Moonspear the sky would fall but for the columns of mountains

Earlier in the day, and with a glint of reluctance on her behalf when she had seen him off, Charon had left the mountain alone to head towards Blackfeather. She would have to trust his faith in this one individual, his friend, but should she catch wind of anything foul, or his return was not prompt--she would know. Plus, she hoped he would exercise his best discretion, and not cavort with a potential enemy in too much length with their own details, however trivial they may seem as chitchat between old friends. Friend or not, Ame was unable to buy into this too much just yet, but would wait and see. In the meantime, she killed a little time with the younger pups and a snack of fat rabbit split among them with her. It did well to help her pointedly ignore what was on her mind, at least for a while.

Then, after, when the younger trio filed away for late-afternoon naps, she went to dog the borderlands to work her frustration into something useful. She headed down the elevations with ease, sights turning due east.

@Hydra

It was no wonder that Hydra's path intersected with that of her mothers and, when she observed this, Hydra altered her course to follow her. Hydra quite enjoyed her mothers company; Amekaze had boundless wisdom, and she was always learning something. Today she sought to learn even more, now that her mother was not in the company of her younger siblings. Hydra enjoyed Jarilo, but found the girls to be a bit boring now that they did not want to follow in her footsteps. That did not mean she didn't hang out with them, though. She frequently checked in with Galaxy and took her on little trips here and there, and also stared at stars with Vela and told her tidbits of fun facts she had learned from her father. 

Jarilo was probably the best candidate to learn from her, and this excited her some. She certainly would not be the best teacher, but she would try—Drogon would be the first she would attempt to teach as her pupil, and she would go from there with her brother. Hydra enjoyed learning from both of her parents. They had different insights and perspectives that blended into who Hydra, herself, had come to be. 

She came alongside her mother and nipped her shoulder with a rough fondness, her tail waving as she attempted to step away before her mother could deliver the same blow with a grin.

She caught her focus wanting to divide so badly. Between here, underfoot, and reaching out into the flatlands after Charon's route to his destination. Maybe a piece of her worried for him, an almost-affectionate one that didn't want to see him somehow harmed far from her and their mountain, where she would not know until it was all said and done. But there could be plenty riding on the outcome he'd find, and his eventual return, or there could be nothing at all to report or to come from this. Above much of it, he just wanted his swift return, both to have him back where she preferred and to find out what he had found out there--for better and for worse. She would rest easier after that.

At least she was not distracted enough to miss Hydra's approach, although the yearling's company was certainly nothing new and she adjusted her steps accordingly. To her arrival, Ame chuffed gently, then narrowed her eyes knowingly at the hint of distance she placed afterward. Just for now, she gave a mischievous lash of her tail, and let that be with a fond rumble from deep in her throat. She was proud of her, always, and perhaps payback could come later.

She let silence hang for a pause, then glanced away from her dark heir off towards the horizon. "So what do you think?" she posed this question a little flatly, intending to let it guide to where the Beta would have. From the younger pups to all of this involving the former alpha of the Vale, to anything else like what bothered her most of all right now: Charon's trip to the den of the enemy. There were a slew of routes they'd both be aware of--the entire Cerberus was beautifully keen, so she didn't feel she had to elaborate much yet. 

There was no retaliation, which Hydra was prepared for nonetheless, even as she stepped alongside her mother with flattened ears and an appeasing nibble on her chin. Hydra was ambitious and confident both, but respected her parents to the utmost and had no desire to challenge them. An ear flicked at her mothers question and she licked her chops. I wish he had not went alone, because although Hydra certainly did believe both of her parents were the biggest and the baddest, she knew that when it came down to it numbers mattered—and her mistrust toward the wolf that had attacked her friend (now packmate and subordinate) was deep. A discussion could go fine, but that wolf was clearly lacking some general sense that most wolves had; who knew what could happen? I don't like what happened to Rannoch; how is he so certain no wolf there would make an attempt on him? Her tail lashed behind her as she contemplated this. 

Hydra continued to walk, and then asked, what are your thoughts? This she did not really know, not in full. But she sensed her mothers unease, and shared it.

