Silverlight Terrace this is how we dance

Tagging @Death first, and then @Hydra if mom wants to make an appearance c:
Mintaka is 10 weeks old and is exploring a little bit. 

Really, Mintaka hadn't meant to wander off this far. She'd spaced out, followed a butterfly, then chased a squirrel, and now... she was kind of lost. It wasn't a bad thing, she didn't think - she wasn't scared or anything like that. She could retrace her steps and get back home if she wanted, because she hadn't gone too very far, but she knew that she wasn't in the territory anymore. Mama might get mad at her for it, but that wasn't really a concern for her at the moment. That was a problem for Future Minty. 

As of now, Mintaka in the Present was having fun. The field was nice and pretty, and it was warm and sunny out. To her right, a grasshopper sprung out of the greenery and flew a few feet before landing again. That would be fun, she thought, if she could do that too. 

Crouching down, Mintaka wriggled a bit, and sprung forward with whatever springiness her legs possessed. She didn't go as far as the grasshopper, but it was fun to try.

Curiouser and curiouser? more like "fuckered and fuckered". He'd probably never understand his brother and his weird band of blood-benders, and he didn't desire to either. If he could, he'd run his hands through his dyed emo hair and smoke while writing poetry about how no one understood him, but alas. All he could do was linger about, the preteen sticking close to his brother but wishing to be elsewhere. He seemed cool at first, but now he wanted to like drink blood or something? And get it on with this bitch? Count him out.

He was just wandering and pondering - could he make it on his own? Would sure be cool if he could. Just a lone, handsome vagabond who wasn't crazy about eating other people's flesh. He was going to be like his brother but better - bolder! Smarter, at the very least, but that wasn't a bar set very high. It was then his eyes caught the blinding light of a silver coat in the sun from underneath a lonesome tree that provided some shade. He raised an eyebrow. What was a girl doing out here? Didn't she have a crazy horny brother to take care of her?

Hey you! He called, refusing to get out of his cool-guy pose, leaning against the tree. He looked more like a creepy drug-dealer than a cool skater boy but whatever. Ya got any weed on you? Ya doing okay?

The figure that approached her was similar to her siblings - dark, bigger than her, but around her age. He was probably trying to look cool, but that didn't really register to her. Neither did the perceived creepiness, but... he did look a little awkward leaning up against the tree like that.

Pausing in her impromptu grasshopper mimicry, and looking over at the boy who was speaking, the silver girl tipped her head to the side. 

"Yeah," she called in return, offering him a smile and wag of her tail. The girl trotted over to him, pausing when she reached the shade. "Whatcha doing leaning on that tree?" 

There had to be a reason. Why lean on a tree when there were plenty of grasshoppers around to play with?

It did not occur to her that her mother may be nearby, watching.

All he could focus on for a moment were her bright blue eyes. They sparkled in the sunlight, and somehow that intrigued him. He hadn't seen such vibrant eyes ever, had no idea they could look like that - sucks he was stuck with a boring silver. She approached so bouncily... It was kind of weird. Probably the same kind of weird he was in her eyes, playing his cool-boy persona he hoped would impress her.

Ouch. It didn't. You could see him snapping out of it for just a second upon her question, but falling right back into it as if she hadn't just called him out for something. You wouldn't understand. he replied, looking off into the distance. Sunglasses would make this all a lot cooler, but it would fit so strangely on his face.

What's ye'r name, babe? He was trying to sound all cool and flirty like Abaddon, but his balls hadn't dropped and it didn't really work when you had the voice of a drowning bird. He hadn't really thought about that, because in his head he already had the dark and husky voice he'd later grow into.

Yeah, he was a little weird, but so was she. Maybe very different types of weird, but weird nonetheless. And Minty liked odd stuff - interesting things, and even if this boy was broody and making his voice all deep and stuff, he was still new and exciting and a potential friend that she could start to make. Her only friends thus far had been her parents and siblings, so she was kind of in the market for new ones.

She tipped her head to the other side and hummed. Why did he think she wouldn't understand him leaning on the tree? "Maybe I could," she offered, promptly trotting over and leaning her own flank against the trunk. And... yeah, she still didn't really understand it.

