Northstar Vale daily mix

set directly after this thread—anyone that wants to know what happened to Rannoch, feel free to enter!

 

After dragging Rannoch to Moonspear with her sisters, she and her father had the wise idea to tell the Vale what had become of their [former] leader. He was plenty worse for wear and would not be returning to this place for some time, if ever. Given the fact that once they had been allies—who knew if it would stand when their next leader took the reins—Hydra knew it would be wise to let them know. She hoped to come across @Rian and @Cypress to encourage them to come, too... but mostly, her agenda was to give a status update so no one would think Rannoch was being held against his will.

Given that this was a business call and that she had to return home sooner rather than later, Hydra tipped up her head and called to anyone that would listen. Rannoch had been knocked out and so had not given her any names in particular to call to, though she hoped that Rian or Cypress would know the caller and come.

Hydra's dipping, but someone can feel free to stop her! :)

 

After waiting some time and receiving no audience, Hydra blinked. She was not known for her patience, and had other things to deal with. The scent of Cypress was actually quite vague, and Rian's was not as strong as she thought it would be. Maybe the wolves of the Vale had sought Rannoch. Knowing she had tried was really all that Hydra needed to know. Moonspear's beta turned on her heel and began to head home.

a howl. she didn't recognize it. she was antisocial, yes, but she knew who was in her pack — most of the time. this one's voice was unfamiliar, but it summoned. she answered, though she had to cross the entirety of the vale in order to get to the source. apparently that was too long for the caller, who's dark tail she saw headed in the opposite direction. hey! she called out initially. she began trotting after the retreating figure, her tone indignant and annoyed. who the hell are you?

Hydra was not one to forget faces, nor scents, though this scent changed significantly and was not one off the bat she recognized. Turning, though, she saw the familiar eyes of the stranger she had met long ago. Sorry, she said in earnest, it's a long way back and I was told to return pronto from my trip. Her ears flicked when she did recognize the face, and she grinned toward the other. So, you run with the Vale now, already the stranger knew who she was by location and face, too, but not by name. Her tail swayed and head dipped, respecting the fact that here Airi had the higher ground and strangely pleased to see her, if for no other reason than the fact that she was no longer a lone wolf. 

I'm here because your leader was attacked by a wolf that smelled of feathers and dead bodies, a scent Hydra herself did recognize, vaguely, though had yet to connect the day she fought against Atshen—a wolf Airi also knew, unbeknownst to her—We've taken him back to Moonspear. He wasn't awake, so I don't know what he intends to do about the Vale, but I leave that to you all. If he comes back, I don't think it'll be for a while.

Somehow, the threads of fate had led him down a path he had not initially anticipated. It left him bereft of any meaningful connections aside from that to his brothers, who he checked in with every few weeks to pass any updates. Cypress was, unfortunately, difficult to find as of late but it didn't worry the stalwart beast much. The raven would rear his head again in time, just as Rian did. He'd reliquished his hard fought title once the pack settled in and relative normalcy returned. Truth be told, when the chips were down, he wasn't cut out for the responsibility of being a leader—not yet, anyway.

The pack didn't really know him, though he was somewhat certain they knew of him. It was probably why he was hardly ever accosted by those patrolling the fringes. His scent was so undeinably intertwined with that of Rannoch's own that it would be difficult to call him anything but a Valeian. Rian belonged in spirit, and used his body to serve in his own, reclusive ways. 

When the howl went up across the Vale, the fur on his neck prickled and, despite himself, he turned towards the summons with an automation that surprised him. Rian listened, ears perked and nose cast towards the gaps in the canopy. Before it even faded, he set off in pursuit of it and the one it belonged to. It was his own fault their friendship dissolved and, while it was in his best interest to set it right, he hadn't found the courage to do so. But Hydra was calling for them with news and, given his proximity, he felt obligated to stand in attendance. 