"Me too," she replied without needing to consider the answer first. She did wish he had not gone alone. As for her thoughts, there were plenty. "Especially true, considering how without warning or due cause it seems to have been for Rannoch," the dark alpha sighed. The Woods did not even have anything to gain by offing the Vale alpha, not that she could perceive.. so it was worrisome that Charon would place any measure of trust in them--since it was that lack of finesse that cost them with her. Amekaze was glad Hydra seemed to share this sentiment, although it did little for the case of their other leader.

"But, I see his approach, the good and bad of it. Even if it may not be the one I would make," she said, although she was not the one with any ties to those of the Woods, so it was easy for her to say so. Perhaps it was just his duality, however, to go more forwardly, and hopefully not headlong into a clash. "Knowing an enemy is important, though. If he only knows the one someone there, he does know more than I would," she supposed on the edge of a frown. This was another piece that felt good and bad all at once, and she was finding herself terribly curious of their reception of him after this, and knowing they had taken in Rannoch and that one wrong move on their end could spur disaster. "..and I do hope he is not banking too much on this one wolf. For his sake, they had best be an important one.." she grumbled, because Ame did not know of her standing, status, or otherwise as Meldresi's daughter and neither did she see why they should mind Charon any, or even tell him anything at all.

Knowing your enemy was important, her mother had said. Hydra dwelled on this thought. She had no desire to get to know this current enemy, not with how mad he seemed. Why is that so important? She asked. While she shared her mothers tactical side, she could not see the necessity of this... at least, in this case. From what we do know, they're careless and senseless both. Do you think whoever dad knows would share their motivations? This Hydra doubted very much—and if it was shared, to what end?

Hydra sighed. Dad going warns them that we know something. Warns them that there is potential we might do something. They could prepare themselves, she huffed. They would lose the element of surprise—something the wolf that had attacked Rannoch had utilized to such a perfect degree that Rannoch unquestionably would have died, were it not for the intervention of she and her sisters. Hydra believed the world of her father, though. If he thought this was the right course, it must be—she would not doubt him, and did not. She simply wanted to understand it more.

Being concise in her answers was key, but so very much was at play when speaking on strategy and tactics. Everything had a push and a pull. She suspected this response could get lengthy if she allowed it.  "It can sometimes be a worthwhile tactical advantage. Know them, know how to manipulate them, and know how to strike their weakness or downplay their strengths." While not always a significant edge, it could be opportunity. "But yes. They may not share anything all that useful, but they could be a valuable insight in we may not have otherwise.. even if they do not outright say so," she said. Quite frankly, how they'd react to Charon after this--when he just might get a little heated considering the subject matter would at least tell her something.

"It is also true, it is not the most ideal that he goes and raises their guards.. so I hope it will be a worthwhile trade-off somehow." She wanted him to take them in and gauge the tensions already, plus more. "They know, but they do not know it all," she curled her lips slightly, mischievous despite her thoughtful frown of seconds earlier. Granted, they knew of the Cerberus, and now they knew of Charon's attitudes on things.. but this was but a piece of Moonspear's true might. "Still.. Hopefully he will not be too much of a red flag," In that he would mind his manners and his mouth all together, not tell them too much in return. She wouldn't fault him any he if pressured them, though. Nothing she knew about their lot was overly desirable, anyway, and she had a good idea that Charon would make that clear enough to them. "If they prepare, then so be it. It may not matter anyway.. they sound prone to petty mistakes," she mused. 

She was still learning much from her mother. To realize this caused Hydra realize she wanted to learn even more. At her mothers words of her father being a red flag, she found herself agreeing. If Blackfeather wasn't prepared for anything before, perhaps they would be now. Or maybe, Hydra began, thoughtful, they will think the peace has been made with his visit. That was something to consider. They might assume themselves safe. I think it's best to prepare for the alternative. That they would be ready, physically so, for an altercation.

Even despite them being prone to petty mistakes, Hydra had more to learn.

What were you taught of fighting? Hydra thinks to ask, wondering about her teachings, and wanting to hear them for herself. It was strange to think of her mother with her parents, learning from them or even anyone else—but her teacher must have been wise. Through Amekaze, Hydra sought to learn even more.

