Moonspear saw the mistakes of up and down

(: a quick goodbye

she stood, body tightly gathered and eyes staring forward at what appeared like nothing. she was actually focused on a small leaf. it was small, shaped like a spade, and had a tear from the upper right side straight to the middle. she stared at it for a while before, finally, she let out a low call for @Charon and @Amekaze. she hoped they'd understand-- or at least try to be understanding. she didn't want to leave on a bad note... this just was not the place for her, not right now. so she stood, still tightly gathered, and waited.

There was something wrong with the call — there was a certain melancholy to it that left him feeling irked. He nosed Amekaze, by whose side he'd been asleep, and without waiting to see if she would join by his side he started making his way towards the place Aria was waiting for them.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice laced with more irritation than he had intended. He was afraid, deep inside — afraid for what this important thing was that she wanted to talk to him about. They needed all hands on deck considering the pups that were brewing inside Ame's stomach and she better understand that.

Though the call had not been for her, Hydra had undertaken the role of her parents [self-proclaimed] favorite star pupil. She found herself joining them more oft to observe, wanting to learn all they could teach her. Aria's call did not signify anything in particular to her, but when she arrived she sensed her fathers agitation and adopted it swiftly. But she was stoic, and silent—more curious at present than anything else. 

Y'guys can skip me at will!

charon came quickly-- quicker than she'd thought he would-- and submitted respectfully at his arrival. his words were sharp and caused a flinch in the pale sylph, followed by another wave of anxiety and hesitation. "i... i need to go," she said in a rushed voice, almost fearfully. it'd never occurred to her how angry this would make charon-- she just wanted them to know that what she was doing, and maybe why. she wasn't disloyal she was just lost-- she couldn't leave that burden on them.

"i need to find something... i don't know what but... something and... floki," she explained, a bit further, still quickly and choppy. she didn't want any trouble, just to clear the air.

y'all can skip around me/not wait up since i know i won't be the speediest rn. i don't want to hold it up so i'll post when i can!

Beside Charon, she had dozed quietly and did not wake quite so easily as he did. When she rose, it was after he'd moved away with a reluctant squint that left her with little choice than to follow suit, but she did it at her own pace--even with the call in mind; she stretched, yawned, shook her coat, then strode after him to rejoin his side before Aria, where she caught the tail-end of her explanation. This came as little surprise, and she was far more somber about it than Charon was because she had sensed it may come to this, if not now, with enough time. Aria was not mending here, something important for her was missing, and even she did not know how to pinpoint what it was. Evidently, this had not changed.

And although, as loathe was she was to see her go, there hung some hope--not just for Aria, but for Floki too in a much more distant manner. In her most ideal, both could return, and together they could all flourish on the verdant slopes of this Spear. But not today. Her ears sat angled back, and much like Hydra, her expression did not read as plainly as Charon's, and neither did she wish to foster more nervousness in Aria. She did wish to hear more, if there was more, and hope for the best.

When she first started to speak he could feel his hackles prick up in irritation, frustrated by her defiance and that she would leave them when new pups were on the way. Amekaze had joined by his side meanwhile and he looked at Ame wordlessly, then looked back at Aria pointedly, as though to confront her with the impact her choices may have upon their offspring. "The timing is shitty as fuck," he said with a weary growl, in case his gestures had not been enough to trigger some sense of guilt and duty within Aria.

But somehow it changed when she mentioned Floki, and finding him. Bringing him back. Charon had searched far and wide but the winter had stopped them from ever retrieving him. Every day he longed to see his brother again. If experience had taught him anything, odds of ever finding him were extremely slim, but there was a naive hope that drove him as he nodded in silent, begrudging agreement.

All the time Charon'd tried to fix Floki up with Pyx but seeing the desperation on Aria's face made him realise that perhaps things had been tighter between her and Floki than he had thought. If she would leave home to travel in search of him... "Fine." He fixed his gaze on Aria, an angry frown upon it. "Bring him home when you find him," he commanded and it was evident from the tone in his voice that he would not be amused if she were to find him and not take him home.

