It had not taken overly long to dig through the light covering of snow that veiled the entrance to the ice cavern. Before taking their leave of Moladion, the young shewolf had been sure to displace boulders from overhead to guard the glacier cave. Now the fully fledged shamaness revealed those rocks from beneath the snow and carved herself a path just wide enough for her hips and the baggage she carried with her. A black and white raven circled once overhead, but when his charge disappeared into the cavern he glided down the mountainside in search of....other duties that needed fulfilling.
Inside the cave Moonfeather deposited a wide array of herbs and medicinal plants into her pharmacopeia, storing them each in a way that would preserve them for the longest amount of time. She had journeyed far beyond the known outskirts of Moladion, traveling to lands she had only dreamed of. Unbeknownst to her she had even visited the lands of her grandfather's origins, meeting with a shaman descended from the very same shaman Alcide had gone to in an effort to earn the spirit world's favor so that he could ask MoonGlow to be his mate. She had lived through days of deathly thirst in desert landscapes to find a hidden oasis that was home to a storied tribe of wolves, and swam through treacherous waters to reach an island famed among those of the wider world who called themselves shamans, medicine men, witch doctors or simply healers. But for all of her traveling, exploring, learning, and gathering over the past many moons, Spirane was always held in her mind's eye. She knew it was her duty to return there, to share her knowledge and continue to learn from the land of her birth.
When she was finished, she emerged from the cave and cast her eyes to the midday sky, seeking her companion. Finding Kutcha was not within sight, she began to jog down the mountainside in the direction of her father's den, intent on informing him of her return and learning what had changed in Spirane since her departure. Of course she had noticed the change in scents upon the borders, but he known the new leader to be none other than her cousin, Kalseru. She wondered what had happened to Daenerys, but was certain her father would be able to explain all matters of the pack's affairs to her.
As she made her way along the familiar paths of her birth home, however, a familiar call diverted her course. Her head lifted slightly, ears pricked forward alertly to be sure that they did not deceive her. Moonfeather had worried her mentor may have joined the spirit world during her walkabout, but she was overcome with joy to recognize Niviaq's call, a summons for none other than herself. She grinned, turning her eyes towards the sky, sure that Kutcha must have given her return away. Sure enough, the raven circled above the tree line in the direction from which Niviaq's call originated, and Moonfeather wasted no more time. She set off at a lope, her strong, graceful stride carrying her swiftly to her mentor and friend.
Kutcha, knowing his woman had seen his signal, glided down from the heavens to alight on a snow dusted rock ahead of Niviaq on the path she walked. It would take her only a few more strides to come around a slight bend in the trail and find him. So he ruffled his feathers and then began to preen, fully aware that it would only take a few minutes longer for Moonfeather to reach the same bend in the trail coming from the opposite direction. Clearly his work was done, and yet he looked sideways at Niviaq, quietly grateful that the shewolf was still with the pack, and he croaked a soft greeting to her before his mistress arrived.
Moonfeather slowed to a jog when she spotted Kutcha atop the rock, and a broad grin spread across her features to see Niviaq standing before her. All of the maturity, strength, and grace she had gained over the past two years seemed to melt away into a puppyish glee, overjoyed to be reunited with the woman.