As with all things, there were many sides to this, and that was one she would like to see pan out if they were lucky and Charon was over there putting his best face forward. "It would make it easy for us," she mused. "Maybe they could put a lot of value in their one wolf's friendship to him, who knows," she chuffed. It was difficult for her to care all that much, even with it mattering enough to him to march on over there alone over. She would have to know how his visit went before she could put very much faith in Charon's venture being one of peacekeeping nature, though.

If anything, she guessed it may be more easily interpreted as a warning--and a cue to prepare for them. But she also knew little of the nature of his relations to them and their Potema, the mother of the offender himself. That was the wildcard here making her wary, unsure of how much it would matter, or if it was something to discard entirely in the end when it came down to the value of her son's life. Still, far too many unknowns and she was eager for her mate's swift return.

"Much.. very firsthand early. Everything to be a functional set of teeth first. The rest through experience," she leveled a long look at her daughter. "I was not born during peacetime. Quite the opposite, with my father's wolves fresh from a coup, and needing to reclaim losses.." Of reputation and of land, she grew in a time where this was just what was happening. She had seen little of her sire until she had reached a certain age to truly contend, and it had been because of his priorities; they had been busy. "Which they did, as many were raised as warriors, and with a sharp leader to them. I learned there at the Mount first with my mother, then with them as soon as I could," Eventually,  she had joined them and felt the rush, although true understanding of the finesse involved from leading parties had come much later. She had liked scouting ahead, and liked rushing headlong into a surefire fight.. then her success at it made it sweeter. "And too, my littermates who did not die early on in the crossfire were.. very combative. It was learn to fight them better in an instant, or die." she detailed.

To hear of her mothers' history was interesting. Once, the woman had been her age; that was odd to think of. And now, she was filling in blanks that Hydra had only now thought to think of. It was no wonder her mother was an expert—it seemed Hydra's inherited skills on that front came from right from the tree. But she had also learned much physically from the woman. It was fortunate Hydra could put words into practice through action, and this was largely why Hydra hungered for the wealth of the woman's verbal teachings. Through their conversation, Hydra was confident she would learn more.

What were your mothers' teachings? Hydra asked, rapt—and once her mother finished there, she swiftly followed up with—what did you learn from the rest of the pack? It sounded as though her mother's siblings were reared the same, but it was clear who among them was superior. Hydra sought to become the best of Amekaze's progeny, though her mirror images she would consider her equals in this. After all, Hydra taught them—they were the perfect weapon, efficient and terrible.

She would never be able to have them understand it in absolute full what it meant when she said peacetime, or lack thereof. They had been old feuds festering for too long with new ones there as well, ones marked in the betrayals of loyalties and blood and everything in between. That had left her to observe, or struggle, and she'd been damned to do that. She had learned to phase between the multitudes between blue-blooded successor and tool solider, and still come out stronger for it, because there had never been a choice. Always having her siblings bearing down on her had kept her going, constantly, and fiercer than before even after the victories. She'd never caught a break with them around.

When Hydra asked about her mother, she was quiet for a thoughtful beat because there was no easy, concise answer--there had been so much, and in so many different ways. These teachings were near to her, but had somehow become relatively well-hidden. Yet at the very same time, certain pieces of what she had instilled on her own daughters were it, too. "My mother's are difficult to explain simply. A certain path of training, one.. that can almost border on spiritual, with a healthy measure of mountain worship." she said, for that one had obviously become generational. "She came from a different time, and a long one as well, then chased greater strength through a meditative calm, and fury, with nature." Ame squinted. Only for her would even delve this deep. This was delicate. Hydra wouldn't fully grasp the concept of her old clan blood, though, which would have helped. "A lot of what I learned from her was very subtle. But poignant, once I was able to realize it." And it had taken time. Every second of it she had shared. "The rest? Everything you have learned from me, of course. To fight, protect, mend, sneak." she smirked faintly. "How to be an alpha's solider and prized heir at once, where I stood, and how to manage to hold myself among those that had seen so much." There was much she could tell her, but maybe not all at once. Amekaze lowered her nose, and scrunched it as she moved along.

After a heavier pause, she shook her head. That was just the surface. "There is so much.." she promised with a small sigh. With that, she lapsed into a keen silence as they prowled. If she was going to share any of it with any of her offspring, Hydra was the one; she knew that at another time, given the right circumstance, she would be able to share more.