Moonspear steal away, alright

She had been keeping her patrols plentiful these days. Knowing what she did about the wounded Vale alpha her daughter's had brought to their home and sanctuary, she was not taking any chances to let her own defenses waver in the meantime. Even so, all was well for the time being, and the sun was starting its slow descent.  She took this time to begin back up the mountainside and made it to a small outcropping, then decided to loiter there a while without anything else needing her immediate attention. From here, she had a good view of both open skies and valleys below—the way she liked it.

With her geographical advantage paired with what she knew through the others in her family, she didn't doubt they would be fine, should it come to a head over the bad luck of Scimitar's son. But, her youngest pups roamed freely these days and an aggressive piece of her dared them to attempt anything over the lands she watched like a hawk, especially now that she wielded a valuable weapon in the form of her and @Charon's very capable trio of daughters. 

Amekaze settled in neatly upon this perch with, to contrast, thoughts roaming wildly in many directions. From the here to the now, then to the what was to come, she'd find a million places to be if she let herself.

With new intel gained from Rannoch in his wakeful hours, Hydra departed his company. Feathery Woods. Nyx. Two different colored eyes... All this, she could provide to her father and mother. They would know best what to do with it. Maybe they knew more than she did already; maybe one of them knew of these feathery woods, and Nyx. Time would tell. She found the trail of her mother soon enough, and hoped that @Charon would be with her, too.

*inserts self into Gerra's post for plot convenience* :p

Charon happened to be with Amekaze that day, sitting at the perch by her side, his thoughts roaming too. It was a short moment of peace that would surely soon be broken, for the one who had hurt Rannoch was still out there somewhere and he had been as close to them as the Glen. Charon felt far from safe. He'd left the pups in the hands of some of their pack members while he took a moment to clear his mind by Ame's side, in their favourite manner; silently. At least until he heard Hydra's swift approach.

It was quiet, and easy too with him at her side right where she fancied having him. Relative to all the other million matters to think about (her pups, patrols, winter, neighbors--just to start), and then be concerned with, she stole the precious pieces of relaxation from between the lines of all the rest. She knew she may as well while she had the chance. Soon, they'd inevitably be back to their rounds, or wrangling the younger whelps, or tending to something somewhere.

As soon as she realized it, she drew a slow, thoughtful breath and straightened herself up to behold the oncoming Hydra in full. Keenly, she turned her ears forward to give the yearling her attention.

When they both noted her presence, Hydra nosed them lightly before getting down to business. I spoke with Rannoch, she informed, He recalled smelling that scent before on a wolf from the "Feathery Woods". Her name was Nyx, and she began to describe the inky Nyx to her parents, just as Rannoch had, before saying, Nyx had informed Rannoch that her sister led. And Rannoch said that nothing was amiss that meeting. Meaning, there was still no motive for their pale friend to do what he did. Other than his (assumed by Hydra) lunacy. While Hydra had no intent to leave Moonspear to find this wolf, she wondered if perhaps it ran deeper than this. Maybe one of those wolves desired to see Moonspear pay for something, and mistook a nearby Rannoch for one of their own.

After a quick greeting Hydra quickly came down to business, disrupting the silent moment of peace that lingered between them. Charon was surprised to find out that it was someone from Blackfeather Woods (or so he presumed by hearing 'the feathery woods', as he knew no other woods with feathers in its name), or at least according to Rannoch. He wasn't sure why any of Potema's wolves would attack one of his — well, somewhat — though, especially so close to his territory. She knew they should stay away from Moonspear.

"Who is this Nyx?" asked Charon, knowing very little about Blackfeather Woods or its inhabitants beside Potema. He decided not to mention her right now, not yet, not unless it was necessary. "And what did they talk about then?" Maybe he'd said or done something to upset the wolves of the woods. Maybe he should make good on his promises and visit Potema.

Hydra went right for the point, and her expression shifted subtly, only growing more concentrated. "Ah, Blackfeather." she nodded, having no doubt there. "Yeah, I have never heard of a Nyx," she shook her head. "Nor do I know much of the current matters or leads Blackfeather. They have always been a pack that does not seem to want you to know much," she mentioned as a longtime somewhat distant neighbor of theirs who kept away. They were a pack shrouded in mystery, with a long-lasting claim on those dark woods and its boundaries marked with rotting corpses. To find they housed a wolf willing to attack without fear of self-preservation did not particularly shock her any, truthfully. But it did paint a different sort of stereotype to the wolves from there she had once known years ago, ones who could finish a kill.. and dabbled in purposefully in darkness.

Which had been a high consideration of hers. What did they gain, if anything, from murdering Rannoch? For the fun and sport of it? The thrill? To take what was his? Ame was suspicious of the purpose behind it all, although maybe that was just because she had some measure of interest in this now.

I'm not sure exactly, she admitted, and then described her appearance as Rannoch had to her to both of her parents so they would know her when they saw her. As for what they talked about, Hydra shrugged. I think Rannoch had said she had questions about the Vale. He did say she mentioned she cared about the neighbors, but he'd never seen her since. Didn't sound like anything went wrong, sounded like a typical meeting of neighbors, actually. And who needed to see the other again? Sometimes, you just needed to find out information on the other pack. That was fine. But why the bloodshed now? It was peculiar, to Hydra; although she was violent, it was not needlessly so.

Charon looked like he had seen a ghost when Hydra first began to describe Nyx — the mismatched eyes, the black coat... Could it possibly be one of his daughters? Specks of white didn't sound like the white splotch that he remembered on them though, and he was quick to wipe the feelings and expression of surprise off his face again as the conversation proceeded. He would have to settle this, because he didn't want Ame or anyone of his family and pack mixing into, well, this; whatever this was.

The conversation between Nyx and Rannoch was a casual one it seemed, and Charon thought little more of it. "Thanks for informing us," he told his daughter with an appreciative nod while he considered what to do next. Probably visit Blackfeather Woods, like he had said he would a long, long time ago and only had once.

To her, it wasn't usual to investigate new neighbors, so this Nyx coming to ask some questions about the pack didn't immediately raise red flags alone. Rannoch's pack's claim was a secluded place, not immediately nearby the Woods, and had not even been there all that long to establish enemies over ranged hunting turf or otherwise. From through her family mostly, what she knew about Rannoch, Cypress, and Rian--three figureheads of the Vale that she could name--they didn't strike as the sort to incite the wrath of others without due cause, which no one knew about either. It was years back but they had never come sniffing around the Sunspire, and it was closer to them than the Vale was. But, she was not willing to found her suspicion on that alone. Different leaders, certainly, and maybe something else fueled their interest in the Vale there. 

Yet even with what she knew now, Amekaze still could not figure out why and this was leading her to  wonder if there just wasn't a very good reason, plain and simple--all further testament to a reckless enemy perhaps? Not the easy answer that she'd like to have at hand, but it was even more confirmation on how to handle the notion of it all.

Still, it was only another possibility among so very many.. and not knowing the beginning of the depths of Charon's ties there, she was still tending towards a harsher outlook on them as a whole--mainly because she had the means to, although did see the worth in keeping enemies close--just in case. "Yes, thanks," she added as well with an appreciative nod that trusted Hydra would send other info their way if she got it. "I am curious of their real motive, if there was one.. and what their numbers are to back this up these days.. should they intend to make a habit out of random violence next to our mountain," she said, licking the backs of her teeth thoughtfully with mistrust towards these dark woods dwellers evident, but with a hint of interest keeping her eyes bright.

She would hear more, and volley her thoughts back and forth between her closest of wolves until it was time to move forward to action.