Moonspear in what distant deeps or skies

She spent most of a week settling in at Frosthawks (and clinging to @Avery) before venturing back out for the first time. Sugar headed due east, slithering in the shadows of the mountains to her left, and knew that if she kept going far enough, she would wind up at Triquetra's borders. Instead, she hung a left at Broken Antler Fen and began heading north, toward a familiar spire in the distance.

It was early evening when she approached Moonspear, hanging back to avoid getting too near the borders. She wouldn't be joining the pack but she still wanted to maintain her friendship with @Opalia. And she wouldn't mind meeting others, as the place still very much intrigued her. But since there was no urgency to her visit, she decided not to bother calling, instead simply waiting to see if someone passed by on a routine border patrol.

Title from "The Tyger" by William Blake.

Desdemona was one of those beings on a daily routine, as she made her way around the edges for a complete circle. Though scents were often found near the outside, they were often stale and simple wanderers being too close. She paid no mind, until a more fresh scent arrived, causing the woman to be more alert on what was around.

Arriving from the inner sanctions of Moonspear, the spider showed herself to the other, and looked stoicly toward her, "Do you need something from Moonspear?" She questioned, as they seemed to be waiting. She noted the other was on the outside and didn't seem to have intentions moving inward, so she remained neutral and asked the stranger.

The spear's guard did not leave Sugar waiting long. Her black eyes honed in on a dark, slim figuring picking its way closer along the rocky terrain. When the wolf came near enough, Sugar picked up on details with both eyes and nose. She was a female, relatively young, in fine health. Her fur was dark but not quite black, her jade eyes creating quite a fetching contrast. Her large ears immediately reminded Sugar of Bat, her long legs making the traveling medic wonder how fast she could run.

Soon, the stranger demanded to know why she was here. "I'm a friend of Opalia's, just dropping by for a visit," Sugar replied, "although I don't want to bother her if she's busy." She paused, tail waving slowly as she added, "I'm Sugar Glider. Would you happen to have a moment to tell me a little bit about Moonspear?" She ran with Frosthawks now but couldn't quite quell her curiosity about the pack she'd very nearly joined.

"I see." Desdemona nodded in understanding, knowing who Opalia was. However while they regarded each other as friends, she still remained in alert, never knowing what was a ruse. As only one shared that they were friends- but since she didn't seem to have a desire to cross the territory, it gave the spider an ease, but remained on guard.

"I am Desdemona, what would you like to know in particular?" She had been in Moonspear for quite some time, but even then her knowledge was limited depending on what the other would like to know. She was willing to provide answers though.

Of course, that prompt was rather vague, so the push for more specificity didn't surprise Sugar. She pursed her lips and tried to think of a more pointed question to ask. There were so many things she wanted to know, though there wasn't any particularly good reason save for idle curiosity.

After some moments' deliberation, Sugar came up with, "What are the leaders like? Is the pack mostly blood relatives or is it more of a mix?" She was drawing from her own experience with packs, the Firebirds and Frosthawks being largely familiar packs with prominent bloodlines. Was Moonspear the same?

"The leader is Hydra and her mate Dirge, whom are both very powerful wolves. Hydra is akin to a warlord, but not a crazed one with bloodlust. She is the Queen." Desdemona said with respect as she spoke of the leaders. She thought they should be feared, but with respect. She knew Hydra was definitely one who strived for power, but she did not play stupidly as one. She stragetized.

"Most are from the Ostrega family, they are very close to their kin. However I am not an Ostrega, but they will still accept those outside their lineage." She wasn't too sure of bloodlines a lot, as the spider found her's to be rather.. Unpleasant, so she could not understand too well of their pride. They proudly display their family name with honor, and cherish it closely.

Desdemona described Hydra as a warlord, though she made a point to say she wasn't particularly bloodthirsty. Sugar's expression remained neutral, though she did quirk an inner eyebrow at this statement. The way the other she-wolf said it, she heard the capital "Q" in "Queen." She licked her lips, wondering if she would ever get to meet this Hydra in the flesh. She was extremely curious and also a little intimidated. And what about her mate? Desdemona didn't say much of anything in particular about Dirge, which was mysterious.

