Moonspear like the legends of the phoenix, all ends with beginnings
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#1
When she had dropped Dirge off to his warm and comfortable spot for his first night upon Moonspear, Hydra went first to her mother and father (@Charon and @Amekaze) to share with them of her new recruit, and next, to her sisters. They need not even ask her a thing about what had transpired for her to share it all with them. I think he may be the one. Do you remember talking about that, @Alya? When things just click and it's just right? Alya and @Lyra gushed over this, and a very triumphant Hydra sat, flattered, as they fawned over her and the details she shared. It's too soon to tell, though! She urgently added, looking away coyly. 'Is he handsome?' Terribly, Hydra mourned—a man who looked as he did, surely she would not be the only with eyes on him... 'Well, you are beautiful, Hy, so-' and simultaneously, the triplets said, it's perfect... Hydra stepped into their circle and rest her head on Alya's withers as Lyra wrapped around her. She fell asleep with a smile.



The following night, Hydra strayed away from the borders and upward to where she had brought Dirge. She was certain by now that he would have found Charon and Amekaze, though also wanted to give him time to acclimate. She kept herself busy with her duties, marking and scent-rolling on the borders to solidify their claim. Her tail twitched behind her as she looked to the skies. With the sun now beginning to fall, she determined she had waited long enough—and this was why she moved through the forested area of Moonspear, ascending to the location she had left him.

He would be hard to spot in the leaves, were he here. The wind could not sweep these fallen ones away, as it was sheltered so perfectly by the walls of the mountain. It was warmed by the light of day, and even snow had a difficult time penetrating this part of Moonspear. Undoubtedly, it was the best spot for a travelworn wanderer who wanted to feel secure and warm both. The leaves would soon disintegrate into the earth, but as it stood they still loitered the floor around her. She moved toward the tree she had shown him, the one with a root that jut upward and made for a perfect hidey-hole if he did not feel like sleeping in the open that night. Dirge? She called, wondering if he was here at all or if he might be exploring more of Moonspear now. She figured more than just one night of rest was needed to recuperate, but Hydra became aware now that he might not be here.
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#2
By the time nightfall hit the peaks again, the snow of the previous day had mostly melted. It still clung to the bark of trees, tucked itself away in the crevices of stone, but hid among the leaf litter. Dirge had been thankful for the warmth; things felt a lot better now that he didn't have a frosty wind nipping at his nose after all. Then there was the locale he was in too... this pack. He may have felt like he was wearing a scarlet letter to stand out but it may have been far from the truth.

Especially when the familiar tones of Hydra was calling out for him. He had spied her through dappled sunlight from between bare branches, but she had not quite found him. His golden gaze settled on her for lengthy seconds, watching as she listened and let her gaze roam around. It wasn't so much as he was blending in as he was hidden, letting the forest swallow him whole. He did not remain still for long though, rising from his reclined position just when he thought her to be giving up.

"Not much of a wood nymph are you, Princess," he commented, drawing up a knavish smile once more. "Why you even looked right at me for the longest time." It was a lie, unless her vision was so sharp she had seen him when he had thought her someone else at a distance. But the teasing seemed necessary, and his curiosity of how she would respond carried intrigue.
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#3
The rustling of leaves was swift to draw her attention, and her head snapped in the direction Dirge had actually been settled in. Her ears pricked at his words, though it is his chosen nickname for her that brings a smile on her face to start with. And then there was that smile, the one that caused her stomach to somersault in a manner that both startled her and left her wondering what that exactly meant. 

I will leave that role to you, Hydra drawled as she approached him slowly, continuing: I've never seen someone be so one with the earth, she said with a laugh. Dirge, a wood nymph! He truly did blend right in—in fact, she nearly missed the leaf hanging by a thread from his cheek—and she knew for certain she had not laid eyes on him, though he teased. I didn't see you before, Hydra said as she approached him slowly, attempting to do so in a manner that was appealing, but I see you now— obviously. But now she was quite close to him, close enough to attempt to dislodge the leaf that clung to his face with a warm puff of air. 

She smirked as she retreated, trotting away but keeping to their alcove, and looked back to him over her shoulder.
I'll find that you'll find that I'm lethal
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#4
She drew herself up at the sight of him, drawing closer with a riposte swift on her tongue. The closeness bordered being too much and would have for another he suspected, if not for the game they played. His expression, however neutral as he could muster, betrayed whatever secrets his eyes held within. Her boldness was interesting; he wondered how far it would go. But she was pulling away on a puff of air, leaving him to linger for moments before he fell behind her wake.

