Moonspear shot caller

After meeting with Kukutux, Hydra sought out @Arcturus; she had cooled a little, but still felt stung by his self-perceived perception of her. Licking her chops, Hydra moved after his trail with a sigh; she also had a mind to seek out Dragomir and train more with him, but would do so after this. Hydra could not help but feel as though something was awry with her brother, and not one to ignore her intuition she knew she must meet with him sooner rather than later to remove the thought entirely. She was also not one to let things fester, as he well knew, but she had granted him his own space for a brief time sensing his own frustrations. Hydra was mindful of him; she loved him, and this was why she was so stung. 

The truth of her fear ran deep and came from years ago. Hydra had thought she had gotten rid of all those who had made a monster of her to serve and suit themselves. Was that not so? Was one such wolf willing to humor the narrative a wolf who ought to know better? Who she had shown better? 

No; she did not know what this was within her mind. Her season, perhaps, desiring her to keep everyone to heel so that nothing out of line occurred as it had in the past. Arcturus would not betray her; the two of them had always put family before self, and she did not think he would err from this. Hydra wanted to better understand where he came from now, and hoped that he was near and would be forthcoming with her as she had ever been with him.

kukutux had rattled arcturus, and he had been quick to leave her company. it was perhaps cruel -- but the passing silver lining in his departure was that it allowed him to come across the trail as hydra searched for him.

he met her easily enough, a slow wave of his tail given. he could tell from the way her brows pulled across her proud crown, that she was deep in thought: likely, about his own behavior. not one to mince words arcturus fell to step alongside her, waiting for her to speak her mind as always.

The matriarch heard her brother before she saw him; the lax wave of his tail was met with a gentle nosing. She, too, was not one to mince words. What has been going on, Arcturus? Hydra inquired, and pressed more now: you missed the meeting pertaining to breeding season, which I have not thought to speak with you on until now, given her own dealings with it. Which begs the question: where were you, and what were you doing instead? Why did you not seek me afterward? Hydra had been hoping he would and that she need not ask any of these questions, but it seemed he wished this of her that she must do so now. Her eyes were not hard as she looked upon him, nor was her tone accusatory; she wanted to understand. She wanted his honesty. 

After a beat, she revealed: I believe, too, you misunderstood me earlier. You were too at the ready to think I would ever force you into anything, Hydra withheld a snort at that and hummed, it was an offer. You are our Beta male and it would be your right first to breed before any other male should you have wanted to do so with her as a mate—your rank permits that, she said with a sigh. Hydra had no idea he would want anyone different, as he had never revealed any indication of that to her. The suggestion of such was simply to get his mind going to his own future; did it involve such things as a mate, as children of his own?

congrats on 2k!!!

arcturus was quickly questioned, as he expected. he did not resent it - his absence had been noted, and her concerns were fair. with flagged tail and averted gaze arcturus sighed, leveling out an exhale that misted his long muzzle. "i did not know there was a meeting," and this was true -- in hindsight, what zarya had said in their brief encounter clicked together now. "i went away from the mountain - there is too much tension here. i left with the best of intentions." also truth, which could not be missed in the gleam of his sunflower gaze.

his ears turned attentively as hydra elucidated his misstep in their last interaction. here his shoulders sagged, for arcturus realized he had acted impertinently. "it seems strange to arrange mateships like this, but i understand now. i do not think, after giving this much thought, that we are compatible." moreso for reasons related to his own person than any failings on kukutux's part. arcturus believed she would make someone incredibly happy -- just not him.

Hydra had imagined Dirge would have informed him of this, but Arcturus had perhaps been difficult to find. He went away due to the tension; as of then, Hydra could recall none, but perhaps given this was his first Spring where his own senses sang it was his own tension he referred to. Hydra sensed all that he said was true, and seemed to settle. She felt better about it, all of it, after he had spoken.

