He had taken some time to say goodbye to the family that took him in. To the skilled healer that had healed him up and kept him fed. They had kept thier promise to find his pack and to get him back home and now it was their time to move on. His duel gaze watched the forms disappear in the distance before he would turn himself to face the borders of Winterfell. It had felt like forever since he had been home, he almost wondered if things were the same. His stomach was fluttering with excitement, ready to be back with his father and siblings. He didn’t know if his mother had come back, but he was ready to find out. The gangly yearling took a seat, remembering what Elsa had told him. He needed to howl first before waltzing into his home, in case things were different. She had warned him about trespassing and if his father wasn’t still in rule that he could be considered a trespasser. So he took in a deep breath and raised his head, letting a deep howl erupt from his throat. Calling out for the leader of the pack. He was hoping his father was still in rule, hoping his family was still here. It had been a little over a year since he disappeared. A lot could have changed by then. Once his song had ended he would watch the lands before him, the fluttering in his stomach getting stronger as he waited for someone to arrive. He was nervous again, like he had been as a pup. He felt like he couldn’t sit still and would gently dig his claws into the earth as he waited. "Speech"

It hadn't been long since the end of the raid against Ashen. A couple days at most, and this time...Winterfell had emerged victorious. He had expected more of a fight but considering he hadn't seen Hannibal there, perhaps the pack wasn't what he expected. He had to hand it to Deathbelle though, she had been a formidable opponent and a skilled fighter. She had bested him, but it still hadn't been enough to secure a win for her pack. He gazed over the lands from the top of the ship, finally feeling a sense of relief and freedom in a sense now that he was no longer bonded to the debt to Hjarrandi. He took a deep breath, and just as he released it, a howl sounded across the territory and his head turned in the direction that it came from. It...sounded both familiar, and yet...unfamiliar...like he knew who it was and who it should be, but somewhat foreign...a few moments after it died away, it hit him. Arcticus? His heart pounded in his chest as he wasted no time. He was on his feet in seconds and racing across the ship, practically flying down the steps and nearly sliding across the deck as his paws scrabbled to get him to his son. Once he hit the snow, he sent it flying as he raced easily across the ground, the hopeful father running as fast as he could to meet his long lost son. Had he truly returned? Or was he just imagining things? The answer came when he spotted that familiar form that had been burned in his memory since his child birth. He did not slow down, and instead, raced right towards his son. Arcticus was just about as big as he was now, and he didn't think he'd be able to restrain himself as he practically collided into him with a hug. "Arcticus!? It's really you, isn't it? I've missed you so much!" He didn't care if he sounded emotional or if anyone else saw him so raw with emotion. His son had disappeared with Heloise, and each day that passed that they were gone, he hoped and prayed that someday, he'd see them again. Or at the very least...his son.

As the seconds ticked by he grew more nervous as he mulled over if leadership had changed. If his father was no longer in charge there was no guarantee that he would still have a home here. He was also afraid that his family had all left in search of him and his mother. His ears perked at the drumming sounds of paws reached his ears and his bi colored gazed searched until the landed on a familiar figure. His father came barreling towards him and the young male's tail began to wag rapidly. His father didn't look like a giant anymore since he had grown in size. His father collided with him in an embrace of a hug, pulling him close as he spoke to him. Arcticus didn't even notice how emotional his father sounded, he was to relieved and thankful that his father was still here and so happy to see him return. A big grin spread across his face and his tail continued to wag in happiness. "Yes dad it's me! I've missed you too!" he replied back in happiness. How would he even begin to explain how things happen, why it took so long to get back here. How would he explain why he fallowed his mom in the first place? So many things were going through his head that it was hard for him to focus on how to even begin. He owed his father a reason why, an explanation for being gone so long. He buried his nose into his father's shoulder as he tried to sort his thoughts out, to try and figure out how to begin. He figured the best thing was to see if his mom had returned and if all his siblings were still here. "How is everyone? Are they still all here? And did mom come back too?" he asked, a bit muffled against his father's fur. "Talk"