Ears flickered forward to catch the response of one of my pack mates, and I recognized the jovial tones of Niviaq's voice. A smile fell across my lips - her familiar presence on the mountain was a soothing balm to my soul. Times had changed, and many wolves that I counted as friends no longer called the mountain home. Some of them had vanished from Moladion entirely. I thought back upon wolves I had known throughout the years of my life and been lucky enough to call friend - Attila, Reich, Dimas, Ramiel, Natu, Leonidas, Tesseract, and so many more. There were wolves who came into one's life, perhaps only for a brief time, but left a lasting impression. Even Tithe had once been called a friend, before he had turned his back on me. I glanced down at my shoulder, noting how well the wound was healing, despite the venomous nature of my once-friend turned foe. The smile that had lifted the edges of my maw at hearing Niviaq's call fell slightly as I reflected on what I had lost in the past year. My determination to rebuild Spirane would never falter, but I was old enough and smart enough to know the trials that I would face in the attempt to do so.
Another bark, one with a more direct purpose, rang out, and I lifted my head and responded in kind, confirming my location and inviting Niviaq to join me. It was not long before she broached the edge of the clearing, and a genuine smile took hold of my features once more. Her presence upon the mountain was steadfast, enduring the many changes in leadership over the years and taking them in stride. No matter the politics of leadership, she had always done her due diligence, caring for the wolves of Spirane and ensuring their health and wellbeing. Over the years she had aided me in testing healers merit, to prove whether they were capable of being responsible for the entire pack's health. But in truth, it had always been her that had kept the pack healthy. As her eyes quickly appraised my healing wounds, I couldn't help but wonder why she had never taken the title that she had so long deserved.
In my eyes, I knew that Spirane had to be rebuilt from within before we could concern ourselves with the affairs of other packs. It was always a comfort to know that Spirane and Diveen's relationship would never falter, but I could not turn my attention to the other packs of Moladion until Spirane had been given the attention she deserved. The ranks were bare, Pan having retired and Sleekwing seeking to do the same. Though I believed in my pack and each member of it, there were no treaties to be made until we had reestablished our own footing. And if the other alphas of Moladion could not see and respect that, then they were not of my concern anyways. My own pack's wellbeing was more important to me than appeasing the other leaders of the land. In time, once we had restored power within Spirane, envoys would be sent to the other packs, and I would visit the newest leaders of Moladion myself. Thoughts of ranks and what we had to offer to other packs brought me back to the notion that we had always had a Maester in Spirane, even if she had not been interested in taking the title.