It does, I grant you that much. But do not insult her by saying so, she teased, knowing well he would not. He was an articulate, well-mannered man, her brother; a warm look came to her eye that revealed he had been forgiven. It was a misunderstanding, and she could not resent him for that now that he knew better and saw his error. But now... What you missed at the meeting was important, brother, but... I suppose it might be best for you and I to speak about it separately, in case you have any questions, she offered; he had no mother to turn to, no father either. As the head of the family, Hydra understood this was her responsibility now... and forged on after a heavy breath. This... this would be... well, she would have to do this with her own children someday, would she not? And she had helped in rearing Arcturus greatly; she knew it would need to be her. 

Oh, how she dreaded this! 

It is your first breeding season Arcturus; I am inclined to be more forgiving toward you for that reason alone. I do not know if father ever had this discussion with you, as I have had with mother... she started, to the point: heat. She-wolves come into heat during this time; the scent... how did she explain? Even the strongest man cannot resist it. It is how Speedy was able to cause our father to betray mother, she rumbled darkly. Nothing but for that scent would have ever done it, she understood. And now you are of an age where were you to act on impulse, children could come of it. 

Here she paused, waiting for him to understand. Hydra did not think that he had acted on impulse in the slightest at this point, given his honesty with her. The point of it was to explain to him in no uncertain terms the potential consequence of sowing ones seed, so to speak, in a womans fertile field.

arcturus dreaded their conversation too, though for reasons much the same. it was awkward, to say the least, receiving this lecture from blood -- least of all, the empirical figure of his sibling.

he listened attentively, obedience written across his features despite his initial discomfort to receive a lesson from his sister. the feeling he could only describe as squicky -- but no doubt, it was better having hydra deliver the news than his parents. he did not think charon would be so eloquent, nor his mother so patient.

"i have come across this scent already - it was what drove me off the mountain." arcturus detailed, recalling to mind katya's allure in the woods. "it is powerful - i do not understand it." his gut clenched as he thought of what could have been the aftermath. thank god one of them had stuck to their senses.

What he shared was no surprise, and Hydra was able to deduce who it had belonged to for the sole reason that Katya had shared such news with her. Yes; her remaining upon the mountain, as Speedy ought to have done, permitted me to do what our mother before us had to do when other she-wolves without mates fell into heat, she informed. Her eyes were bright with pride, though, as she considered the strength of her brother to be able to resist it; he had done what their father could not. It is the will of nature, to guarantee the continuation of ones line. Some do so recklessly, thoughtlessly, selfishly, at the cost of their children and their pack. And you leaving the mountain does not mean safety from this season, brother. Do you remember Zafina? She had fled, and bred, during her season. She had been chased from Moonspear, too, once her pregnancy had been revealed—and brought back to them her slaughtered young. 

Speedy, too, had left—not to be protected, as they had come to find out once the truth was revealed. Breeding is a privilege. But it is also a responsibility. Were the prey not to have returned this year, even I would have withheld from becoming with child in favor of repleneshing the mountain and becoming stronger with what we have, but fortunately, the prey had returned by now in droves. Still, she wanted him to understand the importance of considering all things with the season upon them. He was a leader, too, so he ought to understand the policy their parents had also always enforced now that he was old enough to understand it.

arcturus could file this conversation under 'most uncomfortable discussion of all time'. he shifted, unwilling to let anyone see his duress - and eager to see the topic navigated to less ... spiky climes.

of course he remembered zafina. that particular instance had set him apart as moonspear's most eminent and brainless grunt. do this, do that - don't ask or think, just do - for moonspear, HURRAH!

that had been the first -- and hopefully last -- time arcturus had supped on the flesh of his kin. stepping into that memory was like pouring water downhill -- once he began to think of his past, it was against nature to stop. he thought of his father, who had done none of what hydra was preaching -- and he wondered, not for the first time, if moonspear's ways were at fault.

these were pragmatic thoughts far beyond what arcturus had business delving into. he nodded, but had nothing to say in return. he hoped this conversation would come to a natural conclusion, for he found discussing such intimate matters with his sister were untoward.