"Calling me dirty, are you?" he rejoined with humored offense as he caught her gaze. Truth be told, he probably was a little dirty, though the reference hadn't been lost on him. But he thought himself not a nymph at all—he hadn't led her away from a chaste existence. "I'm afraid it will take more than pulling fiendish burrs and knocking leaves off to make me clean," and he may as well have meant that in more than one way. While he may not have been as compulsively clean as his dark-haired counterpart, there was a certain standard to be had. He had noticed hers.
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#5
BASED OFF DIS
She grinned at his retort, and even as he went on Hydra did not detect he might have more than one meaning—after all, Hydra had no real knowledge on the birds and the bees—and took it for what it was. I've something in mind, Hydra offered. He had mentioned a bath, after all, and Hydra had very recently discovered another gem Moonspear harbored.

Hydra darted past him again, her tail waving. Come with me, she invited, gesturing to her shoulder. Their walk would be a short distance away, and the yearling was eager to show him her finding. She moved forward, glancing over her shoulder to see if he followed. Only once she was certain he was did she lead the way.

They arrived in no time at all. She scaled her way downward, steam surrounding the vicinity alone due to the natural wall the mountain provided here. Stone walls within the water separated one hot spring from the next, totaling to three. Small falls fed the waters, which varied from hot to luke warm. Each began shallow, though there was the possibility of swimming if one moved to the deeper parts. Hydra moved toward the center pool, testing the waters by gingerly tapping them with her paw. It, to her, was perfectly warm. She glanced to him with a satisfied smile, her tail swaying at her hocks. Hydra had provided Dirge with everything he had said he desired—a warm place to sleep, good company, and lastly (but certainly not least) a bath.
I'll find that you'll find that I'm lethal
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my beating heart, love
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#6
As he followed her, he wondered what it was that she had in mind. So far she had been full of surprises. While he wasn't about to discover all the mysteries she held, learning about a few of them would keep him intrigued for some time. As silence came between them in their shirt jaunt, his gaze wandered ahead of the course they took to draw in the scenery. In daylight, Moonspear was impressive. The height of the jagged crag seemed to rival the memories of the mountains he had been born near. They were heights that Dirge hoped to explore in due time, at least once he felt he had secured his place within the pack for the winter.

And entertaining those thoughts was a passing thing as well, for the sound of rushing waters grabbed after his attention. It seemed Hydra was calling him dirty after all. But what revealed itself to them around the next rocky bend was not some stout waterfall—it was steam. Like a humid curtain, it seemed to pull away from the pair as they started across the damp stones... which were warmer than Dirge would have thought for winter. The concept of what they really were was lost on him for a moment, almost until Hydra had dipped her toes in the warm pool.

"How luxurious of your pack to have hot springs too," he commented. It humored him; he would have never guessed a bold tongue to get him this far, or to find that there were little treasures like these. He would have never found it on his own, at least not as long as a pack laid claim here. Not wasting another moment, he too slipped into the pool to come alongside her. It was not a difficult thing to adjust to, as where the water felt cool it betrayed the warmth it held at its stony bottom.
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#7
How luxurious, indeed. Moonspear is full of surprises, she informed him. This is only one. I'll leave the rest for you to discover, she offered with a smile. He had plenty of time to do his research; Winter had yet to truly set in, though there was no doubt of its coming. Her gaze panned to the surrounding trees that had been laid bare by autumns particularly cutting winds. Leaves still lingered here, too; her eyes traced one doing pirhouette's within the water.

Dirge was soon beside her, and her gaze shifted back to him. Mutely, the sylph moved until she was chest-deep within the waters. Though the air surrounding them still had its bite, the temperature of the pools were soothing and satisfying both. It was perfect for a day like this, and she suspected the hotter pool would be perfect when winter gripped Moonspear. Perhaps not though—one might make themselves a popsicle in the process of drying off.

