Emberwood The heart wants what it wants

The gathered wolves bustled around her, but Saena's attention lingered solely on Nochtli for a moment. The dark woman began to turn away and at that moment, a howl reached them from not-so-far-away. Saena pricked her tall ears and turned automatically toward it with a mixture of relief and shock flooding her chest. When Citali asked, she nodded and breathed, "Gunnar." The viking was safe, but where was Oliver?

Nochtli seemed to be thinking the same thing, for she set off immediately, leaving Saena with the chocolate furred healer and the rest of the splintered pack. Her ears lifted again when Nochtli howled and she lifted her head to join in, calling Gunnar home and hopefully reaching Oliver as well.

She was about to turn to Reek, Arion and Ryker when Wynter stepped forward and launched into an almost inappropriately long speech about leaving. Given they'd just watched their home burn down and given she'd expected Wynter to be gone by now, Saena faced her subordinate with a heavy glare rather than her usual softness, as if to say, "this is not the time". "I'd thought you were gone already," was all she said to her former follower until the woman finally said her goodbyes. "See you," she managed, though in the wake of loss and grief and destruction, "get lost" would've felt much better.

Swivelling back around, she sought Citali and murmured, "I can't tell you enough how much we appreciate this."