Moonspear ride like a maniac into the light

Vega has been keeping her distance from the shelling den. Even though she had never experienced it herself, she knew better than to bother her mother so early after the birth. But she missed her mother. There was something about being kept away — like she was a danger or something — that didn’t sit quite right with her. She was too young to understand the hormonal response behind it.

It had been over a week now, and enough was enough. She approached the whelping den with caution, sure to keep a great deal of distance from the little snotrags that were stealing her mother’s attention. Mom? Can I see you?

@Hydra, siblings welcome.

Hydra was awake, tongue dragging against the back of one of her fussing cubs. The issue was soon resolved, and as her eyes scanned the small bodies of her children she heard the approach of another. Another step she knew; Hydra's ear twitched as she deliberated between turning her daughter away, and letting her see the children. Thinking it too soon for that, Hydra determined she could stretch out her legs some and get a drink with her firstborn daughter at the lazy stream nearby. 

Emerging from the den while her cubs slept, Hydra saw @Lyra nearby; a flick of her ear brought her closer, and seeing the reason for it her sister slid into the whelping den. Looking to Vega, Hydra marveled at how she had grown. Always, the matriarch hummed, moving to nip at her daughters whiskers in her typical brand of maternal affection. None too gentle, but loving nevertheless.

She could hear one of the new pups squalling from where she stood and the sound stirred up all sorts of nasty feelings within her. She was more of an adult than those kids were — her siblings, she reminded herself, — but she was still a child. And while she had never been the subject of hand-holding or helicoptering, she felt like she was being asked to be very big when she was objectively still very small.

Her mother stepped out of the den while her aunt slipped in; briefly, she wondered why it could not always be this way. Vega was old enough to be able to tell her own mother from the sisters, but maybe the youngest ones wouldn’t have to know the difference.

Hydra’s small gesture of affection struck Vega in a way that she hadn’t expected. At first, she recoiled from it, but her surprise melted quickly as she moved to affectionately clip her mother in the chin with the crown of her head. Her mother’s touch said, nothing has changed. Vega was still Hydra’s offspring and she had once been small and helpless as well.

How are they doing? The delivery of the question was quieter than typical for Vega, but it was clear that it came from her not knowing where to start instead of any hidden hostility that might have remained. And how are you?

Hydra rumbled warmly as her daughter returned her gesture, and as she headed toward the shallow waterbed (which was assuredly safe for miles and miles) she leaned into her agouti daughter. She missed her elder children, and she missed pack life; patrolling, hunting together, and all the rest. For now the pack would hunt for her until her children were old enough to be left with any other adult. Given their dependency on her milk, she knew she needed to remain for a while yet. Soon enough her sisters might produce milk too, but even then they would not produce as much as she could. It would afford her a little more freedom, though, and she willed it to happen sooner rather than later.

Her daughters inquiry caused her eyes to shift toward her tawny daughter, stopping just where the stream began its quiet rambling. Small, and always hungry. As helpless as you were at their age, she remembered, and it was easy to think on her eldest children fondly now that they had grown and were not such a way. She resented her own lack of freedom in these days, but reminded herself they would pass; for her own part, there was no indication of that in her voice. She continued, one paw placed into the stream to feel for the waters temperature as she continued, They will be that way for some time longer, but soon enough you will be able to meet them; there eyes have just opened, she informed. Hydra began to lap at the waters then, slaking her thirst. Lifting her head when her daughter asking her next question, she looked to her daughter, water dripping from her chin. I am well, and, after a beat, hummed, Though I have missed pack life. It had only been a week or so, and there would be more time before she could reimmerse herself within the fold. She missed all within Moonspear, and was glad for her daughters visit. 

How are you? She asked next, not out of politeness but because she was genuinely curious. Hydra remembered when her own mother had first had her siblings; she had been uncertain about them, to start, and wondered if any of her own cubs might feel that way themselves. Vega gave no signs toward that, though in that regard Hydra knew she could very much so be her daughter there.

I can’t remember ever being that small, she says, part of her in disbelief that she could ever have been such a helpless being. Their eyes had just opened — certainly, she must have gone through the same stages, but it was remarkable to her how little she could recall.

She moved downstream from where her mother drank (no dirty paw water for miss Hydra), and noted how much cooler she felt once her feet were in the water.

I’ve missed you, she admits without hesitation. I was was worried, I don’t know, that the new kids would replace me. But the expression on her face showed that she knew now this wasn’t the case. Now, I just want to meet them. Will they be walking yet, when I get to?

Hydra could not remember being so small and insubstantial herself, but there had been a time such a thing had been so. She reflected on that in silence while she drank; at the very least, she was able to remember her firstborns and know there was a light at the end of the tunnel. In her new cubs favor was that they were disarmingly adorable, and her own maternal instinct that outweighed any amount of her displeasure in her motherly duties. Hydra would kill for them as surely as she would her firstborns. 

