Moonspear are we living a dream?

Italic portion written by Iris, reprising @Charon! 

 
There was something disgraceful about the way that his children had fought not long ago, something that had hit Charon right in his sense of pride and honour. If they did not have each other's backs, then where did that leave him? He was perhaps no longer the King of this mountain, proudly successed by his daughter, but his dreams and ambitions had never stopped soaring high. And the only way they could ever be fulfilled was if they all worked together as one.

It was the second year that he had become a grandfather. The paths of the mountain never grew old. It was a year or so ago now that he had finally reached the highest top of the mountain; his lifelong goal, and a thing that he never expected to reach. One of the days he had gone up and despite its snowy tips and jagged edges he had made it there, soaring higher than ever before. He didn't remember how he had made it. But he had.

As he approached Hydra, Charon smiled proudly at the strong children at her breast. None of last year's children stood out yet as strongly as Hydra had stood out to him, but none of them stood out as weakly as Julia had, either. He wondered if this year would contain any shining stars or pathetic weaklings. "They look like they will be strong warriors," he said as he approached the sleeping Hydra, his cold and business-like voice lined with pride.

Hydra stirred, hearing the voice of her father. It was strange to see him there, stranger still to let him near so near her cubs this early on (a privilege she had only granted to her sisters for the fact that they shared the responsibility of providing milk and food alike... and, well, they three were one). But there was no real sense of alarum within her, and all she could really feel more than anything else was relief. Relief to see him there again, relief that he was there despite his sons and her brothers having left. Loyal to their family, and to her as she had and always would be to he and his own mate, her mother. 

Her fathers words caused pride to fill her. Yes, they did look strong, did they not? Her gaze skirted upon the four that suckled hungrily, and she blinked past the final vestiges of sleep. I cannot believe how the first four have grown. I had forgotten how small they once were, she admitted. Granted, this was her least favorite part of it all. They were helpless little lambs that understood nothing and that were so frail, she feared she might kill one on accident. Last year taught her that they were a bit more resilient than they looked... and that also, she was blessedly still when she slept. Her sisters, too. Her instinct to protect them was stronger than anything else she had known, too, so despite her distaste for this stage she endured it with them. 

They were, fortunately for them, precious in their appearance though. 

Hydra looked back to her fathers face, finding it difficult to focus entirely upon it. The edges of it would blur if she looked to hard, but she was far too caught up in the fact that she was speaking with him, something she felt she had needed to do for so long. Strange that, since she could every day. Since she did, every day. 

Right? 

Hydra went on, four more strong little protectors-to-be. It is a shame that Arcturus left, she lamented. He had helped her raise the last batch, after all. Revui... might not be of much help. He had not, to start with, whenever she had asked. Oh he had expressed he was willing to, but the follow through? He was disappointing her more and more. She looked to her father, irate by the conversation she had with Jarilo, did you know Revui tried to steal Kukutux away? While she is with child? Why is it that he is only able to exceed my expectations when it comes to his witlessness? Her muzzle wrinkled at that. Mintaka let out a cry then, and Hydra's tongue began to lave at her back so as to aid her through her digestion process... or whatever this issue might be. Now, it was all mechanical habit; she knew what to do.

It was as if he had not aged a day since the day he had reached the top of the mountain for the first time. Charon looked at the children as Hydra said that she could not believe how fast the first four had grown. A thin smile lined his face as he said, "I could not believe how fast you had grown, too." Then, after a brief nostalgic silence, "It never seems to slow down, no matter how many you have." A sour feeling hit him when he thought of the absence of his own children these last years. But at least the stars had blessed him with grandchildren in the absence of his own.

Charon frowned as Hydra mentioned Arcturus' departure. "It is." He had his own opinions about what had driven away Arcturus, but he kept them to himself for now as Hydra addressed Revui. His frown darkened as she mentioned Revui's behaviour. He knew all along that something was wrong with that boy. From the moment he was little. Strong, perhaps, but the way that he would hold his tongue... Yet he was too proud to admit that maybe, just maybe, he should have killed Revui when he was little. Yet it grew harder when you only found out about something being wrong when they grew. And he was such a strong warrior. "I should have killed him when he was little." He would normally not say this -- too proud -- but something was different today. "When he would barely say a word, as if he was a mute or a retard." He looked away, perhaps in part ashamed to admit he would have done such a thing to his own child. But it did not matter that she knew, now, not since he had reached the top of the mountain.

He said nothing more on Arcturus, though Hydra made no note of that. She was too focused on her own feelings there, though when he spoke again he pulled her from the thoughts that raced within her mind. That he would speak of killing his own son surprised her a great deal, and yet the words did not make her feel any repulsion toward him. Whether he planted the seed then, or was only watering it, Hydra would never know for certain. Hydra only knew that she herself had felt the need, once, to do the same to a wolf within their family that had been harmless, but a threat through her own stupidity. 

She and her father were a necessary evil in this world. So there was only understanding upon her features the more she thought about the words he spoke. Maybe you were right, then, she drawled. At least on one account. Her brothers brain was not in working order, as Hydra saw it. Kill Revui? It certainly would have prevented much turmoil and tumult. Perhaps it still could. Hydra had not thought of it like that, not with him... perhaps because she had loved him so much. Her heart had soured since his latest series of betrayals; she would never understand them. Never understand why he sought to hurt her so when all she had ever wanted from him was to tap into his own potential. 

Hydra realized that perhaps she had only seen what she wanted to, not what was was truly there. 

She sighed. Arcturus would not like it. Not even if he himself had done it. Hydra still stood by that he would never have been able to live with himself if he could, and hate her all the more for letting him. There would be nothing left of their relationship to salvage if she had stood back... but now, should she really care when he turned their back upon them? Hydra shook her head. All I want is for us to be united, and together. Is that even possible, with the two of them?

More than that, would Arcturus even wish to return here? Ever? Her gaze turns again to her father. I blame Wraen, you know, she huffed. I think I told you, but I do not remember... hazy, her thoughts, as she tried to look back, she was there. She trespassed and was with him, when he turned his back upon Moonspear. She would not have been here if she was not involved in some way, her muzzle wrinkled, and now her own gaze averted. She disliked that Wraen had successfully dug her claws into her brother and tore him so neatly from their family; she had thought their relationship to be made of stronger stuff than that. How wrong she had been!

She looked to his features, searching it for any trace of his opinion. The two of them had always been open with one another, even when they disagreed (a rare event, and one that they always resolved); likely because they were two sides of the same coin.