Death becomes us in the age of desolation

What are timelines even - I realize the timeline on this doesn't make any real sense (Olive rescue happened like a month ago), but I'm going to assume this is "soon" after the attack on Kuhn and also the night that the megastorm hits. If that doesn't work I'm totally happy to change it, just figured it would add interest!
@Kuhn @Ragnar

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 The longer they moved toward Northfall, the more it seemed that the dark clouds were following them. Valmúa felt the static in the air. It had been like that for what seemed like days, but her mind had been far too distracted during their journey west to bother with it. Of course the sky would fall on them the moment things started to go south. Of course.
 What was truly remarkable was the violence that struck the air. Thick, terrifying flashes of lightning blasted about them in purple and white, cutting the air like fell knives. It was as though the gods had also been infuriated by the insolence of Vanderfell and Shiroshika. Their fury mirrored Valmúa's own, but they could not stop to watch the light show.
 As they came to the unfamiliar borders of Northfall, they moved through to the woods until Valmúa put her nose to the ground and found a scent marker. The storm rumbled about them. She kept close to Kuhn, feeling a twinge of fear, though she had never been known to be afraid of a storm.
 It was all too fitting that they came to the Stormborn, seeking shelter. Their wounds were deep. Their feet were sore. Their rage was palpable. Valmúa lifted her head to the sky to howl for the wolves of Northfall. She had to do so twice — the first was drowned by the crackling of thunder.

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Trusting the fire woman with all the strength he had left, he pressed on, his musculature grinding.  Wounds that had somewhat ceased their bleeding once again opened themselves at the exertion.  Waking from his fevered slumber was the worst part of it all, a body that had finally found rest was once more forced to move.    

 

After some time, the cat had to thank the gods that the numbness returned.  All he could do was focus on the next step. The cracking of lightning and the roll of thunder was reassuring, there was a certain raw power to it all throwing his mind into a frenzy of senses.  Perhaps he only saw it that way because he watched that woman press on, as the flashes of light dressed her coat and fueled her fire. 
 

Once they had arrived, the cold seemed to hit harder again.  His wounds where making him sweat and the wind whisked through his fur, causing the massive beast to tremor.    Again, the woman was lit with that heavenly flame as she called out to the sky, in the midst of it all the striped beast looked on in awe, his senses spinning, but his admiration for this creature dominating the rest. 

 

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The Gods were angry. Which ones, Ragnar did not know. To him, it was as though the Sun God and Moon Mother were at odds with one another. Such so that the tides of Poseidon moved more fiercely so then Ragnar had ever seen before. The winds stung his eyes and frozen his ears. Mother earth trembled with each quake of lightning strike.

Sindri sought out her daughter, @Aslaug, among the mountain slopes, to atone the Norse Gods and try to find meaning in what was happening to their mortal world. Ragnar moved southward, into the evergreen forest which arched around the northern and eastern borders of their home. 

The Stormborn's hairs along his back and nape stood upright with the electricity in the air. His heart pounded with the boom of thunder in the heavens. This was definitely not normal and Ragnar both admired it and feared it.

After a time of strolling towards the border, to break from the pine canopy and more towards the outskirts, he would hear the call on the wind. It sounded so distance despite her not being far. Valmua?? Ragnar would not hesitate for the red babe and knew @Krakarak would not be far if visitors were coming to their border.

What Ragnar arrived to was not at all which he had expected.

It was both Valmua and Kuhn. Ragnar hadn't seen this much blood on them since they had fought together in The Frozen Ground, yet this time the blood was all their own. His icy eyes shifted between the both of them, but it was not them which he addressed first. “Krakarak, I need your flight!” He calls and commands to his feathered friend. He was almost half afraid of Kra flying out in this weather- didn't want the poor basterd to get electrocuted! “Seek the Windmere wolves in the valley of the central mountain chain. They've a healer with them or anyone else you might know.” He didn't know if Windmere would be willing and able or if Krakarak knee others, though they would try.

Then, directing his attention to Valmua and Kuhn as he padded nearer to them. “Come deeper into the pines and out of the winds and tell me what the fuck happened to you two??”
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 This weather was terrible! And what was that in the sky?! Dancing creatures! It wasn't the first time it had happened and he was a mixture of both terrified and outraged. Why wasn't there a bird up there? Birds were much better than the land-bound creatures! A crack of lightning had him squawking and fluttering up a couple of feet from the branch he'd been perched on. He... he should find Ragnar. Not because he was scared or anything. No, simply because he was... uh... he was sure the wolf was afraid of this! Yeah! Ragnar completely needed him right now! Yup yup.

 He launched himself out of the tree and no sooner had he done so did he hear the call of wolves at the border. Curious, he angled himself towards the border and circled above a mangled stripe-cat and red wolf. Oooooohhhhhh, was the tiger an offering? Would they have a snack?! What's more... there was Ragnar!