Hydra was an instinctive creature, and thought nothing of the morality that came with making sure the life presented to their borders—dead already—was rid of efficiently, as the presence of that scent lured far greater predators. Hydra sought to make correct where her father had went wrong. 

She watched him then, drifting as he did when he heard things he did not like to. As she sat there before him, speaking, it felt just as it had when he was a boy. Hydra could not help but smile at the thought as she looked to him, not knowing at all of his own turmoil with Moonspear and its way. What about it had done him any wrong, after all? What was there to suppose? I know all of this talk is... uncomfortable. I just... I do not want you to feel... alone, or... confused, Hydra remembered how it had felt before she had gone into her own season. All that and more!  I think Dirge might have been the better one to have this talk with, she considered belatedly, a little sheepish in her admittance of it. Hydra had not thought of it before, she just... she wanted him to know. 

Hydra took a step nearer to him. Are you cross with me? she asked then, unsure if he was displeased with her or the situation at hand.

arcturus felt many things, but not alone. awkward, maybe. uncomfortable, yes. confused, maybe not so much. hydra had one thing going against her, and that was that they were siblings - there were certain boundaries to not be crossed, and arcturus found himself in a fit of discomfiture he was struggling to hide.

"i'm not cross," arcturus panned with a sigh - it was his fault, and he felt a glaring sense of guilt to see concern skip across hydra's shrewd gaze. "it's just that i would rather talk about something else." something less intimate. that was the truth, and nothing but. his tail waved slowly, a deep sigh pressing from his gums.

Fair, she thought to herself as he responded. Hydra could not really begrudge him that. And for all of her torture of him this day, Hydra nodded. Alright then. I have some good news that might intrigue you. There is a she-wolf I have met by the name of Ying; she seeks to bring together a group of fighters... a force to protect. Such an idea appealed to me greatly, and had been one she also had been thinking of. Though not to protect the Wilds; rather, the Wilderness, and her family within it. Her mind was always at work, and with Ying an old idea had been brought back to life.

arcturus was relieved the topic shifted to something more palatable. he would not meet ying for another few days, and so, he listened curiously to hydra as she spoke of a new alliance the mountain might have.

"fighters?" the mountaineer parroted back mindfully, thinking. "i could offer them training, if they are our allies." he looked to hydra for her approval, wondering if a new coterie of guardians might be just what the spear needed to finalize its dominion over the wilderness.

Hydra, ever safe in these things, found her gaze falling to him as she considered in thoughtful silence. Hmm. I think that would be a wise idea, though let us first confirm that is what we are to become. I do not think there should be any issue with it, but Ying defers to her sister and is speaking with her first. Still, she seemed... resolute that this force would be built. So long as we take part in it, and her sister does not refuse the idea of it all, we should all discuss what that might look like. I am sure we might learn new things from their wolves, too, her ear flicked and she looked out into the horizon. Ying was of the coast; it would be an asset to learn how to fight better on such terrain. She had trained once with Rosalyn on the territory, and sparred with her sisters... but Ying would have the benefit of experience in that territory. 

Perhaps the ocean can help strengthen us as the mountain does. When the weather warms, it would be nice to train there, she thinks aloud, looking to him and wondering if he thought the idea a good one. There was something else she wanted to speak with him about, too, that she had humored with Dirge... she wondered what Arcturus might think of it.

arcturus' mind wandered to their future: of a massive alliance in the likes the wilds had never seen. the prospect of sparring with these coastal wolves intrigued him -- excited him, even.

the only thing to dampen that excitement was the secret arcturus held to his chest: he did not know how to swim. in time, maybe, these wolves could teach him.

he nodded his head in affirmation, very much liking the suggestion of cross-terrain training. nothing could condition limbs better than constant, varied terrain. "i look forward to it." the beta answered perfunctorily, already devising plans for their future.