Moonspear only i, to welcome back.

The trip took longer then expected, but was definitely worthwhile and came back with useful information and more members to their ranks. Though once Desdemona returned, and they said their pieces to Hydra, she fell back into the reign of being a guard. Her mark had been long replaced by the others, as it truly had been quite a while since their departure.

It was easy to return to her usual schedule.

He'd caught wind of his packmates' return, and hoped that once they were able to rest, that he might take a chance to visit them. He hadn't heard the particulars of their adventure- those details were for Hydra's ears only until she saw fit to share what she'd learned with the rest of the pack, but as far s he knew, their journey had gone without ending in disaster. He'd also heard a rumour that Osiris had come back with another wolf in tow; but he would have to investigate that later. 

Figuring the latter might want some time with his new friend alone, he sought out the other and was able to track her with ease down along the slope toward the border, to her well-worn path where she'd begun to make her way along the borders. He picked up his pace so that he could catch up- and eventually caught sight of the spidery guardian in the distance. He uttered a cheery bark to catch her attention, and loped forward to close the gap between them. 

He'd just come from his den, where'd he'd had a nap. Normally, that wouldn't be much of an issue- however, the den he shared with Meerkat was actually a cave they'd found within a small stream-worn canyon, and the walls of the cave were lined with mica, which left a powdery-fine dust on the ground. When the sun came into the den at the end of the day, it shone; what Bronco didn't realize was that he wore some of the shimmery dust in his pelt as he set out to patrol. So as he approached Desdemona, he practically sparkled. Oblivious, he greeted her with a familiar smile. "Thought I'd find you here. Mind if I join you?" He asked.

"Hello there-" Desdemona had to stop mid-sentence to look at Bronco. It was like one of those cheesy romance moments, where the male practically spills of esotrgen, and with the slight movie effect of the sparkles. Though she was no female lead, and this was no 'fell over heels' moment. Bronco was pratically captured in the shimmer of light, and she could only gaze with a raised brow of question.

"Bronco." Only after a long pause, did the guard finally say his name, "you're welcome to join me, though i'd prefer to ask why you are shimmering."

Something in her gaze led Bronco to believe that she was not only quite surprised to see him, but pleased as well. The leggy beauty could hardly keep her eyes off him- had she been thinking about him while she'd been out scouring the wilderness with Osiris? There was certainly a difference in her gaze which he appreciated, so he put a bit more pep in his step, unknowingly making himself look like a bird trying to show off its plumage to a potential partner, given the shimmer of his fur. 

Reality would catch up with him quickly though when Desdemona ash him about his sparkle- and for a second, he panicked. He had definitely rolled from his sleeping fur and onto the ground at some point in the night, and had likely picked up the shimmering mica powder then. He recovered quickly, though. "I've always shimmered," He said as he approached, reaching out to touch his nose to her shoulder. "You just never saw it 'cause it rained so much. S'harder to see in the rain," He said. At the same time, he gestured up toward the sky. "An' thanks fer bringin' the sunshine back with ya," He said with a wink.

Desdemona mouth was wide a bit as she had to realize what he was doing. He did in-fact look like a bird, flaunting his feathers, but did not think he would be flirtering with her so. She thought he looked a bit.. Ridiculous, and couldn't help but think it was somesort of prank to be, "No," she clarified, "there is something on your pelt."

She completely ignored the wink as well, and when he touched her shoulder, she craned her head to reach beyond his neck. With a blow, a sprinkle of dust wavered off of him, "is it a new fashion?" While it may seem like a joke; she was serious. The woman didn't know any current fashion-trends, but knew flower arrangment was popular in her maiden pack.

>:D

Deadpan. Bronco's sense of humour had never endeared him to his mother, whose sense of humour was more morose than anything, and definitely more than a stone's throw away from the light-hearted merriment Bronco used and preferred. And he wasn't certain if she was choosing to ignore his jest or if it had completely passed between her tall, pointed ears until she ignored his statement and asked another question about it. Her breath caused a small puff of the mica dust to lift from his pelt and glitter for a moment in the light before it settled to the ground. He found her confusion adorable. 

