The danger had been too great. Too close to home. His family and the wolves that Poem loved were at risk, and so, without a word, Sparhawk went off to fight the threat. He became the demon that he had promised to never be once more. In the end, the thread had been eliminated, but the cost was extreme. The threat hadn't just been random wolves from his past. The threat had been his family. The once peaceful soul of the big brute was tattered and torn. His heart was ripped asunder and only one thing could put him back together. Would he even be welcome here? The redwood man seated himself at the border, unsure of himself. He was exhausted and beaten down. His entire body hurt from such a long journey and so much fighting. He needed Poem. He needed to see his children. Sparhawk slowly tipped his muzzle and released a long, low call for the woman the he loved. He could only hope that she would still smile upon him. He hadn't abandoned her. His departure was very unwilling. His return.... he had never wanted anything more. Sparhawk -- Poem

Sparhawk leaving without a word would leave Poem confused and broken for a long time. Occasionally there would be a scent of him, or Edgar would claim to have caught sight of him. Yet he never returned. To keep herself intact Poem ignored the missing piece of her. Had she acknowledged that her love was gone she wasn’t sure she’d ever be the same wolf again.

All of it compounded into heart stopping surprise when she heard his voice ring from the borders of the thicket. She was with Rhythm, trying to do what she could to help her keep comfortable as age continued to wear on her. Her grandmother urged her onwards as she fumbled over an apology for having to run, but run she did.

Icy white paws carried her swiftly over Abaven’s ancestral lands, her heart pounding in her chest. This wasn’t her imagination, this wasn’t a trick. Sparhawk had returned to her. Tears spilled from her blue and lavender eyes as she ran, they streaked behind her as her gaze grew cloudy. Still, she couldn’t mistake the man that waited for her. Her soul mate, her everything.

”Sparhawk” She cried out to him as she desperately closed the distance between them. She needed him like the air she breathed. Missing him for so long, forcing herself to go on like nothing was amiss. It was all worth it reuniting with him now.

And then the clouds parted and there she was, Sparhawks angel, his seraphim, his reason for life... Poem. The woman called out his name and before she even arrived, the tears were forming in the brutes ruby eyes. She drew near and the man wasted no time in wrapping his woman, his wife, in his arms. Great, heaving sobs instantly began pouring from the man. He had been a beast. Every moment away from his true family had broken him a little bit more. "Po-em..." he cried, squeezing her against him perhaps a little too tightly. He was afraid that if he let her go, she would disappear like a dream. "Forgif me." Sparhawk pulled back just enough to search the woman's face, raising one big paw to cup her cheek. There was endless pain in his tear filled eyes. "They came." His brows furrowed and the fresh scars on his face wrinkled and pulled as he grimaced, teeth flashing. "But they will never come again," he promised her, pressing himself against her once more. "Forgif me," he asked again. "There was no time to warn you. I fear for you, for our pups. They would have taken you. Sold you. Hurt you." A growl pulled from the normally kind, calm giant. "I would not let that happen." Sparhawks grip upon his wife loosened somewhat, but he never let her go. One big paw stroked along her spine, still reassuring himself that she was truly there. "I'm so sorry," he said again. Their lessons together had improved his dialect considerably and he held to that, going over those lessons while he had been on his own, hunting down his prey. "I never want to be apart from you again." Sparhawk -- Poem

And just like that the time apart was done, his massive arms wrapped around her shoulders and he held her tightly. Poem held him back, squeezing him as he did her, as if anything less would result in him disappearing again. He cried her name, great heaving sobs as he silently showed her just how much he had been through without her. ”You are already forgiven.” She told him as he pulled back to catch her bright eyes in his ruby gaze. He cupped her cheek with one massive paw and explained himself to her, why he was gone, what had happened to take him away from her. Why he could not warn her or say goodbye.

She was almost glad of it, unknowing if her heart could have taken a goodbye, it was almost like ignoring the massive hole in her life was healthier than bidding him farewell and counting the days to his return. Poem pressed herself into his neck as he promised that the threat was never going to endanger them again. She sighed heavily as he stroked her back and apologized again. Poem always knew he didn’t want to leave her, that his absence was temporary. Her heart knew it, and here he was, returned to her.

Poem cried into his fur, so relieved at having him again, like she could breathe once more. ”No, you’re here. That is what matters now. I have you again.” The scars on his face were the proof he’d sacrificed more than just his happy home and family to protect them. ”You’re home.” The relief in her voice was palpable as she felt the tension leave her body and she melted against Sparhawk’s chest.

