Wolf RPG

Can you help me?

She dropped the pair of lifeless birds beside the border and awaited an answer to her call. Some time had passed since her last conversation with the raven (@Hydra). Ying had thought on their conversation, had considered the factors which had become relevant since, and decided that it was time they take up another talk. She had little to offer, but hoped that her gift would suffice.

Hydra answered the call with one of her own, as she had been near. She was on her way then, thinking the call not to be one of crisis but rather of perhaps another wolf who sought to join their ranks. Another wolf she would need to turn away, if so; Moonspear was full, and it prospered. Even so she did not delay; she arrived swiftly enough, and recognized the features of Ying at once. 

From afar she noted the carcasses, but was more inclined to regard the fine features of the other. The woman looked in better sorts than when they had first met, and as far as the Ostrega could tell no new battlewounds. Good, she thought to herself; the other must have heeded her advice to some degree. The Queen descended expertly, her shadowy form separating from the ones it mingled with while in The Netherwood. It was easier to take the other in from here, and Hydra openly looked her over; she had not noted it before moving to fight the woman for challenging Isilme, but she looked to be a strong woman. The white woman was riddled with black along her spine, and it faded in a neat gradient fashion toward her ribs. Strong, and pretty too—a weapon if ever Hydra could recognize one. The Ostrega, experienced as she was, had taken in only what was necessary to before they fought—now, at the least, Hydra could appreciate Ying further. 

@Alya had been with her, and rather than keep to the shadows as well her mirror image observed from just beyond. Likely to see if Hydra was heeding her own advice in real time, Hydra imagined; she sensed @Lyra near, too, perhaps patrolling nearby. As of late the trio were never too far from one another.  

Once before Ying, Hydra stood silent and resplendent; in this light, her inky fur was not at all unlike the feathers of a raven, though the overhue of her own coat were deep shades of rich blues rather than the several colors their wings kept. She held her tongue for now, wondering what it was that Ying wished help in; she need not waste her breath or words to ask what Ying had come here to share, and so she simply waited for the other to reveal why it was that she had come.

Hydra's silent appraisal had brought about a slight unease. There were eyes watching from the shadows, ears listening from just beyond... Ying could feel their focus, but knew not where they might be found.

She cleared her throat and took a few steps back from the border, displaying a small show of slight submission. Do you know where I can find, uhm... — she searched silently for the word — fighters? Sol-diers? Her pronunciation wasn't perfect, but Ying was confident that she'd been understood.

This pack seemed to have no shortage of mercenaries, if their initial encounter was any indication. Ying didn't expect Hydra to offer up any of her own force, but figured that she would know best where to find others.

The submission was not missed, nor was the unease, the tells of which any common predator could glean. The question came then, and Hydra asked with genuine interest: for what purpose? Hydra inquired, interested. Did Ying seek to take down Rusalka? Or perhaps she wanted her family to suffer, now, for their betrayal. In any case, as Hydra thought of it, she thought she might know where Ying might find some fighters. Soldiers? Perhaps. Truthfully, Hydra had yet to test their mettle herself... but trusted that when employed, they would do what was necessary. 

That was assuming Ying wished to employ a wolf. Given that, she waited for Ying to elaborate so as to know whether or not that resource would even be desirable to Ying. If it was, the salt-laden woman could tell her just how good at their work they were... which was of great interest to the matriarch, as it happened.

Unfortunately, she was looking for something long-term. Ying needed wolves who she could bring back to the coast, as opposed to someone she might only use for a moment. Fighters, to make...I want to bring fighters for the coast.

At their last meeting, she had not discussed their plans to start a pack because at that time, she'd been unsure of whether it would happen. Remembering this, she added, For my family. Too many for just me.

She took an apprehensive step forward and pushed the birds closer. Had Hydra not seen them? She began to worry that her gift might have been in bad taste.

The other elaborated, and Hydra understood better. So, perhaps not the Nightwalkers then. To protect your family, she deduced with a flick of her notched ear. Hydra licked her chops and shook her head, gaze falling back to the two limp birds as Ying nudged them to her. Politely, Hydra graciously accepted them then—she had not wished to pluck them from the others side prior to them being offered. I thank you for your gifts, she hummed after depositing them alongside her. 

