Ibis Islands were a dream in the summertime. They often felt like the first good choice she'd made as alpha. Abandoning the rapids had been difficult but necessary after the volcano's destruction - and now they had their own private island. Theory lay sprawled on the warm sand, soaking up the last rays of sunlight as the sun sank behind the tree line. This was the life. Patrol was done, youngest siblings checked on, and a goodbye called to the mainland as she paddled out to the island retreat. Theo's eyelids were heavy from the carefree weight of a day well-spent. Just as she was beginning to drift off for a late afternoon nap, the sound of footsteps and a familiar scent touched the periphery of her senses. She lifted half an ear in acknowledgement and offered a sleepy smile but didn't move to get up.

Poem had been meaning to talk to Theory about returning to their home. The girl missed the rapids and the thickets with all of her heart. They were witness to the best moments and the worst moments of her life. The good and the bad balanced equally would make them forever special. Perhaps she had too much of her mother in her as well, because she adored Abaven’s ancestral lands.

She was on the island now, in honesty she spent the least amount of time here. It wasn’t as convenient as the mainland. The view of the cliffs liked to rip her heart out every time she glanced at them, and on one side of the island they were all she could see. Poem was in a soured mood when she came across her sister’s scent. They’d passed the year mark of their mother’s death recently and she had been feeling it. Thinking about Sparhawk helped, but she knew she’d feel her mother’s loss until the day she died.

Every time she spoke to Theory it seemed they returned to words of Shaye, but she was determined for a different outcome today. She missed her mother, she missed her every day, and Theory could guess that hadn’t changed. What had changed was the presence of Sparhawk. He brought a grin to her features as she appeared before her alpha sister and she wasted no time in aiming to nuzzle her cheek affectionately.

”You look comfortable.” She said softly, unable to feel as at home here as Theo.

She blinked one eye open as she peered up at her sister. "Always am on the beach," Theo replied, returning her affection before slowly raising her upper half off the sand. "You look equal parts chuffed and irritated," she added, the kind of comment that only someone who knew you a bit too well might make. Poem had grown beyond her recognition from her time in captivity at the Armada, but they'd quickly fallen back into old patterns once she'd arrived home for good. Theory liked to think she knew her sister like the back of her paw, but she knew everyone kept secrets. After all, she'd never breathed a word of Thalia to anyone - or when she'd encountered Kai, technically an interloper, still on their territory after the raid. Secrets were healthy, right? Or maybe just necessary.

She glanced over at the cliffside before scanning back towards Poem. There were a faction of wolves that missed their territory on the mainland. With winter coming sooner than she'd like there were options to consider. The islands would always be here, but the birth of Rhyme's most recent litter and Rhythm's growing frailty were a constant reminder that not all packmates were able to make the trek. She was unwilling to make any concrete decisions yet, but a choice would have to be made before long. "Did you have a chance to visit with Valhalla during their festival last season? It went on for quite a while, but I can't remember if I caught your scent there." Of course, there was also the strange and illicit gathering she'd stumbled upon all the way across Boreas. Thoughts of Noir danced in her head. She wouldn't ruin the mood yet...

Theory returned her affection gently before shifting herself to sit up in the sand. She easily called her sister out on her darkened mood and Poem looked away shamefully. ”It’s the cliffs.” She told her quietly, settling herself down strategically so she didn’t have to look at them. Surely Theory would understand better than almost anyone else. Other than those three words she wouldn’t dive any deeper, they had a lot to focus on right now. Though maybe in the coming days she’d run the idea of their return to their real home coinciding with a memorial for Shaye.

”Ah, no I didn’t. I’ve been avoiding the other packs since…” Since she’d been forced to live in one that was not Abaven. That included large gatherings, and she hadn’t touched their cousin’s party for many reasons. The most important being that was the night Sparhawk had taken her away. Butterflies erupted in her stomach and her cheeks suddenly flushed.

”I’ve met someone though.” She confessed quietly, sure that had she not Theory would have asked. ”We met when a storm drove me into a cave of glowing mushrooms. He’s the most joyful wolf I’ve ever met, his smile is so infectious…” Poem didn’t realize she’d started grinning like a dummy. Her expression would be all that was needed to know how good the jovial man was for Poem’s mangled heart.

The cliffs. For a moment Theory was struck cold and dumb. How could she ever, ever let it slip her mind? It was a frightening reminder that time crept ever slowly on. Shaye would never be forgotten, but the incident, the circumstances - no, she didn't want to dwell on it. Getting too close to the memory was like trying to swallow a glowing coal. Theory stared at the cliffside for a long moment uninterrupted until Poem spoke again. Theo was embarrassed again for a different reason. The consequences of Poem's being held against her will cropped up in strange and unexpected ways. As her sister, Theory felt foolish for not further considering her feelings. Valhalla was their ally but experience had taught Poem that danger lurked around every corner, especially from strangers and large gatherings. I'm a fucking idiot. It's not that I don't care, I just... I just... She just what? Theory breathed out long and low, offering Poem an encouraging smile as she began to speak again.

