The sun dawns on a new spring day but not a single ray of light makes it to the earth below. The sky is overcast with gray clouds and a light rain falls slowly. Her russet fur is damp and clings to her skin uncomfortably but Skyfire wasn't going to allow anything to dampen her spirits. The young pup has been traveling for days, stopping whenever she could for a few mouthfuls of water and food. She had been lucky enough to stumble upon a few pieces of carrion during her journey. Not exactly the meals of warriors but, as her grandmother would say, a choosy beggar would soon be a dead one. A smile spread across her lips and she chuckled to herself hearing her grandmother's words. The fact that she was gone still hadn't fully sunken in and Skyfire missed the ancient wolfess terribly. Yes, Machaira could be a harsh and cantankerous old bitch, but she had been the only family Skyfire had known. She literally owed her grandmother her life.

Machaira had been ancient even before Skyfire was born. Lightningfang, her mother, had died during labor. It was Machaira that had raised her and ensured her survival. Of course the ancient wolfess could only do so much, and she remembered going to bed hungry on more than a handful of occasions. But Machaira did her best, living on borrowed time, and when her time came, Skyfire stayed by her side. Her grandmother didn't speak often, she had been born with a deformity in her throat, every word the old wolf spoke was forced from her mouth with agony. Her last words still danced around Skyfire's young mind. "Moladion ... Solevion ... Boneclaw ... Thunderbone ... Moonglow."

Skyfire wasn't entirely sure what all these names even meant! She knew that Boneclaw and Thunderbone were Machaira's parents, so her great-grandparents. Moonglow was Machaira's sister, so would have been Lightningfang's aunt, which made her Moonglow's great niece. The young wolf wondered if anyone alive would remember these names and if they did would they recognize her as lost kin? Would they welcome her back with wide open arms? Of course they would!

The earth starts to grow steeper as Skyfire climbs the mountain slope with only the energy of youth and her family's legendary stubborn streak fueling her on. She lops forwards on long and lanky legs. Her large paws, an indication she still had some growing to do, thrummed against the stony ground. A whiff of the border hits her black nose and she stops dead, two legs still elevated in mid stride.

Her heart flutters in her chest. She was young, her ribs visible below her red fur. The pack could easily drive her away or even kill her, but that is not how Skyfire has envisioned this first meeting playing out. Her body looked half-starved and weak, for now, but her blue eyes were ablaze with energy and hope. She yelps excitedly, her voice echoing off mountain the side. I am here! We have returned! She yelps again and again. Unable to contain her excitement she begins to dance and spin in circles.