And then, for her answer: such wolves have found me, though I have never looked to know if there is a particular place where you might find such a sort. But all wolves can learn, she drawled, if they are willing to. But for the most part, Hydra saw many as pacifists. Hydra had been frowned upon for her own aggressive ways by those she had imagined, once upon a time, were friends. The betrayal did not change her way, of course. And as for Hydra, she would teach her own how to fight, how to protect, so that her children—and her family—were kept safe. 

Ying knew this, of course; it was likely why she had come to Hydra before any other. Hydra had provided her advice, in so many words: teach your family to protect themselves. If the protectors were not around to protect, the defenseless were as good as dead.

She nodded in silent acknowledgement, content to have formalities out of the way. Ying settled onto her haunches and canted her head in thought. Were the others willing? She didn't think so, based on what she had observed. No, not them, the guardian sighed with a mournful headshake, Too...just, not willing. They seemed too wrapped up in their religion, in stargazing and the like. It seemed pointless to Ying, though she would likely keep this to herself.

I want to help protect your family, too. I know you maybe not need this but, maybe I owe you something. Regardless of whether Hydra was interested, Ying planned to keep an eye on this pack. She shifted in her seat and looked away, wondering what to say next. And a lot of families. Like, a real jūnshì. This word, I not know it yet. A military, she wanted to say, and hoped would translate.

Hydra exhaled a heavy breath of understanding.

She wondered if these wolves were of any relation to Liffey, or Rannoch—or any of the other tenderhearted, jellyfish-spined wolves that had elected to follow after them. Were it not for the others accent, she might have taken the dark spine into account and come to her own conclusion, as she often did. As it stood she doubted it, given the dialect. That is a shame, she answered. At the very least, her own family was willing to fight for one another no matter the cost; it did not seem as though Ying's family would do that, with the exception of Ying herself.

Ying went on; Hydra found herself again surprised by the other. That Ying felt an impulse to protect her family warmed the matriarch a great deal; whatever the reason, Hydra found no reason to refuse it. True that they were more than capable of helping themselves and looking after their own as the seawolf had seen, but what was the fault in an extra set of teeth at their side? By several? 

It was something Hydra sought to build herself, albeit in different ways—and she did not have the word for it either. It was a shame Ying was not her own sister; what they could build! She wondered if her family was at all aware of how fortunate they were. For a moment, Hydra pondered if the sacrifice of one useless sister had brought forth another, better one forth from the seawater—but it was a silly little fantasy. Korei Julia's death did as much good for Hydra as her life had: nothing. 

She hoped Ying's family were wolves worthy of her. 

A group of fighters, she translated crudely, wondering if she understood jūnshì. Wanting to. Hydra reclined onto her own haunches, tail curling neatly around the left as she listened. Hydra had been working on the beginnings of such a thing, as of yet within her own mind, but all upon Moonspear; swords and shields of this place. Of this Wilderness as they expanded within it, too—which in time, they surely would.

Unfortunate, indeed. She often wondered what would come of their clans, should she be forced to leave them. What would come of the Jiangs following her death? With no plans to produce children and no interest in training the uninterested, Ying was sure it would lead to their subsequent demise. 

She nodded her head— A big one. Leading a group of mercenaries wasn't ideal, but it was a more attractive prospect than leaving her home defenseless. Can you help with this? Ying wondered if Hydra might be willing to put up some of her own subordinates, based on the clarification that, this is not a pack. Just, a force.

Yes, a big one. A woman who shared similar ideals with her, it was no surprise to her to hear it be so. The other spoke on, and Hydra listened quietly until she had finished, thinking for a moment. I feel I can speak freely with you, Ying, and so I will, she began with, open and candid. I have behaved as protector of others before. Those same wolves I protected watched my sister die as a cub, and saw the man who did it flee—and believed him innocent. I wanted to kill this man, but I never did—for their wrong belief. I stood beside other when I should have killed him when I had him in my reach, she rumbled darkly. 

