Moonspear Dear prodigal, you are my son and I-

AW though I know Kit wanted a @Hydra /Bronco thread so here's anodder one. AND THE RAIN STARRRRTS.

It'd been drizzling when Bronco left the den that he shared with Meerkat after giving her a fond kiss on the forehead. He knew her day would be just as busy- and tiring- as his would be, and that they were both getting a wake-up call, after having moved to the mountain. It would take some time for them to acclimatize to living on the mountain, but Bronco, for one, was pleased that it was, at least, a bit cooler on the mountain than it had been at the Copse. That close, hot and sticky forest of trees had been almost unbearably humid for quite some time. 

But the humidity was different about the mountain- it took longer for the mist to lift, and on a day like this, it didn't seem like it would. A dense fog hung about the tall cedars that grew along the borders, and the drizzle he'd felt had turned into a light shower by the time he reached the borders. The scents left behind by his packmates had already begun to blur slightly, so he moved along, reinforcing them. It wasn't too hard to find his way along through the swirling mists- though he stopped, frozen in time when he caught sight of something small nd greyish-black moving through the mist toward the slopes of the mountains. A fox. 

And while Bronco was still leery about hurting another wolf...His prey drive kicked into gear seeing the fox, and he immediately let out a loud bark of warning- and took off after the fox. It paused for a second- and began to run, unknowingly heading further into the packlands, which was not alright by Bronco. He carried on in hot pursuit of the fox, swerving this way and that way to cover the distance and avoid all the obstacles that came up in his path...It was exciting, to be chasing prey through a terrain he did not yet know...It added a challenge, and he enjoyed it.

There was something in the air. 

Hours before the rain began to fall, Hydra had noticed a shift in the winds. In her three years, she had never before detected such a thing... not like this. But the feeling was not at all unfamiliar in that just before the prey had gone, things had felt off. The scent in the air indicated to her that the clear sky would change soon to hold the bloated nimbus overhead, but the air was thick and heavy with something beyond humidity. 

When it began to drizzle, Hydra looked to the sky overhead. She howled to Moonspear and advised them to keep close to home—something was not right. The matriarch had a mind to inspect the Glen to be sure her children who might be hunting there would return. She knew @Osiris had gone to inspect the territory with the idea to find their next target for a pack hunt to come. And now she wished he had not gone at all, but he would hear the call and know it was time to return... as would the rest of her family. 

Another shift in the wind—the matriarch detected the scent of fox and her newest subordinate heading her way. It would be good to expend her nervous energy sooner rather than later in bloodsport, and Hydra set off in their direction with a rumble, strides lengthening to bring her to them all the sooner.

I like refreshing the page just to see the lovely variety of artwork you have for Hydra's avatars :3

In places, the water had begun to well up, so he splashed through puddles and skidded across wet grass every time the fox attempted to throw him off its trail in an attempt to save its life. At times, he gained on the creature, and managed to bring himself within a few lengths of the creature- noting then that it was not a red fox, but a silvery one, but then it would swerve unexpectedly and he would fall back a few lengths. On the straightaway, the fox was able to put on a burst of speed and pull away from him, but Bronco persevered- and it was in a wolf's nature to simply pursue, and tire its prey out. 

His attention was snared for a moment when he caught sight of a sliver of darkness approaching from the distance, and he put on another burst of speed. The fox- skittering as close to the ground as possible- likely hadn't caught sight of the other wolf, so Bronco harried it forward, snapping and growling- in an attempt to chase it directly toward his packmate.

You reminded me I had some more to add >_> Hehehe THANK, all the artists are incredible <3

 

Bronco she saw first, but soon enough she observed the little smudge of grey-black hunkered close to the earth that sought to escape him. Downwind, the critter and Bronco might not have scented the matriarch... but she felt certain at least one of them had noted her approach given the pressure he placed upon the predator. Hydra watched it, anticipating it's next move the way it had but moments ago arced right to seek to throw him from its route. Next it would zag the other way, based on the way it carried its weight and the shift of its own momentum—

Hydra was ready for that, and met it halfway. 

It was small enough to have the time to spin on its heel, its own speed aided by the slick rock underfoot. Used to the terrain though she was, and the elements too, it was still awarded seconds more for its effort before Hydra's paw slammed against its own hindquarter. The strike unbalanced it until it was sent rolling and writhing straight toward Bronco, who she felt would be merciful and make its end a swift one. Her tail swayed with the thought of their teamwork, feeling only closer to Bronco for it.

REFRESH REFRESH REFRESH <3

He lost sight of Hydra for a few moments, simply hoping that she'd be where he thought she might be- and continued to bully the fox forward on instinct. He had no idea what Hydra's views were, with regards to other predators, albeit smal ones like coyotes and foxes...But one of the biggest things Bronco had inherited from his mother was likely his lack of empathy toward foxes and coyotes when they were too close to the borders. Curious, considering how much of a liking he'd taken to a stray dog that had wandered into the copse- but curiosity had won out that time. This, he knew, was a fox- and foxes were thieves. 

He heard the fox's feet skitter as it tried to whirl on its feet, having suddenly been confronted with yet another wolf who managed to wipe its feet out from under it, and send it tumbling straight toward him. Bronco was upon it in an instant and the creature died with its muzzla agape, having died soundlessly before it had a chance to cry out. A beautiful creature for certain- with its dark pelt flickered with silver-ticked guard hairs- but a thief nonetheless. Convicted of the sin of trespassing, and sentenced to death. 

