Redtail Rise geteilt

she's late. she's been caught up in the work of restoring the Rise to her rule, marking here, hunting there. trying to interact with the younger children, and mingling with their elders.

the call should have brought her to the scene immediately. but for many long moments, she cannot believe her ears.

and eventually, when Avicus finally breaks through the trees and gallops down the slope, the sight of the assembled wolves brings her to a near standstill.

near.

you. . . 

her voice trails off, and she approaches first at a walk, then at a stumbling trot and then would careen into the healer, were she not more careful in herself. but all others have disappeared from her vision; only he remains, and she—

she had heard he'd gone after her, after the bear.

he, alone. perhaps Relic? but definitely him.

wordless, her throat vise-tight, she closes the last bit of ground to place her muzzle atop his head in benediction, then moves her nose to his jaw, then his shoulder. 

some little shred of tension she'd been holding for gods knew how long dissipated in that moment.

her heart had returned.