And so now, I do not hesitate to do what I must do to protect my own. I will kill for them, without question. Without thought. And I have yet to regret doing so, Hydra revealed, still sitting neatly upon her haunches as she looked to Ying, looking for any indication of her thoughts upon her features. Hydra continued, lest the other think Hydra meant to refer to Ying as other. That was not how she meant this, not at all. 

So she went on: I seek to create in this Wilderness a place where my family is safe. Fed. Able to fight, and at the very least able to defend. I have wanted to build something, and build I will, she explained, but the coast—it is some ways away. I would need my fighters here when the children are young and defenseless; each set of teeth is essential in hunts then, and in fights... Hydra looked thoughtful for a moment as she regarded Ying. 

For she liked her vision, and as the others (mis)fortune would have it, Hydra was coming to enjoy her company. 

The matriarch did not suspect Ying, nor her seafaring sisters, would ever quit the Coast—but Hydra thought that perhaps Ying and her family had already settled nearer to the mountains. If they had not, would they? Hydra imagined Ying would tell her if they were close enough for this to be feasible, and for Hydra to have no reason to fret over proximity when it came to her cubs livelihood. With a rueful grin, Hydra drawled: if I could recruit you nearer to be a part of my vision, this growth, I would, she openly informed. If no one else would protect Ying, at least she could have counted herself safe among them.

Family is everything. She stared at Hydra and allowed a stale silence to brew between them, broken only by the quiet brush of air as she nodded her head in agreeance. For Ying, family meant more than a blood relation; it was a mantle saved only for the deserving. Rusalka had once been considered family, and though she no longer held them with high regard, the wolves of the plateau would always have her protection. Was it the same for Hydra?

The proposal that followed — if i could recruit you nearer — came as a shock. Ying looked up from her paws and knit her brow tight with consideration. How was she to respond? The trip to Moonspear was at least four days, and that was for the able-bodied. If something were to happen at home, how long would it take for her to know? She would have to think about it and weigh the options, which she hoped that Hydra would understand.

She swallowed and nodded her head. I have to think, Ying told her, but— With Hydra's forces, their military would be unstoppable. Who could place a hand before something so grand? I think this is smart. Smart? It was certainly ambitious.

For Hydra, it was not quite the same as Ying. Not anymore, at least. Once it had been. But she had lived, and she had learned. Those that you would protect and look out after would not do the same for you. No; they would make a monster out of you. You became the beast they warned their children about before they went to sleep at night—the monster they reminded you of when you awoke. There was a singular wolf Hydra trusted with her life beyond her blood relatives, and that was @Towhee who—in their lifetime together—had earned that. Towhee was able to recognize real monsters when she saw them; she was able to understand that not all family was good, as Hydra knew for herself, too, thinking of her late sister. 

Ying, though she liked, she was not yet entirely certain she could trust. That she had attacked Isilme was not forgotten after all. Trust was a thing that could be earned however, and Hydra was willing to give Ying the chance. So few lived up to her expectations... but as Ying arrived to her own final thought on the matter, Hydra thought that maybe Ying would. Pointless to hope, she knew. Better to wait and see. 

For indeed it was smart, and no doubt it was ambitious. Hydra was not a woman without ambition, and would see them come to fruition. 

The Queen nodded, beginning with, Of course, in understanding and appreciation both. Hydra would have thought less of her for accepting then and there, truth be told; good things took time. Took thought, too. All of Hydra's own ideas had more than enough of both, but Ying would need to determine for herself if she wished to be a part of her grand scheme. Take all the time that you need, the matriarch finished with, some amount warmer in her reception of Ying in knowing of their shared ideals.

What would the others think? She knew better than to assume that anyone would consent. They'd made a home on the island, as unbearably secluded as it might have been. Ying had only agreed to settle there because it was what her sisters wanted, and who was she, if not their keeper? Hydra's terms required her migration inland, away from the family. Surely, they would oppose this idea, the twins before any of the others.

But if they did, would it matter? Ying was not afraid of her sisters' ire. She didn't think that their feelings mattered, so long as they were safe. A heavy sigh was released as she thought through the potential consequences of her consent and wondered if they might outweigh the benefits. Thank you, Ying replied, offering a simple nod of her head.