Of course, the cheeky yearling's first instinct was the one he chose to follow, regardless of the potential outcome. "Yep," He said, with a nod. And- not wanting Desdemona to feel left out of the new trend, given the fact that she'd been out working for most of the month of August- he lowered his head and unabashedly thrust his shoulder toward hers, with the intention of rubbing himself down one side of her (though he made sure to be polite and avoid her hind quarters) and as long as she didn't step out of the way, he'd rub himself all the way up along the other side of her- making his own fur stand on end from the static he'd created with the friction that would sparkle and crackle in the air as he shared his mica dust with her. "Now you're all the rage, too," He said, grinning.

She looked like the night sky. The poweder on her darkened pelt produced a star-like essence, and she only glanced at herself with a raised eye, "i'm not sure if I like this trend." Was this was what the kids were doing these days? Was Osiris, Leta, Antares and Atlas doing this too?  Desdemona tried to blow off what she could, as Bronco rubbed it against her, but certain places upon her back were unreachable.

"How did you," she waved a paw at the dust in the air, "make this?"

Bronco knew that her sense of humour was somewhat stiff, but still found her to be good company as she put up with his capricious ways without belittling him. Her frank comment made him chuckle, and he watched as she tried to dust some of the mica off her pelt. When she turned her head to flick some of it off, he buried his muzzle in the shimmering fur of his chest, waited until she turned her face around, and then reached forward hoping to leave yet another streak of shimmery, silvery dust trailing down her cheek just below her cheekbone. 

"It suits you," He said, having surprised himself with just how fantastic she looked with a bit of shimmer to her pelt. The soft brush of shimmer below her cheekbone really made her eye pop, and he felt himself blushing. There was something so beautiful about Desdemona's angular features; but he got the feeling that she didn't see herself that way. "You look like...A night-storm of stars," He said softly, with a fond smile. But he wouldn't force her, of course, to continue decorating herself if she didn't want to. 

"The c-" WAIT A SECOND, no. This was the time to be charming. He usually told others about the cave he lived in, with Meerkat, and how it had mica dust in the walls, but that was boring. He cleared his throat. "I was patrolling near the tip of Moonspear one night, just...Trying to get above the clouds to get away from the rain," He said. "When I saw this silvery light- this....Frosty, shimmery light that was racing toward me through the sky, like it was falling down from the sky," He said. "It shimmered and sparkled as it fell, but it was....I caught it, and it was lighter than I expected it to be. Like...A rock, but much lighter. An' about the size of both my paws together," He said, placing them side by side to indicate size. "It was very cold. But I carried it down the mountain, an' brought it in the cave where I live with Meerkat, 'cause I thought it was pretty. But when I got it there- it just went POOF- and sent dust everywhere." He said. "So now, it's all over the walls of our cave, and all over us...It's like living in the middle of the starry sky, at night."

Internally, she was screaming, outwardly, Desdemona had the same robotic, cold-look. She saw the glitter fall forth onto her face and momentarily had to rub it off, feeling some creep into her eyes. She looked down at her paw and saw the sheer amount there was, and could only imagine how much was on her face. She looked up with a 'why,' expression to Bronco.

"Ah, I see." Then he went on a ramble, explaining how he achieved to gain this dust-like substance, "yet you still choose to live there? I do not understand, if you wake up everything morning like.. This." Especially since he described it as looking at stars, when instead he could look at real stars. She didn't have a den- in all honestly. Desdemona chose to sleep wherever she felt tired, and sometimes that was by the border of Moonspear.

A den was not needed for a guard.

He knew Desdemona for her rigid, astute demeanour and unflinching seriousness, but he accepted her for it. And while she didn't seem to question the ridiculous story he'd told, or appreciate the fact that he was doing something ridiculous to bring a smile to her face, he didn't begrudge her any. He felt lucky that she even tolerated him and his antics this much, as she likely wouldn't have spared the time for someone she felt unworthy of her attention. 