A short laugh shook her shoulders at his next question, before she cleared her throat and sobered up. "I'm Minty," she replied, schooling her own voice into something lower and angling her ears toward the boy. "You got a name, too?" Tough and gravely was what she was going for, but what she got was more... squeaky. But she liked this new game they were playing.

When Mintaka left, Mira stalked her like prey. It was a fun hunt until a stranger showed up, a dark one not unlike herself- and Mira slunk down the slopes and across the field, catching the tail end of Mintaka's introduction. It was here her sister slid up beside her- a useless wingman, and a silent watcher, ultimately untrusting of the boy as she eyed him warily.

As if a girl could understand the intricate ways of a cool guy. Puh. You needed to be a guy first and foremost, it being in the name and all... And then you had to muster up all the cool you had in you. This was very difficult, even for someone as inherently cool as Almight. It took immense amounts of concentration and a swagger even he hadn't quite worked out yet. It was something in the bounce of a step and a generally carelessness for everything, he had only figured out the latter part - he still very much walked like a lady in heels.

He figuratively looked over his sunglasses to watch the girl go and lean against the other side of the tree and shook his head. You need to look into the distance and realize the pointlessness of existence. He explained in his high-society manner of speaking again. He couldn't keep up the persona if someone didn't get it.

He frowned, confused, at her laugh. Was she mocking him or something? Minty. Now that was a name so sweet it melted his teeth right off. Minty. Really? That was her name? He let out a sound akin to a cough and a chuckle combined, leaning towards the lady in what would be a seducing manner for a preteen. Yeah I do baby. He said, flipping his non-existent mane of hair to the side. I'm Almight.

It was then that he saw the other nearby and he lost hope for the girl. If she had parents or siblings or ANYONE that loved her truly, she'd never become a cool guy like him. He shrugged at the wary gaze that was directed at him, turning again to Minty. He'd never get over her name.

Pointlessness of existence? That was weird. Mintaka was someone who loved life, in every aspect, and could find fun and excitement everywhere. But if this was the price of looking cool, she guessed she could manage at least pretending otherwise. She tried to make her face like his - that disinterest and boredom that (in her mind, at least) he had mastered. She'd talk to him about how great life was later. 

He laughed at her name and she lost the image she was trying to keep up. A small smile spread across her own maw and she perked her ears. Baby. That was weird. Babe, baby. She'd never been called that before - weren't babies tiny? 

It didn't really matter, she decided, as he shared his name with her as well. Almight. That one was weird. "Sounds like a superhero!" she announced with a brighter smile, tail waving behind her. At least, until Mira showed up at her side. Her sister was rarely far away, like a shadow, but Mintaka hadn't expected her out here. Not that she was unwelcome. 

"This is my sister, Mira," she told the boy, bumping the other girl with her shoulder before padding over to Almight and gesturing to him. "Mira, this is my new friend Almight." Bright blue eyes flickered back over to his monochrome. "She doesn't really talk much."

Her sons were watched by Dirge.

Her daughters both disappointed and intrigued her.

She followed, mutely. 

Babe. 

A call like death to most; perhaps a call that was such, to the more witless of them. She swallowed a snarl—wondered who death might be meant for. When an answer was provided, she asked herself if she had her answer. Even Hydra knew you could never befriend Death, arrogant though she could be. She was not fool enough to believe that. 

Mintaka though? 

Fool enough for them all. Her hard stare lingered on her the longest, she found. She did not believe in reincarnation. Souls, she presumed, went were they were ought to in the end. Her father, the stars. Her mother, the mountain. 

Korei Julia was dumb enough to mess it all up, though, wasn't she?

I killed you once; I would do it again. 

Let it be the last time. 

As her gaze lingered upon Almight, she swallows the imaginings of it; death was death, was it not?... mutely, she watches on. Waits in the distance, her gaze narrowing.

First he began by giving her sister poor advice. There was purpose to life: it was to conquer. She did not wish to have him place such... disappointing ideas in the empty head of 'Minty', as she had recently taken to calling herself. Then he called her baby- was that a pet name? The fur rose along the shadow's spine, and she wished to cover her sister's ears and pull her away from this braincell-killer before he got to her. Instead, she was introduced against her will. 

