Offer me that deathless death [Maija! Joining maybe?]

speech,

He wasn't sure what he expected his first glimpse of his mother in such a long time to be like, but her angry and snarling probably wasn't on the top of his list. It was only for a brief moment when she first parted through the tree line that he saw her with hackles raised and ears back before she seemed to recognize who it was that had called her out here. For a brief moment he wondered if he had stayed away too long, if his own mother had forgotten him, but those fears were brushed away when she came out of that defensive, crouched stance and her usual cool expression took the place of her snarling. Her exasperated words made a small smile pull his lips. He knew she cared and loved him and all of her children even if she did show it in strange ways at times. "I've been around," he replied with a quiet, rumbling chuckle, the bass tones of his voice still retaining a hint of that romanian accent he learned from her despite their time apart. He couldn't break it to her that he had been near by all this time and simply hadn't been able to make himself come here. She came in to nuzzle his neck and he leaned down to return the affection, curling his large form down to do so. "I've missed you too, mother."

Niketas hadn't noticed his sister's approach and all of the sudden he heard her familiar voice call out his nickname and felt her tiny form ram into him in her excitement. She didn't quite knock his massive form over, but she came very close to it. He blinked and turned his vibrant gaze toward her sand-colored form with a wide smile and a laugh. "Freya! I didn't know you were here too. It's good to see you, sister." He leaned down and nuzzled the top of his smaller sister's head, truly glad to know she was well. He was still incredibly protective of his sisters, even if he didn't always show it.

He lifted his gaze to look at their mother again, seeing his own golden face and green gaze reflected back at him. There was no denying where he got the majority of his looks from. "Do you think there is a place for me here? I'm ready to come home."