She was defeated, beat down, exhausted, and starving. Depression had overtaken her as each attempt to track her brother lead to a dead end. Her little brother had been sick before he disappeared and she feared for his health and though she left without saying the female had no where left to turn. She wouldn't even know if her immediate family stayed in one spot and she had felt so close to her extended family in Celestial that she turned home. Yes Celestial had become home to her and what she needed the most right now was to crawl up within the safety of the pack lands and collapse for a couple of days. She needed the smiling faces and the love from the pack go help heal her broken body. She had been traveling non stop (or so it seemed) since she left Celestial. While on her own she had little sleep, covered many miles, and could barely eat much. Her body ached and screamed to her to stop and rest, but the female kept moving pushing through the pain. She nearly didn't make it after she reached the borders of Wolfpaw lake to discover that the pack no loner resided there. She felt more defeated upon that discovery, fearing that Celestial was no more. So she trudged on hoping that they would still be in Vericona plains. She was stopped short when she hit the borders of Druid's moore. Pack scent was strong here bringing relief to her turned form. Flopping herself down onto her rump she lifted her head and let a short ragged howl fill the skies calling Regulus. He prayed that he would forgive her and let her return home. She needed rest and the comforts that Celestial had brought to her. Lowering her head she waited for him to arrive. Walk, "Talk" Think

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

Slowly, things were settling into a gathering speed. Life was beginning to spark, he thought. A few new members had come to the Pack, Solveiga was back, and most of the Yearlings and former apprentices were taking some initiative to be active in the pack. They were still low on adults in the pack, but that would improve, he felt. Not to mention, His youngest siblings were two now. A meeting was imminent. He had plans for the ranks, and many things to announce. It was high time the pack truly started moving again. A familiar howl broke through his thoughts as he was patrolling the Moore, pleased with his choice to move the borders to here. The lake would be open once more to loners in need of a drink, at least until they expanded someday. He felt it might lessen the possibility of loners crossing the border when parched with thirst. Now, however, his mind swerved to the howl, and a mixture of relief and irritation flickered through the fathomless eyes. On the one paw, he was glad to know his cousin was alive. On the other paw, he words of improvement had fallen flat in the transition to action. Not only that, but both she and Dagger had up and vanished, without a word to himself or to Faite before she’d gone to start Lirim. That was unacceptable behavior, especially in a wolf that was already on thin ice the last time he’d spoken to her. His path shifted after he gave a last solid mark to the border. He knew what he had to do. He didn’t like it, but he would need to do it. As his near silent paws drew him close enough to see her in the mists, he nearly wavered. She was exhausted, scrawny, and paw sore. But the fact still stood that she could have avoided this condition if she had made him or his sister aware of her plan to leave the territory. They could have sent someone with her. His expression was coldly neutral as he came to stand before her, on the interior side of the border. “Well?” The one rumbled word spoke volumes as he waited for her to explain herself and give him a good reason why he should let her come home. He didn't like what he would have to do if she truly wanted back in. But he would do it. He needed to be a consistent leader, and not show favoritism just because of their ties as blood relations. But he knew that he would very likely be adding an omega level wolf to the pack. A Punished member.

As she waited her mind drifted back to the mistakes she has made and the dishonor she felt she had brought to her family. She was to pitch in and help the pack survive and she had done the vary minor of it. She remembered the words Regulus spoke at the last pack meeting she had attended and her ears flattened against her head. She also dropped her head and closed her eyes as she realized what rank she would hold if even welcomed back. She had failed and she had let her extended family down. All the trouble that had went through into creating this pack and she didn't even fallow the rules. She sighed her heart tightening. She didn't even deserve to be let back into the pack. What would she do now? After her mind drifted over things she felt like she needed to run away, to be a coward and never show her face around here again. That would bring more shame to her family then she had already brought and the women didn't want to let her family down anymore. She was embarrassed and ashamed of herself, but could she make things better? Would she ever be able to prove to the pack that she was worth being let back in? All she could do was try and she wanted to try and to prove herself worthy. She hated being alone and wanted to be with others. 'There is other packs and I could start fresh no one would know of the shame but myself' she thought. Then the guilt stretched her nerves again and her gut ached in protest. She would know and she would never feel completely happy unless she made it up to Celestial. Then the large red form arrived, his steps drew her from her thoughts and made her eyes pop open. She suddenly felt even sicker and licked her lips out of nervousness. Regulus was a kind soul, but the punishment for her deeds and her deeds in general made her ill. He didn't ask how she was, didn't embrace her with a warm hug, in fact he was rather cold and made her feel worse and worse by the minute. She dropped her head again as he spoke, ears pinned to her head still. What could she even say? There was no excuses and no reason good enough to let her come back home. She sighed again and figured she would start with why she left. "I feared that Dagger had wandered off to die, or worse be killed by someone in his sick state. It's the reason I left, but there is no explanation I can give for why I couldn't say something to you," she couldn't look at him, to ashamed of herself. "I wanted to come home, but honestly there is no reason you should let me I have failed you and the pack several times and I don't deserve any ounce of courtesy from anyone." What else could she say? "Talk" & 'Think"

