I have toured the endless starlight…

Aerndis told herself that it wasn't forever. She'd be back again, someday but for now she had some matters to attend to, namely finding Orion and making sure that he was ok. That, and once again, she felt the familiar stir that beckoned her to wander the earth. She never thought she'd experience that feeling again now that she'd found her family and a good home to settle down in, but, perhaps that was part of what drove her to wander. She'd never really gone on a long journey with the knowledge that in the future she'd experience what it was like to return home. To wander through territory that grew more familiar with each passing hour until at last she laid eyes on her den.

Tipping back her head she called for Chaos. She'd made her decision.

Not having had much opportunity to speak with his colorful niece, Chaos was both surprised and pleased when the girl called for him, but that pleasure quickly turned to concern at the seriousness of the call's tone. It wasn't urgent, but something prompted him to hurry through the knolls from his den to where she had called from the range.


The vibrant colors of Aerndis' coat meant that he could see her long before he could speak to her, and Chaos put on a burst of speed to bring himself beside her. "Aerndis!" he greeted, studying her curiously. "Is something wrong?"

Chaos was prompt to respond to her call and she dipped her head in greeting. Now where to start? "Depends on how you look at it. Chaos I want to leave Legion. I need to find Orion and make sure he's ok." There, that should do it. Short and right to the point. Aerndis didn't see a need to lay out all her feelings to her uncle but she hoped he understood why she felt the need to find her lost brother and bring him home.

Rudolph leaned against her right front leg, offering a gesture of counsel. They'd discussed what they would do depending on which way Chaos gave his answer.

Chaos' stomach dropped as his niece explained her reason for calling him. It was starting again. He had finally gathered much of his family up again only for them to slowly start trickling back through his paws like water through sand, and eventually it would just be him again. Not even Cascade here this time, since she had left him too.


Still, he made himself smile at his niece in assurance. "I understand, Aern. You're an adult now, you can make your own choices so I won't try to talk you out of it. I hope you find your brother healthy and happy. I want you to know that you - both of you - will always be welcome here. You're an Imperialis. You're family." He paused awkwardly for a moment, uncertain what to say now that the facts had been established. "When do you plan to leave?"

Aerndis saw something flicker across Chaos' face but she couldn't make out what it was. He smiled at her and professed his understanding. She was relieved though she wasn't sure why. She doubted Chaos would try to imprison her for wanting to leave. "Thank you for understanding. I do home to come back some day but so much depends on what happens with Orion. I will definitely want to come visit soon though." Valentine was in her mind for as much as he liked to pretend he wasn't that old she could see years unspooling from him like the finest thread. She didn't want this to be their last meeting.

"I plan to leave in the fall. I believe I can get some good ground covered before winter." Hopefully she'd find Orion before winter. If so she could travel back and report before the snows moved in but if not it might be necessary for her to hunker down during the winter and return in the spring. Part of her expected the later to be more likely. After all she didn't even really know where to start searching.

He nodded as she spoke, resolutely squashing his own emotional issues in favor of making the younger woman comfortable with her decision. She didn't need to have his baggage unloaded on her - if she was anything like the rest of their extensive family she undoubtedly already had her own to deal with and didn't need the burden of her uncle's angst over her leaving. So he smiled instead. "Well, autumn will give you pretty good hunting, but if you get stuck out in the winter you may have some trouble hunting for yourself. Take whatever you need from the pack's stores. We have plenty and I don't want you to short yourself."