встань на колени, сука

^^The amazonian woman was in the tundra, as an adult this time, and on her own. It made her think of the time when she’d found Valeska after all those years. How they had somehow ended up in the same place, at the same time - only, Harper had been too lazy to hunt, and she tried to eat her own sister.

Ahh, good times, wasn’t it? Harper chuckled at the memory, shaking her head with a grin on her face as she stopped - what was that? That familiar sound.. There was the sound of flapping and birb cawing or something overhead as it had lightly begun to snow. She could remember it, then; the screeching of an owl as it swooped in and grabbed a dark furred pup and made off with him.. leaving nothing but a trail of blood.

The last time she’d been in the tundra was when all of that happened. She had associated the tundra and the cold with death, and while it wasn’t wrong - she needed something else to focus on. So she focused on the sounds of the wind; the sounds of crunching snow.

But wait, she wasn’t moving. There. In the distance, someone was coming.
 

“Hallo?”^^

the staff team luvs u

The vast blinding white of the tundra to the north seemed endless when one was in the middle of it. Sindri knew better then that. Still, the little huntress had not gone out east to this stretch before. At least she didn't think so.

Much of the winter wasteland looked all the same- flat, cold earth covered in snow. Ahead, she thought she might have seen the darkening of forestry. Ahead, she also thought she saw a dark creature moving.

As she drew nearer, peach ears pressed to her head to block out the cold winds, the dark splotch became a wolf and soon the wolf would speak. Sindri shook out her coat, offing the blanket of snow from her backside which had been weighing on her.

“Hallo!” She calls back in turn, though her voice carried its own rough northern accident, it was still quite different from the other's own.
the staff team luvs u

^^It did not come to a surprise to find that the wolf approaching her was light in color. All the more to live in the tundra, wasn’t it? Not like she could blend in with the browns and greens of the forest. The smaller canine reminded her, though for a brief moment, of her mother; she, too, was a small, light furred wolf with vibrant yellow eyes.

But the voice and the scent was all wrong. This was not the reincarnation of her mother, though she wondered… if this was truly the afterlife, then where was everyone else? Her mother, her siblings? Harper sighed and forced a smile and dip of her head. 

“Good day, friend! How be you?”

^^
the staff team luvs u

The other wolf seemed friendly enough, though Sindri would always keep her wits about her. She was always ready to spring into action if the need arose when it came to strangers. Sindri's vast travels in such a short time taught her such but also taught her that there were many generally good natured wolves out there, too.

“Well enough, and you?” She offered in turn and with it starting up the casual conversation. “I figured I'd venture east for a little exploration, is all.” She went onto tell the small tale of why she was out here. While doing so, she looked over the new aquentince. Mostly dark with lighter markings and vivid purple eyes. A very large wolf, especially against her own slight self.
the staff team luvs u

^^Harper listened closely; she listened for any detection in what Sindri’s words might tell her that Sindri would not voice. Was she a friend? Was she a foe? Secretly up to mischief, and caught in the act? Her nostrils flared as Harper took a step forward to grab the other’s scent.

A pack wolf, she would gather from the mixture of scents; scents that she was not familiar with at this time. This little wolf was traveling east for an adventure. “Am vell, thank for asking.” She had pondered for a moment, in wonder if she ought to speak the truth: that she was not well, but alas, another lie slipped out before Harper could catch it. So she dipped her head respectfully; a thankful gesture, and then she would smile and glance off into the distance of the direction Sindri had come from.

“Amvenchur sound much excite,” Harper gathered; excitement was an excuse not to think about the hurt she was drowning in. “Does require or desire company on amvenchur?”

^^
the staff team luvs u

The woman steps forward a little nearer, heavy pawed and thick curved. Sindri's head lowers, aligning with her spine and sniffing the air, accessing Harper in similar manners. When the woman gives her thanks and a respectful gesture, Sindri offers a small smile and wave of her peachy and cream tail which remains relaxed behind her.

Harper looks out to the direction which Sindri came- a great stretch of tundra to the west. Ragnar had for quite a time had set his sights to sailing to the west and so they had.

