With spring came a rush of new energy. Theory felt flush and reinvigorated, just like the fresh new blooms. The air was heady with new life. It made her steps just a little bit quicker and lighter. Without any snowdrifts to ford, it felt like patrols took half as long. Maybe even less! There was so much more time in the day now. The sun was brighter, warmer... anything felt possible. She grinned to herself as she patrolled and kept her eyes out for tender new herbs. It'd been a while since she'd spoken with Rhyme and Samara about the art of healing but she'd begun to get a handle on things. At the very least, she could tell what was useful and what was not - even if she couldn't quite figure out the purpose just yet. Theory stopped to sniff out some young lavender and carefully plucked it. It was fragrant enough that she'd be able to backtrack and pick it up later. Just a few weeks ago it felt as if the winter would never end. Oh, spring. I missed you.

There had been a time when he had begun to wonder if he would ever see this place again. He had always held a determination in his heart to get back to this place even though he felt incredibly guilty for being away for so long. Of course he understood that it wasn't entirely his fault that he had been kept away for nearly a year, but it didn't make him stop of feeling a deep sense of guilt and worry over it. The long journey back to the pack that he still called home felt like it went on for years, but in reality it was just his racing thoughts that made it feel that long. A few days of steady travel was all it took before he finally came across the scent markers that he remembered fondly.

Allegro hesitated at Abaven's border for a few moments. Should he call for Theory? Did they assume that he had abandoned them? His ears flicked back as he considered the options for a moment before finally pressing on and passing into Abaven's claimed territory. Before he did anything else he was going to go and find their leader, but he didn't feel the need to follow the formalities that an unknown wolf would need to follow. Luckily it seemed like Theory had been by on a patrol recently so her scent was easy to find and follow. Soon enough he spotted her and he slowed his steps a bit while he tried to formulate what he would say. "Um... Theory?" he called unceremoniously as he got closer, waiting for her to address him with his head dipped apologetically.

She spun on her heels as he called out her name, ears perked at the faintly familiar tone of voice. Allegro had been missing for so long. She'd barely been a yearling then. Had she even been declared the successor when he'd disappeared? The fire, the volcano, the harsh winter... it all blended together. The young alpha lifted her head and yipped excitedly, overjoyed to see a familiar face return. Tempo had just left them, still believing he was cursed to bring his family pain and hardship. It felt good to see someone else return. Theo loped closer to him and extended her muzzle in a greeting if he wished to touch her. "Allegro! It's been so long. What happened?" she asked, her brow furrowed. Perhaps he'd have a good story to tell - she hoped. "Regardless, I'm so happy you're home." Theo bit her tongue, thinking briefly about Novel. Weren't they siblings? Abaven's network of family wolves twisted and turned throughout the pack. Most wolves were linked one way or another. But Novel had also disappeared. One disaster too many had sent her fleeing from the territory, as much as she'd tried to hold her close in the wake of the volcano. Would Allegro stay? Please stay.

A breath of relief washed over him when Theory turned to look at him and hurried toward him with a clearly excited and happy reaction to his reappearance. It pulled a smile to his lips and he was happy to reach out toward her as well, letting his muzzle brush hers as he went to press his nose to her cheek for a moment. Any worry he had over not being accepted back into Abaven had clearly been unfounded and he was just so happy to finally be home. There would be plenty for him to catch up on after all this time he was sure... after all, if he remembered correctly, Theory had been very freshly announced as Abaven's next leader before his accident. Looking at her now, he could see how much she had matured and he was pleased that she was still here to lead them.

His tail wagged gently behind him when she insisted that she was happy he had returned even before he could explain why he had been gone in the first place. "I had an accident while I was hunting near Auster," he explained, settling down onto his haunches. It was going to be a bit of a long story to tell and even though he was fully healed now, his muscles very clearly needed to be trained back to where they had once been. The trip back to Abaven had been a long and tiring one. "I slipped and fell over a cliff while I was chasing after some prey and ended up breaking my leg pretty badly. I tried to call for help, but I was pretty far from any of the packs. I was extremely lucky that someone from my mother's old pack happened to be close enough to hear me. She had been really close with my mother and seemed to figure that I was her son because of our markings being so similar."

"Their pack is just outside of Boreas near that end of the continent so she was able to get me back there so they could treat my leg, but I wasn't able to travel long enough to get back here right away. She insisted that I stay with them till I had healed. I hated having to be away from Abaven for so long, but they were able to take very good care of me. I got to learn more about my mother's past and even got to learn a little bit from their healers since I spent a lot of time with them." He chuckled softly and smiled. He was mostly just happy to be on the other side of all of this, but he hoped that perhaps there was at least something he could take from it.

