Northstar Vale Its the sunrise

@Liri

The morning after they arrived, Sorin had woken early and trekked up the western wall of the valley, intent upon greeting the first rays of a new day. It was something that Viggo had always done, in the old valley where he had ruled. The alpha Sorin had come to respect and love would hike up the western side of the valley, looking over his home as the sun rose and illuminated all he held most dear. So Sorin, his heart full of nostalgia and reverence for the man he held in such high esteem, did the same on the first dawn of the group arrival.

It still bothered him somewhat, how similar this valley was to his old home. There were too many memories, and he worried that old expectations and sentiments would get in the way of the new path that he was forging. And he was making a new path, a new start. Meeting Liri was proof enough of that.

His thoughts drifted, unbidden, to the ivory women he had met only recently. Had anyone asked a few weeks ago if Sorin would've seen himself here now, within the company of others, he would've laughed in their face. But Liri had changed that, and Sorin was still trying to unravel how he felt about it all.

One on paw, he was overjoyed to be in the company of others. It had been a while since he had been around others who did not want him simply for his fighting abilities, who truly cared enough to look out for him. It was a relief to the shadow in many ways, to meet a kindred spirit like Liri, someone who had suffered like him and yet still lived on, kept fighting for whatever happiness that could be wrested from the cruel realities of life.

Yet, she also scared the hell out if him

It scared him, how easily his story had come spilling out. His walls had simply been shattered by her, and he really didn't have any power to throw them up at the time. All of his carefully, meticulously constructed barriers around the vulnerabilities of his past had been breached like a gaping hole in a fortress, and it scared him. She got to him in a way only one other had ever been able to, and Livia had taken advantage of that ability, had twisted his perception of her and used his emotions for her own gain. Then, she had destroyed everything he held dear.

He didn't think Liri would ever do such a thing, having suffered betrayed love herself. But Sorin couldn't let go of the fear of how easily she had gotten under his fur. He had battled with it the whole week when the group was at the lair, and had distanced himself from her somewhat as a result. Perhaps that was why he had gone up the mountainside as well, to have some distance and try to rein in his emotions.

Sorin continued his trek until he was roughly three quarters of the way up the western side wall of the valley. From there, he found a good ledge to sit upon, watching the sun begin its ascent. Eventually, the ball of fire broke over the top of the opposite mountainside, casting its warmth and light upon the man. His eyes gleamed like emerald fire as he gazed down into the valley, which was still largely cast in shadows.

He sat there, letting the sun and old memories of his mentor comfort him, and tried to chase away his fears.