✴ The scent of death clung to the boy as he scaled the mountain, looking in every nook and cranny for something to play with, to plunder, or to otherwise keep himself entertained. He had been busy on the lower reaches of their claim for a few hours that morning; the scent of raccoon had baited him beyond the territory fringe and upon finding himself faced with a mother and it's weak progeny, Revui had bayed for his brother and they had torn the tiny family to pieces. But now he was alone, and the blood of the strange creatures had since dried across his platinum coat and muddied his chin and throat with deep browns.
He was, to be frank, increasingly bored. It had been an easy hunt and a quick kill, leaving Revui with a yearning that he had not felt before. He wished the fight had lasted a little longer (like the wolverine had) or that it had gotten his blood pumping faster (like the mother doe had) but as he climbed the mountain, he was met with nothing but the howling of the wind and the eddies of mist along his favorite ridge.
Hydra would soon be taking her brief journey, but before she left she wanted to add to their cache. She caught a whiff of something that was a couple of days old, and her ears pricked atop her crown with instant interest. Typically, this was not a scent found alone... but it was so. As she drifted left and right, sniffing at the earth, to confirm this, Hydra licked her chops once she had.
Her tail waved. This kill, for her, would be an easy one.
The Beta picked her way down the very same ridge her brother was working his way up. Her nose had been pressed to the earth as she diligently searched, not once losing her trace. The one that left it was young, and thus did not know how to throw and confuse its natural predators.
✴ Any child born on this great mountain was told the stories of the Cerberus, and they were fortunate enough to be taught directly by the three sisters; thus, even within the ethereal drift of the mist, he could see and recognize this sister with ease. They were an identical set, but somehow the children always knew which one had caught their attention. Revui saw her — this great black shape — and felt a series of emotions that vaguely registered.
She had been his favorite, up until she had taken Arcturus as her pupil. Then he had felt jealousy in sharp contrast, and subtle resentment. No such emotion colored his mind now as he pursued her across the mountain's many paths, for he had found himself a playmate and was eager to get to work. A part of Revui would always wish to prove himself the better brother — but he loved Arcturus too, in his own way, and no matter how much they competed for the affection and attention of their family, that would remain constant.
Revui did not make a sound as he hoisted himself through a narrow culvert of stone, and scrambled for a moment until he was situated on the next ledge; from there he could take after Hydra and avoid a cluster of twisting forest where the mist had become so thick that the trees all but vanished. He was soon on her heel, and it was at this point that he yipped lowly to seek attention.
Each of her senses were alight. She knew her brothers well, after all. Though she had taken Arcturus as a pupil, she was coming to see the worth of Revui, too. When he did not know it, she watched him. It became apparent to her that Arcturus worked well with others, and best beside Revui. If she wanted him to do anything, he would, without question—but she imagined he would do it with more pomp and passion if Revui were with him.
Revui's savagery was one Hydra enjoyed witnessing, and she imagined she would enjoy cultivating what was already there.
Hydra's ears cupped backward. Mist subdued sound, and muffled the scrabbling of blunted claws as Revui made his way to her. But the rolling mist shifted, and she did not earn her mastery from being caught off-guard; her head turned sharply, and her ears pricked alertly forward, interested by who she may be met with. This deep in the territory, she was not so concerned with it being a trespasser. Her sharp eyes caught sight of Revui, then, (much to her pleasure) who blended well with the stone and the mist that surrounded them. She observed his grisly features and grinned as she lifted her head, and then gestured to the earth that lay before her. He was large enough where perhaps, once she found the animal, she could simply have him do the work for her. It might take him more time, but Hydra had more than enough practice in the craft to be confident in her ability to step in should she need to.
But she did not think that she would.
The critter was not close to here, yet, and so it would take time... but she was eager to test his patience, and him.
✴ He did not know what the woman was chasing, but he knew his sister. She was well versed in many things and had become something of an idol to the newest litter on the mountain; her sisters too, with their many and combined skills. Whatever Hydra had found would prove to be an entertaining thing, a thrilling and bloody spectacle if Revui had any part in it, so he followed doggedly after her with as much speed as he could muster. The graying of the world around him was something of an oddity though, and as he was too young to have experienced such strong fog, he was slowed by it. Revui was indecisive where usually he was the type to run in, break things, and never ask questions.
She resumed moving, having assumed he had followed her brief instruction.
Hydra heard him trudge behind her, and noted when his trundling steps slowed. She was impatient and did not desire to waste any time, but paused until he could be seen again. Hydra gave a far more pointed look to the earth, now, her features far less friendly than moments ago, and instructed verbally, as he had not picked up on her nonverbal cue moments ago: smell. When your eyes cannot see, your nose and ears will guide you.
She knew this well; Hydra, after having removed the eye of Titmouse, tested combat with her eyes closed... and once she trusted herself, navigating Moonspear. And in this weather, ones eyes provided very little assistance except for the minor detail that may appear in front of them... if they were lucky. Hydra waited to be certain her brother heeded her words before moving on.
✴ The tone in her voice made him leer at her for a split second, but he understood. If any of them would understand the wordless guidelines of the natural world, it would be Revui — but his concentration had lapsed in that moment. He was present now, and took what she said and adjusted his approach. Rather than looking around he listened, he tasted the air with a sharp breath in through the nose, and then another in to his mouth so that the taste of the air would drag across his tongue. He thought he had it — whatever it was — and bolted after Hydra, only to pass her and delve through the fog in pursuit of what he thought was the prize.