The night was dark, deep and black. It was the cusp of life and death, the winter melting into spring. There wasn't a moon in the sky, and every speck of light was whisked away by heavy clouds, and yet she still seemed to glow. Deep citrus eyes stared ahead, watching where she stepped. Earlier that day she had heard a bone chilling call, something she had never believed shed hear again. While she had known he had made it out alive, she didn't know that he was here. Her paws had lead her here only after she grew tired of her previous place, wandering for preservation and to find something better. She moved with an elegance, a grace that she had had since birth. Large paws pressed easily against the deep snow as she moved, a smirk on her lips. How had he secured a place like this? She was proud and yet a little miffed. Here he was, flourishing and had he thought to look for her? Well, there could be a very good reason. So she moved along, smirking as his scent filled her nose. A wave of nostalgia washed over her, filling her to her core with warmth and foreign familiarity. She missed him, she missed everyone. Lonliness had been such a part of her that it seemed to be woven into her very soul. But did it have to be so? With that call she was promised her family again, promised company. She wouldn't be alone and lonely any longer. Without a call she crossed the borders, barely even blinking as she broke a natural law. Borders did not matter to her right now, especially not his borders. She moved with purpose, deep into the newly founded pack to find a certain star speckled brother of hers. "Talk" "You" Think

Mithras was new to this whole 'border' thing, sure, but he was pretty sure random assholes weren't supposed to just prance across them. Sure, he'd only seen a flash of motion out of the corner of his eye, but he was pretty fricken' sure he'd seen something! With a huff he strode forward, a frown etched on his face as he braced himself for he first real confrontation as a leader. The wind was working against him, and despite his best efforts he couldn't get even a whiff of who was all up in his business. Not even a "Hello" call? The nerve of some people! Frankly, Mith was feeling downright disrespected. He crested the ridge, doing what he could to keep his body low and concealed in the scrubby grass (a futile effort) until he was able to lay his eyes on the culprit. He scanned the horizon from side to side, hoping to find anything at all. It wasn't until the deviant broke her own cover (she was behind a hill) that he realized what exactly he was dealing with. Mithras dropped his jaw and his eyes bugged out all on their own. This couldn't be real life... Seriously! His sister was supposed to be dead, but he would recognize that pelt anywhere! A series of expletives fell out of his mouth before he called out in disbelief, "Cerse?" His paws began to move, and all at once he was racing towards her as fast as his limbs would go. "Talk" "You" Think

It took a very long time for him to find her, far too long. Sure he must be knew to this whole "alpha" thing, but his reaction time had got to be better than that! She could almost click her tongue at him. She moved along the grass before she heard the familiar, but also so unfamiliar, voice call out her for. Tilting her head slightly, shed glance behind her at the hill she had walked over. He seemed to glow in the depth of the nights, and she could almost feel her breath being stolen away. A wave of happiness washed over her, and she smiled wide as he sped towards her. He was everything she remembered, and yet so different as well. No longer were they scrawny teenagers on the cusp of adult hood, now they were full grown, massive beasts. The time had been kind to him, his freedom a gift. She felt nothing but an overwhelming sense of happiness that it brought tears to her expressive eyes. As he approached at his break neck speed, she would turn fully to him and smile her kind smile. She had missed him so dearly, but she wasn't a fool to think that time hadnt changed anything. There could be ill feelings, there could be something. She didn't want to go to him and throw her arms around him only to have her hear broken. Not that he would, she trusted him in that sense. But one could not be too careful. There had been others she loved, others she had vowed true loyalty too, that had betrayed her. "Hello brother. " She said in her smooth tones, voice accented and rich. "Long time no see." She wouldn't move to him, wouldn't shift a muscle. He could come to her, but that was his move to take. "Youve been busy..." She remarked, deep citrus eyes never leaving her brother for a moment. Oh, she missed him so. "Talk" "You" Think

