all my friends are dead

His stomping hours were at their peak, with the moon center in the sky above. Only the very summit of the nearby mountains were visible in the moon's ethereal glow. Erebus was patrolling the borders of the bleeding forest, seeking discrepancies in the wall of scent. Places where the smell was fading and no longer prominent and easily ignored.

The night was quiet and placid otherwise. The dark creature sought out something to make it the contrary.

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The night came swiftly, accompanied by the chill of winter, teasing as a light breeze ruffled the leaves over head. Usually he'd save his wandering for the day, but he couldn't sleep. Raiden had laid awake, sprawled on his back, to stare at the stars in hopes they might soothe his mind to slumber. He wasn't sure just how long he had laid there, amongst the bodies of his family, but it was eventually made clear that he would not be sleeping anytime soon. So he wandered.

Paws carried him down familiar paths, stone worn by the paws of his kin, until he reached the base where trees sprouted like guardians. Admittedly, the eerie setting of the woods was only heightened at night, but he knew better than to be scared of the dark and some plants. He was unsure where to go from here. He only needed to tire himself, so he walked without aim, taking in the changes within the woods between night and day.

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And something did.

Among the distilled but strangely noisy silence, there was a creeping that did not belong. Paw pads plucking the earth in a gentle way. For a while, Erebus merely followed the scent. A similar scent, it reminded him of the woman who had come as well, not too long ago. Did the message in his piss cease to carry? He hoped his voice would do, and if not then- his teeth.
The man crept along, fur as black as pitch, a raven in the dead of night. It slunk between trees and bush with a calculated ease- a creepy ease. Like a snake or some sort of ghost. Hunting this scent- this stranger- as though they were a prey to seek.

Though when the invader did come within his burning sight, Erebus did not set his legs and paws like readied triggers, instead he merely watched. Curious what this one would do, waiting for a reason to spring out of the bushes and declare himself- if the boy did not notice his scent before then.
Sure, they had already walked into scented borders but, perhaps their scent was dull. They were just a boy, anyway- it didn't seem fair to simply cut them down over a mistake. Though the dark raven would gladly teach him the folly of his actions.

He wondered if @Nefertari still lingered and if she would come to defend the claim if he called.

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Hydra followed after her son none too idly. She was interested in the going-ons of her children, and should they come across a boar...

Her own due diligence carried her away from Empyrean now and then to inspect the surrounding territories. And so, upon approaching Ripperwood, Hydra was surprised to note the scent of at least one other. But intermingled there was the passing of her son. The scent here seemed to demonstrate a claim, or else a wolf revealing their temporary resting place.

The matriarch sniffed at the potential borders. She herself was coming to determine whether or not it was too near to her claim. Perhaps not deeper into this forest, but should they hunt in the forest alongside it, there might be trouble. Hydra, as ever, was still a preventative woman. Why worry about the future when she could deal with it all in the present?

Teeth could be an effective motivator when words were not.

But Hydra would see where the one who walked these paths fell upon the spectrum.

Hydra summoned this wolf with a low howl, the notes of it long and deep. In this matter, she found her patience thin—she hoped they were prompt.

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Perhaps it was the hour that clouded his judgement, or merely his inexperience. Truthfully, Raiden had never encountered another pack, let alone one forming. He had picked upon the scents of others as he traveled, scents he assumed to be of those passing through as usual. An assumption that my have far more serious consequences had he been elsewhere or his stalker been a different kind of wolf. He listened to his surroundings, gold eyes scanning the eerie calm as most animals slept. Somewhere up above, he heard the calls of an owl, but he was unable to pinpoint it in the shroud above. Fortunately, he was no longer the young pickings it would search for.

It would only be once he had dismissed the creature that his ear caught the sound of another. Immediately he straightened, tail arching at his back as his eyes scanned the surrounding growth for any movement. Shortly after he'd hear the low call of his mother, though it wasn't him she beckoned. Had he any doubts before, now he was certain he was not alone. What puzzled him most, however, was that his mother had not come to seek out whoever herself. Rarely did she stand by when she could take action into her own paws, and so he would make an effort to step with care. Raiden moved at a brisk pace towards the call, though not fast enough to bolt from the woods. He wasn't afraid of what lurked, nor did he wish to give that appearance, but he did wish to regain control of the situation.

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His ears perked to the sound. As he watched the boy creep backwards, out of the woods, he felt an unease. Were there other wolves in this wood, not of his own but of these strangers? Were they planning something? For a moment he hesitated heeding her call, and if he would call his own instead. Yet the prince had to know, and had to face the possibility of danger.
So he crept behind the stranger boy, his paws silent on the cold forest floor, only brushing across bushes and the like- he hadn't really too much of an interest to be that quiet. His paws only quick enough to stay just behind him, but stopping just short of the tree-line, where he reached the source.

It was a woman, a decently sized woman, with her chest strong and powerful. If this wasn't their leader, she must be their second. A hint of respect fluttered in his heart. Only dark wolves should lead. Erebus wondered if this band of wolves held the same sentiment.
He watched for a while in the brush, leaves and darkness alike shrouding his form. Not wanting to step out right away, for no other purpose than to be intentionally mysterious. The voice of Sreda echoed in his head; "Someone who likes a spectacle."

