---

her brothers howl sent relief flooding through her swiftly and suddenly, and already she was adjusting her course. luck had it that she had been within the borders, rare, save for when she spent time with @Aviana and slept. she'd felt most comfortable with the woman, and thus disclosed to her in the barest details what had transpired, neglecting to include the name of Aditya's tryst. 

she threw herself towards her brother, foregoing the usual greeting and pulling him into a swift wolf equivalent of a hug, withdrawing to scan him hawkishly, watching for scars, wounds. she did not know if she'd done the right thing; lately, she was unsure of much anything. "you're back."  like her conversation (to put it civilly) with Aditya, there was so much more she wished to put word too; and yet, could only encase him in her gaze and wait for him to speak.

he said allowed what she feared, and she nodded, carefully. she hadn't seen much of the newest member, though trusted his relation to Aviana would have him stick around. at his suggestion, she nodded carefully. "I've been leaving the territory daily. but a hunting party, now that we'd be able to leave behind a couple members to watch over the mothers and pups, would bring back more than a single wolf could." she knew the best places for game, now, besides the plains. their home territory offered a good amount of game; they only needed more hunters to bring it down. "we could take Shale."  the hunting party could wait a day, however, and she peered at Sunny hawkishly as he offered to recruit. she did not have to hesitate before answering, suddenly confident in the man she'd seen in his apology. "I trust you." 

there she paused, knowing she'd not shared all she ought to; the words coming easily, almost, after all the times she'd murmured them to herself. her gaze flickered again to his, and she added, "there's something else you should know. Aditya and I - we're no longer mates."  the words were soft, featherlight. she'd told very few this explicitly; didn't know who would know, know the reasons for it. no one, to her knowledge, knew exactly how twisted things had become.

he had been hunting, lax in his border duties in the wake of impending starvation, when the call burst over the plains. it spooked the game, anyway; the rabbit rushed past him with swift feet, and not even the quick snap of his jaws, nor a hasty pursuit, could pin it down. sides heaving, aditya shook his head ruefully and carried on at a steady lope, heading to where the howl had rang out.

two grayscale wolves stood talking, and his heart caught in his throat. his ex-mate. . .and her brother, returned at last from his self-imposed banishment. he stood statue-still for a long moment, torn between embracing his friend, his packmate, and leery of getting too close to the woman he once had loved--still probably did. after hesitating, he trotted down the slight slope, coming to within a few tail-lengths of the pair.

he gave dawn a curt nod, not meeting her eyes, then looked over at sunny. his gaze was warm and full of joy, and aditya offered the boy a smile, knowing that they must talk later. they had much to discuss.