Well! This was an unexpected turn. Theory's eyebrows raised and she stood up fully, shaking off the loose sand. The sun had fully disappeared now and they were caught in the cool twilight of summertime. Now that shadows had begun to stretch across the beach from the tree line, things felt much more conspiratorial. Theo couldn't help but giggle at Poem's dreamy expression. "Oh, yeah? Well, don't stop now! Tell me everything!" There was a twinge in her heart even as she bent down to play bow like a puppy, her short tail wagging furiously. Could she ever confess her own crushes to Poem? Would her sister care if she liked women?

Theory had a lot more on her mind than Poem did with leading the pack and trying to bring them to a sense of normalcy. Everything was calmer now, they had new siblings to show the world and to love. Poem was left to think on her losses much more than her sister these days. Her self isolation from the rest of the world didn’t help. Thankfully Theory didn’t press her about either statement, but the two of them could forget about it all and focus on the good in life. About the new, about… love.

She looked down shyly as Theory pressed her about Sparhawk, her playful posture helping pull Poem from her sinkhole. She chuckled lightly, not excited about being put on the spot but easily being convinced to talk about her friend. ”His name is Sparhawk. He has a thick accent I’ve never heard before and let me drink some of the mead he’d made.” Oh had she said too much then? They were adults now, but she held a high rank. What did Theory think about her drinking, with a man no less! ”He’s such a gentleman, he sang me to sleep and walked me home the next day.”

She looked back on herself and how foolish she had been, but she was also glad for it. She was lucky, Sparhawk was exactly who and what she’d needed to find. ”He carried some clay back with us, for Rhythm.” Poem went on warmly. ”The other day he asked me to go out. Hed made a camp site in the middle of the thicket. Theory it was grown back and was just like I remembered growing up.” Poem shook her head in disbelief. ”He nearly made me cry with how much thought he’d put into everything that night.” As she told Theory about him she became more convinced about how she felt.

As Poem went on and on, Theory's smile grew wider and bigger until she was just standing there, tail wagging, mouth-agape. There was the faintest glimmer in her eyes that snuffed out as Poem elaborated on their relationship. It was imperceptible to an onlooker, but she felt her heart convulse and her stomach begin to hurt. Oh. That's what love is. Whatever strange ephemeral thing she shared with Thalia, it was not this. It was not dates and songs and gifts and love. It was always looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching. It was stolen moments when she was half-drunk. She put up a brave face for her sister because she was thrilled for her. Really! It was wonderful, what Poem was describing. It was everything her sister deserved. But it threw the cold light of day on whatever Theory had tucked into the darkness of her heart for Thalia. Suddenly she realized that all of her misgivings and guilt had nothing to do with the fact that Thalia was female. It was everything to do with the strange secrecy of it all, her unwillingness to love openly and be vulnerable, and... the Abraxas part.

They could never be together. Not like Poem and Sparhawk. Not unless the earth cracked open or Boreas exploded and they were floating out somewhere in the stars. The physical distance between them had closed with Aerie's move to the mainland, but the crevasse that separated their hearts could probably never be bridged. "He sounds wonderful," Theory said, her voice cracking slightly as tears began to build at the corners of her eyes. "I'm so, so happy for you." Hold it together, hold it together. This isn't about you. It's about her. Her happiness.

Knowing Theory was so happy for her, Poem’s heart soared, making her sister smile like she was proved to be a rare currency. A priceless moment that she could share with her. Poem smiled brightly, but as she looked up to Theo her expression fell. Theory’s words were sweet but the way her voice cracked and the sudden tears at the corners of her eyes alarmed Poem greatly. Without hesitating the girl aimed to wrap her pale paws around her sister’s shoulders as she buried her head in her neck. She didn’t know what was wrong but she was here for her sibling.

”Theory, what’s wrong?” She whispered, having the high of her own lovely emotions it was sobering seeing Theo like this. Had she said something wrong? Were her thoughts shifting to how much she wished Shaye was here too? Would her mother be happy for her that she’d found someone to complete her? To make her smile in the mornings and cuddle up with at the end of the night? Poem was too caught up in her own internal emotions to have an idea why Theory was succumbing to sorrow.

"I just... thought I had something special. With someone. But seeing you like this, well, it's different. It isn't the same at all," she murmured into Poem's thick fur. It felt good to say it out loud, but it was also like pulling a deep thorn out of an infected paw - sure, the "problem" had come free, but now all the puss and blood spewed forth too. Theo hiccuped between tears and pulled back, shaking her head roughly. "But let's not make tonight about that. I refuse to be sad. Tonight is a happy night! A night just for you," she reassured, blinking away the final onslaught of tears. Her eyes stung but she was smiling again. "Tell me more about him Poem - and tell me just why he isn't standing at our borders right now, hm?" She added, easily slipping back into the persona of wheedling sister. Theo puffed her chest out and looked her sister in the eye, feigning dominance. "Do I have to go out trekking and drag him back here by his tail?"

