Stone Circle In the cold bright dawn

He shouldn't have come back.

Bonnie knew.

He stayed at the borders, unmoving. Instead, only feeling his feet in the soil. When was the last time that he had done this? None of which had gone well- perfect, at this point, would be a meeting that did not involve the sink of teeth in his muzzle. Worse, his own temper was usually the one to start it.

Would it happen again? It could. What was underestimating his own mouth? Maybe that was why his jaw clenched so tightly. Fucking hurt, and-

A man now. No longer a boy. But standing there, he still felt like that same kid who couldn’t get anything right.

Ruined friendships, alliances, shaken families.. The kids of kvarsheim did not need Bonnie's return, of all people, to shake up their lives more than they'd already been in their early days.

Months alone turned the man skin and bones again. To no ones fault of his own, of course. Trying to fatten up didn't work, and it had been tried, just to read more appealing to Gunnar's true blood. He wore his failures on his coat, humiliated.

It was only that he never had a home until them.

Solveig would be the first to set eyes upon the man as he returned, and as any Valkyrie would upon spotting a stranger at the borders, she strode toward him with a stride that devoured the ground even though she came at a walk. She sported a confidence that was deft and natural- all but her gaze, which watched him with mindful care. 

He was angular. The tone of his pelt looked as if it had once found shadows in the daytime, and had decided to remain slightly darker than a typical grey wolf coat. His eyes, however, gleamed as if lit from within, and there was an expression in them that gave him a bit of what Solveig would have called “stink-face” if she had been dealing with one of her own children.

Hael of sæl, She greeted nevertheless, choosing not to take the stern look in his gaze too seriously. Some wolves simply couldn’t help it. I am Solveig, and you have come to Kvarsheim. She informed him. Why is it you come here, hmm?

Sven was quick to the borders as was his routine. He walked them as his father had morning, noon and night. And when he saw the wolf in front of him he barely recognized him.

He gave Soveig a kind smile and a soft nudge. 

And then his voice quiet and yet not unlike his father's rang out. 

Bonnie where have you been? Brodir?

He swore he saw the face of Ulfhild in the light furs pushing in.

"I know where I am." Too well. And with no dignity left to hold his head afloat, it fell and his foot swiped the ground.

Too well. "Too well." Already, Kvarsheim had changed so much. New scents lingered. It his absence, they seemed now to finally thrive. Not to say it was him who kept them at bay of being greater. Even that power, taken, but that in the blink of an eye, he'd missed their growth. "My name is Bonnie. I, ah," did it change things? "Used to live here."

Sven already was filling out, he could tell faintly by the bulk in his legs, but it was when Gunnar spoke through him that Bonnie felt the next pang.

He questioned spiraling his teeth to finish the interaction quicker. Couldn't do it. Couldn't bring himself to do it to end the discomfort. 

"I wish I could tell you, Sven. I." Out there, somewhere. Living, or trying to. Mind numbed. A real taste of the wild, like he'd always wanted. "Don't know. Far away, Sven." Was it worth it? Silence ate the man alive. Bonnie's head shook slowly. "Far away."

The man was soaked with regret, and it seemed to weigh him down, stones shoved into pockets as the man waded through waters that threatened to come up too high. He’d lived here once before- and she made to ask about his departure when young Sven arrived, calling the man’s name. 

A quick exchange told her that he would be of little concern, potentially. It seemed his departure had likely not been expected. His travels had been long, she thought; lonely. 

You are in good company now, Bonario, She said. Kvarsheim here, it thrives. I am Solveig, Shieldmaiden- new to pack but from old stock. She shared a similar cultural lineage to Sven, after all. She looked to the leader now, to see what he made of his packmate’s return.

Sven stepped boldly forward and nosed the lines along Bonnis face. A soft click in his throat 

Well you are home now. That is all that matters. Come inside. Eat. Rest and if you feel up to it tell us of your ventures. If not.

Sven smiled brilliantly ,That's okay too. We are just glad to have you home. Fadir would be glad you came home.

Kindness stung more than any evil. It was a cruel fate that held his life in binds and disrupted the ebb and flow of raging violence. Bonnie's eyes closed and stayed weighed down by everything that he deemed was all too much. 

But in all of that, he got to open his eyes and see Sven smile.

We are just glad to have you home.

There was a stillness, and air poured down his chest. Both eyes opened wide to freeze in that time, and all of that built up tension melted away in the form of a softly running breath. 

What was one supposed to say? Or do? For the many, many errors and the many that were sure to come? He had no answers.
Dad may have been gone now, but he had lost himself and realized only now that they were still here.

A firm nod followed with a hum. 

..

"I'm home now." 

Solveig sensed that there might be a more complicated past that Bonario had come from. He was not immediately relieved, or even visibly moved by the warm welcome. She thought she even saw a flicker of guilt in his face- but didn’t all wolves who wandered away feel some amount of guilt?

She brushed it all aside. Sven was the forgiving type, and welcomed his former packmate home. Satisfied that their task at the borders had been completed, she brushed her shoulder against the leader’s, and moved off to allow them time to get caught up.

They would turn and head further into the territory. He returned the favor of the brush of shoulders and would then lead Bonario further into their home. eh would call out for @Ujurak and hope that his brother was as pleased as Sven was to see one of their older brothers returned. After all their father had always believed that family was not just blood and Sven wanted tohonor that. 

Fade here? Got you titled and such <3