He became a bit more self-aware when she questioned him again, and expressed what he interpreted as being skepticism. "Well, I don't mind it any," He said, which wasn't the whole truth. He liked the shimmer of the dust quite s bit- but obviously his enthusiasm was misplaced. So he changed the topic to something she might like more. "Anything interesting happen on your trip with Osiris?" He asked.

She was worse before. Constantly calling everyone 'my liege,' and being more rigid then before. It was something Desdemona was so used to, and it was hard to remove herself from the attitude. Even now does she remain rigid, serious and cold. It was hard to show emotion, and something of her own feelings- everything evolved around Moonspears well-being.

Even if it meant her own sacrifice.

"There seems to be a pack everyone is wary of. Quite a few mentioned beware of The Saints."

There was something chilling that Bronco thought he heard in Desdemona's voice that he might've likened to the sting of frostbite. The guard hairs along the back of his neck bristled and stiffened as she breathed a syllable that caused him to recall previous warnings. He nodded, humming softly as he contemplated her experience, though he took a moment to cast his gaze over her as though to check for any sign of injury. She'd said that she'd been told about the Saints, not that she'd encountered them- and thus far, they were little more than a legend, a myth, a nightmarish tale to tell young ones before they slept to frighten them into obedience. But he doubted the peace would last long. 

"News of the Saints travelled here while you were away. We met one of their spies," he said, though the skepticism in his tone might have hinted at how skeptical he was about the proficiency of said spy. "No idea on where they live, though?" He asked. While they seemed to be haunting the land, as far as Bronco knew, they didn't seem to have given up their whereabouts.

"We were told they live somewhere in the mountains and to be wary. We dont know the precise location, but we avoided it so." They did however momentarily visit a Court near the side, but it didn't bring much to the conversation. She could barely remember them so, as they did not leave a lasting impression to the guard. The rest however, did. Kaistleoki, Neverwinter, Easthollow, and as well as.. Ursus.

"We were told to be wary of Ursus too. There seems to be a few dangerous packs wandering. It seems a bit worrisome that they are even venturing out." Desdemona hinted that could mean they had something planned. If a pack at the opposite mountain had a wolf wander this far, she held suspicions.

In the mountains. Well, that was more information than Bronco had known before- or, at least, perhaps he simply hadn't caught that detail if it had been spoken to him. Which mountains, though- as he was aware there were many stretches of mountains in the area, and any one of those ranges could not be considered potentially dangerous. "Least they're not on our mountain." He sniffed. "An' hopefully they'll know well enough to stay away." 

When she brought up the other pack, he blinked in surprise; he'd forgotten all about the other pack. At one point, they had feared that the two packs might be working together- though perhaps that was simply because they were uttered in the same breath because they were both potentially dangerous. "Hmm," He responded, quietly. He was thinking, and it took him a few moments to wonder what to suggest. Instead, he sought Desdemona's opinion. He looked up to her, and she was an excellent guardian. "What do you think we should do, Des?" He asked. "D'you think we should approach them an' make sure they know just to stay away from us- I mean, we have the power to do so. We're a huge pack full of strong, capable wolves. Or do you think we should stay and wait? I mean...If we don't let them know that we're dangerous ourselves, they won't think twice about hurting one of our packmates if they happen to venture off the mountain alone," He said. He flicked his ears forward then, hoping that Desdemona might offer something in terms of a good defence strategy.

"With so many enemies, they may move again. They moved already once, it's a possibility." While it was true they were so far ahead, she wouldn't let that part slip from her mind. It wouldn't be smart to move directly into enemy territory she thought, so surely they were somewhere else.. However little did Desdemona know, they actually were in the mountains, deeply surrounding by enemies.

She feared the day they moved.

Momentarily surprised, she looked at Bronco for the name 'Des.' It was something new, definitely something she had not gained before, not even from her siblings. Though the guard didn't mind too much, it was more of a pleasant surprise, and she ignored the nickname, "We shouldn't start trouble unless they start trouble with us," the woman advised.

