Moonspear There will come a soldier,

failed hunt

Down the mountain did the dark shadow go, her long legs flying with ease as she had a piercing green gaze set upon a smaller and faster opponent. Desdemona on the hunt, as she dashed through Moonspear's lands to catch the foe. Alas she came to a screeching halt once the rabbit made a u-turn on her, and dashed to it's hiding hole.

Tongue rolled out, she sighed in defeat.

From his own lurk, he heard her hunt--though he didn't know it then. It was the sound of someone moving over the landscapes that alerted him, and his head was up soon after, nose quivering as it pulled him in closer. Eventually, he realized it was one of the mountain's most frequent night-dwellers. While he was not strict on which schedule he kept, sometimes he was part of the things that went bump in the night out here on the slope too--though, his paths did not intersect directly. Tonight he might see to that otherwise.

He surfaced, and decided to go after her to see what was going on. Antares missed the clear sight on her lost opportunity, though a whiff of the wind was potentially telling enough as he pulled up near the panting wolf.

The yearling tilted his head in silent inquiry first, gauging her from a few lengths away.

tags for references

Desdemona had not interacted with many of Hydra's offsprings, the only ones was a faint meeting with @Atlas, and and the same with @Osiris. She was not too close to any in particular, and didn't mind so. She felt as long as her duties were met, she was being a find guard to Moonspear, and showing her worth.

Laying low for a while to the nights, she missed quite a lot. Including the fact that the children were growing up well. When Desdemona had calmed herself from the failed hunt, she could smell a familiar scent of Antares, not a wolf she had met, but knew of. The spider, looking over, dipped a head in greeting. She hoped he could see her gesture despite lengths away.

He could not say what he had missed, exactly, though a suspicion hung for a moment. Still, at her acknowledgement that was simple enough for him, he went a bit closer to her--watching carefully as he prowled some strides closer. She was a scent he recognized from their borders, and elsewhere on the mountain too. But, not much more than that was known to him. Maybe his siblings had mentioned knowing her, though he couldn't immediately recall, or connect, anything of great worth. So he'll forge his own.

Busy? he asked, one word just to start. He wasn't the wordiest, not without good prompting, and compared to his siblings, he was quieter most times. But, he didn't know what else to say to her just yet, not without knowing if she knew of him at all in turn. It went both ways, after all.

She shook her head, "no. I was previously hunting." Desdemona had not had the best streak when it came to her hunts. Majority were of the small kind, and she always thought to be quick on her feet. However each time the simpliest of prey tended to escape just before the grab- a shame, and an embarassment.

"Are you on a patrol? The spider asked.

They were both of quiet nature, but Desdemona was rather determined to 'socialize' more. Better herself, for the sake of adjusting to newer life. She was trying.

Hunting. Then perhaps that was the motion he had keyed into earlier, though he was too late to see it for himself. Subtly he sniffed, wondering what the quarry had been--though it had obviously not panned out for now, if she was still on the trail. He couldn't say.

As for him? Yeah, he nodded, a knowing glance with it before he tacked on extra. Sort of, he had not committed exclusively to the task of patrol, but since he was prowling, and keeping a close eye on things, he supposed it could count. I was just keeping watch. It's quiet. the yearling detailed. Then, as the thought occurred, he didn't really..know who she was. She probably didn't know him enough either. Not further than scent, which was all he had. I'm Antares. I know I smell you on guard, sometimes, he added as well, just to be up front about what he did know--that he wasn't missing everything.

"It's peaceful," she said, nodding along to the quietness. She preferred it as so, enjoying the life upon the mountains. There was no wars or squabbles, only the conflict of within- but she kept herself out. Despite some disappointments showing, there was still no wars and battles, and preferred the drama above all else. Desdemona was alright with it.

"I am Desdemona," she nodded once more in greeting, "i'm often patrolling. You can find me at the edges of the territory," most her time was not within the inner sanctions of Moonspear, but rather exploring at the borders. As per, a guard should be.

Peaceful, indeed. On the whole, it was what he had seen the most of. Besides an occasional fox, or whiff of a passerby that maybe swung a little closer than the rest, his rounds were made in the quiet. Even the cougar had come when he was far up the slopes, better relegated to guarding closer to the mother's at the time--such was luck of the draw then, however, whichever way one chose to look at it.

But, as he had suspected, she occupied their edges. He took this confirmation with a slow nod, and was glad for a name to pair up officially. He probably was not the most sociable either, especially out of his siblings--like Osiris, more forward and cordial, or even Atlas and Vega. Antares preferred the backdrop to observe, and take it in. He made himself known when necessary though, and would learn one day its full advantages. I thought so, he replied first, having long since accepted her presence as part of their scenery, even if he did not always see her. But, he supposed, there was great worth in it. Have you ever known it to not be peaceful..? he asked because he often wondered of the myriad of possibilities, and what it would take to shake the Moonspearian security--if anything truly could. Though.. peaceful is definitely best now, especially with the pups, he bobbed another nod. Not that he wished for anything but, of course. He kept mindful of the possibility. Complacency would do them no favors.

