Moonspear diamond eyes

ooc; set after 'red light' and 'i sank to the ocean floor'

she returned. it had been a few days since she ran from Revui's hurtful comment, socialized with the bear he had tried to chase away and come back after traveling a bit. Willoughby felt foolish for running so easily. it did make her seem like an idiot if she couldn't handle someone's opinion of her. she really had tried to be her packmate's friend and he rejected her without getting to know her. her head was lowered as she entered the woodlands, a single bird in her jaws. a robin was all she could catch by herself. 

but it was enough of an excuse. Bee was sure nobody noticed if she left for a bit but if they questioned their new member, the girl would explain she had been hunting. as she entered into the camp, she would fling the dead bird onto the pile of food and begin to walk to her den. still, her head was low and her eyes were clouded instead of bright. she really didn't want to run into Revui again. she hadn't been very nice to him back, after all. even if he deserved her rude comments.

Hydra had scented bear upon her brother, but given the fact that he had returned home in one piece she did not see fit to question him on the matter. Instead, Hydra continued her patrol; she carried herself in her typical self-assured, proud manner. The Spring season was bringing back to life her dominant spirit, and something more rattled the cages of her heart that, day by day, she pursued. 

Willoughby would be wrong to think that she would not be missed; Hydra, idly, had sought her. All of her packmates were of interest to the Ostrega, but she did not worry much when she did not find her. Her own mirror image enjoyed ranging and getting to know surrounding territories... perhaps Willoughby did, too. If she was to follow Speedy's footsteps, perhaps she was foraging. Hydra would find out, sooner or later—

And it appeared it was the former this day. Catching sight of her, Hydra's stride lengthened, and she chuffed out a low greeting to the silver she-wolf.

Bee gave a start at the chuff, turning around wildly to spot - of all things - Revui's older sister. inside, her organs squirmed uncomfortably. no doubt Revui would keep to himself the incident with the bear. so nobody would know she had practically taken the bear's pacifist side instead of her packmate's. hopefully. she could hope. she didn't feel like explaining herself again. she had already gotten her head bitten off once. plus it didn't make the boy look heroic; he had bounced right off the pizzly's head. 

it would be funny if she hadn't wanted to be mean and laugh. "o-oh! um, hi" Hydra. her name was Hydra. right. she gave a small smile compared to her usual beam. wary of what Revui's sister even wanted with her. Bee was in no way a ranked member of the pack outside of low. so the higher ups... well, she was a bit anxious. she'd watch as Hydra approached, and her head instinctively lowered again to stare at the ground. wary of keeping eye contact for long.

The other stammered a greeting, and Hydra's tail swayed behind her as she coolly inquired: surprised to see me? There was a playful glint in her eye that suggested she did not expect an answer in earnest to this, and her notched ear twitched as she closed the distance between them. Hydra thought she detected the scent of ursine upon her, and Hydra licked her chops. Hydra had not sussed out Revui enough to determine if the scent was the very same, and here and now thought little of it. Spring had sprung, and bears were emerging from their winter hibernation. There was no scent of them here; that was what was most important. 

The Ostrega would always do what she needed to, to protect her own. The silver female was among that number now. 

Her tail swayed as she looked beyond Willoughby and back to her again. Find anything good out there? New plants, or scent-trails worth following—anything of note, Hydra was always interested to know.

Bee would shake her head vigorously. "n-no! you live here! we'd bump into each other eventually!" she protested, though calmed herself after seeing Hydra's amused glint. she puffed up her cheeks, knowing the other one was merely jesting with her. "u-um" she really didn't want to tell of her encounter but knew if the pizzly was nearby, the pack had to know. she felt herself sigh.

"I picked up the smell of a bear near Kintla" it was obvious to everyone she was not at all hurt by the encounter. nobody seemed to understand the bear was harmless, so why even bother telling the truth? Bee went on, trying to lie through her teeth and surprising herself. who was she trying to protect? Revui? the pizzly? Moonspear? "I followed it but it didn't seem to be heading this way." the bear had left after they had a 'chat'. more like she was complaining and the bear put up with it.

"I think it went south" she added in, having no clue where it was now. "so I went hunting instead."

Hydra did not feel at all bad for making the other squirm. It was her (perhaps cruel) brand of humor, but she did not mean any harm by it. Willoughby was pack; though she was not a fighter, she would find her place among them. Speedy had. As Willoughby spoke of the bear, Hydra listened, intrigued. Bears and wolves had an interesting relationship; more often than not, bears displaced wolves. Stole kills, caused them to move—they were strong, and not worth the fight. But Moonspear had had to fight; had to save Galaxy, once. 

She remembered her jaws closing around the bears throat. It was with fondness she remembered delivering the killing blow. 

Good, she responds, nodding, glad to know that the bear was not heading this way. Beyond her own (negative) experiences with bears, her father had experienced worse. Rannoch and Cypress had lost their parents at the paws of a bear. Her opinion of them was based off of experience; she was glad to see Willoughby not at all hurt. Spring is upon us, and if there is to be new life, it is best that there are none of their sort nearby, she breathes. If there were kind bears out there, Hydra had yet to meet them. 

Hunting, though—that, Hydra enjoyed. Her tail waved on that note, and she posed another question. What did you hunt? Hunting alone could be difficult, but not impossible... though perhaps she did not mean animals, either.

she was too young to contribute to 'new life' in Moonspear. her head would only tilt at Hydra's comment. "n-new life? oh! is anyone expecting?" Bee would ask, flustered at even asking such a thing. it was personal but if she wanted to be a caregiver, she'd have to interact with children. even if she was technically a child right now. other children. she gave another small start, whipping her head to look at the pile of food.

"a robin. it's... it's not much. I'll go out again..." she trailed off, sheepish and embarrassed she could only contribute a small thing. she didn't want to feel stupid, but it was hard not to when Revui's sister was right in front of her. in her mind's eye she could see him standing before her, the word 'idiot' echoing in the wind. "I'm sorry..." she would say "I haven't been much use to Moonspear so far."

The inquiry was met with a shake of her head. Not yet, I do not think... though each year, my mother has brought me siblings. I am sure new life will come, Hydra hums with a smile. Though Alya and Lyra were her indisputable favorites, Arcturus and Revui had worked their way up into her consideration and Vela had earned a measure of her respect. Jarilo, too, Hydra enjoyed; he was strong, and sharp. Hydra could only imagine the siblings that might come this year. No other child had ever been as pathetic as the disowned and forgotten—

She would not even think on the name. Hydra's gaze found what Willoughby's had fallen to, and she observed the bird. Willoughby was right; it was not much. Still, it was something. Perhaps I can come with you. I was tracking a nearby herd—we can encourage and harass it in the direction of Moonspear, and then, a pack hunt could come of it. The more teeth to the cause, the better.

Bee had never met the other alpha of the pack, Charon's mate and mother to Hydra and Revui and lots of others. she always assumed the woman was really busy. too busy for casual socializing. but aw, probably no pups this year. it wasn't late into the breeding season, but it was almost over. whoever wanted children needed to hurry up. though she herself lacked the ability to even consider such things; she had a childish mind still. she didn't even know what 'sex' was.

"o-oh!" she had no right nor outward reason to deny Hydra. it was just hard to look at her and not think of Revui. a pack hunt sounded cool, but she didn't really want him there. she probably knew he'd be there too. he looked the type for ambition. proving himself. that sorta thing. but again, she didn't have a good reason to deny the other. not since saying she'd go out to hunt again. Hydra may be trying to include her. "um, okay. what... what sort of herd is it?" because her small and lanky form was not so good at 'bullying' others.