The view could perhaps be better, but she had nothing to complain about—if it were, the surrounding area would certainly be far colder than it was at present. Come to think of it, Hydra thought to herself as she turned to look at Dirge, the view is perfect... Oh, there was no denying the tawny, strong wolf before her was a mega-babe. And the way the light hit him at present—what wasn't to admire about the scene before her? Come on in, Dirge—let's get you clean, she quipped. He wasn't all that dirty—but any excuse to get him up close and personal? She'd use it.
I'll find that you'll find that I'm lethal
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#8
"So you were calling me dirty," he quipped from shallower waters. She had that look on her face again, one where she took an assessment of him. One, he deigned, that probably suggested she was trying to figure out how to wash even the clingest of grime from his ears. He drew out the seconds with narrowed eyes in mock offense before the wave of his tail got the better of his act. No, that gaze was something of an appraisal and for lack of better ideas he went along with it.

The dropoff to deeper waters did not take him as unaware as he would have thought. While the stony bottom was still there, it had yet to be slick as he thought. Perhaps the warmth kept it from such things, or maybe this hidden gem wasn't so hidden at all. His steps carried him to her, where he stopped mere inches from her muzzle to hold a curious gaze.

"And how do to intend to get me clean, hm? Do you think all the earth will just wash right off in a dunk?" Or maybe she intended to drown him here, idly keeping him hooked in conversation while more nefarious thoughts bubbled beneath the dark surface. Such a thought didn't come to him, but he did not think she was all prim and proper. A game was afoot, of that he was certain.
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#9
His response was met with more playful teasing: It is good to know you are perceptive, and his tail-twitch indicated, to Hydra, that he knew that she was only jesting. As he waded into the waters and closer still to her, Hydra circled him in a loose manner to arrive, eventually, at his side. She had no intentions of playing the shark today, though she was an exceptional one when she wanted to be.

It might, Hydra said with a smirk, though I was more thinking... you scratch my back I scratch yours, so to speak. There are some places I just can't reach, she informed, gesturing toward her shoulders and shrugging them. Normally my sisters help, but, while I have you here... she smiled at him. There was not much work to be done on her, and she knew it—Hydra did take care of her own hygiene, after all. Still, it was a flirty ploy to bring him even nearer to her—though she had no desire, yet, to push the boundary further. I'll repay the favor, of course, she said with a grin, peering at him with warm eyes.
I'll find that you'll find that I'm lethal
so lay your hands across
my beating heart, love
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#10
A remark about perception ignited and dwindled to naught on his tongue; Dirge believed only a lesser hound would have been foolish enough to get bitten. She had turned into that pit viper again and he, well, he was no master snake charmer. There were no lavish stories like the one he found himself in now, and any past ploys had come from behind curtains and closed doors. Most of which, he would not admit, were in failure. Every word off his tongue was precise, every decision only blind in pretend.

He hovered over her flank with distant interest and that too was feigned. He heard every word, thought he got the gist of her intent, but also had enough smarts about him not to try anything funny. He was not a lesser hound—he did not know how to be to begin with—all was in trial and error. So far, he had made the right choices; a lesser hound would have been disappointed by bridled interests. When her dark gaze alighted on him once again, he met it and held it with a long, pursed smile.

"Sounds fair enough," he replied, "and I suppose if I mess up their handiwork you have a name to give them." Little did he know, she had probably handed it out already. Maybe all of them knew about him from stem to stern. "Now normally I would say ladies first on such things, but seeing how I am no master pamperer, perhaps it would be best that you demonstrate." If he were so dirty, then it would do him no good to dirty her too, would it?
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#11
Dirge was willing, to her pleasure, to oblige her—and as he spoke of a name to give, Hydra smirked. Oh, they knew his name already. But there was a worse fate than that, she believed, and it was being unknown by them. What a terrible life those not blessed by she and her sisters must lead! That's right, and you wouldn't want to upset them, she forewarned playfully—though there was much to take serious in the statement. Cross one, cross them all, that whole ordeal. Her eyes flashed at his words, 'master pamperer'—she was more used to being the one being pampered than doing the pampering, but for him, she would try.

Well, we musn't have you confused as to how to properly pamper me, and the lack of vagueness was direct enough to assure him that he ought not to be pampering others, though her tone was all sugar. She drew backwards, inspecting him now. Truthfully, his hygiene was not bad—but she had enough to work with, at least. He was a man of nature, and not shy of this, as no wolf should be. Her muzzle dipped in the water to attempt to splash between his shoulder-blades, before she moved even nearer. May I? Hydra inquired, awaiting for his express consent prior to 'grooming by Hydra' began.
I'll find that you'll find that I'm lethal
so lay your hands across
my beating heart, love
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#12
He felt to hold up his promises, his ends to the bargins, there had to be a certain standard set. Perfection as one willed, though even Dirge knew there were far too little things that were perfect. The illusion of such would always be there, but when it came down to it they were far from perfect creatures. Yet there was always that opportunity to make the attempt.

