Somehow, Halcyon was alive. His wounds were many and bad, scars he would carry for the rest of his life, but he was alive and even walking. As the small wolf made his way slowly back to the moors of Iromar, he had time to ponder about the last few weeks. Spring had come and he had been an idiot. Thinking he was finally old enough to challenge for his old pack, reclaim a legacy that should have been his, he had pranced like a fool to the boarders and challenged the Monster. He had thought he was prepared. How wrong he was. The fight was grueling, both sides receiving wounds, but in the end, sheer lack of experience had been his downfall. The Monster had won many fights, Halcyon had only just come into his paws. She had destroyed him, taught him a lesson he would soon not forget. He remembered it clearly, her holding his throat and the look of pure venom in her eyes. And yet, she had shown him mercy.

Waking up in a healer’s den, Halcyon had been their guest (he didn’t want to think of it as imprisonment) while he was scolded like a child for his actions. In the end, he came out of the situation a lot wiser and, perhaps, had even gained a new, unexpected ally. The Monster had not been kind, but then again, he did not deserve kindness. She had been curt, rude, and strict, but she had forgiven the boy and allowed him to leave after receiving proper healing. Halcyon would never forget what had happened and in the future, he would use what he learned to help better himself. It was a harsh reminder that he was not his father, the fabled warrior who had fought alongside angels. He was his own wolf and as such, he needed to make his own name. The lost prince was lost no more. With new eyes, he made his way back to where he truly belonged. Iromar.

The borders were in front of him, the fresh scent of the scouts still lingering in the air, but he found himself unable to pass. He had left the only home he had ever known to fight for something that was no longer his to claim. How would Athine feel about that? He had been dreading this moment. Of all the wolves Halcyon had met in his short life, she had been the one he respected above all. She was the closest to a mother he had ever had and to disappoint her would all but destroy his soul. But, how could she forgive him? Asteraia and Iromar had had a peaceful friendship for a long time and his actions had almost ended that. Ears drooped as he whined quietly to himself, both out of shame and pain. Well, it was now or never. With a deep sigh, he crossed back into his pack, his home, and moved towards the center. Familiar scents filled his nose and he found himself smiling as he went by. Pine, Despoina, Lucem, Lazarus, Praetor, and so many other scents surrounded him, comforted him. They were his friends, his family. Athine… her scent was strong here, in the center of Iromar.

Sitting at long last where he could comfortably rest his paws, Halcyon let out a quiet call for the Empress herself. His song, a perfect mixture of his father’s baritone and his mother’s soprano, sang a heartfelt apology and a request for two friends to meet and speak about the future. When he had finished, he closed his eyes and waited, unaware that his destiny was about to be fulfilled.