”Theory,” Poem said her name softly as her sister confessed the emotions that were so obvious in her beautiful blue eyes. What did she say to that? Theory pulled away slightly to shake herself but Poem followed, wanting to comfort and hold her sister, to love away the pain she saw in her dear sibling. ”You can be sad with me whenever you want.” She tried to chuckle softly as she blinked away her mirrored tears. Just seeing Theory cry.. She felt her sister’s emotions with her. They could talk about Sparhawk more though, if there was anyone who could spark joy in the slate marked woman it was that jovial warrior. Poem’s shy smile was an obvious testament to that fact. ”I can’t push him, everything has already moved so fast…” Poem tried to hide the overwhelming feeling. The thought of him here with her brought a warm but also a nervous beating of her heart. Butterflies in her belly and her grin growing. They had only just met but Poem’s feelings for him were unable to be ignored. ”If he really loves me he’ll come.” Poem told her sister confidently, like she’d said they’d moved so fast she could hardly believe how she felt. Still, the feelings were real and she would be content waiting for him to commit to life here. She refused to think about any other outcome. "Speech"

"How could he not come?" Theory egged on her on. Seeing the sparkle in Poem's eyes hardened her sorrow. There wasn't time to be sad when Poem was so, so happy. Theory carefully wrapped up in her sadness and buried it deep in the recesses of her heart and did her best to forget where she'd left it. Even as she did, Theo knew it would call to her later tonight when she was alone. Then she would return to the spot in the privacy of her own den, unearth the pain, and dissect it completely. With any luck she could obliterate it, but more likely she would cry until she was empty and then hide it away in the same spot. She already knew that she would return to this spot often, digging the hole a little deeper each time until it became a ragged scar. This pain would mark her like a natural disaster; like the volcano had ravaged Boreas.

But tonight she would bury the pain for the first time. "I bet he's on his way right now," Theory teased, pressing her cheek against Poem's and tickling her sister's ear with her nose. "Is there going to be another litter on the ground in spring? Hm, hm, hm?" Just jokes between sisters, but there was a strangeness to it now - it could happen. Theory barely felt equipped to be a sister to her youngest crop of siblings, how could she ever be a good aunt? Somehow that sounded (and felt) much more difficult than being a leader.

Theory teased her lightly, poking that there was no way thta Sparhawk could not stay away. Poem giggled lightly as she let Theo lull her into complacency. It was easy when Sparhawk consumed her mind, but she wanted to be there for her sister. Poem was able to open up and share these thoughts with her sister, and she hoped that Theory could do the same with her. Surely she knew that she could tell her anything.

”You think so?” She returned softly as she leaned into Theory’s touch and comfort. Her cheeks flushed instantly as her sister went on, Poem had been consumed by the two of them. She had only just met Sparhawk, but she knew her feelings for him were real but she hadn’t put much stock into the next step. They would make a family together. Theory was teasing her, but there was a seriousness that couldn’t be hid. They could be welcoming the next generation by next spring, and though Poem could state with certainty she wasn’t ready at this moment tere would be time to get her head around the idea.

”I..” She pulled away slightly so she could catch her sister’s eye. Her emotions and thoughts were laid bare in her eyes and expression. Her cheeks were red at the thought, but it brought an odd warmth to her belly that hinted at grief. Her thoughts touching on Shaye as she was brought back suddenly to her childhood. ”I think that might be really nice.” Her heart warmed as the promise of the future shined its brightness on the sad darkness of their past. Despite her sister’s teasing tone she knew it was a real question. Being pregnant, giving birth, making the journey into motherhood herself was frightening but exciting all the same.

Oh. Theory wasn't terribly sure what answer she had expected - perhaps that this grand joke would continue, and they'd collapse into a flutter of laughter. The way Poem's eyes shone though told a different story entirely. She was stone cold serious - and excited about it. A flurry of emotions ran through her like a windstorm and she was entirely unable to pin down a single one. Of course, Shaye's absence was felt now more than ever. What would she have said? For once, Theory had not a single clue. She longed to creep into the darkness of her adopted mother's den and ask her questions until her eyelids were so heavy that they begged to be shut. There were no easy answers. This was a complicated feeling. "Oh, Poem," she murmured, tears building at the corners of her eyes, "I hope it's everything you want it to be. I hope he is everything you want him to be."

Although she had been meaning to save this announcement for a pack meeting, it just felt right to do it now. After all, it was a family matter. She tucked her cheek next to Poem's as she had so often before, pressing close until the pressure almost hurt. "I trust you and Motif more than anything. I want you by my side. Poem, before you run off with this crazy man, will you be my Liana?" There was no better role she could see for her sister. If she could turn Sirius around on his head as a yearling (even if fatherhood had softened him a little), there would be much to come for Abaven's new lead diplomat.