Tithe's lies echoed in my ears as I trudged up the mountainside. The one who dreamed of my return? The friend that I killed? When he had come to Diveen after my defeat it was to call for a party in celebration of his new King, not to check on the wellbeing the Queen he had sworn fealty to. He had betrayed me, and he had solidified that betrayal by coming at me like a dog mad with rabies rather than conceding that I was the one true leader of the mountainous realm. He had severed the ties of friendship between us long before I called out my challenge to reclaim what was mine. The further into Spirane's reaches that I moved, the further I left him and his lying words behind. The mountain air invigorated me, breathing new life into my lungs and allowing an energy to course through me that overcame the aches of my superficial wounds. Though it had been many years since I had been under the tutelage of any healer, my previous battles had taught me what to expect in relation to my injuries. They would not take nearly so long to heal as those I had sustained in the past had - of this I was certain.

Still, when I came to settle at the base of the familiar rock formation, my muscles practically sighed in relief, joyous to have a break from the strenuous climb it had taken to reach this clearing. The wounds were fresh, but I knew that remaining immobile - as I mostly would for the gathering to come - would allow the areas to stiffen and for true soreness to set in. But the importance of this first gathering after my return was not lost upon me, and so I pushed the pain aside and lifted my head, calling out to my pack and asking them to join me once more upon the mountainside. As my song finished, it did not take long for the first wolf to arrive, and a small smirk pulled at the edges of my maw when Viekas moved to sit off to my side. For arriving so quickly, she must have been close at hand, perhaps having entered Spirane before I had even announced my success. I nodded at her words. "Welcome home, Viekas. We can speak more of finding you a suitable mentor once I know who will return, and who has come to call the mountain home in the past year." Malina would make the best tutor for her, I believed, but whether or not the shewolf would return to the pack was an unknown variable.

My gaze lifted at a flash of dark fur entering the clearing, and a true smile spread across my features, unabashed at my joy to see one of my daughters. Visenya's words warmed my heart, and my intention to teach my children that one defeat did not define a wolf was realized in her acknowledgement that Moladion should know our family was strong still. I nodded at her words, but before I could respond, the baritone of my son's voice brought my attention to the arrival of the trio. For the briefest of moments I was taken aback by their reformulated structure - Rhaegal had taken over the position that had once always belonged to Drogon. And the young males were looking more handsome each day. Adults, each of them, and I could hardly believe the maturity in their faces. They would always be my young dragons, but they were not so young anymore. My tail waved back and forth, greeting them with kisses and gentle jaw grabs, as a mother is want to do. "I am sure I will not be left unattended for very long, Viserion." I responded, nudging my nose into his cheek in thanks for his concern. Drogon's deep voice drew my eyes to meet his, and I bumped my muzzle against his before placing a final lick upon Rhaegal's jaw. The three backed away then, their eyes searching for who I could only assume was their sister Kalseru. I looked for her too, but instead was greeted with the site of another of my daughters approaching, and I was just as happy to be rewarded with a greeting from her. Nymeria did not linger long, but I pressed into her embrace and licked her behind the ear, joyous to have her home, and excited to see how she would blossom now that the stress of being away from the mountains was alleviated.

When my elder brother and his daughter arrived I greeted them each in turn, dipping my head in kind to Sleekwing and then looking to Moonfeather as she stepped forward. It never ceased to amaze me how strongly she resembled our mother, and for a moment I glanced back to Sleekwing with a look of pride in my eyes. The flutter of raven's wings drew my attention back to the budding young girl, and the picture was completed as the bird set a branch of berries before his companion. "Thank you Moonfeather, and you, Kutcha." I bent down and took the gift of berries, plucking a few from the branch and consuming them. As I sat back up, another familiar face approached and I smiled, dipping my head once more in thanks to Moonfeather as she and her father moved back to allow the newest arrival to greet me. "Niviaq, it is good to see you. Thank you; I think perhaps once I have spoken to the pack you may tend to me as you please, so long as it would not bother your work to have others milling about?"

I looked to the gathering group, wolves emerging from the surrounding foliage from all angles. Another familiar arrival settled on the outskirts of the group - Viora. I was glad to see her stay despite the instability of the past year. She was a valuable wolf, and her skill set was incomparable. As our eyes met, she motioned for me, a signal that she wished to speak in private once the meeting had come to an end, and I nodded my consent to such a thing. If she had information to impart upon me, I would not deny her a meeting in favor of simply returning to my den. Aurelia and Aviaq arrived then, and I nodded a greeting to both of them as they settled in their respective positions to listen to what I might have to say. My heart ached to not have those most familiar to me at my sides - Jericho, Pan, and Taliesin - but I did not wish to keep the pack waiting in hopes that they might arrive. Just as my maw parted to speak, a familiar form crossed the distance to me and I smiled, returning her gesture with a doting lick upon Kalseru's cheek before she moved to join her brothers. Though she had come to live in Diveen with her younger sisters and me during the past year, I was still stunned by her beauty and mature grace. Two more wolves arrived - Arthfael and a female that I did not recognize. Perhaps someone who had come to call Spirane home over the past year? Her brusque demeanor drew my attention, and her words made me glance towards Moonfeather and Niviaq once more. A healer, perhaps? If that was true, I could not have been more pleased. She was older than Moonfeather, but younger than Niviaq, and perhaps a perfect candidate to take up the helm of Maester that had so long been vacant. I looked back to Arthfael then, nodding my head at his congratulations. "Thank you, Arthfael. Perhaps you could introduce me to your companion later?" I looked pointedly at Ravenna with a smile, showing my keen interest in her, sensing that such attention would likely appease her.

