time had passed too quickly for the old being to catch up with, the passing of seasons flying by in mere moments. Breath spilling from their lungs, blind blue eyes taking in empty expanses that were filled with life and beings. The scent of their home rolled over their muzzle, the kingpin slowly moving back towards their lands. They hadn't been here in months, and it seems like most everyone else had left in their absence as well. They had left while ill, fearing their demise would come upon them. They had survived the danger, living away from anyone for the longest time as they recovered. Now, they had come home to drive out the rodents and pests that had come to live within the borders of Alithís Evgenis, to do some cleaning and see if anyone would come by again. They could only blame themself for the loss of members, as they had to leave themselves for some time. Currently in their draconic and favored body, the being moved forward, feeling the air around them change directions, bringing a foul stench to their muzzle.

Spreading their jaws, they let go a mighty roar, frightening nearby roosting birds from trees, muzzle creasing in anger as they scented things that didn't belong there. Somebody had moved into the territory, and they could smell these lives and the bodies that belonged to them. "I'm back!", they announced, thinking that they should at least warn the invaders that someone big and angry had arrived. Lashing theirtail, they descended down the treacherous cliff to their den, snarling and snapping at the beings that fled their den with shrieks and screams. Inhaling the stale scent of their den, they were pummeled by old memories and rested their nose upon the ground. Growling, the tired beast curled up in their den, talons digging into the peat and dirt. They needed to formulate how to fix this.

a certain kind of relief filled their heart, curbing the hard and angry tide clawing up their throat to spill from their mouth as poisonous actions. they were not mad with her, they were mad with the world and what it had done to their family. "baby girl. veris." they crooned, hit by her scent still tainted by the faintest scent of milk and their nest in the nursery from so long ago. she was theirs, their tiny daughter. they could remember the feeling of her pressed into their side, her tiny muzzle feeding against their skin. they remembered the soft and milky scent clinging to her when she had hatched, immediately coming to nurse.

"its okay. im here now, my little one. I'm back and I'm not going to leave you again. I'm sorry
I was gone for so long. I'm better now, and I'm going to get our home back, darling. Come here, little one, come talk to Dad." they murmured ever so softly,  their blind gaze roaming the area before pinpointing her by her scent. Tears slowly made their way down their face, lingering on the ridges of their scars. "Whose all here, baby girl? Is it just you and me?"