Moonspear you ain't got no time,

attn: @Rannoch !!!

After speaking with Towhee, Hydra knew she needed to speak to her parents. Firstly, though, she wanted to speak with Rannoch. She wanted him to remain in the territory thinking she now knew what the wolf who had attacked him had wanted. Hydra followed his trail, picking her way up the mountain and tracking him down.

Rannoch's had spent his morning in solitude along the borders. Ever since he had talked to Raven, he had been mindful to keep an eye out for any signs of the wolves from Blackfeather Woods. Thankfully, it the boundaries lacked any indication of the other wolves. When he was satisfied with the work he had done and confident that somebody you take up a patrol, Rannoch diverted his path to return to his den. 

Moving slowly, as he was mindful of the snow underfoot, he worked his way up the mountainside.

It turned out she was higher than him. A little debris bounced off the mountain, not from where she stood, and looking down she saw Rannoch nearby. She turned on her heel and moved toward him. Hey, you! she quipped, bounding gracefully downward. The snow was not so heavy yet that it proved to be a challenge, or anything all too exciting to Hydra. It would be her first real season with snow, since her childhood. Her furs were growing thicker, and she looked a bit larger for it. I gotta talk to you, she slowed when she grew closer, her tail waving.

Rannoch turned towards Hydra's call and instantly found himself wondering just who had called him. He contemplated this as he watched her bound effortlessly down the mountainside and when she was near enough to converse comfortably, she disclosed her reason for approaching. 

"What's up?" he prompted curiously with a tilt of his head. For now, he decided, he'd do his best to avoid having to identify the wolf who was so eager to talk.

She wasn't aware that he had no idea who he was talking to. Hydra simply got straight to business. So I spoke with Towhee, from the Caldera. She said that her sister Wilfire was kidnapped by the pack whose member had attacked you, her tail lashed. She said they had no reason to torture and kidnap Wildfire either, and after a breath, Hydra informed: I think they may have been trying to take you, too. Dead or alive, because at the end of the day, it seemed like that pale wolf had been going in for the kill.

Rannoch listened as Hydra divulged the information that Raven had told him and nodded sagely. He felt an uncharacteristic spark of irritation as he silently speculated the number of wolves that had been attacked.

"Something needs to be done about them," he decided quietly as he looked to Hydra.

At his words, Hydra nodded. The Caldera are debating what to do about it. I'm going to talk to my parents. Though they haven't done anything against Moonspear, I volunteered myself as an ambassador to join them if the Caldera decide to retaliate, because she believed that this should not stand in their Wilderness, as he did. I don't know what their motivation is or was, exactly... but I think something should be done, too, she said with a huff. At the end of the day, it was her parents call.

Rian also hasn't come here, yet, and Hydra licked her chops. Cypress either. Both of them might have fallen victim to the Woods. Rannoch already knew that Rian was searching for Cypress, when Rannoch had been confirmed living he sought the unknown for his (and surely Rannoch's) peace of mind.

Hydra elaborated, and Rannoch grew more intrigued. With his ties to the Caldera, and his desire to bring peace back to the wilderness, he quickly decided that he needed to help out, too. "I want to help in whatever way I can," he pledged steadily. 

The mention of Rian caused Rannoch's stomach to lurch, and he frowned at the thought of his wayward brother being in the Brotherhood's possession. "No," he said sternly as he shook his head, "There's no way they would have gotten him." But as he spoke, he felt his confidence in the statement dwindle.  Suddenly downcast he looked to Hydra, who he had identified at the mention of Rian, in an attempt to seek validation in his initial thought.

As Hydra thought of Rian, the fear grew. That was the thing about fear: once it found itself in you, the roots were able to dig deeper, spread. Rational thoughts, reasons, found their place... but only in the justification of her fear. They could have lied to him, she breathed, he's been looking for Cypress...

And then a new thought came. And maybe they weren't lying, maybe that was why they sought the one wolf they thought would look for him? Her eyes flashed as she looked to him.

Hydra further Rannoch's concern, and by the time she was done talking, he was visibly flustered. The hair along his nape bristled as anger swelled in his belly. Though Rannoch was not a wolf that sought revenge, he was protective of those close to his heart; he would do anything in his power to bring justice to those he loved.

