Moonspear These Thunderclouds

She'd lost all.
Friends, Family, home.
She had nowhere.
Nothing.
Even her own children, as young as they were, had gone missing.
She couldn't find either.

So she went to the only place she knew might give her salvation.
Moonspear.
She trekked up the mountain, looking for the border. She was so...so tired. She'd spent so long searching, cry, sleeping...nothing chased away the pain or the emptiness.

At last, she started to smell the faint scent of the border. So she stopped, tipped her head and called for @Jarilo.

@Andraste, @Dirge and @Hydra for visibility and all that

If it was salvation she sought, that was not what their mountain proferred; Moonspear was, simply put, a family knit pack. Hydra desired much from her subordinates, and always it was done; but they were family, and of course they would provide for their own. All but Moriko had proved to be a disappointment otherwise, and she imagined that Aurewen might not be long for this place once she did heal—perhaps her companion would follow. Strong men seemed to latch to soft women, and Hydra was not at all that—the only exception she had ever seen was her own mate, who had found his match in her.

The call for her brother was met by the Queen of the mountain herself, with little kindness; these borders were well attended to, and Hydra thought Phex too close for her own liking with her children able to navigate the mountain more by the day. Her tail was thrust over her hindquarters as she stared down her nose at the woman, features indifferent to the exhaustion the other wore. The other was at the lower reaches, well beyond Moonspears territory, but her protectiveness knew no limit when it came to her cubs.

Phex, fortunately, was not so close as for Hydra's protectiveness to become violent this hour.

I am Hydra, Moonspear's queen, she introduced, who are you, and why do you seek my brother? Came her inquiry, quick to get to the point. The social calls of others when her children would soon lurk were investigated before permitted, with good reason; she sought, with her nose, any indication that she may have crossed paths with wolves she would never allow near again. And none would be allowed within any longer, not with her children at risk, unless they were of Moonspear themselves.

Sorry for the wait!

Moonspear. She definitely had it right then. Relief sighed through her as she looked up to the impassive queen.
She was so tiny compared to her.

"Phex Arcaneskye." Her voice was quiet, dejected. "I met him once and I'm looking for a new pack." She could do it. She could get over her loss if she had something to put her mind to.

Where were her children? Gone forever? Did they run from her because Laroche wasn't alive and she was so fucking useless...
She swallowed the whine of loss, trying to hold her shit together. She couldn't be broken.

So, then—familiarity. Kinship, lastly. Hydra's gaze did not soften upon the other at their admittance; she was curious for her sorry state if only to ensure that whatever caused it would not effect her children in any detrimental manner. Tell me about yourself, Hydra then said, all that you would share, and all that you could bring to my family, she urges, tone softening a measure though her features were no less severe. For that family would become the others own; was that not what pack was?

She was implored to talk about herself. Trades surely. Someone like her would only want to know the useful stuff. She didn't seem to care much about why she was distraught.
Good, in a way. She didn't want her pain to be dragged out and shared and making others feel shit.
"I'm an astronomer," she remembered Jarlio telling her of the stars from here. She hoped she could see. "And I'm a real good scout. I know the Redhawks and Firebirds and Stormrift and Undersea." Of course, they were nearly all gone now so were effectively invaluable, but it was evidence for her having an ability to go out and represent her pack and find out about others.

"I've been learning to hunt too." Though she didn't know how to hunt on a mountain. What prey was even on one?

Hydra was intrigued and even appreciative to hear of the others abilities, though her interest in this all but ended when the other spoke of learning to hunt. You cannot hunt? the Queen asked, voice absent of judgment as she continued, How have you survived? She pressed next, curious. She had children who would learn how to hunt in the coming months, but to teach an adult? It seemed an absurd thing, too absurd; an adult involved in a packhunt not knowing how would make a mess of things. Winter was coming, and to be able to hunt was a necessity in those long and cold months—though evidently not, if this woman had gone on for this long without knowing how.