"It is a lovely night, fit for a lovely woman such as yourself." Of course the man couldn't help it. When leader-strung dark women spoke to him, it was hard for him to hold back his flirting. He waited a second longer before finally stepping, one paw at a time, until his entire body was no longer within the cover of shadow. Yet his pelt, as black as pitch with only the blaze of silver, made it seemed as though those shadows themselves had stepped out of the woods. To take form and flirt with the moon's light.
"I wouldn't have hurt your boy, if that's what you were worried about." He nodded towards the young wolf, but kept his eyes on her. "Only watching to see what he was doing, walking past marked borders and all." A bit of a jab, or more of an accusation. This wasn't the first time he felt his borders were ignored, without so much as a call or even hesitation. It wasn't Erebus' piss alone that staked their claim, after-all.

The raven wouldn't hold a grudge but, did feel he was owed some answers.

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Her son emerged and came alongside her. The matriarch looked to him, eyes assessing. He was as aware as she that they two were not alone. But then, neither were they. And her son was educated well enough in the art of defense to hold his own. He was a yearling; she did not worry for him. But she would always protect him. Her eyes turned to the wood, gazing at the spot Raiden had come from that the dark specter had followed. Her gaze lingered there, and she held her silence as she stared into the void. The other had made no mystery of their presence, but she was pleased that he came when called.

His flattery was not missed. Hydra was a vain woman, and took the words well. And she agreed with him wholeheartedly; why argue this point? He was wise in knowing this much, at least.

He emerged; in truth, he, too, was easy to look at. His eyes contrasted her own; fire against ice. And though one might agree that her quality was that of that frigid element, in truth, she could execute the devastation of the metal-melting blue flame. He was large, larger than she was, in build; her eyes devoured each inch of him nakedly. He did not appear weak, she did not think—but her gaze sought any point upon him that could be from the second he approached—was his gait uneven, was his stance unbalanced? Her gaze traced his furs, seeking interruptions that would foretell her of scars, old or new. In this light, none that were immediately evident... but there was more time to look.

The matriarchs gaze turned back toward him once he spoke again. The remainder of his words... well, they disappointed her.

“Good,” she drawled lowly, “if you had, you would not have lived long enough to regret it,” she answered, and the authority in which she spoke such words would reveal to him that she was not a woman to make idle threats—that she would be the one to see this through.

Hydra hummed, “You settle near the outskirts of our own land. Many pass through this place, though most know not to linger for very long. They mark their resting places for a time, but none stay a great length of time to prove a nuisance...” she paused, before continuing, “and so I am sure my son did not think of his actions as trespass. You I can smell,” She inquired, “so, you seek to claim this place?” She respected the effort enough to be given pause, but the implication she detected that he might have hurt her son... it did not sit well with her. That much was abundantly clear.

Should he misstep again, Hydra would make things even clearer. But she did not think it would come to that.

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The sight of his mother is one he welcomes, even if he might be scolded later for his carelessness. Even still, he would give a meager wag of his tail as he moved to her side. From where he came, a shadow lingered, betrayed by the heat of his gaze. He'd start with flattery his Mother would welcome, but the words felt bitter on his tongue. Pretty words wouldn't solve the troubles of the world, and the implications behind them were enough to grow his guard.

Raiden would resist the urge to laugh as what followed next was increasingly pointed at himself. If these woods were claimed as he suggested, then the borders were pitifully marked. For woods so traveled, his stench was like any other traveler as far as he was concerned. What more, he had picked the wrong woods to settle in. They were close. Far too close to Empyrean, but his mother would speak before his opportunity arose. Fortunately, it seemed she was of similar mind, as she quickly made her own implications in regard to his stay.

He could speak for himself and a part wished he had been given the chance, but Hydra was far more experienced in situations like this. Had he been first, his tongue would have been more sharp in what was already a delicate situation, but that would not stop him from pressing the question further, “Do you even have followers?” It seemed stupid to make claims without the means to back them and as far as he could smell, this "group" was pathetic in the face of Empyrean.

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His brow furrowed slightly and he turned his head to ponder at the earth for moment. As though taking a sip of tea or wine, a fair moment to think. He did not see his statement as any sort of threat. The contrary, really. Yet this woman did speak a threat. It boiled the red moon's blood in his veins. Maybe he should have cut him down in the middle of the woods, just to see if her statement held any merit.
He lifted his head and locked his burning ember eyes onto hers. For a moment, serious.

"Only the moon knows the true fate of her people."

An attempt to ignore and move on from her threat. Most were smart enough not to threat from the jump but, some needed a little more time. He hoped she would rectify the mistake. Soon neighbors, after all. They shouldn't war over words. Only actions. "Besides! His sins are forgiven. I'm a reasonable man." The smile returned to his face, gleaming with a welcoming and inviting merriment. As though he heard no threat at all, or any wrong doing was lost. His time in canis had made him a smart and cunning beast, though his eyes ever-failed him. They did not smile along with the rest of his face.

"Me and my people do, yes." His tone was matter-of-fact but otherwise pleasant. A brief emphasis when referring to those under his rule, eyes looking to the boy at her side as he did. Perhaps she should teach him some manners and how to speak in a political conversation. (i.e: not at all.)
"It's a fine and decent wood, I don't see why not." Erebus threw a paw out and gestured to the forest. It was honesty, he didn't see why not. There were no permanent claims here and if travelers ran through here so often, his band would check them as they moved to cross the southern river. Weed out the scorned and evil. Try to recruit the ones worth their salt. He wondered why this one and her group did not think to do the same.

"Where does your claim sit, exactly, my lady?" The raven had a suspicion, of course, but would rather the answer come from her mouth. 'Lady'. Merely a courtesy.

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