He couldn't believe his eyes. He literally could not because in front of him was a wolf that was supposed to be dead. He and Caia had fled their homeland because they were supposed to be dead, how was this happening? He darted his snout outwards, brushing her fur the smallest bit, terrified that it might prove her to be the apparition he suspected she was, but instead... it tickled. She was real, she was there in front of him, she was alive. Tears pricked his eyes as the large man reared up andflung his arms around her in a mighty bear hug, laughing all the while. If it was a dream, fine. Let him dream on. She had grown so much since they were scrawny adolescents! She had filled into the same mature frame he had, and it suited her well. She looked a woman now, and he had every intention of scaring off the hordes of men bound to be after her affection. He wanted to know everything, where she'd come from, what had happened, but most of all... How. How had she done it? And what about the others? But he could not force the words past his lips, he was still drowning in giddy laughter. At long last he managed, "Where... how...?" but that was all. He could not contain himself, and to be honest he didn't much want to try. "Talk" "You" Think

She could have laughed at the look on his face, if she wasn't sure she was making the same face. Her eyes shone with every emotion she could ever feel. She was a mix of everything in the universe as he stood before her. Angry at the wasted time, disappointed in how alive he seemed and well his life had turned out, beyond happy to see him again. There was love and affection and if he hadn't moved first she would probably be the one throwing her arms around him. A delicate laugh bubbled from her lips as he wrapped around her, stumbling a bit at the added weight but keeping her footing easily. She'd lift one paw to touch his side, her chin tilting to try and press against his neck in her own form of a hug. His laughter was contagious, and a few giddy giggles fell from her lips as she nuzzled into his fur. Oh she missed him, so much. When he asked the question she knew he'd ask, she would swallow at the lump in her throat and move to take a step back out of his embrace. "After you escaped...they had rounded us up, poisoned us and left us to die as gifts to the gods." She said softly, looking down at the ground. she had rehearsed this the previous night, and the near year she had been travelling. It was part of her, a very large part of her that it almost hurt to speak. But he had to know the truth, because just her being alive had shattered some of what he had known to be true. "Someone came, they gave me a cure, and told me to flee. I didn't have time to ask questions, I didn't have time to help the rest of our family. Im not sure what became of them. The wolf who healed me told me the pack would come, soon, they would be alerted...I'm not sure." She whispered then, ears falling back as she stared to the side. It was awful, really. She had survived, given the miracle to live, and she had done nothing to help the rest of their family. "I fled, searching for you and Caia. It took a long time. For as big as we are, you two are awfully difficult to find." She whispered in a sad attempt at a joke. She shifted on her paws and braved a look at her brother, hoping that disappointment was not what she would see. "Talk"

As his sister relayed her story, Mithras' jubilation drained away. From the depths of his darkest memories images were dredged up. He couldn't be sure if they'd truly happened or if they'd been concocted by his terrified young mind, but he flinched all the same. It was all he could do to force the image of his mother and father laying paralyzed and suffering out of his mind. He shook his head from side to side, deciding instead of just bury his face in the fur of Cerse's neck. He inhaled her scent, committing it to memory so that he would never lose her again. "I'm glad you're alive," he murmured, voice muffled by her ruff. "Whatever happened to the others... Well, maybe now we have something to hope for." Any yet he'd lived with the knowledge of their deaths for so long, it seemed almost cruel to start wishing for their return. If the universe or the gods or whoever it was that ruled them saw fit to bring their family back together... Fine. But for now Cerse was here and that was enough for him. Mith took a step back, and smiled a small smile. There was so much he wanted to show her, to teach her about this land and it's denizens. He'd seen so much he never would have imagined at home! "Mind if I give you the grand tour? You showed up at a good time!" A wild hair struck him, and his tiny smile became a wide grin. If he truly did decide to create a pack of his own, well... Let Cerse be as surprised as everyone else! It would be funny, right? He turned on his heels and jounced a few paces away. He would have to show her absolutely everything and the day was fading away! "You coming?" "Talk" "You" Think