"I am not too keen on the turmoils that happens to Moonspear." Desdemona was barely aware what happened to Arcturus, or even Revui, a sibling to the Alpha. She only faintly knew of their names, and only tidbits of what had happened, but normally the guard refrained from asking further. She didn't wish to pry, and as it didn't disrupt her duties of patrols, she didn't ask.

However, before Moonspear, life was not as peaceful. Morningside was a short-lived bliss, she thought to pledge for eternity, only to end in betrayel. The past before that, would remain unspoken. She held deep bitterness against Aditya, the previous Alpha, and a twist in her stomache thinking of the rest. The only safe haven was Sunny, who came to check upon her- but even he, eventually abandoned her so. It was how she thought them all, who abandoned the forest she tried to protect, and in the end, her as well.

Moonspear, was diligant on guarding, and refused to let anyone bully them so. Desdemona respected them far more, then she has to Morningside.

Not too keen, then. Antares wordlessly accepted this answer with a slow nod of his own, though there was a thoughtful look that accompanied. Perhaps the same may be said for himself.. but he considered it more of an issue of timing, or just a circumstance, paired with his age to have really concerned himself with much before recently. He could not yet say and besides, he did not know everything that had preceded even his birth. Even in Moonspear's timeline, he had only known so much. Sometimes, it felt like he was just a small blip on it so far. But of course, he was young yet..

He eventually made some soft sound to pair with his agreement, a gentle mhm--almost. I was too far up the mountain when my father and the others warded off the cougar from the borderlands, a few weeks ago.. he mentioned. He thought fleetingly of Vega, who had been at the front lines then, alongside their dad. Maybe there was a pinprick of jealousy since he still considered it at all, but most of all, he was sour to have missed out on seeing it all firsthand.. even if he had made himself useful elsewhere. Otherwise, I have largely known the peace. he said, and a concentrating look.

The drama of his uncles was also a bit above him at the time. It was the resulting absence of them that really struck, but he categorized these family matters elsewhere, somehow. Where did you know.. before here? Was it this way too? he asked, chancing such a question without knowing exactly how long the dark guard had shadowed these slopes. Was there a before? He had always been vaguely aware of her, but not what brought her to his mother and father's mountainside.

"It must've happened when I was taking a night duty." She hadn't heard about it and momentarily frowned at that fact. It displeased her so she had missed a crucial moment of defense, and definitely felt the need to amp her duties as so. Cougars alone were treacherous, no wolf by themself would be able to take them on. Even a group may shown difficulty, but with a pack large as Moonspear, it was feasible.

"Before here I was in Morningside," Desdemona started to explain, "it was just as peaceful but.. Very soft. They let everyone, and anyone in- which is how I met your aunt Alya, and your mother Hydra." They let everyone in regardless of origins. It was nice, and at the time she remembered cherishing it so, but now, she found it more.. Foolish.

"Before that, my home pack was not as nice. They fought each other, and also any packs. War mongrels." And she, was just a simple Omega trying to rise. Eventually made it so, even by the lowest standards.. However in the end, Desdemona is still a bastard.

Judging by her expression, she seemed a bit peeved to have missed it too, though she did not make for an easy read to him. He couldn't say he knew her that well, but he definitely related to the feeling with a low rumble and a small, slow nod. It showed up tracking down some stranger, I heard.. but no other sightings after they made it go, he added. Maybe it was just something to look out for, and her time as a guard could probably use it--even if they had both managed to miss the actual action that time.

Anyway, Morningside was one he had heard of from Alya once or twice. Antares couldn't claim exhaustive knowledge and appreciated her insight--even if she noted them as very soft. He struggled to imagine this exactly but didn't think he would care for it either. Letting everyone in could get bad quickly, I'd guess.. he supposed with a low murmur. He only knew Moonspear beneath the reign of his mother and even if Morningside had been soft, at least it had allowed Desdemona to meet his mom and aunts. Next, it was her place before that even, and his ears twitched thoughtfully to this deeper look. War mongrels? Like constantly warring..? Or, rough because of war..? he asked, not sure of the term exactly but figuring that was his best guess somewhere in there. He had heard of a warlord before who oversaw mercenaries, and knew what a mongrel was in a derogatory sense especially.. Antares cobbled it together from there, roughly, but left the rest up to her clarification.

"It was nice for a while," how relaxed the group was. It was such a change from her previous home, that she felt touched by their kindness, "until everyone left." Though she saw as they simply let everyone in, no one held loyalties to the group. Everyone simply left as they so pleased- including their own Alpha at the time, Aditya.

