And now for a brief intermission

If there had been one face she hadn't expected to see at the challenge for Valta's claim it was her little sister. It was a pleasant surprise to be sure, but hardly the environment that would allow for them to catch up after so many months of Mariah and Malico being away. As soon as the challenge had concluded and the spectators began to scatter, she began to move away from the battlefield, asking Mariah to come with her for just a moment so that they could speak properly. She didn't go far, just to the edge of the battlefield where the barren, battle torn land began to transition back into the evergreen forests that surrounded the nearby mountains. Once they were away from the thick of things she paused and turned to Mariah with an affectionate smile.

"It's so good to see you," she said fondly, leaning in to nuzzle Mariah's cheek. It felt like she had been gone an impossibly long time, but also like she had just left. As she stood back a bit to look over her sister she was glad to see that the young woman she had allowed to go off with their brother to seek out training and learning was looking well and more matured since they had last been together. "How have you been? Has your trip been productive?" she asked curiously, eagerly waiting to hear about the wolves she had met and all of the things she had learned. She did wonder where Malico was, but she certainly didn't expect the two of them to be glued at the hip so it wasn't all that surprising that she found one without the other.

"Avacyn Mendacium"