"I'll kill them if they have Cypress and Rian," he decided. The thought marinated in Rannoch's mind and as this happened, a low growl rumbled in the back of his throat.

She sensed his emotion, and felt it with him. His admission shocked her, truly. Rannoch, gentle and sweet and soft like Lyra—he had her fire. They were perfect for one another. This only strengthened her conviction with other matters but, more than that, caused her own affinity toward him to grow.

Perhaps he was strong enough for them.

She stepped toward him, ears erect as her nose sought his cheek. It was half to comfort him, half to comfort herself—most of what she did was for utterly selfish reasons. In a moment that betrayed that she, herself, was not always the strongest, she revealed her softness to him as she sought to be nearer for an instant. There was nothing romantic about it—she simply needed the strength of his presence, of someone who would understand, who did understand, what it would be to see them gone by the teeth of their most hated adversary.

We will kill them together, she rumbled near his shoulder, should he have decided to comfort her for a moment.

Rannoch's passion blinded him and, for a brief moment, he fantasized about their adversary's demise. He snapped back into reality as Hydra pressed her nose to his cheek. Instantly comforted, though some tension lingered, Rannoch looked to Hydra and smiled softly before he reached over to reciprocate the action. 

"We will," he decided with determination as he detached himself from the embrace. "I don't know how, but, we'll make sure they never see the light of day again."

He reciprocated. That, Hydra understood, meant he trusted her as she trusted him: good. The demolition of his and Liffey's relationship was one that would perhaps require a lot of work, but the Ostrega was putting in the time. She would bring that ship to sink before either of them knew it had even hit the iceberg that was the cerberus.

Hydra sighed. I know we will, her sisters would help, of course. Her tail waved slowly, before it stilled. They're monsters. I hope they don't have either of them, for their sakes—Wildfire was tortured, which meant that if Rian and Cypress were in their hold, they might be enduring the same thing...

An idea occurred to her. Wildfire would know if they were holding anyone else, she breathed.

"Tortured?" Rannoch echoed with concern, unable to fully comprehend that the wolves of Blackfeather Woods were capable of such. As his speak again to elaborate on his question, Hydra intoned an idea, and his mouth clamped shut as he thought briefly about what had been said. 

"We need to go," he replied. There was an eagerness about him, one that he knew wouldn't be shaken until he sought the truth about the disappearance of his brothers. "We should bring Lyra and Alya, too, and leave as soon as we can." 

Hydra contemplated what he said, and pictured it from the Caldera's perspective. A bunch of wolves showing up on another packs doorstep... Hydra would be irate. But if they were coming in a sign of support to potential aggression against a mutual enemy...? Perhaps it would be tolerated. Perhaps it would be what was needed to convince the Caldera to move.

She licked her chops.

I will speak to my parents, she spoke decisively, then we will see what we do next. But I think speaking to Wildfire is essential, they just might need the big guns for it. Hydra did not intend to take any of her parents authority, and respected their opinion most of all.

She knew one thing for certain: the Blackfeather Woods had a storm coming for them. It was imminent.

When Rannoch had listed off the names of Hydra's sisters, he had held his tongue on the matter of bringing along Liffey. As much as an asset she would be, Rannoch selfishly couldn't put another loved one in danger; he couldn't lose her like he had lost Cypress and Rian. 

"That sounds good to me," he replied once Hydra had decided on a course of action. Her words had suppressed his sense of urgency; this was a situation much bigger than the disappearance of his brothers and he knew that it had to be handled delicately. "Please, keep me updated and let me know what I can do in the meanwhile." 

For once, Liffey was the last thing on her mind. In this, there was no thoughts of manipulation—all she wanted was to know that Rian was safe and not in the grips of the Blackfeather wolves. That was her one and only thought... until Liffey did come to mind... But no—even though Liffey was truly the most expendable wolf to Hydra, she would only get in the way as far as this was concerned, when it came down to it. She could hardly defend herself against a wolverine, and Rannoch seemed to only care for her, perhaps even over the livelihood of Cypress or Rian—she could not afford that. She could not afford to lose either one of them in favor of a frail girl she hardly knew, and at this point in time did not want to.

In the meanwhile? Patrol, and watch your back—we still have no idea why they came for you, or if they may still be after you, she explained. I'll get you when it's time. she said with a nod. And on that note, she turned on her heel and went to find her parents.