I released a breath that I felt as if I had been holding since the beginning of the fight. Becoming acutely aware that I had been standing alone in the clearing for some time now, I lifted my crown slightly and glanced around. The she man wolf was gone, having accepted her defeat. Part of me wanted to hunt down Purge then and there and evict her from the pack lands immediately. But as I moved to leave the clearing, I was reminded of my wounds. In the time that I had remained in the clearing by myself, my wounds had been given a small amount of time to begin to clot. I let my tail hang loosely, a sharp pain shooting up my spine to remind me that I did in fact still have the appendage, even if it was damaged for the time being. Time and proper attention to the wound would surely see it healed properly. The pain that had spiked up my back blossomed like fire over my neck, where the worst of my wounds were. My ruff was severely injured, the flesh torn open in a place where I could not reach. And there were twin cuts on the side of my neck that one might have missed if they didn’t look close enough – they blended quite well with the blood that already stained my collar.

Wincing, I lowered my muzzle to the ground, rubbing my snout against the grass to try to rid myself of as much of my opponent’s blood as possible. It had been a curious feeling, stripping the remnants of her ear from the top of her head. I had hoped for an eye and been offered half an ear instead. Either way, that final blow, in my eyes, was what had sealed the fate of the fight. The blood had poured freely from the wound, and I had relished in it for a moment. Now I wanted nothing more than to rid myself of her life’s blood. Though I knew it was hardly possible for me to present myself in a respectable state, what with wounds I could not hope to reach and clean myself, I could at least do this and make my face a little more welcoming.

Finally I turned away from the clearing and moved through the trees. I walked, keeping my head level so that I would not disturb the wounds and cause them to reopen when they were only just ceasing to ooze blood. My ears flicked about, listening to the sounds of my home. This was my home again. It seemed like it had been so long, even though barely a year had passed, since I had been here. Even so, nothing had changed, not truly. This was my mountain, as it had been since the day I was born. Now I just had a pack to prove my worth to. They had dealt with so much over the past year – the deaths of my parents, the usurper’s rise to the throne, her abandonment of it, Snowshoe’s haphazard attempt to claim what was not hers, and Purge’s return. Only to be unable to defend what she had killed for. Now it was my turn, my chance to make Spirane into the mighty pack that I knew it could become. The mountain held so much potential, and I knew that with time I could help her see her best days.

I ascended the mountain slowly, taking my time and making little fuss of it. Eventually I came to a large, flat rock where Alcide and I had once sunbathed together. I stepped up onto its surface and circled once before finally lowering my hindquarters to allow my body some rest. Taking a deep breath, I shut my eyes against the pain in my neck as I lifted my crown to the heavens. I released a beautiful song, beckoning the pack of Spirane to come forth, calling out to Orca and Leonidas and Taliesin wherever they were roaming, summoning the wolves of the mountain to finally come home. My sonata carried on for some time, pride welling within me and a new strength being born into me. I might be young, but I am more than worthy; and I can only hope I have done enough up until this moment and will do enough beyond this day to prove that to myself, my pack, Moladion, and my ancestors.

Lowering my tiara, I took a deep breath and quietly sighed. It was a sigh of pure and utter contentment, and I was so very happy to be home again. I felt as if there was the potential to be a whole being once more. Now there was only for my pack to join me, so that I might look upon their faces and feel a joy which I had never felt before.