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

Well, she certainly looked sorry. The Crimson Archangel listened silently as she explained herself, that cool, neutral, disappointed mask of an expression unwavering on his face. While he certainly could understand the reasoning for leaving, what he did not understand was her lack of notification. And even she seemed to have none. He was silent after she finished speaking. Silent for a very long several heart beats as he let her think on what she’d said. Then his voice thundered softly. “And did you not think to tell one of us? We could have sent someone with you to search. Someone who could have helped you hunt to feed yourselves. I understand a sibling’s love will drive one to act without thinking, but did you never once stop to think what could happen to you if you were injured badly? Or the fact that if you did find Dagger, and he was in dire need of a healer, that you wouldn’t know enough to help him?” His voice lowered even further. “I will give you one last chance. But it will be as a Punished member. And if you slack off, even once more, or half more, or if you vanish, you will not be welcome in Celestial. You are my family, but I am also your alpha. And as I said before, I cannot be lenient just because you’re my family. And from what mother once told me of your father, he would approve of this movement.” Caerul had been a high ranking member of Valhalla under Erani’s rule. He would know perfectly well the repercussions of not following a pack’s rules, and of not making a true effort. He continued, tone level and unyielding. "Your punishment will be thus; you are not allowed to leave the territory. And you will work hard to redeem yourself. Your rise through the ranks will not be as easy as it might have been when you first joined us, and you will be watched very closely. You wanted the rank of Master Hunter, and thus, you will ensure that you are in every pack hunt, and that you ensure the children of the pack are fed. And you make sure you are prompt in your attendance to every pack event." He fell silent, fathomless sapphires locked on her face as he waited for her to acknowledge his words.

His silence made her nervous and she shifted slightly in her spot. Had she said enough? What else could she add? Her stomach was beginning to churn again making her feel like she could vomit. Then his voice thundered, a soft thunder but it still held the highest authority. Her eyes looked up to his face able to see the disappointment and the neutral expression in his features. His words stung because she knew he was one hundred percent right. At the time she had not thought about her own safety or her own health. If she were to become injured or if Dagger had been injured there would have been nothing she could of done to aid herself or her brother. Then came the relief and the next words made her ears perk slightly. He was giving her another chance, but she would be in a vary low rank and had strict guidelines. Something she knew would be the circumstance since she had remembered his words at the last pack meeting. It was relief, but it was also an embarrassment. Her hopes to someday becoming a master hunter would be prolonged, but if it meant she would right her wrongs was it all that bad? In fact she felt he shouldn't give her another chance, yet he was. Her thoughts of him were still high because he was doing his job as an alpha and that's what he should be doing. She respected him for not giving her special treatment just because she was blood. She listened closely to her guidelines and she thought it was vary fair and reasonable. She could return home and she was vary happy about that. "Understood and I will work my butt off, no more excuses and no more disappearances. I will not disappoint you, the pack, or my family again," she replied her eyes showing her determination. "Talk" & 'Think"

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

Her words of understanding were answered with a nod, and the crimson male stepped aside, no longer barring her path into the territory. ‘Pella.” He said simply, turning to lead the way through the moorland, paws stepping quietly along a trail, already near silent paw-steps muffled further still by the peat under paw. “Let’s see if there are any rabbits left.” Punished she might be, but he wasn’t going to let her struggle to hunt down a meal for herself in her current condition. There would be allowed a little time to recover, but once those few days were up, he expected to see hard work from her. “We’ve had several deaths in the family and the pack. Mother and father, and Crucible,” It still hurt to speak of the losses, but he went on “And we have no high ranking members other than myself. Kavdaya is… ill.” He knew she grieved, and that she wallowed in guilt, and something she just couldn’t seem to shake, but he was at a loss as to how to help her best.

He gave a simple nod and moved aside, her mood perking a bit. She was actually going to be home and the thought bettered her mood. She fallowed beside him, her dainty paws quiet as they moved along. She wondered how much she had missed while she was gone, but she still didn't feel like it was time to ask such things. His words about rabbits brought more relief to her, she was hungry and could use a quick meal, this territory she wasn't familiar with as far as game. What she was seeing so far she wasn't sure what would want to thrive here, but she would soon discover it after a few days of sleep. She was curious to what she could fins here compared to the Lake. He spoke up again giving her updates on the pack status, most importantly the deaths. He had lost both his mother and father and it made her cringe. She couldn't imagine how that even felt. He then went on to say that there was no high ranks filled except for two and Kav was ill. She was the head healer with the most knowledge. "I'm sorry Regulus" she said softly. She hadn't really had to deal with much death in her life which in turn she was never sure how to act when the subject of death was brought up. "I'm sure a pep talk from you will get those higher ranks filled," she replied. Lowering her nose as they moved she allowed her nose to take in all the rich scents of the new territory looking for a fresh rabbit trail. "Talk" & 'Think"