Bronco dropped it, panting lightly, and looked up to Hydra, with a rogueish smile, and gave her a nod of his head. "Thanks for the assist," He said, knowing that perhaps had she not been there to redirect the fox, it might've gotten away.

Bronco was swift, and ended its life without question. This she appreciated, not wanting to need to explain to any the consequence of that in the longrun. Were she able to, and had she smaller dreams, she would be happy to be the reason the lesser species went extinct; Hydra so detested the pests that threatened the livelihood of her children, and her pack, too, with their insistence on attempting to steal what was theirs. 

Thank you, she rejoined, you have done well. I do not know if you have any use for anything beyond the meat of that creature, yourself, but Kukutux, she is quite apt with finding one, she drawled, thinking of the pelts she wore and decorated her den with. Perhaps she could make one such thing for Bronco, too—Hydra was able to recognize, at least, the beauty of the furs. Her ears twitched and she invited Bronco to join her with a gesture. How have you been settling in? she drawled; already, she had noted that his furs were mingling well with much of their settlement. He was certainly wasting no time, which Hydra was glad for.

When Hydra mentioned finding a use for the fox, Bronco's mind wandered back to one of the times he'd patrolled the borders of the Copse, only to find the remnants of a coyote strewn hither and to. Bits and pieces, recognizable still as coyote parts, left as a warning to any others that happened to pass by. Those bits hadn't been there the next time he'd patrolled- but he knew that his mother had been the one responsible for setting up the macabre, threatening display. He didn't think to suggest doing that, as it was perhaps a step further than he felt was necessary, especially for a fox. But he was happy that Hydra at least thought of some use for the fox- giving it to someone named Kukutux. 

"Oh, cool," He said, and then added "Thanks. I'll try an' track Kukutux down," He said. He wondered what Hydra meant, and what Kukutux could do with the fox- but he was the sort who was comfortable just to take his leader's word without much questioning. 

"Oh, I like it here," He said, nodding fervently. "I met a few so far- Osiris an' Antares amongst them, an' Desdemona. Everyone here seems pretty cool, and they've been like...Nothing but welcoming, especially given that I'm such a newbie to mountain life. But I'm getting used to it," He said with a faint laugh. It was tiresome- but it was true, he was adjusting.

Hydra's ear twitched as Bronco spoke on all those he encountered, heart warming to know her sons were among that number too. Shifting her weight, Hydra drawled, as they should be. You are Moonspear yourself, now—as much family to me as my own blood, she expressed, and moving alongside him, she finished with, and the rest, too. Moonspear itself was a cold, hard, unforgiving place. The wolves were much the same, except to one another and those that earned their trust. Bronco was family to @Towhee, who had become a sister to her after their own years near and far to one another, and trials together throughout them. And though Hydra knew little of Niamh, his mother, the matriarch respected her too from their previous encounters. Bronco came from good stock. 

As far as getting used to it, Hydra took a few strides forward and drawled, I thought we might train some, today, she looked over her shoulder to him, blue eyes bright with her own vigor as her muscles rippled beneath her pelt. Some uphill sprints, to start. We will not go too high, as getting used to the higher reaches takes adjusting to. The air grows thinner the higher you go... your lungs will need to become used to it before pushing yourself there... but there was plenty left for them to do without going to the top. The mountain itself was a hill, some areas steep where others were gentle. Hydra would, today, run with him on the latter should he be willing... though gentle hardly meant easy. If you feel ready to, of course. If you need more time to settle, I would understand, she expresses in earnest, tail swaying behind her.

Having been raised in an environment that had been filled with his own family members, he'd half-expected to be a bit of an outsider going to a new pack that had its own family structures. Instead, though, he'd found himself settling in amongst the other yearlings without the same amount of bickering, dominance-displays and shoving matches that he'd had with his cousins. He'd been fortunate enough to end up outweighing them, and had had no problem slinging his weight around in order to establish himself  amongst them. Here, though, he was more content to simply fit in and work to earn his keep. 

Hydra proposed some conditioning and he laughed- a hollow sound, but the smile on his face was earnest, at least. "Yeah, Desdemona took me for a whirl the other day," He admitted, though there was fondness to his tone. The word "sprint" was one of his least favourite, as was the mention of having to go "uphill" but he was a good sport, and would do as he was asked. He stretched, leaning back against his haunches and giving the muscles of his forelegs a good stretch, before he leaned forward, stretching out his hind legs and the muscles down his back. He tilted his head to the side, and it emitted a satisfying crack. Shaking his shoulders to loosen them up, he nodded. "May's'll keep at it. New guy gets a head start though, right?" He said, prancing on his toes like a horse begging to be allowed to run.

The matriarch grinned as Bronco gamely responded, despite his lack of true enthusiasm. Well, as long as he was willing. It was Hydra's turn to laugh at his inquiry, and she looked him over for a moment. Just this once, she decided, tail lashing behind her. Shifting her weight, Hydra stood poised and at the ready for him to begin; she fully intended to catch up, but would not mind watching him at work to see where it was he was at.

Just trying to tidy up some of my older threads <3

Given the chance to get an advance start, Bronco foolishly wasted some of that bounding on the spot excitedly, as though revving an engine, before he bolted off up the mountainside. At first, his clambouring was ungainly, and he carried the fox carcass with him as well, not wanting to leave it on the border or mar its pelt by burying it. Eventually, he felt the heat of pressure when Hydra caught up with him, but he did his best to complete another round of training on the mountainside.