As he buried himself, almost desperately, into her fur she would gently raise one of her paws to his leg and hold him close. Her eyes closed as she felt his warmth seeping through her long fur, felt her brother for the first time since her life had almost ended. She missed him, oh she had missed him so dearly. But now here was here...he was here, and she had found him! They were together again, finally, and by gods she would never let them seperate again. He spoke, softly, into her fur, and she let out a sound that was somewhere between a sob and a laugh, her nose shifting to dig into his fur as well. "I'm glad I'm alive too..." She murmured softly, closing her eyes quite tightly. All those days, weeks, months that she had searched, had hoped, had prayed, alone. So alone, and she had been really, well, terrified that she would always be alone. Clearing her throat, she composed herself as he pulled away, quickly glancing away to make sure he didn't see the near tears in her eyes. Carefully she'd look back at him, a small smile touching her lips. "Мило ми е што сме повторно заедно, брат..." She whispered tenderly. But he moved away, wanting to change the subject it seemed and she couldn't blame him. He had escaped death just as well as she had. Even if she had been right in the thick of it, he had spent two years of his life believing everyone in his family was dead. Really, neither had it better than the other, and she was just happy to move on with her life. He promised a tour, and she would smile her little smile and slowly nod her head, watching him bound away a few paces so happily. She was rooted in her spot, flooded with a strange sadness. A whole year had gone by without her brother at her side. Her citrus eyes slowly rose to the sky then, angry at the gods for stealing away that time when his voice broke through her thoughts then. She blinked in surprise and looked back at him. "Yeah.." She said softly, tenderly as she moved to start after him. "I'm coming, Mithras." "Talk" | "Macedonian"

Mithras walked with his tail high, his mind buzzing and at a near loss for what he might say. There was so much he had to tell her, so much he wanted to share! First and foremost the girls, and of course about Argead! It struck him that he had become a very different in the past year. He slowed his pace and hummed quietly to himself, thinking before finally saying, "Well, brace yourself! The long version can come later, but a briefing will have to do for now, unless you want to sit out here until the season turns." He took a deep breath.

"This land here? Its mine, I rule it under the banner of a pack named Argead. I formed it not long ago, after being confronted with the dangers of raising three rambunctious girls in the uncivilized wild. Do you remember Faria? A night of indiscretion, but we're happy with how things turned out, once all is considered. We have friend and companions, support and safety... It's good." He finished what was like a shocking speech with a shrug, somewhat lackluster in comparison. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that things are kinda crazy right now, but if you're looking to make a new home you'll always be welcome in this one." Sure it was a but sappy for his taste, but he forced down a grimace or a smirk or whatever was trying to worm its way onto his face. Cerse was back, and nothing was too high of a price.

Cerse followed along beside him, her easy pace matching his almost flawlessly. It was like a year hadn't passed since their last meeting, since the last time they had spoken to each other. She watched him, amazed to actually see him, to cement every fur, every expression, every change of his dual toned eyes into her memory so that she may never forget him. Perhaps if it were anyone else, or it were another time, she may have been embarrased by the way she drank it all in, but no. Not now. She finally had him back, and she knew she would feel the exact same way when she saw Caia again. When he began to speak, citrus eyes would widen slightly at the news before a rumbling laugh bubbled from her lips. "Oh," She said between laughs, gaze crinkling as she smiled at him. "Is that all? Surely there's more." She laughed in her accent, tilting her head to him as she caught up on all the news. He seemed so nonchalant about it as well, but that seemed to be his way. "Faria followed you here?" She asked then, her tone slightly surprised as she stepped in line with him. "It seems yesterday she was just a kid... and you with any children is almost hard to believe." She said then, looking out at the land he claimed was his. Well, he had done very well for himself.. "You have been busy!" She laughed again, a happy sound as she felt so...happy, so light. She was home. "Do you honestly think that I'd leave now that I've found you again?" She asked with a slight smirk, a brow raising slowly before she shook her head and sighed. "I'd love to stay here, if you'd let me. I'm proud of you, brother. You've done well for yourself." "Talk" | "Macedonian"

Cerse met his every boast with adequate praise, causing him to puff up like a peacock. She'd always been a great sister, very supportive and motherly, and he was happy to see that while she had changed that was still more or less the same. He positively beamed at her, and when she promised to stay near his side he worried his face might crack right in two. "There will always be a place for you here," he pledged, and he meant it. "Take the time you need to settle in and when you're ready we can decide on a more solid rank for you, unless you know the path you'd like to follow now? He would not discount her knowing her calling, but he also was not sure how much responsibility she would want to take up, having just come to this new land. He would not force any sort of position on her, eager as he was to have his flesh and blood involved in the running of his pack. - Mithras