The woman's accent was heavy and her sentences a bit chopped. Though Sindri's own vocals carried Norse, she had learned her common well as any who might speak it from birth. Instead of thinking this woman poorly for not, she was both curious of the woman's maiden tongue and found the heaviness of it attractive.

“Yes.” Sindri first offered and then, while rising her slender chin a bit coyly, “Of course I don't require it but I do desire it.” And then with a playful smile and waving of her tail, “Besides, might not be bad to have someone strong around in case we get ourselves into a little trouble.”
the staff team luvs u

^^Harper had thought herself fluent, though sometimes she lacked the effort to form actual english-sounding sentences… and sometimes, there were words that just didn’t sound right coming out of her mouth - but this one seemed kind and not to judge Harper about it.

And then her new-found friend said that she would want the company - not that she needed it, and Harper smiled softly, brows arching as she tilted her head. “Someone strong? Ohs, are we bringing another? I does not see any body else?”

Was Harper really that oblivious? Why yes, yes she was, as a matter of fact. She caught the playful smile, and returned it with a charmingly beautiful one. “I hope the only trouble we get into is with each other.” Harper added, smoothly, with the lick of her lips.

^^
the staff team luvs u

Sindri could not help the laughter which spilt from her lips, shaking her head at the woman as a 'no, no...' slipped through chuckles. And then the woman gave that charmingly beautiful smile which caused cheeks under her fur to flush of red.

Sindri's head turns, eyes dance to the side as the dark woman licked her lips. She had nor felt this flutter in her gut for quite a long time...

“Perhaps we shall...” She only says to the Amazon as she begins to move forward through the tundra again. She sniffs around the shrubs here and there as she moves and perk ears high at noises in the area as she so scouts.

Stealing a glance back to the woman, she studies her further as she watches the woman's movements. Her fur was predominantly dark with coal and smoke, stripping and splashes of cream and caramel between.

“I am Sindri Swiftkill, of house Stormborn.” She introduces.
the staff team luvs u

^^Harper had absolutely zero idea of what she was doing, but if it meant that she would find friendship with another, and maybe something more, then all of this would be totally worth it. The other, smaller, female was nice to her, also nice to look at -

The way she sniffed at the plants, caused Harper’s head to tilt. Did they share a love for plants, or was Sindri Swiftkill of Stormborn suddenly nervous? Harper keeps this smile, noting the color exchange in Sindri’s face, though not at all confident enough to say anything about it.

“Sindri Swiftkill, of Stormborn! Well met, I am Harper B- ” Brief pause, did widows keep their married names? “Er, uh, Harper Bacchus, of no house, but of pack Elysium, located just behind Everfrost. Has you ever been? Is House Stormborn the name of pack? If yes, Elysium hold a Festival of Spring, you and yours should come, yes? More the merrier?”

^^
the staff team luvs u

In truth, Sindri knew little of healing plants. Just the very basics like lavender and chamomile and was more likely to clean her wounds harshly with sea water and slapping some mud on it. She was a huntress by trade when not in need of battle though sniffing around the barren tundra kept her mind a bit busy from staring at the woman to her side.

“It is quite a pleasure to meet you, Harper Bacchus.” She pauses in her movements to look up at the woman with a smile. “I can't say that I have been, although our King, Ragnar, has mentioned this Everfrost Forest often. I do not travel as often far from home as he.” She says this as she begins strolling again. Maybe she should make him stay at home more often so she could sneak visits to this Elysium by the great evergreen forest. Though he had even more an adventurous heart then she and establishing allies, friends and recruits was nessisary for them all.

“And I would absolutely love to come!” She beams happily with a wag of her tail, stealing more glances to the woman at her side. “We quite enjoy a festival, who wouldnt!?” She laughs and then informs, “Stormborn is our family name. Ragnar Stormborn leads us and the children we have together take his name. I myself have adopted into this, although we do not share blood or love in a manner a mate would. Our home and so named is our pack, is Northfall.”
the staff team luvs u

^^Harper noticed the stares and chalked it up to the size difference. The Stormborn woman was quite smaller than her, after all. She’d offer an awkward, though polite smile each time she’d notice the girl staring, wondering if perhaps this was the first time Sindri had ever been in the company of a large canine.

