Moonspear 七転び八起き

There was sound, suddenly; one ear cupped backward to listen—if it was prey, she did not want to shock them with movement and cause them to flee before she could assess what was best to do next. But it was not prey; the stride of Arcturus was a familiar one in its sound, and when he was beside her Hydra still had not moved, eyes still searching the distance for any movement while her ears worked to pick up any calls, however faint. 

In a low murmur only for him to hear, she drawled coldly: If he does not return, he had better be dead, because that was what those that betrayed her trust deserved... and his children needed no more hurt than that they had already suffered. But then, they would not want that—not if he would have returned. As the earth rumbled faraway in the distance, causing the trees to stir from afar, Hydra thought aloud: he could be. Perhaps we should search for him, and Vela, her gaze shifted to him, but then... she did not want to risk more lives! What if she lost him in this? She grit her teeth. I want our expeditions outside of the territory to be... limited. This the last of them, for a time, she huffed. For the mercenary had become a part of their fold, and though she would resent him and end him herself if he was found alive and well... if he were not, they would see for themselves why she wished him here. Nature was too formidable a thing at present, too unpredictable... at least there was sanctuary here, though the mountain trembled underfoot and their prey had gone missing. No devastation had touched the mountain itself. 

Hydra did not think another wolf might have touched the man, not in her Wilderness—for he was Moonspear, and given the shield of them. Those that knew their scent would know not to disturb the peace; the reputation she had built was not for naught, so she haughtily believed. It was not something she considered, then—no, it was likely the savage wilds themselves that would have taken the life from him. 

But then she also did not think him dead. It was, for her, better than the alternative of him living and going against his word of being better here; for him, too, she imagined.