Moonspear call on me, call me

Hydra felt strangely unsatisfied by the answer, and wondered if there was more... but elected to trust in Kukutux, and that she had spoken true. It was not as though what she had said did not make sense after all, and so despite the desire to press Hydra determined that there was little point to that. What would Kukutux hide, after all? She would not be guessing at anything if she knew, and that was what the both of them had been doing. 

She was wistful as she drawled, I hope it is for love, rather than hate. Hate for me, hate for here, and shook her head. Even despite detesting the Firebird Sovereign, she hoped that Arcturus truly could see beyond the veil she had placed over his eyes someday. The illusion she had cast was a farce; Moonspear was indeed a colder and quieter place than most, but their love for one another was no less true for that. 

As Kukutux spoke of spirits, and the gaze of her late mother and father, Hydra's gaze traced the others features. No doubt Jarilo's spirituality was from their mother; Amekaze had shared with the two of them the essence of it in nature. But as for the afterlife itself? What was here was here, and what was gone was gone. Do what you must in this life, if you do not you will never have the opportunity to. Hydra did not think her brother was imaginative enough to sense his mother or his father here, although what did she know? In a matter of seconds, he had revealed to her he knew not a thing about her, after all. So she could not discredit that option Kukutux presented to her. 

I do not know that I will ever know. Not any time soon, at least. I cannot travel like this, and even afterward—he turned his back upon us, her gaze drifted to the earth, then to Kukutux as she murmured, upon me. For she did not think he truly blamed Moonspear for the sum of his heartache, just that they aligned with her. His pride dictated that the lash of his tongue fall upon each of their backs... though she thought that unfair. 

Somehow, those within her ranks for lesser a time than her brother knew her better than he. Hydra did not think Dragomir had left for his lack of belief in her, after all; she understood that now and then, family dispersed. The timing was painful for the sting of losing another she loved, but Hydra could not dwell on that. 

What was most important was this, the woman beside her—the wolves that would ever remain. Kukutux, she murmured, moving to nose the ducks cheek if allowed, thank you, she breathed, withdrawing... For her belief in her; for knowing better that she was not a monster; for helping her brothers, each of them; for a dozen things more. Know that I would not prohibit Arcturus from seeing your children, if that was your wish. He is family still. He behaved like a fool, and perhaps is a fool, time would tell the truth of it, as it always did, but that day... it is not the measure of who he is as a man. Hydra could not believe that. Here for years, by her side for so long. He was more. He had to be. I do not know what has caused that lapse of judgment, be it love, or hate... let it not be hate, so she herself would not need to keep him from where he truly belonged!, if he has any love for us, for his family here... he will make it known. 

He would return. To her. Perhaps not for good, but he would. Apologize, in their way, for his mistake. This was what she held onto, for now.