He nodded for her to begin, coaxing himself into relaxing. It was hard to let his guard down all the way, and it was fair to say that wouldn't dwindle in its entirety. These were still strange lands and even with their banter, he did not know what to expect, but it was a start.
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#13
When he permitted her nearness, Hydra began. With the waters aiding her, Hydra's fangs were proverbial combs, nibbling to untangle the unseemly knots and gently raking through otherwise. She utilized her tongue, as well, to remove dirt—she was quite gentle, throughout the process. The grooming ritual was therapeutic to Hydra, and she fet all the closer to Dirge for it. In truth, to be groomed was her favorite bonding activities, and though she oft only repayed the favor to her sisters she felt the benefits in growing closer to Dirge were, well, limitless. He was bold, and not shy, and daring enough to contend with her. But how was he at grooming others? That was absolutely essential; Hydra was a savage wretch, but he could not have been more on point with his created nickname for her. Ah, well, that was why she was doing what she was doing now, wasn't she—to show him how it was done.

It was a mind-numbing, blissful task. Hydra preened at him, moving toward his neck. She knew for survival reasons it was a sensitive spot—but having endured the grooming from only her sisters otherwise, she did not think of the, well, more delightful aspects of it—and so slowed as she cleaned the apex of one shoulder, noting the muscle there.
I'll find that you'll find that I'm lethal
so lay your hands across
my beating heart, love
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#14
As he soon found, she was more gentle than the warrior-esque vibe told. He had expected her to pull and gnash the thick winter coat if tangles were to be had but it was the opposite. A certain gentleness came forth in the silence of her work and it was obvious that this was something she took time and pleasure in.

For him, what started out an awkward situation melted away into blissful ignorance; soon marked the time where his eyes half-lidded as she fretted over a particular hot spot along his shoulders. He fought the temptation to try and help her by craning a hind leg to scratch, and it was soon to pass as she trailed along the curve of his shoulder and to the base of his neck.

There, it was a different story. With prickling guard hairs rising, he did not contain the bubbling of a growl that was marked in half unease and content. It rumbled low in his throat, his ears curving back along his skull. He shifted slightly—but not away—as his head lowered to better let her reach.
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Between the quiet trickling of water and the movements made, it was no wonder the duo were at such peace. A growl came forth from him as she neared his neck, and she lingered another moment longer at a spot she worried over. He seemed to be enjoying himself, and she was too; the ritual had a calming effect upon her. And once he seemed to stretch out, Hydra moved onward. The invitation meant implicit trust, Hydra realized. 

For the short time they had known one another, they reached a significant milestone—this was what was on her mind as Hydra moved, slow and meticulous and careful near the area every wolf protected without question. She was all the more sweet for it, and her tail swayed behind her as she nibbled and coaxed out unruly tufts of fur with her fangs, exhibiting a surprising amount of patience as she worked. The waters assisted, loosening what might have been an issue otherwise.
I'll find that you'll find that I'm lethal
so lay your hands across
my beating heart, love
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#16
His thoughts drifted.

Where to was everywhere and nowhere all at once; the equanimity of this newfound situation lulled him not unlike a lamb led by mother ewe. His reservations slipped off to a thoughtless abyss, fading out much in the way his murmuring rumbles dissipated to nothing. Surely there was no way he would match her efforts, no way he could detangle such knots in the plush undercoat while picking through courser hairs. Perhaps most of all there was absolutely no way he could take something so simple, so mundane, and make it as intimate as she had.

His sedation wavered, eyes fluttering open to focus on sunkissed stones miraculously dry despite a wet locale. Dirge drew in the crisp air as her teeth worked yet another knot leftover from another time, and on exhale pondered what would come from this bewitchment. Nary an impure thought came to him here; he thought on a larger, grander scale. The world had changed rapidly in just a few days and his horizons had broadened. He wondered, rather simply, what it was he was getting himself into.
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#17
Hydra continued her ministrations, giving him a proper grooming. By the time she was finished with her work, the sun had shifted its position in the sky. Hydra looked him over and smiled. All better, she hummed, and appreciated her handiwork. He was handsome either way, but now he had... some sort of sheen to him. It was something that more likely than not she mentally fashioned, but she felt accomplished for it.

