Long ago, Ripper had made a promise to his sister. And that promise had perhaps undone him, only to build him back up stronger than before. His vow to stand by his sister had pulled him away from the call of his soul to Masque. That war within had pushed him into a self inflicted solitude - unable to keep or entirely break his promise to his sister, unable to seek out his imprint. Time and separation had liberated him, perhaps the fates themselves making the final choice for him. The bonds that tied him to Masque had shattered, and for a time it had driven him even further into his self made exile. But when he had finally emerged once more, he strode forth stronger and more resilient than ever before. He was still the lackadaisical brute he had always been, but now there was toned muscle ripping beneath the thick coat that made him appear almost like a bear.
While he was away, Sekhmet had not waited for him. She had carried on in her purpose. Followers..Destroy...Build. His sister had always been a wolf of power in more ways than one. And as the sun rose on this new day, that truth was bared for all the world to see. Sekhmet was not a wolf to be trifled with. Back in winter he had met one of her potential followers - a small female who had sought out his nameless sister, describing her in perfect detail. Whether she, too, would emerge from the shadows this day remained to be seen. For now, Ripper's only concern was in fulfilling the pledge he had made to his sister, the one that he had let pass into his characteristic apathy for too long.
Toes dipped in obsidian crossed over the somewhat familiar borders to the plains. Once before he had called this place home, to appease his sister and keep her company under the fast fading regime of tolerance for all kinds after the aged black wolves had fallen. The promise to continue to accept those different from the rest had quickly withered away, and there had been no place for wolves such as them in the pack that had risen in its place. Today all of that would change. Today it was Sekhmet's virile scent that marked the boundaries of the plains, that beckoned those who had no other place in this world into the heart of these lands.
Ripper moved across the dimly lit plains at an easy jogging pace. He had come here to begin a search for his sister, and found a better answer than he ever could have imagined. She had accomplished a long harbored goal - she had taken the plains for herself. Black rimmed ears pressed forward as he call resonated across the expanse of the rolling plains. Maintaining his easy pace, he crossed the distance, plunging into the heart of the territory that Sekhmet had coveted for such a long time.
He approached her confidently, tail wagging loosely at his hocks. Apologies for his absence would be reserved for later. For now, he strode forward to stand before her. His head dropped down slightly to simultaneously investigate the pale stain of blood in her fur around a wound on her leg, while also offering her his scarred ears. Each scar had been put there by none other than her. After a moment, he stepped back.