There was something that she was forgetting. Jūnshì, liánméng... Where was @Riluo? If she was off exploring, which Ying had already assumed, then she could not be faulted. My small cousin is some-where. She comes to practice talking with leaders, about my group and your group. An alliance, this one less concrete.

Hydra nodded her head to the others thanks. After a thoughtful beat, Hydra considered for a moment. These wolves were sea wolves; she did not expect them to depart from their lifestyle. Nor was that a desire of hers truly. Hydra could see more than a majority of the coast from her homestead, and knew there was a coastline nearer to her than perhaps Yings was. For her to consider moving at all was what led Hydra to her own assumption that Ying was none too close. While Hydra could see the coast, she could not see the telltale sign of those that might populate it. 

So, that thought in mind, Hydra hummed: Perhaps before returning home, you could explore the coastline nearer to Moonspear. There is a Bay alongside a Grove that you might like... she hummed with a wave of her tail. Or perhaps you might prefer the Grove itself, she drawled. Ying spoke then of her smaller cousin; Hydra again found herself nodding just before asking What is their name? Though the matriarch did not doubt she would know of their relation from accent alone, Hydra always preferred to be certain. It seemed as though they might be coming here, or else was discussing such things elsewhere... she wondered at that. 

In any event, Hydra drawled: I should tell you. There are two wolves out there in the wild, somewhere, presently at large; Merrick, and Astara, she informed, before telling Ying of what she had heard them to look like. The solitary eye, the burnished furs; a creature black as wraith, a strange girl. The boy Merrick seeks to harm those who cannot defend themselves, I have heard tell—innocent children. Sometimes others, she thought of the mercenary. He does not know I look for him. It is best it stays this way. His companion seems to aid him; be it her whim or not, I care not to let vengeance outlive him. He accompanied the woman Caiaphas once, she finished. 

It was wolves like those Hydra would protect this Wilderness from. It was why she would be unrelenting in her own desire to claim it and take down any who might think to turn fang against her own. The blood she would see in return would be nothing next to what those mongrels had shed—they would know every modicum of pain they had brought onto others through her own terrible deliverance of evil. The hard look in her eyes revealed as much without her saying so; if Ying was a protector, as she said she was, she would know the look well.

Okay, she replied. Later, she would find Riluo and ask if she'd like to return early. Ying had more things to do before heading back to the island, but her cousin was under no obligation to join her. I will see this place, too. If nothing else, it might be a good place for her to set a second claim. The family would already have a safe place to retreat to, should something ever necessitate their move.

Hydra continued to speak, this time on a much more somber topic. Ying looked over either shoulder to ensure that there were no open ears around to listen. She turned her eyes downward, her brow tightening to a bend as she listened to what the Moonspearian implied. Merrick and As-ta-ra, she repeated, Do you know where? She didn't plan to visit them on her own, and especially not now, but knew that having an idea of their stomping grounds was important.

No, she informed in a disappointed manner, but not this Wilderness. At the very least Hydra could work to make this place a realm in which they would never come. All of Moonspear had, by now, heard tell of his appearance and his companions too; they knew to not engage him alone, and to kill him if they had backup. Merrick was a coward; if he died like one, or was killed in a less than noble fashion—she did not care. She removed the idea of honor when it came to wolves such as he. They did not deserve what they would never give, or ever be. 

So, I encourage you to be careful. Do not be so open with strangers until you are certain they can be trusted, if you can help it, she advised. Especially since those she ran with were not inclined to learn how to defend themselves. I wish you luck. If you catch wind of anything, do let me know, she requested finally.

If they lived outside of this domain, then it was unlikely that there would be an encounter during this trip. Ying heaved a heavy sigh of relief and nodded her head, I will. Assuming that was the end of their conversation, the guardian turned and began to walk away, chuffing low her temporary goodbye.

Hydra nodded, and watched Ying as she departed. Only when the she-wolf could no longer be seen did Hydra pick up the birds that had been brought and take them with her to meet @Dirge to share the fare, and inform him of all that had been discussed.