Her ears perk at the mention of Ragnar and his travels, briefing also thinking about Crux; he, too, had been traveling when she’d met him. He was noted as a King, though, and not an alpha, causing Harper to ponder if they were more of a kingdom than a pack.

Her invitation was accepted, though, and Harper beamed happily back with the nod of her head, grinning with the wag of her own tail. “I am not sure who wouldn’t, ha!” Harper giggled, though tilting her head to the side. What was the difference between a family name and a last name?

“Ohs, you is mated to the King? Dat make you Queen, no? I am Thornweaver of Elysium. Sister is High Priestess, I think that is same as Queen? She is the one who leads. Thornweaver like plant lady, I dabble in medics, and all plant knowledge,” Harper nodded with the lick of her lips.

“So if you’s ever in need, or anything, even if I am not as high status as queen like yous, though don’t think I am fam-meal-lur with Northfall.”

Harper would pause some, sniffing at a nearby plant as they traveled, making a note to stop back here on the way home so she could harvest the plant for her den. “Where does this adventchur of yours take us, anyway?”

^^
the staff team luvs u

Sindri padded along, moving in a good trot in order for her much smaller limbs to match the much longer strides of the bigger predator. At her side, Sindri felt she looked like a coyote to a wolf- or maybe even a fox to a wolf. No matter, for Sindri much of her life had surrounded herself in larger fellows.

Sindri listened well as Harper explained her pack and the rankings within them. She held her tongue at the mention of being Queen for the time being, not wishing to interrupt. Her sister was High Priestess then, who lead their ranks as a Queen might in their own. The rankings were a bit different as far as tiers went but had the same terminology in some manners.

“Thornweaver is a much fancier term.” She spoke with a bit of a laugh. “In our ranks, they are called Medics. The best of them, who might train the others, is called Prime Caregiver. But we have not one yet.” But she had friends and allies who were. Those in Banesteppe had helped when the last fight with Dragonford happened and Windmere had lend aid when needed too. Now, this woman at her side claimed to be a healer. Despite how big she were, maybe she was a more gentle giant then Sindri's own 'little syndrome' self.

“And ummm, no, Ragnar and I are not mates.” She said with a sheepish grin while shaking her head. “Good friends only. I trust him deeply and he has been good to me. I am Regent in the ranks- his right-pawed man, basically.” As she finished explaining and Harper asked where they might be heading, Sindri paused and perked her ears to the distant sound of running water. Ahead, greenery sat in the distance.
the staff team luvs u

^^Having been exiled at an early age, Harper never had the chance to see such magical sights as this one. A frozen waterfall, with the top still being frozen, but free flowing water underneath. It was almost romantic.

And Harper found herself wishing she wasn’t here with a stranger. The stranger, whom was of Northfall, though pretty and nice - had Harper wondering if she could be trusted. She’d not heard of Northfall; had no way of knowing if they were friend or foe.

And one wolf couldn’t quite represent the entirety of one pack - could it? As Sindi spoke, Harper pondered such things, but Sindi, who mothered her King’s children, and was second — a Regent — to Northfall did not voice a concern nor did she withhold any information.

Her fears of speaking too much and endangering herself, her sister, and all of Valeska was swept under the carpet, for now.

Instead, her thoughts would rest on Crux, and the idea of a Prime Giver. “Regent is fancy too, no? Has more powah in the way of ranks than I will ever hold.” Though packs, politics, and religion were not things that Harper would ever care for, sometimes she just wanted to feel important enough to matter.

“Does you come here often?” Harper took a few steps ahead, lowering her nose to the ground to sniff around, in wonder she could pick up on Sindri’s faded scent from previous visits.

^^
the staff team luvs u

It was quite a pleasant place. Cold and serene. Waters tumbled over one another in great gushes, half lf which becamr ftozen before hitting the pool of water below. Sindri crept closer.

