The fear in my heart is steady

Having her sister back at home had helped soothe some of her old wounds. Theory still mourned the loss of Verse and Noir in different ways, but she'd been collecting what relatives she could. The ones who still wanted to be here, anyway. That was what counted. Theo cut her patrol short when she caught hold of a strange scent. It tickled her nose from the depths of her consciousness, stirring memory. Scent had a special way of fooling with your brain. It couldn't be Motif. Poem had lost track of her after she'd gambled her life for their sister's freedom. Theory had pushed her out of her mind for so long now that her brain had easier time of convincing her that she was hallucinating. Then she heard Poem's voice.

Well, they couldn't be imagining the same thing. Theory followed Poem's tracks until she came upon them both and her heart cracked anew. "Motif," she said, her voice cracking. Theory stepped forward but still hung back, unable to close the distance. "I'm so glad you've come home." Silent tears raced down her cheeks, wetting the blue feather that she'd fixed into her fur as a tribute to Shaye. What did Motif see when she looked at her?