The Beta moseyed closer to him, inviting him to try his hand at it. He, blessedly (perhaps more for her than him), would have less knots and the like to deal with as her grooming was something she took care of regularly (each of her sisters were certain to perpetually look their Sunday best). She looked forward to the process—it was a primal, instinctual thing that Hydra favored.
I'll find that you'll find that I'm lethal
so lay your hands across
my beating heart, love
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#18
The comfortable teance was gently broken; a throaty hum of appreciation left him as she finished. Though he could not see her handiwork, he believed she had done more rhan her share of work. His own, he believed, would be a far cry in comparison. Grooming did not have the same ritualistic value that she put into it. His own kin had held fast to some state of wildness in their tousled coats, even if there was a certain decorum that they did follow. In time he would no doubt return to that, but he wouldn't reject this ordeal. His gaze sought her own as she shifted ahead, and wordlessly his muzzle came to hover over the dark hairs of her shoulder.

Dirge surveyed the curves there, drawing in her scent among others on inhale. He began gentle, teeth raking through her topcoat. There may as well been not a single hair out of place until then; she seemed far more relaxed on contact than he had been. But every comb and tease was trial and error and he listened with a turned ear for signs that it was wrong or right.
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#19
As he begun, Hydra settled. It was clear his experience here was limited, but Hydra knew that he would learn. Besides, it certainly wasn't bad. It was quite good, actually—for an amateur, he was doing well. She leaned into his touch and relaxed, quite comforted by the ritual. It was a soothing process, and she was glad to think she had no knots to potentially ruin the experience. No, all things considered, this was going brilliantly. Her own mind entered a comfortable fog, numb in her contentedness with their procedure. The half-lidded gaze revealed as much, her breathing deep and slow in her relaxation.
I'll find that you'll find that I'm lethal
so lay your hands across
my beating heart, love
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#20
He remained aware of the state she slipped into, every touch lighting on the pattern he worked himself into. It was mimicry of her own, no doubt with the subtle flares he was bound to add. The wandering of his gaze also began to happen as well, the closeness between them offering him the advantage to trace over her visible curves, to study the muscles that relaxed beneath his gentle touch.

As he smoothed the guard hairs of her shoulder, his gaze returned to the unusual angle that profiled her face. A lesser hound would have taken advantage of such a moment and though he was certainly in anything to his own favor, desire was not something that bloomed here. His interest did not include betraying her trust, though there was a building temptation to tease the ear closest to him. Instead he worked along the rise of her neck and let his eyes close, focusing on feeling out anything out of place.
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#21
Hydra was no mind reader, perceptive as she could oft be, and in the arena of desire, well, she had much to learn. The Beta was young yet, and the only desires she had were for her family to succeed in anything and everything. But this was something that felt good to her, and so she leaned in all the more to his touch. As she had his moments ago, he now had her implicit trust. As he moved toward her neck, she even revealed the length of it to him—near her jawline there might be something out of place, given that was the one area she could not reach with her own teeth. Alya and Lyra had thus far been the only two to ever have access to this part of her, but there was a feeling that bloomed within, a feeling she vaguely recognized that was quite similar to the way she felt when she had seen his grin, that caused her to. It was a thoughtless thing, one she was not aware of.
I'll find that you'll find that I'm lethal
so lay your hands across
my beating heart, love
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#22
She stretched beneath his combing and he followed thw curve of her nape, ever gentle. He reached further to test the waters, at first tentative to the position she put him in before settling comfortably with the newfound purchase. He understood this gesture of extended trust, but why she had chosen him to place it with was uncertain. Perhaps she was a better judge of character than he; perhaps this was some trap or test he had to pass without error.

Finding a tangle at least, he set to tousling it free. His stance shifted to give him better ground to work. Ever aware of their closeness, his focus stayed wholly there lest he pulled it—the last thing he wanted was to anger her here. It seemed not at all a feat to put him down here with a lower guard. He tugged once then twice with precision, freeing the tangle before he set to smooth it. And when such ministrations came to their end, the two slipped away.