She went on to mention the pack's root family: the Ostregas. Sugar couldn't recall if she'd ever heard the name before, though she committed it to memory now. Desdemona wasn't an Ostrega herself, she said. Idly, the medic wondered if the Ostregas had any trademarks, like the Blackthorns' stripes or the Redhawks' tendency to resemble (and be named after) other animals.

Instead of asking that, Sugar questioned, "Is it a large pack? Does it have any allies or enemies?" Just asking that made her think briefly of the various packs she had learned about lately, from Rusalka to Sagtannet to all the others in between. She guessed there was a dozen, maybe more, plenty of which she knew precious little. She was much more focused on being a proper medic than a ranger, though she still enjoyed opportunities like this one to get her bearings.

"Moonspear has been a long-standing Pack, at the moment we have quite a large band, especially so with the previous season of births." She almost thought to give the amount they have; 22 wolves, but Desdemona reeled back in simply stating they are quite large. The other was hungry for knowledge, and a lot of what she knew were basics that didn't mean much to give away. She simply had to be careful, to what should be said, and what not to.

"They are allied with Easthollow, Yuelong, Nightwalkers and Sagtannet, as far as enemies, there are very few in particular." Desdemona knew Hydra held grudges against perticular wolves, remember her hunting down one.. Which led the soul into the jaws of a cougar, and as well as a previous search the spider had done for another. However groups in general, she knew not.

"Where are you from miss?"

Desdemona answered her questions patiently before finally turning the tables on Sugar. Her lips curved into a smile, welcoming the inquiry. It was strange to think of herself as a Frosthawk still. She wondered if the name might be at all familiar to Desdemona or any wolf who resided in Moonspear.

"I've recently joined the Frosthawks, which is ruled by the Redhawks and Frostfurs. They're a sister pack to Firebirds. That's where I was born. My surname is Blackthorn though. My parents were very close to the Redhawks and our families are closely intertwined." She thought of Tegan, Bat and their offspring in particular, though they were just the readiest example. "I guess you could say Triquetra is a sister pack too..." she mused aloud, the thought literally hitting her right then and there.

"Anyway," Sugar continued in the next breath, "I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. If you have any more for me, shoot." After that, maybe she could howl a message to Opalia or simply ask Desdemona to pass one along. She had no good reason to disrupt her friend's day, after all.

"I am unfamiliar to most families and packs of the wild." Desdemona admitted to her limited knowledge, as when she first arrived, injured and weak, she came to Morningside. However they had disbanded, her loyalties remained, and waited months.. And months for them, never to come. Eventually she left, with haunted shadows to chase, only to return, and end up meeting someone familiar; Hydra. Now, her loyalty is pledged to Moonspear.

"You are welcome, but I do not have any," most of it was an enigma to the spider regardless, as all the names were unfamiliar. Some sounded familiar, but she couldn't put a paw on what it was, "I do believe I should head back, do you want me to pass anything to Opalia?" As originally the girl came to meet the other wolf, she wouldn't mind passing a message to the other.

She didn't have any questions for Sugar, which the medic didn't mind. She was the one who'd come calling. Although their conversation had been rather brief, the medic was genuinely grateful for Desdemona's patience in answering her questions, more so for the preemptive offer to pass a message to Opalia.

"If you bump into her, just tell her I stopped by to say 'hello.' I'd really appreciate it. Thanks very much, Desdemona." Sugar dipped her snout deeply and began to retreat, waving her tail as she turned to go. It would've been fun to explore a little more today, though she pointed her toes south, knowing it was a long way home.

"Safe travels, Sugar Glider." Desdemona dipped her head to bid the other well, before turning back to the mountains. She learned a bit more about the wilds today, knowing there was more families then that of the Ostregas. It was interesting, and drove her a bit curious. Nontheless, she would make sure to pass onto @Opalia that the Frosthawk had came to say hello.