Light gray paws walked across the land ever so gracefully. The dame had traveled long and far to reach this place, Valhalla! This is where the other wolves had directed her; this is where her brother was said to be. Black lined ears perked up as Hureia listened to the soft sounds all around her. It was getting cold winter was on its way. Oh how the femme loved winter; the birth season of her and her brother.

The dame had awaited this day?the final step of her journey. Would her brother look different than before? Bigger? Perhaps?yet still the same Thane on the inside right. Her sweet brother who always turned to her for help, comfort, reassurance. The brute who had relied on his sweet sister for support.

He must desperately need her?long for her. Had he gone mad? That is what she still feared. Would he remember her? Embrace her? Aqua blue eyes focused on the border of Valhalla as black lined ears perked up once more. That scent?the scent of pine needles; same as the pine that grew in the tundra.

?Thane?.? she said quietly to herself.

With that she let out a small gentle howl; would her brother recognize it?
Hureia couldn?t wait any longer and went closer to the edge of the border. Aqua blue eyes tried to get a look of her brother, where was he?

A tiny squeak was heard as Thane had just killed a mouse. He was about to bring it back to the den for Ookami before something made him stop in his tracks. White lined ears perked up as he heard an all too familiar howl?it was Hureia, his sister?dead sister. No, it couldn?t be her. The brute shook his head as he started to walk again. But Thane stopped once more and let out a small whimper, he was unsure if it was her or not?could she have lived? But?.he had seen her! Laying there dead! In the bloody snow?

Next then and only then did he smell her?pine and honey? Aqua blue eyes fluttered closed as he took it in. It was so?comforting?that scent. Maybe it was Hureia, his sister! Back from the dead! He took no time to drop the mouse but ran with it swinging from his jaws! Gray paws drummed against the Earth as he ran towards the source of the scent and howl.

Aqua blue eyes scanned the forest for something white, anything! Suddenly they fell upon a dame, a white and gray dame. His aqua blue eyes met her aqua blue eyes and he came to a halting stop. The black and gray brute stood there in disbelief. Was this his PTSD acting off again? Did it really get this bad with all of the stress of Ookami?s condition? Thane shook his head and blinked?.yet she was still there.

Aqua blue eyes narrowed as he walked up closer to her cautiously. The male took one paw and gently touched her; he felt the fur?.she was real! His sister was alive! Tears brimmed his aqua blue eyes as he spoke her name.

?Hureia?..? he said out loud for the first time in years.

Thane leaned in closer and nuzzled her as his tail started to wag.

?Hureia?.Hureia?.Hureia?? he seemed to coo softly?it was her name.

He couldn?t seem to stop saying her name; it really was his sister Hureia. His PTSD wasn?t tricking him anymore. But then?..how had she appeared when he had those hallucinations? Talking to him? White lined ears perked up as he was confused. But when he lay on death?s door those two wolves?there were only two! His parents! He should have known she was still alive! But here she was in his embrace, safe?

The brute licked her muzzle and then gently nipped her ear. His sister was alive! He couldn?t seem to get over the fact that she was all this time, alive! Had she been searching for him? Aqua blue eyes looked down upon her chest searching for a scar. And there it was?the scar. Where Poxiterso had attempted to rip out her throat. A shiver went up his spine as he thought about that awful day. The day they had found her dead on the border. But she wasn?t dead?she was here!

?You?re quite hard to kill sister?this makes me glad and want to howl to the stars.? he said after collecting himself.

White lined ears perked up as he stepped back from her and sat beside her on his haunches. Aqua blue eyes turning towards her as he gave her a small smile. This is how it used to be?.if only they were on the overlook in the snow surrounded by barren trees. A cliff below them as they had a clear view of the mountains . a small sigh escaped his lips as he thought about it. No, he was here with her now, that is all that mattered. It was nice to know he still had family related by blood now, well besides the ones on the way. Realization came to mind as he picked up the mouse he had dropped and set it down in front of him. The brute then sat there patiently awaiting her own reaction and reply.

Breath caught in her throat as her aqua blue gaze settled upon her brother, finally. Thane, who brother who she had assumed dead, Thane, her secret love, Thane, her litter-mate, Thane, her blood. She let out her breath as he then said her name after touching her with his paw. Did he not think she was real? Of course she was! Then did her brother speak her name as tears brimmed his aqua blue eyes.

"Yes...it's me brother..." she cooed in return.