“I suppose it is a bit fancy.” She said with a toothy grin as she tossed her head round her shoulder to look back at Harper. Watching her as the massive wolf came nearer, Sindri turns back to the waters. “No. Can't say I have been. It looks relaxing.” She could imagine louging here, sleeping to the flow of water falling off ice and rock.

Sticking out a paw and dipping her toes in the waters, she quickly takes it out, shaking it and laughing. “VERY cold though.” Obviously. Then, as shd settles on her haunches, “Do you desire more power in your ranks?”
the staff team luvs u

^^The blonde woman crept closer to the falls and Harper’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, debating if she ought to push the other woman into the cold waters below or not. A mischievous smile on her lips, Harper eyed the other female with a chuckle, allowing her to stay dry for now.

“It nice,” Harper would nod her head, creeping closer as Sindri tested the waters, with a smirk and nod of her head. “You is Stormborn, Northfallian, but no like the cold?” Harper smirked.

The question of power caused her brows to arch and her eyes to narrow as she gave it some consideration. Did she want more power in Elysium? No, she supposed she hadn’t, though it was an interesting feeling, when she’d become queen of Event Horizon, even for that short time.

“No, am nots as power hungry as others might be. Do not really care for the um, pack polly-tics.” Harper commented softly with the shrug of shoulder, though she would glance over towards Sindri with the tilt of her head.

“Does you like power?”

^^
the staff team luvs u

“True, true...!” She couldn't help the playful laugh which came then with it when Harper called her out on being a northerner and not being able to take the cold. “But I'm not sure that whole 'icicle look' would be good on me.” And there she thought of herself as a frozen wolf, shards of ice clinging to her fur in spikes.

As the woman then pondered the question Sindri had for her, Sindri would take a drink from the chilling waters and take a step back to sit, looking over the falls and trees scattered round.

Harper admitted she had no interest in being top-dog and didn't care for the politics that came along with it. Sindri admitted, she too did not care for tip-toeing with others in order to play nice so that they could keep and peace or make an ally out of someone who might be useful later. She was often caught acting before thinking especially when her temper got the best of her.

“I try to stay out of the politics of it myself...” She admits then. “However, there is little I will bow my head to or hold my tongue for. I'm quite settled with being a second or even third in the ranks. The power really just comes with the territory of demanding respect from others and sometimes you have to fight for it, which leads you into that higher position whether you meant to or not.” She lifted from her sit then, shrugging as she moved along the icy pool of water. “And I do love a good fight.”
the staff team luvs u

^^In the way pack business was concerned, being the top dog was not something that Harper had truly ever fancied. Her husband had been a King, and for a short time, Harper had been a Queen and it had felt no different. Ranking did not matter to her, but relationships, bonds, and trade.

Anyone could fight their way to the top, but forming lasting relationships, or learning a trade to better help others was something that motivated Harper. The plant nerd only became a force to be reckoned with whenever her loved ones were in danger. “But anyone can fight,” Harper mused, nodding towards the smaller woman as an example.

“It is why I chose not to go into warrior work. Cus that be expected of me, cause of me size. And I.. ” Harper paused to shrug with an almost seductive smirk, “And I, very much, like doing the opposite of what is expected.”

And so, she chose to understand nature.

^^
the staff team luvs u

Sindri's ears turned back from the woman's words. Stating that 'anyone could fight' and in a since, kind of shitting on Sindri's skill set. “Maybe. But not all can fight well.” She spoke with a snort. Especially not as well as her, or so she thought.

Sindri then went to eying the woman up and down as Harper mentioned her size and doing the exact opposite as one might expect of her. It was a pity she didn't decide to be a warrior. Sindri might have found it lovely to fight at her side, dancing around her in a flurry and fury of peach fur. But that was no longer meant to be.

“Maybe me being a fighter is opposite of what is expected of me? Given my much smaller size.” She came back to the woman then, a 'humph' on her lips there after.
the staff team luvs u

^^Anyone could indeed fight, and it was most certainly true that not all could fight well - had Harper known that fighting was the only skill Sindri obtained, she would have spoken differently on the manner.