Theory listened attentively as Allegro told his tale. Eulogy and Spirit had suffered a similar fate. The volcano had cleaved so many from their pack... she still held out hope for her littermates, Verse and Noir, but she doubted either would return. Noir could only be dragged back kicking and screaming while Verse had never seemed to recover from their mother's death. Could she blame her? Grief was such a heavy, heavy weight. Theo knew it well. She wore it like shackles around her legs and if she wasn't careful, the weight would cripple her eventually. The burden grew lighter as more familiar faces seemed to gravitate back towards the pack. They could overcome anything if they were able to unite. Together, their strength was unparalleled. Their triumph over Winterfell had proved that much. "I'm just glad to see another familiar face. We've all lost so much..." She trailed off, unsure where to begin. "Shaye died. A landslide in the wake of the volcano. Odysseus was caught with her and they both passed." Her voice was stiff but not without feeling.

His ears flicked back as Theory started to fill him in on what felt like just the beginning of what he had missed and his eyes shifted to the ground as sorrow crossed his expression. He was sure there was going to be many more bits of bad news that would have to be broken to him as he got settled back into pack life and slowly got back up to speed with everyone here, but that was a hard one to hear. Perhaps the part that hurt him the most was knowing that they were killed in such a tragic manner. It was easier to understand when someone passed from old age or in a more peaceful manner. No one deserved to pass in a way like that where it was sure to have been a terrifying experience. He sometimes lost track of how all of the Destruction family tree fit together and how far removed he was from any of them in lineage, but it didn't really matter at the end of the day. They were all family in his eyes and as far as he was concerned they had lost members of their family.

He was quiet for a moment, almost as if giving Shaye and Odysseus a moment of silence in his own way. When he spoke again he lifted his gaze back up to Theory's and tried to pull a small smile back onto his lips, but his expression was still more solemn than it was before. "Is there anything else I should know before I go get settled in? I'm sure there will be new wolves to meet and all of that."

Silence fell across the pair. As Allegro paused, Theory also ruminated on the bad news she'd had to bear. It was unfortunate to tell him like this, but she really figured it was all for the best. She couldn't stand the thought of him venturing further into the territory and looking around hopefully for Shaye or the grizzled warrior Ody. They would be dearly, dearly missed. In fact, no one had quite stepped up into the same role that Odysseus had held. The closest she could think of was Rhyme, but even he hadn't quite filled the void Odysseus had left behind. With fatherhood looming so closely for him again she doubted he would have the time to train and patrol as he had been. Wait, fatherhood! That was some good news she could share. "Yes, just one more thing. Samara - she joined around the Firefly Festival - is pregnant and due any day now. Rhyme is the father. Poem and Motif and I are looking forward to being big sisters," she offered, a shining smile on her face. Death could be tempered by new life. With Eulogy's brood and Vail's orphans reaching one year, it was exciting to have another squirming pile of babies on the horizon. It would certainly keep them all on their toes.

Well, he was certainly glad that there was some good news to hear! As soon as she mentioned that there was going to be another litter around the pack he couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. The news immediately lifted his spirits and it clearly showed in his expression. He was even more excited to hear that these pups would be a part of their family, but even if it had just been an unrelated litter being born into the pack he would have been just as excited. He loved pups and seeing new life around them. "That's fantastic!" he replied, his tail wagging happily at the news. "Congratulations all around. I can't wait to see them once they're out and about. I'm sure they'll be running around our paws in no time." He couldn't help but chuckle at the idea. It did mean that very soon there would be more mouths to feed and it made him more excited about getting back into his role as a hunter.

"Thank you for the warm welcome," he added with a genuine smile. "I had been a bit worried that with how much time had passed that wouldn't be the case, but clearly I was worrying for nothing. I'm very excited to be back home." A small piece of him would miss the friends he had made with his mother's old pack, but this was where his family was and he wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Theory's small tail couldn't help but wag at Allegro's expression. It felt good to share the excitement. She found herself so wrapped up in the anxieties of welcoming the new litter that she often forgot to stop and just be grateful. Rhyme had found love again - real love, it seemed like - and she was forever indebted to Samara for bringing him back from the brink. There were a few months where she felt as if she'd lost him completely, but Rhyme was stronger than that. He had just needed a little help. Now that he was stable, it was time to step again and provide for his new family. "Oh yes, I can't wait to trip over them," Theory laughed. The size disparity between the couple would certainly lead to some interesting heights among the litter, much like her own. The difference between her and Verse had been so stunning that they almost seemed unrelated. No matter what, Theo wanted to make sure all of these puppies felt loved and at home in Abaven. She wouldn't lose any more siblings.

"Of course," she replied, dipping her head briefly to acknowledge his thanks. "You and any others separated by the disasters will always be welcome here. We're family first," she murmured. Her heart twinged for the family that she hadn't seen in seasons. Although the prospect of new life was exciting, she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to forget about Noir and Verse. They were irreplaceable. "Come on, let me show you around. We've moved around a bit since the eruption. I can't wait to show you the bay - it's my favorite spot," Theory said, pointing the way with her muzzle and trotting onward. At least she could welcome Allegro home.