Xhin'alax & Malborn

The weather was just beginning to tip in favor of warmer days, driving the thick snow into a slow retreat as the evenings grew longer. Inside the temple, where an ancient group of humans had once built the intricately designed structure about thermal pools and volcanic vents, even the coldest of winter's chill never reached the animals dwelling inside. SpearTusk was taking advantage of this at the moment, stretching his bristly hide across a slab of stones that were heated by the earthen vents far below them. Xhin'alax was standing nearby, nosing over a pile of dried, withered tubers as he sought out a snack. In the lazy afternoon, the boars spoke of the happenings in the Valley, shifting from talks of their allies, to the actions of their enemies.

"Has Ikenal returned?" The soft clop of hooves caught her brothers' attention as Vintosa entered the temple. Weighing in at just over three-hundred pounds, the she was just half the size of the massive Xhin, but just as dangerous in her own regards, especially if one considered the two pairs of small tusks jutting from her hefty snout.

Xhin'alax pulled himself to his legs, giving his bristly coat a good shake as he dipped his head to his sister, "Not yet. Kraai mentioned going with... that was about an hour ago. You think this is something big?"

Sighing lightly, Vintosa looked upwards to peer at one of the many windows lining the high walls around them, "I hope not, but I'd be lying if I said I weren't worried." The sow then shook her head, casting her small, dark eyes back at Xhin and Malborn before changing the subject, "Ankh is visiting today. I hear there's a hunt in order this evening."

Kivo & Cotton

Lounging next to the small hot pool that fed down into the stream just outside of the temple, Kivo had also spent most of the day relaxing and chatting. The alabaster pitbull had something else on his mind aside from the Haunters though, and it was as Vintosa changed the subject that he lifted his pumpkin-shaped head to join in the conversation, "Tahira might want to join us, I bet."

"And have Aidan and Ankh interact?" Rolling briefly onto her back as she stretched her paws, the wolven hybrid raised an eye at her mate before wiggling back onto her side, "Your nephew doesn't want them together - you know what happened last time."

"Well..." The dog trailed off, changing what he was about to say as he thought better of the topic. Quaidah had been more than a little upset about the quarrel the two brothers had gotten into last time. "...eh, you're right, you're right." He could see his sister another time, anyway. Soft brown eyes rolled up to take in the sight of the giant swine siblings, "You three joining us in the hunt?"

Xhin'alax, Malborn, & Vintosa

"I'll tag along." Xhin gave a hearty yawn as he replied, stretching his lengthened jaws and bearing the dual set of tusks inherited from his mother. Closing his jaws with a clap and wiggling his snout, the boar brushed past his two siblings and meandered towards the hot pool to take a sip of the oddly-tasting water. "Know where we're hunting this time around?"

"If you guys go out hunting, Whip and I can scour the Dump for edibles." Malborn volunteered, still stretched out on his side as he was. More densely built than his brother, though the ebony boar was two hundred pounds lighter, he just wasn't made for speed.

Settling down on her cloven hooves, Vintosa left the hunting talk up to the males for the time being, and chose instead to focus on the powdery-white wolfdog that was Kivo's mate, "So, Cotton..." Her dark little eyes glittered in playful mischief, "Any pups on the way?"

Kivo & Cotton

His eyes were on those giant tusks, endlessly amazed by the deadly spikes-for-teeth that the swine had. It wasn't anything compared to the elephants, but it was sure as heck more menacing than his own set of chompers. "Not sure, really." Kivo sat up, stifling a yawn that wanted to roll out of his mouth when the seemingly contagious action spread to him, "Hopefully the bog, or somewhere around there. Hey-" The pit bull looked to Malborn, responding to the smaller boar's comment, "Maybe you should take Ty with you. He seems to enjoy rooting through all that two-legger stuff."

If she were capable of such a thing, Cotton would have blushed at Vintosa's question. A sly little grin etched across her snowy muzzle, and though she glanced in her mate's direction, Kivo apparently hadn't heard the sow's comment, "Soon."

Kraai

Sweeping in through a second story window, the raven circled once over the gathered group before dropping down in the middle of the talking party. "I've got... news!" Bill spread open, the bird panted heavily to catch his breath from his hasty flight, taking several moments before he was able to produce any further words, "The Haunters - they have split! There was some apparent shift in power, Risen's son I believe they said... he's their new leader." Kraai shuffled his wings a little, hastily getting his feathers settled down while he went on talking, "They mentioned he has Hydras with him... I don't know what that means, but it's really pissed of a large group of their members, and that's why they split. They're teaming up with the Sombra Cazazores, and going under the name of 'The Night Watch'."