Moonspear And show me how to be whole again.

The weather had delayed him. Upon approach to Neverwinter's southernmost border, Talion was buffeted by a harsh and biting cold wind. Eventually came frozen hail along with it, and so the peppered Roux-Abrhen retreated into the safety of the woods. Nestling down among the leaf litter deep within the forest, he listened to the wind howl overhead for hours - long after darkness had fallen.

Fresh snow lay thick on the earth, slowing the young hunter's pace considerably. It clung to his elbows in uncomfortable clumps, causing him to pause regularly to scratch it off and free his joints. He shivered, feeling the dip in temperature right at the heart of him, but still he kept moving. It had taken Talion much longer than anticipated to return, and he was eager not to disappoint the raven wolfess who awaited news from him.

By the time he arrived at Moonspear's border, Talion was exhausted and dishevelled. His fur was ruffled, pointed in all directions from the wind and his undersides sodden from melted snow. As he fought the urge to slump at the foot of the mountain, a flurry of snow began to float gently from the clouded navy sky above. Talion turned his lavender-blue eyes up to observe the snowflakes for a quiet moment before he closed them gently sent forth a request for Hydra.

Setting this before Galaxy's death, as the craziness of that is ajgjsagjsagjsajgga and a lot is up in the air with that!

Hydra heard the familiar song of a wolf she had once sent away. She was mildly surprised to hear it, but not disappointed. Though it had taken him time, she did not doubt that he had succeeded given the fact that he had thought it fit to return. Given that she was not close, she howled in return: I am here. Soon she would be there.

The Beta moved at a swift pace; she had no intention to bring any further delay to Talion's membership here. That was assuming he had found out exactly what she wished to know—but this she believed he had. Why bother coming back if not? Though it took some time, she soon saw the disheveled lone wolf who looked far more worse for wear now than he did before. The weather had been harsh in the in-between, but she did not feel bad for what she had put him through. It would be worth it, after all.

She drew before him and was mute, the lifting of her wolfish brow a mute: Well?

Ears erect, Talion listened for a response, and her voice rose from a distance. With a whimper he pressed his raven lobes back, hunched his scruffy shoulders and settled in for a long wait.

By the time she slipped through the darkness, her pelt shimmering blue-black in the moonlight, the ashen yearling had collection a hat and cape of snow. He pulled himself onto his tired paws and remained low in submission, the tip of his tail twitching in anxious greeting. Hydra did not address him with words but, as he peeked up to gauge her expression, he figured he best not waste her time.

"Twenty four," he said, looking down again, "a stag and his females." He swallowed then, relieving the dryness of his throat as he concentrated on the thrum of his own heartbeat which sounded in his ears. "Two appear quite old, maybe just enough to slow them down as Winter continues, but otherwise in good condition. Another is lame, but only slightly." Inhale. "The herd seem to keep close to her, surround her."

Ah, and so he had succeeded! Hydra, pleased by this and the information he provided, nodded her head. In the weather, his success was all the more impressive. You have done well. Welcome to Moonspear, she decided. Her tail waved as she moved to attempt to press against him to provide him with her scent so he would not be confused as an outsider. Afterward she howled to the pack to inform them of their newest recruit—they had enough room for him after all. Looking to him, Hydra advised: Once you are rested, find my mother or my father. They rule here. Amekaze, and Charon, she informed. Share with them what you have shared with me. They will appreciate the knowledge. Let them know I sent you to complete the task, because even if they knew of this already, which they very well might, they would appreciate that he could do as he was told and do it well. Hydra stepped aside and turned around, gesturing toward the territory and inviting him in.

The pessimism in Talion reminded him briefly that Hydra might well have sent him on a wild goose chase, expecting him to either perish in the cold or to simply give up and move on elsewhere. He held his breath, pale stare fixed to the wolfess' paws as he half expected her to laugh him out beyond the territory, then released it when she praised his efforts and formally, officially welcomed him to Moonspear. She strode toward him then and the boy blinked up at her, his damp tail swishing to attention as she moved in close.

His heart soared. He was ecstatic! This was probably the closest he'd ever been to a female, and in his pure, unbridled joy he didn't even acknowledge his very real fear of the opposite sex. He whined as his platinum fur of a flank meshed with her inky pelt, and Talion writhed against her to thrust his muzzle upward and deliver a submissive, thankful swipe of his tongue to his new leader's chin.

She advised that he rest first, then seek either of her parents to introduce himself and share knowledge of his findings with them. The peppered yearling nodded enthusiastically, happy to agree to those terms, and loped after her as she turned and led him deeper into her - their! - home. 

"Do you all den together?" Talion asked, having not really thought of it before. With Astarte Strand, the males of the pack were rarely apart - a solid brotherhood, dedicated to serving the Nereides. He longed for this kinship once again, though prepared himself for any outcome; he would thrive here, he hoped, and his future felt significantly brighter.