Bramblepoint No one uses CB radio anymore.

Towhee hadn't touched base with @Hydra in quite a while. So much had transpired since her emotional outburst (she cringed at the memory). Although she still wasn't fully healed, she did feel well enough to venture to Bramblepoint following a patrol. She called @Orca to accompany her and made sure X was winging overhead before she set off into the neighboring woods.

She located their usual rendezvous point, then asked her sister to send up a howl. Towhee's eyes tracked X as he circled lower and lower, then situated himself on a nearby pine bough. The young Alpha huffed a breath, then began to tirelessly scan the trees for any sign of a black shadow moving their way.

She was, fortunately, near enough to arrive in good time. The howl that sounded was not one she recognized, but it seemed that whoever had called sought her. @Alya and @Lyra were nearby, but when Hydra saw the flash of red that was Towhee two ear flicks caused them to disperse. No doubt they'd remain near, as they were all wont to do in their outside ventures, but they knew of Hydra's close relationship and implicit trust with and in Towhee.

Hydra was glad to see her, though her smile turned into a fretful frown as she noted the injuries. Still, Towhee wore them well, and she could not help the proud grin that spread over her features. Tell me the other party looks worse, Hydra asked—though she felt she knew. With Towhee on the lines, she could not see a loss. Blackfeather Woods did not do well with outright assault, in her experience. You kicked their ass, right? Though she was sad to have missed it, she was happy to know it—she had a new bone to pick, after all. Her fondness of Vaati did not extend to the subordinate that had sicked her sister.

Hydra didn't make her wait long. Towhee smiled at her friend's approach. Orca signed a question at her and Towhee nodded, prompting her sister to retreat to sit just below X. Bird and wolf watched as Towhee moved forward to sniff noses with her ally, tail waving gently in the cold January air.

"Yeah, we won," she replied simply, though there was a fierceness to her orange gaze. "I wanted to let you know. I'm sorry I never got in touch about your plan. There was a lot going on and I had to prioritize some things"—some wolves, namely her pack—"over others. Phox wasn't there," she added, speaking swiftly, as if saying her brother's name was abhorrent (it very nearly was).

"How are things at Moonspear?" she questioned in the very next breath.

Hydra shook her head to the other's apology. She knew better than anyone that pack was the priority. No worries, she thought to say. Hydra frowned at hearing Phox was not there. She was relieved, granted, but she sensed Towhee's displeasure in his apparent choice of leaving. Was there anyone else...? She asked, and mentioned two names: Cypress, or Rian...? Like it or not, Hydra still thought of the tawny male. She had bared her soul to him (in dramatic teenaged fashion), and he had left after verbally reciprocating his interest. It was the strangest situation. She was hurt by that, too. In a different way, she could relate to Towhee's feeling of abandonment. 

As for how things were at Moonspear, Hydra frowned. Our own score isn't settled with Blackfeather. A wolf attempted to attack my last remaining younger sister. When did you guys march? She asked, wondering if this had taken place before or after they left. In not knowing, she couldn't be sure. Did Blackfeather leave their territory? Could she still use Ganondorf, was her real question. There was a wolf that needed to pay for what he had done. If Vaati refused to allow her a very bloody revenge, Hydra would do what she must.

Her comrade wanted to know if there had been other captives. This gave Towhee pause, as she wasn't really sure of the answer. There had been Eljay's abrupt appearance but he had been there of his own free will. She knew that one of Drageda's wolves had been employed as a spy as well. But as far as she knew, none of the war parties had come across any prisoners. They had done a sweep of the territory after their victory and hadn't turned up anyone, though Towhee vaguely recalled an underground tunnel in Wildfire's horror story. Had anyone found it and checked?

The yearling blinked herself back to sharper focus. "I don't think so." She lapsed into silence as Hydra regaled her with more news of Blackfeather treachery. Towhee's ears pinned to her skull. Although they had bested their enemy, driving them from their home, they hadn't laid them all to waste like the mercenary would've liked. That left them free to run amok elsewhere. Even if they were no longer a direct threat to the caldera, evidently they were still wreaking havoc elsewhere.

"It was two or three weeks ago now," Towhee reported, glancing over at Orca, who concurred with a nod. "Yes, we drove them from the woods." Her forepaws clenched in the dirt underfoot. We shouldn't have stopped there. We should've chased down each and every one and killed them... she thought darkly, biting back the growl that rumbled deep in her chest.

