Left to linger too long, I knew that the pack would slide back into the quiet lull it had existed within for the past year. I needed to spur my pack to life, to remind them that potential existed within each of them to become something great. There were a multitude of ranks open for the taking, positions that I had already begun to envision which wolves might be best suited to fill. In wandering the pack lands and reasserting my presence within them, I had come across a few familiar scents. One that stuck out to me had been that of Gaia, a young shewolf who had lived within the mountains many years prior. She, and her brother Cae, had once aimed to become the joint Wardens of the pack. With Cae gone, I thought perhaps to seek her out and see if a role such as Bard might be more suitable for her. But when I had tracked her scent, I had found only stales scents, and a trail that dead ended at Taviora's borders. I was disappointed that she had chosen to leave upon my return - I'd always rather liked her and her brother - but perhaps the instability of the past year's shifts in leadership had been too much for her to handle. Or perhaps she held some grudge against me that I was unaware of. I guess I would never know.

But there were others, those that remained and those that returned, who also showed promise. There was Ravenna, the brusque girl who I thought perhaps might finally bestow the mountains with a master healer of our own. There was my sister, Haven, who I wished to speak with sometime soon about whether or not she might covet a rank and title of her own. Not to mention her daughter, so full of energy and drive. And then there were my own children - would one of them step forward to vie for the title of Heir that was now an official rank among the hierarchy? I wondered, too, if perhaps Drogon might step forward to replace his uncle as Castellan. And though I knew that Viserion would make a priceless Warden, I also had mixed feelings about bestowing too great a number of ranks upon my children. But every wolf had equal chance to work towards the multitude of open ranks. If they were the ones to prove themselves, then far be it from me to deny them what they worked for. There were, of course, wolves who had not returned that I missed - Church and Ragnarok, Reich and Everlyse, Malina and Rogue. Of them, I held the greatest hope that Malina might return. I had scented her once since my return to power, and if she did not seek me out soon then I would surely go out looking for her. My wounds were healing well, and soon I would be able to make travel plans beyond the confines of my home.

For now, however, I moved into the clearing where in spring the pack had come together for the first time in a year. Now, with summer's grip firm upon the land, things seemed at least somewhat comfortable within the pack lands. But if they became too comfortable no progress would be made. So I strode forward, the limp from my battle now non-existent, leaping atop the broad, flat rock. I circled once and then lay down, allowing the heat of the summer sun to soak into my pelt. For some time I enjoyed this simple pleasure, thinking back on days long past when Alcide and I had relaxed here together side by side, and he had spoken to me of the future and the past of the mountains. After a spell, my mind focused on the future of my pack, and I lifted my bodice, rocking forward to lay on my sternum with my paws just barely dangling from the rock's edge. I let out a couple of short barks, announcing to any who may be nearby that I was here should anyone require an audience with me, and hoping that perhaps I might be afforded the opportunity to glimpse the future of Spirane within the eyes of one of my pack mates.