Her daughters admittance came as no true surprise, if only because she felt the same and selfishly projected that it must be the same for the rest of her cubs. As of late they had mostly moved with one another in contemplative silence after all had come to pass, but their solidarity with and toward one another had not been shaken despite what had transpired with her brother and their uncle. 

What she said next did come as a surprise though, and Hydra regarded her daughter with some measure of concern that she might think such. It seemed she did not anymore, but just in case, Hydra drawled, never. Each of her children were irreplaceable to her for their own reasons, and Vega's place in her heart as her firstborn daughter was uncontested. Similarly, Osiris, Antares, and Atlas were lodged in there for several reasons of their own. Eventually, the same could be said of her newest cubs... they would soon develop their own personalities. Hydra felt she saw them come even now.

As for the when, and how the children would be, she grinned. Yes, though a little clumsily. I suspect you will meet them when they are ready to be weaned, if you wish to help feed them, she hummed. A messy ordeal, but not one that bothered Hydra in the fact that it was an instinctual thing. Hydra had fed her brothers and sisters the same way as she had her children. The matriarch had several years of experience with this.

There was a moment of silence that passed as both mother and daughter reflected. When Hydra spoke again, her voice was untestable; the sturdiness of the queen’s reply caused Vega’s chest to swell (if only slightly). It was possible that this wouldn’t stick until her youngest siblings were walking and talking, or at least had some kind of personality outside of stealing their mother for weeks at a time. For now, everything was alright again.

That sounds nice, she admits, trailing further downstream to have a drink of her own. Sure, she says, before pausing a moment to think. How long do you think that will be?

Hydra estimated; what had it been, the year prior? Considering, Hydra hummed, they should begin their weaning soon. Another week, or so, she calculated. Their milk teeth were coming; she could sense it in their behaviors. Soon enough, she would know it to be true. Always a dreadful time, but they would learn to eat more solid foods and then become less dependent on the milk she provided. Hydra's eyes trailed to Vega as she drank, tail swaying behind her. 

Your aunt @Alya was discussing perhaps taking you and one of your brothers on a quick scouting trip, she informed. Vega had stuck close to home all of her life, which pleased the matriarch... especially now, given her need for extra fangs should anything go amiss. All the same, Hydra would not have any potential within her children go untapped. It would be good for Vega to learn of the lay of the land around Moonspear, and how to deal with strangers too. The unsavory sort, and the sort they could glean knowledge from alike.

Discussion of the pups was quickly discarded as soon as Hydra brought up something that directly impacted Vega. Being able to travel with her aunt and learn about the outside world was intriguing, if only because she had never really left the mountain.

Her head tilts as she thinks for a moment. I’d like that, she says, where to? What would we be doing?

Likely still around the Wilderness, I would think... maybe a little beyond, she imagined aloud, not entirely sure of Alya's planned route. Still, Hydra trusted her mirror image to let her do it all without inquiry. It would be as much as a surprise for Hydra to hear as it would for Vega their intended whereabouts. Exploring the territories beyond, and getting new information. Learning about new packs forming, or new packs that have been formed. The sort of wolves they are, she drawled, explaining the importance of a scout.

She continued on: We hunt for your brothers attackers this way, too, and hope to gain information on their whereabouts... though we do not share with all our hunt, given we do not want them to discover our search and flee before we can do anything about it. I imagine it will be lessons on trusting your gut feeling on those sorts of things, came her words; if Vega had inherited her own mothers ability to spot a monster, she should have no problem there. Then again, Hydra was one herself—it made knowing them when she saw them too easy. And if your gut feeling is wrong, you will not be alone to take care of whoever it is that might threaten or seek to take advantage of you. And you can tell me all about it, when you return, her tail waved. From there, they could plan their retaliation if Vega, Alya, and her son(s) did not act on it then and there themselves.

To be gifted with such an important task set her heart ablaze. Count me in, she says easily as she visibly inflates with self-importance. There is humility there too, but not enough — she was still too young to have made the necessary mistakes.

She moved back to her mother’s side and brushed against the length of her. I guess you should be getting back soon, huh? She wasn’t ready to leave her mother, but the excitement of adventure reckoned with the sting of absence. Should I find Alya myself, or will she find me?

Good, she answers, truly glad to hear it. The matriarch moves in for one last drink, and her daughter seems to anticipate their meeting coming to its end. Lifting her head to return the gesture and moving to preen dotingly at her daughters ear should she get within reach of it, Hydra looked thoughtful.

After a beat, she answered with, Seek her out, thinking that Alya would appreciate it... given her daughters excitement. And at present, the cubs were young enough where Hydra could fortunately keep them within one space. She was also sure that Alya would come looking for Vega regardless for the expedition she had suggested, but a little initiative was always welcome. Moving to bump her hip against her daughters, Hydra drifted back toward the whelping den. I will see you soon. Remember everything from your trip with your aunt, and do not drift off too far from where if you need help you are out of reach from your aunt and whoever else might come along, she drawled, looking to her daughter to be sure she understood before returning to her youngest cubs.