Good news, and bad news. For their sake, I hope they left the valley, Hydra said with a grimace. Because if she caught the scent of the man that had attempted to lay a paw on her sister, hers would be the last face he would ever see. Hydra sighed. I am glad you won. How do you feel? Have you seen a medic? She asked. Towhee didn't look sickly, and the injuries didn't look horrific, but they did not look good either, which warranted the question. Hydra's primary concern was Towhee; she was glad to hear she was a victor and to see her alive and well. She glanced over to X. Did he participate? She inquired with a gesture and a grin, genuinely interested.

Based on Hydra's rejoinder, Towhee wondered if the attack had taken place prior to the march. Hopefully, she thought, nodding her agreement. She opened her mouth to ask more about the attack on Hydra's younger sister when the black she-wolf threw out several more questions of her own, including one that hearkened back to their very first conversation about her red-tailed companion.

"No, I decided I didn't want to take the risk," she said, not mentioning the part where she had been too terrified to lose X so soon after losing Phox. "Besides, we're still perfecting our act. If I ever see another Blackfeather around these parts, I'll be sure to sic him, though." Her tail flicked. "I'm fine. I got kicked around a bit in the battle but we beat their asses," she said, chest puffing up a bit as her tail snapped again.

That reminded her to mention, "I have something else to share. My godparents decided to step down. They put me in charge." And just because she had yet to declare it out loud (since everyone in the pack already knew), she elaborated, "I'm the Alpha of Redhawk Caldera now." Somehow, saying the words to a non-member really made it seem official.

Hydra grinned. Good. I trust he'll get the job done, she said with a grin. And she was glad to hear that the end result was their victory, even despite her friends hurts. Those wounds will heal, and if they scar you'll wear them well, came her fond tone, though no doubt Towhee would not hear that. Still, she'd likely see it. Hydra oozed warmth for her friend. If something had happened to Towhee, she'd likely go extinguish what was left of their forces. Towhee was more a sister than to her than Vela was, she sometimes felt. Man, she wished she had been lucky enough to have been given Towhee as a younger sister. 

To Towhee's news, Hydra grinned excitedly. What! Congratulations. That's amazing, Towhee. No question here that you deserve it, she said with a bald grin. Clearly, her godparents were smart enough to know their goddaughter was worthy of the title. Hydra was glad to know this; it made the Caldera susceptible to so many improvements. Though they surely could not pledge an alliance to one another, there was, Hydra felt, something unspoken between the two leaders of separate packs. They were nothing but honest with one another, and Towhee had known Hydra was prepared to help her in their own time of war. There was something better about the lack of expectation. Hydra trusted Towhee more than she did wolves in her own ranks. 

It was unsettling, that thought... but not something she dwelled on. 

How did that come to be? Did you kick the most ass in the battle, on top of being the best guardian the Caldera has ever seen? She queried with a grin. Hydra herself had no designs to become alpha, yet. Her father was doing well, and with no desire for cubs herself... she was content with where she was at, for the time.

Hydra's praise was so effusive that Towhee felt herself blushing beneath her black fur, then biting back a laugh. "Thank you," she responded, then explained, "I think my godparents felt a Redhawk should be in charge. They're happier as Betas." But she knew she shouldn't sell herself short. "I knew I'd earned the right to leadership, so I asked them to appoint me as Beta. That's when my Aunt Finley told me they were stepping down and putting me in charge instead."

Although it felt good to share such great news, Towhee hadn't forgotten Hydra's mention of continued conflict. "What happened to your younger sister, Hydra? And while I'm on the subject, how is Gannet doing?" Although she wasn't particularly close to her older brother, Towhee hadn't forgotten about the victim of Titmouse's poor judgment.

Hydra's tail waved as Towhee explained. She appreciated the backstory, but would not have needed it—she knew for a fact Towhee was capable as hell. She thought of having a celebratory spar, but noted the state Towhee was in. When she was patched up she would suggest it, she decided. We'll need to celebrate, Hydra decided, her expression playful, when you're all patched up. A spar, a little hunt, whatever. Your aunt Finley sounds cool, she added. That the woman saw what Hydra saw had her respect for the woman raise. Even if she knew that the woman was Liffey's mother, Hydra would not change her opinion. Sometimes, apples did fall far from the tree. She knew because Korei Julia was an absolute moron, and that had nothing to do with her mother or father.