The dame's white tail started to wag as she saw her brother's do the same. He then leaned forward and nuzzled her. Hureia's heart skipped a beat as she relished the feeling of his touch again. When the dame took a good look her brother didn't look too different. He seemed more serious than before, more calm and kind of to himself. Scars across his muzzle and one on his chest, what affect did it have? The scars hadn't ruined his handsome face; it had given him a more....what was the word...burly look, manly!

Yet Thane had grown since she had last seen him before her so called death. What sort of life did he have now? What had he done for himself?

The femme licked him back as he did so then nipper her ear. A small smile appeared on her maw as he then sat down beside her. Hureia sat down on her haunches as well. Her brother proclaimed that she was hard to kill and that made him happy.

As the two siblings sat side by side she rested her head upon his shoulder. How good it was to be back with her beloved brother. Of course to him she would only be seen as sister...yet to her, he is still the forbidden fruit.

Aqua blue looked up into his own as she licked his cheek. Of course the brute was still taller than her.

"I've been searching for you Thane; I have also heard that Cyril beat me to it!"she said with a small giggle.

Black lined ears perked up as she heard an eagles cry off into the distance, was that Cyril? The small smile remained as she looked up towards the sky.

Yet the dame did not move and dare disturb this moment she was having with her brother. At last...at last she was reunited with him. The big strong handsome brother all in one. But no....she still couldn't love him how she wanted to. But what about her past lover Octavian? Whatever happened to him?

Surely by now Hureia had forgiven him. The love she still had for him still remained. The femme would have to seek him out as well. Perhaps Thane would know where he was.

"Brother I have so many things to say, I also have many questions. But my mind still lingers on one. Do you know of the whereabouts of Octavian? I know that you think he was the cause of my so called death, yet it was my fault as well. And what of your life here? How is it? " she asked as many more questions filled her mind.

But time they had, or did they? Did Thane have to go somewhere? She had spotted the mouse resting at his feet. What if they were to share it as a meal now?

"What is that mouse for? Can't we share it while we have our little soiree?" she said before resting her head again on his shoulder.

He briefly closed his aqua blue eyes as his sister rested her head upon his shoulder. A small chuckle escaped his maw as she stated that Cyril beat her to finding him.

"Then I'm a hard brute to find aren't I" he replied with some humor on his tone.

Thane loved Hureia as his sister and was so happy to see her once more. It was as if she had been brought back from the dead. The male gave a small hum as she licked his cheek. Thane couldn't believe she was here though, and next to him!

The brute turned to his sister who was looking up towards the sky. Cyril was probably on a hunt this time of day.

Sure his sister had then asked questions. White lined ears perked up to listen. But her first question was of the whereabouts of Octavian. Wasn't he the one who had contributed to hear death? Wasn't he the one who had caused the war?....no....It was their fathers. Then she asked him of his own life, how it was.

The wolf took a breath before replying.

"I do believe Octavian resides in Seracia, a pack nearby. Though I haven't seen him since our first run in together. Perhaps his sister Loccian might know. I saw her last a few weeks ago as she helped with her healing, it was greatly appreciated. And my life, hmmm where do I begin. Well for the most part it is quite good." he started.

Before Thane could finish, Hureia then asked if they could share the mouse resting at his paws. White lined ears pinned against his head as he looked down at it.

"I'm sorry sister, I can't let you have this one. This mouse isn't for me. It's for someone else." he said feeling sorry for denying his sister a meal.

"But don't fret. I'm sure we can catch something another time. I do apologize but I have to cut this short after we catch up a bit. I must take this mouse back to the den." he said

Thane looked back at his sister and nuzzled her head. Pine and honey...such a sweet smell. But then the brute was beginning to miss the scent of flowers. Who held such a scent? Only Ookami did as he knew of. But Thane was just stuck with plain pine. Why not rub against a rose bush and accumulate the scent of roses for a while? Of course every good thing comes with bad. The cost of smelling like roses would come with the thorns.

And what lesson did that hold?...many...

The brute looked up at the sky and smiled. Hopefully Hureia wouldn't be too protective of him now. But Thane was a full grown brute now. He wasn't a pup anymore. They weren't like it was back in the Russian tundra.

speaking of which he wondered if she still spoke in their first language. curiosity piqued his mind; but he would have to try that out later.

For now questions would be asked and answered as he sat there patiently beside his sister.