The evening was long and quiet, a rare break in the never-ending noise of conflict. Still, a resolute light glowed in every wolf's eye even as darkness encompassed our damaged campground. On a windswept hilltop, I stood before my pack seeing the ruins of our most recent violent conflict. Though our very souls bore the marks of betrayal and the weight of our heritage, tonight the sparks of hope shone more brilliantly than they have ever done.
Losses that cut deep, betrayals that tore us apart, and an unrelenting adversary seeking to shatter our soul from within—we had experienced so much. But in the still times between conflicts, I realized that the togetherness of our pack was our actual strength—not in personal ability. I promised tonight that we would gather as one, building a fresh future from the ruins of our past.
