The weeks that Vienna had been gone had been horrendously long to Sumayl who had missed her with every passing day. Eventually, the time in which he had suspected her return — roughly, giving a few extra days for bad weather or something — and she had not still returned worry had begun to set in, keeping his loneliness company. It ate at him as he spent hours at a time patrolling the borders, sometime sitting in one spot too anxious to do anything other than watch, waiting for her. It was unbearable, thinking that something had happened to her, but her absence stretched on, stringing along his concern until, several times he contemplated leaving in search of her. Her trail heading towards Blacktail Deer Plateau was long gone by then but the golden Ostrega was fairly sure he knew the way. He did not venture to other pack's borders because he had no need too but he liked to think he had a rough idea of where they were located, least the one whose existences he was aware of, at any rate. He would have, but he stopped himself, remembering that she had wanted to do it on her own; and Sumayl did not think her incapable. His desire to protect her had nothing to do with a doubt in her abilities, but instead had everything to do with the simple fact that he was in love with her. No, not in love. It wasn't that casual. He was helplessly in love with her. If there had ever been any doubt in the golden Ostrega's mind of it before, it was gone now. There were no doubts, there lingered no uncertainty. His inability to be useful in her absence, distracted and worried until he felt like he might go mad, left no room for doubt.
Vienna was the only woman he wanted until the end of time, and it was that simple.
Still, Sumayl forced himself to continue tracking herds and hunting, knowing that when Vienna did return — because he was confident in that typical Suma narcissistic way that she would return — she would likely be disappointed if she knew all he did was sit, pine and worry for her. Or so Sumayl believed anyway and that acted as his sole motivation to tear himself from the borders. He had been heading back to the den he shared with her, though the emptiness it provided him with left little in the way of comfort, he returned to it, nevertheless. He wasn't tired — not really — but it was easier to sleep away the time then it was to do much else. Even patrolling the day ticked by with an aching slowness, and with his mood being so low he did not wish to risk the chance of running into Jace. His typical high spirits had hit an all time low, missing and worrying about Vienna as Sumayl did and it was better for everyone if he secluded himself from the world until her return, lest he do something that he would regret.
He heard his name as he neared the den, too far away to discern the voice or recognize it, and the Ostrega cringed thinking it was someone else. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He just wanted to mechanically go about his duties and sleep until Vienna returned to him; but it was the I'm back that followed shortly after that changed his course and opinion within a few split seconds. His pace, previously lagging, quickened and he drew in a deep breath, his heart nearly stopping when he saw Vienna's familiar form standing at the entrance of their home. “Vienna,” Sumayl called to her, managing to find volume so that it did not sound as breathless as he felt. He did not go to her, however, trying to decide if she was truly there or if he'd finally gone insane after all and his mind was giving him what it knew he wanted.