Rian emerged onto the scene from a thicket of sword-leaf ferns, a few yards or so behind Airi, and came to a halt as he listened in to the words being exchanged by the pair. He only caught the tail end of Hydra's response, but the thing that stood out most was how... clinical it all was. If he comes back...

He sucked in a breath and closed the distance a bit more to stand, supportively, off Airi's flank. He shifted his gaze from Airi's ruff, to Hydra's face, and narrowed his eyes a fraction as he tried to hash out the details he missed. His nostrils flared, and he frowned, "If he comes back? How injured is he?" Rian offered, voice deeper than their last meeting, and suffering from great disuse.

when the girl turns, she feels vague familiarity, then as she speaks, she understands. she met this girl once. the irony of their last conversation and the circumstances now wasn't lost on her. her mouth twists downward when she speaks. yeah, she mutters. but luckily for her, their conversation would have nothing to do with her own hypocrisy. it had to do with her leader, rannoch. her leader. she didn't like rannoch all that much, to be quite honest, but his position was still integral to them. she could think of no one else to lead them — not even herself.

feathers and dead bodies...? she echoes, the description reminiscent, but vague. the memory of that boy's scent was out of reach at the moment, and it fades away as she feels a presence besides her. she turns to the wolf — she hardly recognizes him, and so steps away, even if he was trying to give her solace. so he could be dead for all we know? if this description of a wolf that smelled of 'feathers and dead bodies' was the same as her own attackers, he would have a hard time recovering. they would be without a leader, with autumn just beginning? well shit.

Hydra nodded to the others initial inquiry. If ever (again) Airi ran into such a scent, it'd be unmistakable. Why they smelled like dead bodies, Hydra did not know... but in interacting with the character, she supposed it wasn't the craziest thing about their run-in. She was about to respond when a very familiar face came into sight—the whole of Hydra's attention was momentarily robbed. He wasn't to blame for their mutual inability to meet between the time they had last seen one another—Hydra understood now better than ever the reasons he had been unable to come find her. As an adult, she was given a lot of responsibility the same as he had. How could she blame him, now? It also seemed that in their time apart he had grown even more handsome. Her tail waved, quite pleased to see him, and her head lowered all the more—the last she had heard, he was this packs second. 

His supportive approach was not missed by Hydra, who wondered, idly, if Rian had found another in their time apart. Though she had met many males, none yet reached the pedestal she had, without knowing it, put Rian atop of. When Airi spoke again, Hydra turned her gaze back to the pretty Draconid. Rannoch was brought back to Moonspear alive, but unconscious, could he be dead...? He had lost a lot of blood, but Lyra had been confident in her ability to help him recover. Rian had heard some of what had transpired and once he spoke, it was to him she again looked. 

She admitted in a breath, he was in pretty bad shape when we found him. The wolf that attacked him went straight for his throat and got him pretty good. Lyra thinks he can be saved and he was alive when I left. My father has agreed to take him in while he recovers, and for even longer than that, if Rannoch desired it. If you want to come see him for yourself, I'm sure that would be alright, her eyes switched from Rian to Airi. Though selfishly she wanted Rian to take her up on the offer if only to be able to spend more time with him, Hydra had decided she also would not mind Airi accompanying her if she wanted to. Though there was no doubt that one of them ought to stay back to give the report to, well, the rest of those at the Vale. They'd need to decide on another leader, Hydra imagined.

The shift in the air was unmistakable, and Rian fought the intrusive urge to bow his head to the charcoal-and-ash licked warrior—the girl... woman, he still considered a dear friend. But time had weathered them both; Rian, perhaps, more than Hydra, as even her very spirit had grown past the fetters of her yearling form. Though his mind was primarily focused on the matter at hand, he couldn't help but think how much they'd both changed since last winter.

