Moonspear I'm the biggest, the best, better than the rest

Although the trip had begun with lighthearted excitement on Alya's part, she'd grown more and more anxious as she drew closer to home. Part of her felt guilty for pulling Nikai away from his mother and baby siblings, but she assured him that they would soon be back at Easthollow, but that she needed to check in on her own family. The higher Moonspear rose before them, the more urgent this need became, until she was nearly beside herself with anxiety when the familiar howl finally broke over the land.

"Hydra," she gasped, casting a fearful glance at Nikai. She began to run, but matched her pace as best she could to her mate's. Something was very wrong; she could hear it in her mirror sister's voice.

As much as her time with Nikai had tempered her violent spirit, Alya arrived on the scene ready to fight. Her first thought was bears or cougars, or that a new infant sibling had fallen from the high peaks. But the broken picture she arrived to see was so much worse. She recognized her father at once by his stark pelt, and her mother a moment later with a sigh of shameful relief. It was not one of her sisters that'd perished.

Still, her grief was palpable. She stood stunned besided her mate, staring vacantly while sorrow stole over her like a blanket of snow. Everything was cold and quiet, and Alya felt very small and alone.