It had not been her goal to offend, and seeing that Sindri was very obviously offended, Harper would offer an apologetic smile and dip of her head. Hopefully that was enough to fix the damage she’d intentionally done.

“Smol warriors are the most vicious,” Harper mused, in an attempt to save herself. “Closer to the ground; closer to the vital organs of the enemy or opponent. Not every big wolf makes a good fighter, either. They is slower and fall harder. Please forgive; did not mean to offend you’s or those who fight.”

But surely, she enjoyed more things outside of battle?

^^
the staff team luvs u

A small smile, a dip of her large head, Sindri found her slender muzzle tipping up to this. She would pull off the bratty attitude a moment longer until Harper began to explain. Sindri's muzzle lowered, bright eyes fluttering across Harper's face and away towards the icy falls.

“That's all very true...” She mused with a small smile forming on her lips as Harper spoke all this in an attempt to redeem herself. “My...uh,” She pondered a moment, fighting the words as she spoke of Frigg in past tense. Sindri did not know that she would ever 'get over' her death and so awaited the day she would meet her in Valhalla. “My partner from my homeland. She was very large, like you. Strong. Could take many hits and keep fighting.” Her thick norse-tones spoke as she rounded the falls. “With her at the forefront, I could move swiftly around, cutting everywhere I could which was vital.”

She smiles, her eyes falling to the pool at her feet. Silent, a moment, as Sindri thought of her. Shaking her head then and lifting it back up Harper's way, “I also enjoy hunting, which uses similar skills.”
the staff team luvs u

^^Harper, too, was fine in battle; she could fight, and would fight, for a good reason; a good cause. If it was to protect others, Harper would do it without hesitation, but she held no joy for it. Bloodshed and war were not topics tha Harper would ever enjoy, but she didn’t judge others for enjoying something different than she did. It was not her nature.

Sindri was a warrior and Harper was a healer. Interesting combination. Interesting also, that Sindri’s partner was female, but she had the king’s children. This, too, was different, but she was not quick to judge.

“She sounds marvelous.” Harper cooed softly, pretending not to notice the past tense in hopes that this was not their only common ground.

“I met my partner here. He was large, also! Light in color, like you; could probably take many hits as well. I never got the pleasure of seeing him in battle, though.. ” and though Harper did not enjoy battle, she certainly enjoyed watching a display of muscles.

“Hunting is good, yes? Who doesn’t enjoy food? What's your favorite hunting technique? ”

^^
the staff team luvs u

Sindri's peachy ears turned back, her eyes fluttering downward silently as Harper speaks of her former mate. Unknowingly between them, this was indeed the only grounds they so far shared through many, many differences.

“Thank you...” She speaks softly, sunflower eyes drifting from the woman and back to the easy flowing falls. Within the iced over lake, no life could be seen.

Then she pauses in her steps, once more looking to Harper and keeping her gaze there as the woman began speaking of her partner and spoke of him in the same past tense. Sindri couldn't pretend she didn't hear it. Not like Harper had done. Sindri gulps down loudly the hard lump in her throat.

“I uh...” She tried to push forward. She turned back away from the woman as tears welled in her eyes. She would bat them rapidly to keep from crying and while she did this kept her back away, sniffing and pretending to be investigating the falls further. “The technique isn't so much what I like best, but what works for the prey. The deer, hares, fish... they all require something different.” And she knew them all.

She was a fighter and surely could mop the floor with most, but when it had been just her, Frigg and Ragnar for quite some time, she was the least skilled warrior in the group if them but would always have dinner ready!

“I don't know...” She decided then with a shrug, covering what was a sniffle with a snort. “Maybe running I like best. I hunt the herds like I 'hunt' in battle and fishing and looking for crustaceans can be tedious. But a full on sprint after a hare can be both freeing and exhilarating. Testing my swiftness to their own.” She finally decided.
the staff team luvs u