He held the woman against him, unable to let go. He would never let go. He would never leave her again. Being apart from Poem had torn a hole within his heart and Sparhawk wasn't sure if he could live through being separated from her again. How long had it even been? Time was a strange thing and the long night didn't help matters any. Sparhawk only knew that he had taken all of the time necessary to clear up every loose end of his old life. Every single one. Poem spoke words of forgiveness and the redwood mans throat clenched, a whine pouring free from him as he once again buried his face into her soft, silvery fur. "I love you, Po-em, he swore. "Every day without you has been torture, but I kept you safe. I kept our children safe." He swore that as well. There was blood on his paws. The blood of his family, but not the family that mattered. Drawing back, the brute's tear filled russet eyes met her marbled pools. "Our children? They are well? You are well?"He again stroked her cheek. There was so much catching up to do. "Theory," he added as an afterthought. "Will she allow me back?" His brows drew together with hesitant worry. Sparhawk -- Poem

She didn’t feel complete without him, and she hadn’t been. Poem needed her Sparhawk. Her handsome husband held her tight, like he wouldn’t ever let her go again, and she hoped that he wouldn’t. Her heart needed him, she hadn’t really been the same since he left. She pressed her head beneath his chin, squeezing her eyes shut as she convinced herself this wasn’t some sham or illusion. He was here and he was speaking words of love and adoration.

”I love you, Sparhawk.” She tried not to think about how difficult their time apart had truly been. ”I missed you so much.” she cried, like her own heart had been missing from her. She wished that he had allowed her to fight alongside him, to protect their family together. She also didn’t know what he had been up against. As he pulled away she lifted a paw to his cheek, gently caressing the fresh scars over his face.

He asked after their children and she looked away, ”Poetry and Satire have taken their own path, but Shae and Fable are growing into incredible young women.” There was sorrow but also hope for the future. ”I am…” she hesitated, the truth was she hadn’t fared well without him. ”I am so much better with you back in my arms.” She told him softly as he went on, worried he wouldn’t be invited home. ”She wouldn’t… She wouldn’t make me choose between you and my pack.” That wasn’t the sister she knew.

Embracing his woman, Sparhawk buried his muzzle against her cheek and whispered, "I want to come home." His journey had been so long. So arduous. He just wanted to be here with her and their children and their pack. Right where he belonged. Right with her. There was a nagging anxiety within him that Theory would deny him his return, but he didn't want to think ill of her. She was Poem's sister, after all. He hadn't simply run off. There had been a very, very valid reason and the results were written all over his face, chest, neck and forelegs. He had taken this abuse and had snuffed out the danger so that his family, and her family by extension, wouldn't have to suffer. Poem ran her pads over the scars marring his red and grey face and he leaned into her touch. They had healed enough to not be open sores, but they were still very fresh and would fade some with age, but never completely. She then told him that two of their children had wandered away from Abaven. This... made him anxious. They were too young to be out in the world. Too young by far. It was difficult to control children sometimes, but worry ate at the man's stomach. "We can only hope they will be coming back one day. I cannot wait to see my girls. My family." He pressed his forehead against hers again. "I could not wait to see you." The woman was adamant that Theory wouldn't make her choose and Sparhawk nodded. "Should we call her?" The world was late and he was beyond exhausted. The man wanted nothing more than to curl up with his wife and his daughters and sleep. Gods knew that he hadn't slept more than a wink since he'd been pulled away from them. Sparhawk -- Poem

Poem didn’t want anything else but Sparhawk home beside her, just as he desired. He’d been gone for too long, he’d been forced into too much, sacrificed so much.. Her husband deserved to rest easy now. Never again leaving her side. Poem forgave any hurt she might have felt the moment she saw him, she hated to be apart but it could be put behind them now that his task was complete. And what a price he was forced to pay. The scars along his body were very nearly healed, but some weren’t quite there yet. He’d suffered greatly at another’s paw, but in the end Sparhawk was the victor. He assured their family’s safety.

Sparhawk leaned into her touch as she dared to caress the developing scars. Tears welled in her eyes for him and the pain that he was forced to endure. ”I prayed you’d come back to me.” Poem tried not to think about what she lost, but it was impossible on the cold lonely nights when he should have been beside her. ”We should,” Poem agreed as she pressed against his forehead, still barely believing he had come back. She took in a dep breath, squeezing her eyes shut tight as she held onto him for dear life.

”I’ve needed you so much.” Poem shook her head and tears fell from her eyes, she shook again to rid the excess emotion from herself before taking a steadying breath. It was time to bring him home, finally. Poem kissed him then, momentarily forgetting about calling Theory as she tried to convince herself that he was real, and when she called Theory he would still be beside her.

Finally Poem pulled back, relieved, overjoyed, and worried over him all at once. She called for Theory to welcome Sparhawk home.

With the dreaded disease that had plagued her finally banished by sunlight, Theory's attentions had turned back towards the pack. Coming out on the other side of it all felt worse than taking a beating. She was battered, mind, body, and soul. Rhyme's loss was felt deeply. The land itself seemed to weep for what the curse had cost it - rains came more frequently, and heavy ones at that. But part of her remained stalwart: it was only spring, and with spring came rain. She answered the familiar call as quickly as she could, although her stamina had been shot by the ooze. Theo blinked in surprise to find Sparhawk returned and her sister rightfully attached to his side. "Hello!" she said, bewildered. He had left with few words, but he had seemed compelled to take on some task in his ancestral lands. She wouldn't begrudge a wolf that. "Welcome home," Theory added, her surprise turning into a genuine smile. She wouldn't treat the husband of her sister any other worry. The way Poem slumped against him, relief written all over her body... they were truly bonded. An ache stabbed her heart at the sight of it. It was a feeling she had maybe never experienced, but she was glad he brought such comfort to Poem.