right now, but his mistakes in the past had allowed him to grow too complacent. He hadn't wanted to force Annubis to bow out of brute strength. A crown won that way did not feel secure to the chimera, who suspected where Annubis' loyalties lay. If the silver beast was forced to bend the knee through battle, it would take more than just that battle to keep it.

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Asmodeus chewed on the possibilities for a few days. He busied his time assuring the residents he found that he wasn't displacing them, and counted on the fact that Annubis' scent wasn't truly gone. Surely the silvery beast wouldn't let this sort of conquest pass unnoticed for long.

As if the thought had summoned him, Asmodeus turned toward Annubis' bugle with a smile. And while he didn't rush, he didn't keep him waiting long either. The chimera did his best to minimize the severity of his current limp but did not bother to pretend he was hale and healthy. The wound he'd received when he reached the shore was still a gnarly scab on his forehead and the gash on his hip could not be easily camouflaged either.

"I thought you might still be here," he spoke conversationally as he drew to a halt before Annubis, forcing his shoulders to relax. A beat of silence passed to allow them both to adjust before he spoke again, assuming that they both wanted to get the air cleared before they moved on. "I don't expect you to forgive me for taking advantage, but I don't intend to keep Paradise for long."

As nice as Paradise was, it was not the Shore. "I have need of it now, and when I no longer do I will return it to your hands, unscathed on one condition." His gaze is shrewd as he watches Annubis, his bad hip cocked and eyes sharp. Though it might behoove him to not play games, he is curious to see what Annubis thinks he might request as a condition. They have never been close, and their tendency as neighbors was to largely ignore the existence of the other. But plenty of time has passed since Asmodeus controlled the Shore. Enough time for Annubis to make other alliances or form other opinions. Better that he figure out what those were as fast as possible. "Any guesses?"

Adult Stallion 16.0HClassic Champagne ChimeraSolomon x Xiomara