She doesn't really talk much.

A moment of cool silence. I do not. She agreed. Then her lips rose into a silent snarl as she bared her front teeth, a light warning to the boy who she did not trust. He had had a moment to prove himself; had instead called her sister a pet name and planted useless words in her head. You should go. She breathed, eyes flashing like an escaped murderer.

Minty was probably loved and was stimulated as a child - pff, how overrated. All of it was unnecessary, so much was clear to the young boy - I mean, look at how HE had turned out? All he needed was Abaddon to feed him now and again and to behave... a little, and that's when the world made sense. There was no point to it all, not really - let the universe go red for all he cared! As long as he had a tummy full of real food, not other wolves, and some entertainment, all was swell.

His eyes traveled slowly to the silver girl when she exclaimed his name sounded like a superhero's. Now it was his time to look confused. Did it really? well, even if it did, he was no hero. He scoffed. Sure, if you say so. Almight wasn't the name of a hero! It was his name and he was but a simple cool guy. If Minty was in trouble, guess who would be the first one to turn tail and get out of there? That's right, it would probably be Almight, the coward - the bastard!

It was then that attention shifted to the newcomer - Mira, as she was introduced. The boy was amused by her spice, showing it with a gangster smirk. Mira - More like Mi-rawr, am I right? The boy chuckled at his own wordplay, looking to Minty for approval - some acknowledgment that he was indeed funny. No matter her reaction, the boy would loosen his shoulders briefly before saying; Listen toots, I'm just hanging here. This ya packland? didn't think so. I'm stayin', wanna talk with my friend here after all. Oh yeah, he was definitely just using Minty calling him a friend to his advantage, but the comment had caught him off-guard before. He didn't think he'd ever had a friend before.

Everything was going fine, until it wasn't. Mira seemed to be... very upset with her friend, and she was  being mean. She and her sister had very different ideas as to why life had meaning and purpose, and clearly very different ways to talk to strangers. Or, new friends. The tension made her very uncomfortable, and she shuffled her paws uneasily as she looked between the two of them. A nervous laugh bubbled in her chest at the boy's joke, but really she was just disappointed that the day had been ruined and that Mira seemed so upset. 

"Mira, that's not very nice," she murmured, still turning wide blue eyes between the two. She'd never had a friend before, either, and she'd really been enjoying it.

Maybe there was some way she could salvage this. She offered the two of them a smile, previously-drooping tail starting a hesitant wag. "Hey, maybe we could, uh, do something! Like, play a game, maybe? I was chasing some hopper bugs before I met Almight," she informed the two, hoping to bring back some sort of positivity into the discussion.

Hydra watched from a close distance. Her tail lashed behind her as she listened to the group, appreciating her darker daughters sentiments more than the silver Mintaka. Her ears pricked and she licked her chops, and it was not until Almight spoke again that Hydra determined she would rather end this whole ordeal sooner rather than later. 

Out from between crags and crevices did Hydra erupt, advancing upon the scene in a whiplike lash of black. Her eyes were for her sweetest, who she had kept closest to her, and in seconds the mother sought to be both over and upon her without the use of teeth, though would utilize muscle if need be. A snarl came forth from her lips with plenty of heart behind it; her disappointment she would not mask, and if fear would not prevent Mintaka from leaving the nest so far and so young, perhaps shame might. 

Home, she commanded, now. 

And while her gaze did not shift to Almight, the prick of her ears indicated she was aware of his presence. It was not him or their friendship she cared for; rather, it was her childrens straying without a word to her. And straying out of the territory with that.

Ah, yes, Mira, the day-ruiner. The party pooper, the spoiler of fun. 

Almight's jokes were not funny to her (though no jokes ever were,) and she only shifted her lip higher. The words that he was staying, and calling her by another name now too- hadn't she just been introduced? She didn't give a fuck if this was their packland or not, it was the fact that her sister was here. Something about this boy was so abrasive, and though Mira could not understand what this instinct was yet, it truly was protectiveness- she did not want her sister getting hurt, or made into an idiot by some fool. 