"If they touch Moonspear, then the thunder of the mountain would strike them. Many are not that foolish to challenge. If they were smart, they would stay away." She hoped they were at least that intelligent to stay away. Then again, not knowing any of them, she couldn't determine their true strengths.

"If they come too close it would be best to warn them, but it would only be foolish to seek them out ourselves." Desdemona also doubted Hydra would seek out anyone, wolves only come to her, not the other way around.

They'd moved? This made Bronco feel unsettled, knowing that the pack might be trying to find a good place to live where they might feel safer, hidden away, or harder to find should retaliating forces go to seek them out. He did have to respect that they were smart enough to relocate, rather than trying to fortify a stronghold. If enough wolves got wind of troublemakers tucked away in a certain grove or forest, they'd certainly march right in and give them a shake-up to make sure they behaved. 

Perhaps that was why it hadn't happened yet, at least, as far as Bronco knew. 

Part of him wanted to see some of this for himself. To find out where those Saints, or the Ursus wolves, were hiding; to meet one, and judge for himself what was going on. Maybe he wanted to meet a couple of them, so that he had a frame of reference, rather than meeting one ambassador. The spy, Nyra, had sullied his impression of the Saints alongside the rumours he'd heard which...To be honest, were getting difficult to differentiate. He could hardly recall the details belonging to the incidents he'd heard of anymore. 

The quiet guardian, fierce as she looked with her scrupulous gaze, seemed to feel more inclined toward guarding, defending and preparing, rather than striking out. And while Bronco did want to see what was going on for himself- he knew Desdemona was likely making the best judgement call. They were safest where they could exist en masse, and as she pointed out, any pack would be foolish to challenge them on their own turf, where they had every advantage. 

"My worry, I think," He said, "Is for travellers, or like...scouts sent out to look for hunting opportunities. I don't think they'd come to the mountain with ill intentions, because yeah...It just doesn't make sense. But I'm just worried about anyone who for whatever reason leaves the mountain. I think I just wish that we didn't have to worry about travelling outside the borders." He said. "And I don't wanna have that worry, but I also don't know how we make that threat go away if all we do is stay here and protect the land we own." He said.

"That is true." She nodded in agreement that is something to be wary over. If scouts or hunting parties were to part from the mountain, there was always a chance to meet one or the other. However, that was the same for anything, she thought, "that would be the same regardless of our enemies. There is always something wicked out there- we cannot falter to all. They can meet Ursus, the Saints, or another troublesome group."

That was the life of a wolf. It was dangerous to be alone, for one could meet a terror.

"We must trust Hydra's judgement, if she wishes for us to call in arms to attack, or to protect what we have." In the end, Desdemona saw herself as a pawn to the bigger game. If she was sent out as a soldier, then so should it be. Bronco was young, but determined, she would not like to see him on the border of war. Neither would she want for Osiris, Atlas not Antares.

It was a hope, that it would not come, but there was dangers needed to be addressed.

Bronco frowned slightly at the suggestion that even if they did not have to worry about the Saints and Ursus, that there would always be others. He preferred to think, idealistically, that there were a finite number of wolves and packs who were dangerous- and that they could be either sent away or warned off so long as Moonspear continued to be as fortified as it was. None would slip past their fierce guardian's gaze, and if they did they would find themselves surrounded by a handful of very capable warriors. 

"I think you're right," He responded, agreeing with her judgement call. They would have to have faith in Hydra, who had yet to lead Bronco toward any doubts. She was a strong, capable leader, and he looked up to her. A yawn stole over him, though, and he stretched, pulling some of his muscles which had begun to beg him for a nap. "I think I need to get some of this sleepiness outa my system, I'm gonna go for a run down along the lower borders." He said, and reached out to touch his nose to Desdemona's shoulder- pausing there a moment to wipe some of the glittering mica dust from her fur, so that he didn't leave her in a tizzy. "I'll see you around," He said, with a fond smile, before he trotted off.