Inferno paused at the shore to raise her head, staring across the water to the island territories of a pack she had no knowledge of, but knew she must join. Her father's scent led here, emanated from here, so here she needed to be. She'd avoided her duty quite long enough, and if he raged at her for it, it was surely deserved in this case. She huffed out a sigh and stretched weary muscles, shifting the load on her back, and then raised her muzzle to the sky and called out for the alpha, for her father, for Praetor who might have been there with him. She was home - but she was doing no swimming without a certain welcome on the other side. She didn't carry enough body fat for that sort of nonsense at this time of year.

Gilgamesh frankly was exhausted. From his wolves losing the raid to the issues his daughter insisted on pursuing, all he wanted to do was sleep. Half-drunk and half-hungover from the previous after raid party, he had laid his head down to finally fall asleep. It had been too long since he had succumbed this deep into his drinking and his aging body was not handling well.

Just as he was about to drift off, a howl sounded. A stranger at the borders. His eye pops open just as Erish flutters in. He had sent both Erish and Urtur to keep an eye on at least the isle’s borders to ensure they wouldn’t be surprised again. She tells him of the girl at the border requesting him and that she looks oddly similar to Ignis. “For fuck’s sake,” he rumbles under his breath as he stands, stretches, and makes his way to the border.

Once he is standing on the shore, he looks across the water to where the dire wolf is standing with an accumulation of supplies. Their bridge was still in works but he did have that raft…. As makeshift as it was. He really didn’t want to swim. Gil releases a bark to let her know he sees her and is on his way to meet her. Making his way to the half-built bridge, Gil steps across until he reaches the end and is standing at the raft. The raft only holds one wolf. It’s rather rickety and surprising that it even stays afloat.

“Swim or take the raft,” he calls out to the girl before pushing the raft in her direction and watching it float lazily across the shore expanse.

That call...where had he heard it before? Brows twitch as he slowly stirs from his deep slumber. The pain medications for his newest wound had certainly done a number on him. Especially mixed with the alcohol from the after-raid party. He hadn't done too bad. He had won a fight and lost the next. He deserved it, honestly. He was nearly tempted to ignore the call and go back to sleep, but then a whisper in the back of his mind had his eyes flying open. That call! He knew who it was. As quickly as he could, the slumbering demon had shifted unsteadily to his feet and lurched out of his den. He had not heard that voice in what felt like a very long time. Where had she been? What had she been up to? Was she safe? While he had disconnected from those in his first litter, he still cared despite all the wrong he'd done to them. He moved on unsteady paws toward the shore, head pounding with a fierce headache from a severe hangover and half-drugged from the meds. Still, he reached the half-built dock where Gil stood sending the raft over to her. He stood near Gil, gaze staring hungrily across the waters at the form across the way. "I haven't seen her for a long time..." He murmured as he waited for her to cross. He would have jumped in and gone over to her, but he had a feeling if he tried that in his current state, he'd probably drown. "Ignis""Blödhgarm"

Art by Naiterion

Inferno eyed the raft drifting over to her with skepticism, a doubt not at all helped by the way the bindings shifted precariously when the thing bumped into the shore at her paws, but she sighed with resignation. She couldn't quite trust the raft not to fall apart if she shifted her weight at all to paddle it, so it looked like she'd be getting wet after all. At least her pack would not have to - probably. If it broke apart and she had to go diving for her armor, she was definitely going to start off her introduction to this alpha and the reunion with her father on the wrong foot, because she would have Words for them both. The bedroll and pack would be easy to replace - the armor and claws she had traded dearly to have custom fit for her. Shrugging the armor-laden pack off, she carefully strapped it to the raft. Then, with another sigh she gently pushed it off the shore and plunged into the icy water, nudging the rickety vessel before her all the way to the dock on the other side. Luckily it held together without dumping her expensive armor to the bottom, and the oilcloth of the pack should protect it from the water that splashed up from the gaps. She was quick to snatch the pack up off the raft and drop it to the wooden dock as soon as she reached it, though, just in case it decided to break apart after all. She politely refrained from shaking the water from her drenched fur to avoid soaking the alpha and her father, who looked rather the worse for wear. She bowed her head respectfully to them both, and without preamble and rather bluntly, she rasped to the alpha, "I wish to join your pack. I am not without skill as a fighter, and I have spent enough time traveling to be competent in navigation and exploration. Would you accept me in your ranks?"

Gil is only half-surprised when Ig shows up. Somehow, he had a feeling that there would be other offspring lingering around Boreas. One ear flicked in the direction of the fire-hued man before he raised a brow. So Ig did have feelings... He could hear it in the way the man mumbled under his breath about the girl. "I hope you are on good terms with her then," he says softly back with a huff of his breath as he watches her toss her items into the raft and then plunge into the icy waters. Both brows lifted then, impressed that she didn't hesitate to fully submerge herself.

Waiting until the girl is chucking her items onto the dock and approaches, he watches. Eyes inspecting and assessing and not being disappointed. Surely this girl would be a good addition to their ranks. Her words prove his assumption correct. Turning back toward the isle, Gil begins to walk and tosses his head in the direction of the girl and Ig for them to follow. "You'll be a Raider for now, but moving up is quite easy. If your father can manage it, I'm sure you won't have a problem," Gil shoots Ig a snarky grin meant to poke fun at his friend before looking back to the girl. "Do you have a name or shall I call you Offspring?" He gives her a curious look, wondering why she hadn't cared to give her name yet.

His good ear flattened a bit to his head. Suffice to say, he didn't know what his relationship with Inferno was like...he hadn't seen her since she was younger, much like her littermates. He hadn't been the best parent, and he'd been realizing that lately. Though he tried to be these days, the other part of him just kept fucking it up and digging him a deeper hole. He hated it, but there was nothing he could do unless he was dead, he supposed. Still...he would try for them. "Me too." He responded as he watched her get on the raft and make her way over. She wasted no time in stating what she wanted and what her strengths were. Despite not having seen her for ages, he couldn't help the swell of pride in his breast. She had been doing well for herself, clearly. How would she take the news that she had yet more siblings and everything that had happened since her departure? Would she care? Or did it even matter? At Gil's comment, he scoffs in a somewhat playful manner as he turns to follow Gil back into pack lands as he questions his daughter. "It's good to see you after all this time,"