Hydra exhaled. A wolf that smelled of Blackfeather assaulted my sister. A pack mate as able to prevent anything serious from happening, but... if he hadn't... it went without saying. Iliksis was his name. She thought of how Rannoch and Liffey would handle this: butterflies and rainbows. Hydra considered this option, but found it entirely insufficient. Any who harmed her family was as good as dead. I didn't get to see him, unfortunately, so I don't know how he looks. Just... be careful, she knew that went without saying, but cared enough to say it. Now that Blackfeather could be anywhere, it might be all the more of a dangerous setting.

As far as Gannet went, she continued. He's healing and doing well. In good spirits, actually, all things considered anyway. Towhee was an alpha, so she wasn't sure if she herself could visit, but she'd extend the invite anyhow. I totally don't expect you to be able to but if you or any family want to check in on him when you guys are all settled again, I am sure that would be okay, she offered with a wave of her tail. The snow was not the most conducive for his condition, which meant his own traveling to the Caldera this weekend was understandably unlikely. Still, seeing a familiar face might boost his spirits.

for my timelines sake I m gonna date this prior to Gannet being invited to join MSP, tho will make us a future thread cause I can't see her not sharing the news w Heehee anyhow

It bothered Towhee deeply that the Blackfeathers were still out there, wreaking havoc. Had they really won? Their enemies had been ousted from their home, only to be scattered through the wilderness where they were still free to assault the innocent and vulnerable. The new Alpha felt a pit in her stomach as Hydra explained the circumstances of her sister's attack. She swallowed against the bitter taste in her mouth.

Hydra followed up the bad news with some good news regarding Gannet. Towhee peered directly into her friend's face, as if searching for any sign of untruth, but of course she found nothing there. Some of the tension left her muscles. "That's good." Towhee paused, taking a moment to allow herself to feel reassured. "Could you let him know I expect him back as soon as he's able? I appreciate you tending to him but he really belongs with us," Towhee said, intuiting that Hydra would understand.

With that laid to rest, she revisited Hydra's earlier invitation. "I'd still like to meet on the regular to keep in fighting form. As soon as I'm feeling up to it, I'll come looking for you." She paused, tongue flicking from her mouth in a somewhat snakelike fashion as she scanned the woods thoughtfully before returning her eyes to her companion's face. "It sounds like it wouldn't be a bad idea to be prepared for further fighting. We should've killed them all..." Her gaze dropped and Towhee shook her head.

Hydra listened to her friend, nodding. She would share Towhee's sentiments with her friend as she had heard them. Though he likely would need to assist Moonspear for a while prior to that, she did not doubt he would be able to return to them when he was able. Hydra defined it differently, but it concluded to the same inevitability. Gannet was a Redhawk wolf, it was even within his surname, and so she understood the implication there. If it was something he desired, when he could, he would return.

The Beta was glad to hear that the other was willing to keep their spars going. Sounds good to me, Hydra said with a grin. As for her next shared sentiment? You've beaten them, once. If they are on their own now, they should be easier to take out. Just be on the lookout, she advised. After all, Hydra herself knew they were still out there. How many, she didn't really know, but the number was not important, only the outcome and the Blackfeather wolves reaction to defeat. She'd be on the lookout, too.

A howl in the distance caused Hydra's ears to prick, the left cupping backward as she heard a summons from her sisters. Hydra looked to Towhee and said, It's time I head back, my sisters need my help with something—it was good to see you, she said with a smile, 'til next time. Hydra shifted to depart, but waited to see if Towhee had anything else she wanted to say before turning on her heel and leaving.

Hydra's reassurance fell on deaf ears, though Towhee mustered a wan smile and a nod. "I know I don't need to tell you to do the same," she replied. They shouldn't have to worry—the Redhawks should have scrubbed the Blackfeathers from the face of the earth—but at least there were many capable wolves out there at the ready to break some necks.

Although Towhee couldn't hear the howl, she saw Hydra's reaction and understood. "Same to you. Take care," Towhee said simply, dipping her snout as her companion swiveled and made her exit. Once she was gone, she turned and smiled at her sister. As Orca rose to her feet, X swooped from his perch, and the party of three headed home to the caldera.