They had been scouting to the east in search of supplies for the winter when they encountered her. It was a brief but joyous reunion that left the young wolf feeling like he was missing a part of his soul. Their mother was fine, she was searching with Triell for his missing mate (if the fates were kind she would stay missing but that wasn’t in his control). But there were lines of worry about their mothers eyes when she looked at them. Perhaps she perceived something they themselves were incapable of fathoming yet, and she had sent Asphodel home, to ‘renew her connection’ with their gods and seek guidance from their grandmother.
At first he had gone to leave with her but his mother stood in his way. Telling him he had to return to the Lake. He had wanted to rebel. He wasn’t supposed to ever be far from her and the Bloodwood was such a very long way away… But he would not defy his mother.
Every step he felt like claws were digging into his stomach. He had never felt such a weight on his shoulders as he scaled the heights, the chaga mushrooms and hellebore safely stashed away in the den he had been sharing with his sister, and the hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach only deepened. He needed a task. He needed to keep busy until she returned and with the chill of fall just around the corner their stores were still severely lacking.
He shook out his coat and made his way towards the edge of the Lake, hoping to catch Vespertio on his rounds. He would need to inform the leader of his sisters whereabouts, and then he would have a request of his own.