"They prefered to rule everything- constantly raging against packs to gain control." She never understood their need to control. They treated each wolf like a warrior, especially those who were 'lesser' then themselves. With her own tainted blood, despite how much she tried, Desdemona could never move up. She was always like a dog to them.

"Senseless fighting." The guard felt so blinded, on how she tried so hard to be recognized by them.

He blinked. Oh. Well, that was that. They just up and left..? All of them? he asked, when what he knew best was Moonspear, most of all, the notion of full abandonment of a claim out of nowhere struck him as unusual. Then again, if they were lax on their policies, maybe it had been a steady trickle over time. He could only guess.

Then, indeed, the other piece of her history was very much a contrast that he was seeing with more clarity. Seems excessive, he murmured, trying to picture the scene of wanting constant control. He understood when packs were a threat, or nearby to make problems with hunting, or even if they were making trouble but to simply want that control no matter what. And like a waste of energy, he added. I would at least like a sensible cause. Something good to fight for, he said for his two cents, roughly, and idealistic as it may sound.

"I do not know for certain, because I had momentarily travelled far to find a ghost." She left the maplewoods, perhaps without a word, or maybe someone had saw her, she didn't remember too clearly; all she remembered, as him. Chasing the shadow she thought she saw, and went far and wide to see if he was near, but sadly, it never happened.

"I came back, and they were all gone." So, Desdemona waited for them.

"They wanted only power." She agreed on his statement, something good to fight for, like a pack you believed in. Not simply for the lust of power, to control lands far and wide, senseless wars.. But, that was how they were.

Desdemona said she didn't know exactly how the end days of the Morningside pack had gone, for while it was one answer in itself, she baited his curiosity with another facet--travel, to find a ghost--as her reason for missing out. His ears twitched, and he was undecided if he should inquire deeper about such matters. Sounded vague enough and he was quick to attach some interest there. So I'm guessing you didn't find the ghost..? he asked, keeping it simple in turn.

Besides that, she revealed that their singular goal was power. Guess I could see the allure in that idea to some, but it still sounds like it would empty power to me.. without earnest purpose behind it, he supposed, thoughtful with a frown of his own. But, he knew he was young--his worldview not all that vast, his experience limited. It was through the stories of others that he had been able to get any glimpse beyond at all, and this was certainly no exception. Did you leave them or did they disband, dissolve, or however, too? he asked, not thinking that she had alluded to the nature of her departure from them. Had they burnt themselves out? Or, more likely, was it so solidly in her past that it was not her problem anymore? No matter the answer, he appreciated that she had humored his questions so far.

"No." She shook her head. She knew the 'ghost' was alive, or so she hoped. Having not seen the figure in so many years, she could not confirm if he was fine, or perhaps died a while ago. Often dreams of him plagued her so, but she couldn't do anything about it. Desdemona didn't want to abandon her post, to someone who may not want to see her.

"I was banished," she said, like it was simply a fact then of a personal issue. It happened so long ago, she held nothing against it. In reality as well, this was probably the first time she truly discussed about her home-life. It wasn't something she touched often, as it was a rather dark topic to some.

No, simply said. Antares gave a slow nod. He had plenty else to consider too. Banished? He was used to a bit more of a negative connotation behind it, and hadn't expected that necessarily. Though, maybe it had worked out better for her in the end? It probably wasn't his place to be that presumptuous about it, or even all that inquisitive. But he had made it this far..

Oh. Well.. at least it let you find other things, he supposed, wondering how she felt about it deep down as he peered her way. Did she even miss them? Was it worth it? He had lived a straight-forward enough of a first year, so the considerations were a little abstract. Do you want to track for anything better..? he asked, or maybe offered, after a long pause--thinking about being on the move again soon to possibly luckier ventures no matter where the subject matter may turn.

fade?

"We all find some in the end, that we are meant for." Desdemona felt satisfied where she was, just a simple guard of Moonspear. She didn't have the ambition to rise up, be a Beta or Alpha, if she did, perhaps she would've strived for her own pack. She was satisfied, simply serving a pack, especially one such as Moonspear. 

"There has been fox sightings, perhaps we should see them," the spider suggested.

sure i can wrap up ;D

He had nothing to disagree with there. Youth, and inexperience, surely colored his view and he wondered what he would find down his road. Anyway, it had been an interesting insight into places she had known before--places well beyond his scope of Moonspear. Though, maybe a curious way to know her better, but Antares was appreciative, regardless.

The yearling nodded heartily at her suggestion and would take it up resistance-free. Without another word, he slid forward into motion with this new venture in mind and now, two sets of teeth on the task that he was hopeful they'd have luck at. He was more than willing to put his energy towards something like this so off they went, on the prowl.