Cayde awoke from an eventful slumber and began his day. With his confidence restored and his faith in himself returning, the Wolf of Harmony began to truly believe in himself like everybody else did. Of course it couldn't happen in one simple night, but it was a start. Cayde knew that he alone could not stop the Kimlascan Pack from being attacked a few days prior, and he also knew that he alone could not try and take back his home. But he needed to believe in himself in order to truly be the leader that the small and ever growing group believed in.

After a brief meeting with Saint, Cayde and Pahanin set out to begin their search for Anise and her large group of wounded and lost wolves from the pack. They were the first key to reuniting the pack. From there, the rest would hopefully get a lot easier.

As the two walked, it wasn't long before one spoke up.

"So... how are you doing Cayde?" Pahanin asked.

Cayde glanced at her, "I'm trying my best. It's a really dark time for us all, and someone has to be the light in the dark for our pack. In other words... I'm alright I suppose. It's been really hard, losing all of this. Our home, our friends, Vande... we've lost so much of it so quickly. I never thought such a thing would happen." Cayde explained.

Pahanin nodded, "Yeah... yeah, I get that. I feel that way too. You know, I don't know what would happen to our pack if you weren't around. I doubt our small group would have stuck around together for long, and if they did I doubt they'd ever try and step anywhere near our old home. But in a few short minutes you changed the hearts and minds of that group. They see a leader in you, Cayde. Remember what I told you the night before you went to do the Trial of the Mountain?" Pahanin asked.

He nodded and couldn't help but smile.

"You are Cayde. You aren't just the Wolf of Harmony, you aren't just a wolf either. You are Cayde. You're selfless, brave, kind... you know what Vande told me one day when you were doing that Trial of the Mountain? He told me that if there was anybody capable of uniting our pack, and even our world... it was you." She told him.

"So remember that, Cayde. Remember who you are. You are Cayde." Pahanin smiled at him.

Before Cayde got a chance to speak, Pahanin started laughing.

"Best pep talk ever, huh? Haha! Oh, I'm getting good at those you know. Glad I still have you around to listen to them." She grinned.

"Oh, Pahanin, I'd say a snarky comment, but... your pep talks always really strike me right at my heart. Never change, alright?" Cayde smiled back.

"If I haven't changed by now, you bet I won't ever change." She assured.

Cayde chuckled, his mood boosted greatly. They were a wonderful team, he had to admit.

"Well, how about you Pahanin? How have you been?" Cayde asked.

"It isn't easy, so like everybody else, I haven't been doing very good. But I've got faith in you, and in all of us. I like to think that even now, in times like these, Vande is smiling with pride, proud of all the amazing things we've done and continue to do."

"Heh, Vande was the closest thing to a father to me. I wish he was here with us, but he died protecting our home. He confronted the Wolf of Chaos. That takes bravery, without a doubt. If we take our home back... we will honor Vande in the grandest way we possibly can." Cayde told her.

"Good!" She was silent for a few moments afterwards, but quickly smiled again, "Now lighten up! Vande wouldn't want to see you so upset you know! I might just have to push you in the nearest lake if you don't cheer up!"

What followed after was lighter conversation. Laughter and jokes, stories and reminiscences of old times. Cayde retold his story of when he was a pup and caused havoc for a few minutes by befriending a squirrel that he named Pine. A story he, quite frankly, never thought he'd get to tell again.

The day went on, and the two explored all around the region. Crossing streams, walking through small valleys and going up rolling hills. There was no sign of Anise or any other wolf. That was until around the afternoon, when Cayde saw a few faint scratches in some trees every few dozen yards. Trail blazes! Cayde was confident that it must have led to someone, or at the very least, somewhere.

And indeed, he was right. His confidence paid off, and at the bottom of a hill in a secluded valley was a large group of wolves. From the top of a hill, Cayde watched the group for a while to try and make out what was going on.

He saw a few wolves wandering around, tending to a few other wolves who were tired or weak, but one wolf that stood out in particular was what looked to be the lead caretaker of the large group.

Anise!

"Looks like we've found em' Cayde. Go us, huh?" Pahanin held up a paw, offering a childlike paw bump. The wolf version of a fist bump, it seemed. Reluctantly, Cayde did indeed give her a paw bump. It certainly wasn't something he had done in a while.

It wasn't just luck that had brought Cayde and Pahanin to the large group in the secluded valley. It was hope, confidence, and perhaps a little bit of Harmony guiding them to another source of hope.

"Well, Pahanin... let's go and greet them down there, shall we?" Cayde asked.

"You bet!"

Cayde and Pahanin made their way down the hill to greet the group.

Thanks to Pahanin's cheerful attitude and uplifting pep talk, Cayde felt confident again.

He truly believed that he could make Anise's group feel hopeful again.

He believed that he could bring them to the camp where the pack gathered.

Cayde smiled to himself as he padded down the hill, with a familiar gleam in his eyes.

A gleam of hope.