all roads lead to home

Scald was on his return from retrieving Deluge. Exhausted, but honestly a bit happier since he'd also met an interesting girl during his travels, he was ready for a nap. The bags under his eyes and his sloppy walk was proof that he was running out of juice. Even as he emerges onto the shore of the isle, he almost misses the sight of his brother. His brother that, when they had seen each other last, had ended in a gnarly battle. So gnarly that he had broken off the tip of Rexx's tusk.

He walks a few more steps, freezes in place, hair instantly standing on end. Slowly turning to face the burly brother, Scald stares. Eyes unblinking, breath shallow and quick, quite in disbelief more than anything. "Rexx?" He says almost too quietly for even him to believe. If the boy was back, it meant something bad had happened. Where was that girl he'd run off with? As much as Scald wants to be furious at Rexx, he's grown, matured, could care less about past squabbles between them.

Defeated by his own mind, Scald deflates before closing the distance between them. His paws scoop at the sand, seconds pass, then he's diving in for a giant brotherly hug. Smashing his face against Rexx's thicker neck, he lets out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry," is all he can muster, trying to hide the rise of emotion that prickles at his eyes.

CARVE YOUR OWN PATH