unsteady

She woke from a nightmare. It wasn't often that she had those any more - not since she spent most nights with Thalia. Not since the thread of Winterfell's coup had sunk to a distant memory. But tonight she woke in a cold sweat from a dream she could barely remember. There had been smoke. And screaming. The details weren't important, but the feeling of dread and terror lingered long after she'd fully wakened. Sighing softly, Theo rose to her paws and stepped gingerly over her sleeping partner. Few things calmed her nerves like a routine patrol. Looking back into the darkness of the den fondly, she committed Thalia's sleeping form and her heady scent to memory before heading out into the darkness. It didn't take her long to pick up Rhyme's scent. She followed his trail automatically, hoping they'd run into each other sooner rather than later. A girl was never too old for soothing words from her father.

By the time she happened upon him the feelings of the nightmare had sloughed off of her like a good springtime coat shedding. In fact, she was almost back to her cheerful self when she laid eyes on Poltergeist. For just a moment her tail raised in alarm before the familiar coat and scent reminded her that this was family. Oh, she'd thought the worst. They all had. There had been so much death and destruction that it was all rolled into one, painful loss; her face was one among the many they knew or assumed had passed on. "Polt?" she murmured. Her siblings were out looking for her and Eulogy as they spoke. Theo wished she knew their whereabouts so that she could call them home to witness this near-miracle. She approached slowly so as not to startle her missing cousin and stopped just short of joining their embrace. "Welcome home."