Get out. She breathed then to the boy who insisted on staying, taking a single step forward as a snarl bubbled from her throat. To Mintaka's words, she glanced over, huffing, I know it is not nice. But do fools deserve nice words? She questioned, and gaze shifted back to the boy. Her sister was recommending games, and Mira looked at her for a moment- something that might've been a long, hard stare if it were not for the introduction of something greater upon the scene. 

Mother was over her in an instant, tail lashing, commands that the sisters ought to head back. Some little part of Mira was overjoyed that her mother might show the boy that this was not a family to mess with- but ultimately she was shocked, and most of all ashamed, to have let down the one wolf she cared most about. Dark ears flattened to her head, her snarl was wiped from her face, and though she did not wish to tuck her tail in front of the boy, as she would follow mother towards home, she would be unable to help the gradual shift of the banner downward and downward.

So Minty could stand up for herself. Well, at least a little. Despite it being just a murmur, the black bastard chimed in; Yeah Mi-rawr, won'tcha be a little nicer to a poor wanderboy. He pouted in fake sadness, but it was very clear he wasn't hurt or bothered by Mira's words. A tough guy like him would stay and go as he pleased, even if he had to get beaten up to prove such a point. Though he had the muscle and size to back his cockiness up, he actually did lack the skill and training for a proper battle.

He smiled tightly, commenting; I prefer jester", toots - fools are less funny. before all hell broke loose. From the shadows emerged a dark woman, coat a similar shade to his own. Her eyes were an electric shade of blue, a bit like Minty's. Was this her mom or something? How had she turned out so meek and light?

He watched the adult ruin the fun, only barely acknowledging his presence - while Mira wilted a ways away. Good for her, she did respect someone enough to not be a bitch all the time. He watched quietly, waiting to see if Minty would submit to this woman or stand up for herself again like he hoped she would.

This had gone downhill so quickly, and Mintaka hadn't understood why. Almight and Mira were arguing, and her attempts at mediation were immediately disregarded. Her ears lowered slightly and her tail, usually held up and waving like a banner, had drooped. Why couldn't they be friends? What was wrong with them having fun?

And then her mother showed up, angry and growling and Mintaka understood why she might be. But she hadn't really meant to go off this far, and she'd explain the situation when they were alone. Nevertheless, she didn't react to their mom in the same way Mira did. Her posture was already droopy, but she knew Hydra wasn't going to actually hurt them, and probably wouldn't stay mad anyway. So there was no need to outright defy her. "Okay, mama."

"Bye, Almight. Maybe we can play again later," she offered the boy, tapping her nose to his cheek quickly before she padded up to her mother. She would not meet her eyes yet, only casting quick glances toward her now and then to check if she was really as angry as she sounded.

last from me! fading <3

Hydra looked, briefly, to the boy when her children fell in line. Where was this ones mother? Who did this one belong to? Did no one care for them, to be looking? Brave, and bold, and foolish too... no different than her own who were where they ought not to be. She had half a mind to grab them by the nape and drag them along with her, though thought better of it. Someone would be missing their child, and perhaps they were near. And if he had none, she wondered if he cared to have any. 

He could always ask, but he wisely held his tongue throughout the moment she arrived. 

Licking her chops, she drawled, come along if you have no one to care for you... or you do not know the way back. I will not ask twice, she hummed with ears pressed forward. Nor would she look over her shoulder; but if this was a child of Mal's, or of Valour's, well, she could only hope they might do the same themselves. And if they were neither, well, at the very least they could live a few extra days with a meal in their belly before she inevitably chased them off, were they not to grow on her. 

In any event, she did not hear them follow; she moved in silence with her cubs, nipping Mintaka on the hind. The girl did not look nearly sorry enough, and Hydra rumbled her disapproval of this; she could have gotten herself killed. Her sister killed. There was a lesson to be learned here, but her anger and disappointment was such that she could not yet find the words to deliver to them the weight of all the things she felt. And so she mutely led the way, only certain that the two of them were with her throughout.