Once more I moved to speak, assuming that all who would come had arrived, but an ear flicked to the side at the quick beat of approaching paws, and when my younger sister and her daughter arrived joy overwhelmed my heart. I had not realized just how much I had missed her. "It is so good to see you, Haven." I said, my words heavily laden with feeling. I felt a lump in my throat, but it was eased by the spunky movement of my niece as she bounded forth and offered her own version of a congratulations. "Why thank you, Samus," I said with a light chuckle. I was keen to learn of the going-ons of the mountainous people in the year that I had been absent, to learn who had proved their merit and if newcomers other than Arthfael's companion would remain. My eyes roved across the clearing, waiting a moment longer, wondering if perhaps Pan would come to join his mate, or if Viora's companions Magnus and Fjallraven might make an appearance. I looked to my sons, curious if their other companions Semele and Bastille were simply late in their arrival. Others such as Malina, Sciathan and Devit were noticed to be missing, as well as Reich and Everlyse and their family. Surely Haven's mate and other children were somewhere nearby, but I knew that my sister would bring back my words to them. But the absence I felt most sorely in my heart was that of my mate and daughter, Jericho and Sansa. They must not have left Diveen as quickly as the others, but I knew they would rejoin us soon enough. I hardly wished to keep those who had come waiting any longer, and finally I allowed my hindquarters to descend to the ground, sitting before them and glancing around at each wolf in turn as I spoke.

"Welcome home," I began, and the phrase was directed at each and every one of them, not just those who had left the mountain in the wake of my defeat. Each and every one of them, by coming to this gathering, was coming home again, to a land led by one born to rule it. "I must offer my gratitude to each of you for welcoming me home, in kind. From today, we will work together to rebuild this pack, to forge our numbers into the stronghold it once was, stronger perhaps than it has ever been. But make no mistake - I have no intention of simply sliding back into old routine. This is a new beginning - for me, for each of you, for Spirane herself. This does not mean your work will be forgotten - Sleekwing, I offer to restore you to your position of Castellan, should you accept, and Viora, I offer you the chance to resume your stead as Spider." I looked to each wolf as I spoke, hoping to receive confirmation of their acceptance before I continued. "And to the rest of you, I offer the opportunity to prove your capabilities. The pack hierarchy has been reconstructed. Though some titles may be familiar to those who lived here before, their arrangement is somewhat modified. And there are two new ranks to work towards as well." My choice to create two pillars - Castellan & Maester and Justiciar & Warden - that supported the rest of the pack was to help build a pack that would be stronger than any Moladion had ever known. "I encourage each of you to think over where your personal strengths lie, and if there is a rank where you believe you would do best to contribute, you need only make it known and I will do whatever I can to help you achieve your goals. Just the same, if there is no rank that you think suits you, and you wish for your skills to be acknowledged, please let that be known as well. But there is room here, too, for those who wish to live a simple life, to enjoy the breadth and beauty of the mountains in their glory." My gaze roamed over the gathered wolves. "Let us remind Moladion that we are not a pack to be scoffed at, to be looked over or considered weak because of the events that have taken place in the past year. If anything, they will only prove to make us stronger." Rising to my paws once more, I stepped forward, the aches that blossomed afresh from my wounds slightly dulled by the elderberries Moonfeather had brought me, and putting myself among those of my pack, walking to the center of the clearing as I turned to look at each of them. "Let us remind Moladion, that we are pack." And with that I thrust my muzzle towards the sky once more, lips parting to allow a howl to ring forth once more, inviting my pack to join me in this celebration, this new beginning, this day that would not be forgotten. As the chorus of my children's howls joined in with mine, I hoped that the rest of the pack would add their voices as well. Perhaps not all of them were particularly fans of long winded speeches or wordy sentiments, but the song of the wolf was something primal, something ingrained in our very minds and souls. And I hoped that it would bring us one step closer to fortifying our pack as one once more.

Once the song had come to an end, I stepped back and reclined onto my hindquarters, inviting Niviaq to investigate my wounds and for any member of the pack who wished it to come forth and speak to me freely.