Now that I'm coming home

Of course she was hoping against hope it would be her twin that found her first but in truth she cared little who it was that she laid eyes upon at first so long as it was a familiar face. The ice giant crested the horizon and it filled her with some relief which couldn’t even be squashed by the sudden rage that ran across Glacier’s face. Of course it didn’t stay much longer as he began to lecture her. The elation at seeing family was drowned out by each and every bit of information he hurled at her.

A year… A whole year she had been away from them, so much could change between then and now… so much. Pale yellows turned down to her paws but she remained standing, visibly flinching as more news struck her. Their stormy brother, the black sheep of the litter gone to join another pack… A pup had been lost in her absence and more had been born… Her twin, her sun had fulfilled the duty they were supposed to do together all by himself.

Each new thing felt like a weight thrown upon her back which she shouldered as though it were her fault. Somewhere she was vaguely aware of Gale joining them but she could not bring herself to lift her gaze. Then the final barb, and she pulled her head back for the first time. “No I-“ But what excuse did she have? “I- I’m Sorry.” Then she turned her gaze back to her paws. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry-” The words fell from her lips, one after the other in an unbroken stream of her guilt and remorse.

She stopped only when he joined them. His scent washing over her like a tidal wave and she looked up again; her apologies dying on her lips as she watched him approach. Felt him as he closed the much to big gap between them. It was only as he tugged at her that the weakened female finally collapsed. Then the stream began again, at first unobscured but slowly as she pushed her face into his fur it became muffled. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry-”