The pack grounds were already filling with people by the time they reached the main path. Word had spread through the efficient communication network. The travelers were home.
Aria saw her mother first.
Cassidy stood at the edge of the gathering crowd, hands pressed to her mouth, tears already streaming down her face. The moment she saw Aria, she broke into a run.
They met in the middle of the path. Cassidy pulling Aria into a fierce embrace that threatened to crack ribs. Aria held on just as tightly, breathing in the familiar scent of her mother's healing herbs. Feeling the reality of home settle around her like a warm blanket.
"You are home," Cassidy said, voice breaking. "You are really home."
"I am home, Mama," Aria confirmed.
"You look different," Cassidy said, pulling back to study her daughter's face. "Older somehow. But good. Healthy. Whole."
"I am," Aria said. "All of those things."
