It was as we moved towards the wolves who stood upon the border that I first realized the tension that was slowly rising as it ebbed off of Jericho. Even as he pressed his muzzle into my shoulder to accept the offer I had made to him, I can feel it in his touch. The time we had spent together had allowed me to see beyond the whispered words to the rigidity of the albeit soft pressure he places upon my shoulder. Still, when my eyes landed upon Reich’s form I could not contain my excitement, putting the question of Jericho’s uneasiness out of my mind at least for the moment. I loped across the distance to greet the wolves who stood along the edges of Spirane’s boundary. And it was as my nose touched to Reich’s shoulder that a slight growl had a single ear flicking to the side. Even as I withdrew my friend’s attention was redirected to the source, placing a reassuring lick upon her cheek. Had my silent friend found love? When one could not speak with a voice, their actions seemed so much more significant. I could not have been happier for him, and I offered a slight smile to the white shewolf by way of greeting and in response to her possessive tendencies. Reich was my friend, but nothing more.

Stepping back, I found myself side by side with Jericho once more as he moved forward. Tail wagging pleasantly over my back I began the round of introductions, for we now stood in a somewhat circular dynamic so that everyone could see one another as I spoke. But as my eyes met those so similar to Jericho’s I could not help but pause. Neither of us faltered, and she seemed to size me up even as the synapses in my brain made the connection. Suddenly my tail stilled in its upright posture, stiff where before it had been so moving with such fluidity. As I said his name I turned to look at him, and out of the corner of my eye I saw the reaction even hearing his name elicited from his sister. My hesitation lasted only a moment, grasping the gravity of what might occur in the moments to follow if the situation was not handled in just the right way.

As I turned back to the pair, Everlyse folded herself within Reich’s embrace, and his body melds into hers in a way that had me wondering just how deep their bond ran. But the parameters of their relationship were not the important thing here. I spoke more evenly now, offering my condolences at the loss of their home and inquiring as to whether there was anything I or my pack could do the help them. There is a moment of silence before Everlyse retracted herself from the comfort of Reich’s embrace to reply, piercing eyes fixated upon Jericho and me as she spoke the introduction that confirmed her identity. Her gaze shifted once more to Reich as she admitted their reason for coming here, their need for a home, shelter for her pups.

The tension that had slowly built from the moment Everlyse’s call had echoed against the mountainside was now so taut I could have sliced it with a single canine had it been a physical presence. Her words go beyond their needs as she glares at her brother, and it was a most difficult strain for me to keep my hackles from bristling in defence of him. But such was his duty, to protect me, and I would not belittle him by reversing the roles, though I would in a heartbeat if the need arose. Instead, as she questioned him with almost laborious speech, I stepped in vocally. “I have named him my Bloodrider, my guardian and advisor,” I began, answering her question and hoping to at least somewhat shift her attention onto me. I continued then, my tones warming slightly, though still holding their seriousness. She should not be mistaken to think that I will tolerate anything less than respect if she truly wished to make a home here. “You and your family are welcome here, Everlyse. My expectations of you are much the same as I would assume Rhae’s once were. If you live here as a member of this pack, you must need respect every member of this pack.” Far be it from me to force any member of the mountain clan to like every wolf who called this place home, but I would not tolerate physical altercations between those I called my family by extension.

Some gut instinct told me that it would be best if these estranged siblings did not spend more time than absolutely required of them together. My eyes shifted momentarily to Reich, a thought passing through my mind that perhaps together we could begin to mend the horrific separation of these two wolves we each cared for. But swiftly my attention moved to Cae. “Cae can help you to find a den. Whether you wish to ascend into the heights of the range today or perhaps settle in the more familiar terrain of the foothills until your pups regain their strength after the journey from Asteraia is up to you.” I placed the responsibility upon he who had made his aspirations to rise to the rank of Warden, knowing he would not turn the task down. Falling silent, I waited to hear if Everlyse had anything further to say before I pressed my shoulder momentarily against Jericho’s signaling I was ready to leave. “I will leave you to it then, and should you require anything of me I am a mere howl away.” Only when I knew that the matter was settled would I turn towards Jericho, diverting him away from Everlyse and back in the direction we had come from.