Hydra did not understand her fathers meaning for what it was. The timing being, well, shitty, was something she attributed to their low numbers. Though they had recently gained two, now Aria saw it fit to leave... due to needing to find something she didn't know? No, to find Floki, it seemed. And also, again, a vague "something". Hydra withheld a rude snort, but turned her eyes away from Aria. She was disappointed that the other needed to leave in a way that seemed to border permanence—who knew if she would find Floki (though Hydra wanted her uncle to be found, too, and so hoped for Aria's success on that front). She remained silent, her gaze shifting to her mother before falling back again to Aria.

more disappointment. but this time it was expected. she hadn't tried her hardest and let down everyone, she knew right off the bat she was letting everyone down. maybe that was why she didn't flinch away from charon's comment. his fine was rough and annoyed, but it was still something. "i will," aria murmured, her head dipping again. she avoided hydra's gaze, but looked quietly to amekaze. she knew she was pregnant, but she didn't believe she'd be much help. she was loyal for the sake of having something to hold onto, but her attachment was not to these wolves. if need be, she couldn't guaranteed she'd risk her life for them-- not now. but she understand the frustration nonetheless.

she hesitated to thank the pair, but was unsure what to say. instead, she just gave another nod of reassurance to charon's command, and turned and left-- her body lowered. she'd find something... maybe not floki, maybe not constantine-- but she'd find something. somewhere. she prayed, anyway.

last from me!! <3

No stranger to the burn of bad timing, her ears were set back and splayed wide as Charon grated and growled. She wasn't pleased, by any means, but it could always be worse. If Aria intended to go on her own way, Ame certainly preferred to get it done and over with now so they could adjust to her absence before she went inevitably denbound. Her hackles were half-stiff about all of this, and she would say nothing about it  yet.

At least she was leaving with some sort of goal in mind, when so many seemed to just drift off to the winds without even so much as a word why. They would get through this, and with any luck, Aria may find what she would need out there too--but soon, it would be of no concern to her any longer. Not with a mountain to tend, and a litter creeping steadily closer. She had enough to deal with already.

Her mate covered all that was necessary for Floki's regard, and he made the undertone of grim acceptance quite clear already. "Safe travels," she wished her for a goodbye, although it was still through a tense downturn of her lips that deepened as she watched the pale female leave them behind.

When she was gone, Amekaze huffed and lashed her tail slowly. She then turned and prepared to lurk off to spend her frustration on a search for a meal, mainly to get her mind elsewhere from here.

my last, feel free to post again or just archive :)

Without another word she departed, and Charon found himself feeling robbed of something (though he didn't even know what, precisely) and empty inside. There were no more words left for Aria as she turned and left and he watched it silently while his mate wished her safe travels. He then turned to nose Amekaze, thinking of the near future with her in the den (and thinking of all the work he'd need to do practically on his own), and looked at his daughter with a nod that showed something of appreciation for standing beside them. They would be fine if all his daughters would grow up as fast and good as Hydra.

"None of these other shits'd better leave," he grumbled, thinking of their low numbers. He didn't even know their newest recruits. What guarantee did he have they'd stay? Pyx was the only one he trusted in that regard at the moment. He turned back deeper into the territories, feeling the sudden urge to start preparing for the birthing of the pups and creating a den for Amekaze. If his daughter and mate would join him he would let them, but he made no gesture to invite them as he left.

Hydra's head lifted when she noted the other not matching her gaze, and her dominant streak flared within her as her pride was stroked. She kept respectful toward her parents all the while, listening and observing mutely otherwise. Hydra did not wish Aria the same sentiment, because she truly disliked that Aria was leaving at all even if her parents understood it. Hydra did not pity Aria, but rather felt an immense disappointment toward her for leaving because not all was well in her life. Not that Hydra could understand it—her life had gone well, and she had never lost anything she loved. She also was not an empath. 

As her father spoke, Hydra snorted in agreeance. Both her mother and her father turned away to do their own thing, and Hydra herself stalked along the borders in frustration, marking the territory and mulling over her thoughts on this whole exchange.

On her way away, she shared Charon's sentiment with a dangerous, low rumble. She wouldn't doubt it, and would need time to come to even begin to trust some of the new faces that trickled into here, but she wasn't in the mood for ranting on it any either. It was only to say that her patience was thin, and she was awfully used to wolves leaving. She grated a quick scoff too before picking up her pace, off to her own doings alone for a while before probably regrouping with Charon before it got too late.