"I can." She replied quickly and firmly.
"I'm just poor at it..." She knew it would greatly displease Hydra, but surely having the access to learn and the willingness to do so would be good enough. She can do it, she'd fed herself and helped Laroche while he was sick.

She could evidently get by enough, though it was also clear by her hips starting to poke out from her body.
"I will learn and I will help for winter." She was defiant in that fact. She wanted to, had to. Winter was harsh and mountains seemed like places that would be hurtful. 

At this time, he was well away--what with his routine relatively upturned thanks to the tremors, plus what they brought, but when a call rang out for him specifically, it was not something he was going to ignore. There were a lot of questions already and he hadn't even made it to the borderlands yet; he didn't have much business with many others beyond.. and he certainly was not expecting anyone.

Anyway, after so long, he did finally arrive, a bit more wide-eyed and perplexed than he usually did. Phex..? he asked (not sure if he should be concerned yet) as he came striding up lightly, late, but dipping his head and tail down low to acknowledge his sister first and foremost. After that, he hoped to key himself into this, and get right up to speed as to why she was here, calling for him, no less.

Hydra's ear twitched atop her head as she clarified. With the rumblings of the earth and the prey already behaving strangely, she wanted no further disarray. Her children needed to eat; an accident on the part of Phex's inability would not help that matter. Jarilo came, then, and Hydra would fill him in as well as inform this petite woman that there was no place for her here. There was no remorse as Hydra drawled, with many mouths to feed, several of them young ones, I am looking for capable hunters. There are other more flexible packs, and I wish you luck with them. Winter comes quickly, and I do not have time to spare to teach my children and an adult, she finished, ears twitching. Her tone brooked no argument, not by Phex or by Jarilo.

Friendship would not keep their bellies full, or the bellies of her children. Hunting was but the bare minimum of what would qualify anyone to become a part of their pack—without that simple ability, they could not be welcome. That did not mean Jarilo could not be her friend; his social life and who he befriended was entirely up to him, and she would never begrudge him that.

She stared up at the woman who commanded power. She owned the mountains; a mountainous queen. And she wasn't ashamed to preach it.
She felt smaller than usual. In Shadewood, she was dwarfed by trees but she felt safe and that she belonged. Like she could command.
She'd lost all.

Jarilo had come, but she knew that she wouldn't be allowed to Moonspear. 
She offered a smile to her friend. Did he even consider her a friend?
Suddenly, coming here just seemed...very bad. "I understand." She confirmed. She had to move on.
Phex smiled at Jarilo weakly. Hydra had spoken and she was right, she wasn't cut out for the mountain life, it seemed. 
"I came seeking a place to stay, but Hydra is right. I probably won't be useful in the winter." She knew Jarilo was pragmatic, likely thought the same. 

A few heartbeats into this, and he swiftly could realize he had come probably at a bad time. At least, a time he would rather not participate in. However, his ears folded back and he eyeballed Phex's let-down acceptance as it all contrasted to Hydra's firm decree.. leaving him to simply swallow thickly, for if Phex wasn't going to make a greater case for herself, how was it his place to try to help it any? If she did want to gain the skills to survive and be one of the mountain's sorts, he believed all it took was some solid determination--and a will to want it in the first place. Maybe she didn't have that, anyway? Maybe he would find out more later, or.. not.

Jarilo wished he had something of actual worth to his sister to add then, but he came up terribly short. Still, he stayed though, wearing a bit of a frown to suggest his outlook.

Wrapping this puppy up!

 

Hydra, too, noted how the woman did not advocate for herself. That the other did not see their own worth was a problem in of itself; there was no passion, no hope, and any interest Hydra may have had was quick to disappear entirely on that note. If she did not think she would be useful in the winter to come, there was nothing for her here. 

In any case, there was nothing else for her to do here. Nothing else for Phex, either. Glancing toward Jarilo, Hydra hummed, I will let you two catch up, knowing he would not permit her into the territory with her children there (having already decreed this was no longer acceptable to all); if he wanted to maintain this friendship, fine, so long as none of Moonspear—himself included—suffered for it. With a curt nod to Phex, Hydra moved to continue her patrol.