He blinked when she waved her tail but lowered her head in deference to him—it didn't immediately occur to him that she likely didn't know where he stood among them now, as they hadn't had the chance to talk in months. Maybe she was still running on outdated information, or had his brothers simply not deigned to update Moonspear on the shift? Either way, he cleared his throat and offered her a brief smile that accompanied a sweep of his own tail.

She went on to explain further, and his entire focus was drawn to a finite point: they weren't sure if he would recover, or if he'd even be alive when Hydra returned. But if Hydra had faith in her sister, Lyra, then he had no reason to doubt her. But he was quite surprised that Charon agreed to keep Rannoch despite his brother's ailments. From what little Rian understood of Charon, the Moonspear leader wasn't fond of those who couldn't pull their own weight.

He was left with a choice, and it was a difficult one. Cypress was gone and, as far as he knew, missing. Rannoch was injured and out of commission. And Liffey... Rian frowned. It left no one to lead and he highly doubted the Valeians would accept him if he took control of the pack in this delicate situation. While, logically, it would be for the greater good, he doubted he had the wherewithal to see them through. And yet, could he really leave Northstar while his brothers were absent? This was their dream, their home...

Rian stole a glance towards Airi, and then returned it to Hydra. "I'd like to see him, and speak to him, if he's awake when we arrive." Whether or not Airi agreed was not his problem. Rannoch was his brother and he was going to see him. Whether he returned after his desired conversation was another matter entirely.

unable to see him for certain, and vaguely knowing how far away this pack was, she didn't think it was likely that rannoch was alive. an attack like that at the throat? she barely survived something like that. it would be moons until he was fully healed. then winter? he might as well give up the throne. 

she recognized the pack now, the lines coming together. her own neck scar twinged in response to hydra's words. she doesn't know what to say, or if she should say anything at all. she didn't know the pack's name, and barely remembers where it was. she keep silent on it, allowing her normal indifferent mask to slip on, freezing over her face.

rian looked to her. something about going to see rannoch. Airi shrugged; she didn't care, she didn't care, she didn't care. say hello to rannoch for me,

Sure, Hydra agreed, nodding her head. Rannoch had been Rian's leader; of course Rian would want to see him. But it also meant they got to travel with one another. This excited her immensely, though it was not betrayed by any part of her. When the other she-wolf with pretty eyes politely declined, Hydra looked to her. She was sure Rian would; Hydra did not even know the girls name, she realized. But her priority was not that. We should be off now. The sooner we return, the better, she looked to Rian as she said this, but then looked to Airi. I don't know what their motives are, or if they have a vendetta against the Vale, but if I were you I would warn them to be wary. It wasn't her job or place to tell the other what to do, but she felt it fair to say as much to the other. That much she did for Rannoch, who she considered a friend. He would care about that; Hydra, not so much—she wasn't as invested in these wolves without its key players present: Rannoch, Rian, Cypress. Anything you need to do before we head out? She inquired, and if his answer was no Hydra would prepare to get a move on with him.

As much as he wanted to sit, form a plan, and command Airi to let the others know, Rian knew that it was no longer his place. So instead of replying to Airi's comment with instructions, he simply nodded and swallowed reason. Rannoch might be furious that he left them to their own devices but, at this point, he was only focused on finding his brother and assessing his condition with his own eyes. Not that he didn't trust Hydra—quite the contrary, really. But this was something he needed to get his paws on, and sitting in Northstar Vale waiting for the unknown wouldn't be enough.

The earthen male shook his head to Hydra's question, having missed the previous comment about the mysterious assailant due to being momentarily lost in his head. "No, it's fine. We'll have answers soon." He said, though it wasn't clear if it was towards Hydra, Airi, or both. With little aplomb, he picked up his paws and took up a place near Hydra. He felt a desperate longing as his eyes turned from the Vale for the first time in over a season—he wanted Cypress to emerge from the shadows and nose his ruff, or for Rannoch to offer some kind words to keep him grounded. Rian felt exposed and, if not for Hydra's steadiness, he might have launched himself into the wilds towards Moonspear.