Rising Sun Valley Acorn

tags for ref!

Despite repeatedly telling himself that it was her choice, that he needed to accept her disappearance just as he had his mother’s, Kristjan could not help but to search for a scant trace of @Astrid. The brothers had worn themselves ragged looking for her, and everyone had been calling for her again and again, hoping for any sign of her.

But if she heard them, she was silent. And if she’d left anything to be followed, he could not find it, so it was in vain that he hunted for her now. His resentment came and went, ebbing and flowing, until the tide of it had weathered down the stone of his resolve. He knew that he could not be a part of Kvarsheim and go off in search of his sister, and he knew that his choice would be his pack, no matter how much he loved her.

She will return.

He forced himself to repeat it, as if he could somehow turn the mantra true.

And I will be here when she does.

He spotted a figure ahead. Astrid! But it was a trick of the mind, and the wolf he approached was a slightly younger girl, pale in complexion and serious of face. Hallo? he queried a greeting, tail up and waving.