Moonspear I'm careless when I wear my rebel clothes.

She warmly greeted Towhee in kind, her tail swaying all the more as they made contact. It had been too long; though she suspected that would be explained in time.

Hydra's eyes soon shifted to the male among them, ears pricked as he introduced himself. He seemed well-spoken, and his proposal was a pleasant surprise. More of a surprise was the unpleasant name he spoke of, and the shock of hearing the name uttered gave her little time to react in any capacity. It was fortunate that Towhee wasted no time; the name of her sisters killer mentioned upon their borders might provoke even the saintliest of wolves among them that believed as fiercely as she did his transgression, and she was no saint.

Her eyes shifted to Towhee then, having assessed that Tegan did not seem to hold any fear within him. Calmed by this, she maintained her own composure, and her ears swiveled backward for her sisters to note this. One would not think to propose an alliance with them if they carried with them any word that Screech was alive and well and cared for—

I killed Screech, for all his crimes...

The relief was palpable. The weight she had been burdened by since that terrible day was shed, and she seemed to grow all the taller for it. She was acutely aware of the wording Towhee had utilized: all his crimes. She acknowledged his role as Gannet had not, Gannet, who was alongside her, who also knew now the truth she had always presented to him. The Beta felt several things at once; firstly, a hot flash of rage: I should have killed him. Second to that was the cool acceptance of it all. It was not her burden to bear. Those who had held her reins could blame themselves for the injuries Raven had received. It hardly made her feel any better, truth be told. Which meant that if ever there was a next time, she would take matters into her own hands.

As it was, the mongrel had met his end. He had attacked a pregnant woman, his leader, his sister—could anyone doubt he would bring harm to a strangers child?

There were many things she wanted to know, but the first to come free from her tongue was: How does Raven fare? Her cubs...? Did they make it beyond the attack? Had she miscarried? Truth be told, she cared little for the logistics. Hydra assumed he trespassed, but had he not, would it make any difference? If that had not been the case and Towhee had accepted him into the fold after what Hydra had told her, she would surely be more than aware of her misjudgment. Hydra would not add salt into those self-made wounds—now, her words would not come into question. The other questions would come, but first and foremost she would know this.

Gannet was quiet, and she supposed for good reason. To be wrong about this could not be easy. But finally, finally, Hydra felt some peace. All that she had done, all that she had thought, was right and warranted. She had never felt guilty, and never would, but to know it, to hear it, was liberating—though truthfully, it was only because he was no longer around to plague them. Were he alive, she would not, could not rest until he was dead.