 Excitedly he flew down and landed across Ragnar's shoulders, about to sing the praises of the red wolf who brought food! Except... except that wasn't it. He huffed --as much as a bird could-- in annoyance. He wanted to stay and get the tiger-meal and speak with the pretty red woooolllffff. However, he could hear the urgency in Ragnar's voice and would heed the command. Ragnar wasn't pretty like the bright, colorful wolf but he was still Ragnar.

 However, he wouldn't be Krakarak if he didn't complain just a little. "Bah! Krakarak die in this storm! He want tasty food for when he get back! Krak! If he not dead!" He said with a huff but wiggled his tail feathers, adjusted his wings and then launched off of Ragnar with a, "KRAKAW!" He flew eastward, towards Windmere... and their dumb stupid name.

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 Her tired feet felt weighted, as though some invisible force from this queer storm had planted iron upon her claws. A flash and thunderous roar from the night sent shockwaves through her as the great prince rattled beside her. Chill was taking him, and though Valmúa was no healer, she knew that he needed to get somewhere warm, and fast.
 She wanted to cry out in gratitude when Ragnar was quick to respond, finding them in the dark as though he had mapped every trail of this great wood and mountain. Valmúa had not yet bothered to look behind her. If she did, she might have seen the storm's centre brewing over her old mountain.
 Though the pair had once met under odd circumstance, Valmúa had taken Ragnar's offer for shelter when most at need. She begged in her eyes that he would not turn them away, though seemed to know by the nature of his kindness after the walrus fight that he was genuine.
 Almost at once, a raven landed upon him, and the fire woman saw in Ragnar the image of her brothers and relatives. They were so alike in so many ways, and yet Ragnar had a playful nature about him that made him a better friend, and warrior. Yet it reminded her that she had not seen any of her family since leaving, and this choked her fireproof voice.
 “Thank you,” was all she could muster, and moved forward into the shadow and shelter of the trees as the wind from the storm wailed overhead. She had never liked the company of ravens, yet this one moved swiftly in a time of great need. As they moved further into Northfall, Valmúa began, glancing at Kuhn, terrified that he might keel over and fucking die on her right then. “Th-they,” she did not stutter. She was not a stutterer, yet the intricacy of the betrayal was heavy and breaking upon her exhausted mind. “@Reiko, @Ira, all of Shiroshika and Vanderfell were waiting for us. Th-they were trying to kill him. They were... there were many.”
 Suddenly, without warning, tears began to stream silently down her face as they moved. She had held everything in before that point. She had gotten him to something of safety. He was not dead. She was not dead. They had escaped.

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As little as the cat would have liked to be at the mercy of someone else, right now he had no choice. Though he was prideful in his ability to fend for himself, he couldn't help but see Ragnar in a ceartian heroic and regal light, as he emerged from his kingdom. Valmua had taken a liking to him. So if she approved of him, he would as well. She wasn't the most accepting of sort. So, if she approved, there had to be a reason.

Ragnar didn't waste time, assessing the situation inviting them in, wile sending a raven skyward. Still shivering, Kuhn limped his way into the treeline, giving respite from the wind. "Thank..." Was all he could muster right now, his mind hazy, his stomach nauseous. Before Leaning up against a tree, he paid Ragnar a thankful glance. He wouldn't forget this.

For Kuhn it wasn't hard to miss that all this had taken a toll on his princessa as well. Her speech odd, a tear in her eye. It wasn't like her. He wished he had the energy to move to comfort her.

Pressing himself against the tree, he actually began to relax, feeling just a bit better, now that his mind was a bit more at ease. Letting out a pained groan, he stretched out his neck exhaling. They would live.
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Krakarak was most certainly not pleased, speaking of favors upon his return. Ragnar shook his head, a scarred brow rising as he tipped his head up to see the raven take to the dark skies.

Turning his attention back down to Valuma and her tiger, Ragnar softens under the pleading and desperation of her gaze. Her stutter of words. So very much unlike Valmua where mostly she was filled with playful, daring and aggressive fire. It pained Ragnar to see her in such a state and the deep worry she held for her lover. A pain and sadness which in Ragnar, turned to rage.

At the name of the High Queen in Vanderfell, Ragnar's lip twitched. Ira had initially did his group favor by helping them find their barring in the new world before moving on. Though it was becoming more and more clear from their encounters since that Ira and her lot were a far more haughty bunch; stuck up. While they were Norse, they were most definitely not Viking.

In ways, their grouped attack on the tiger made since in a natural and instinctive manner. Big cats were enemies of the canine and it would be obvious that they sought Kuhn as a threat. But the behavior and relationship was far different between creatures in this world then the last. Kuhn had befriended them, protected them and fought with them. Ragnar's icy gaze hardened much so like the glaciers which they resembled.

“I guess I'm not the only one out there making enemies...” He said with a grunt and a heavy sigh, looking between them both. He wouldn't ask why they had been attacked or if they even knew. As they had been ambushed they perhaps had not. Maybe driving the tiger out of the neighboring forest near Vanderfell was their only concern. Time would tell. Ragnar wouldn't worry or fear what the consequences were of housing his friends.

“You two may stay as long as you so choose. Northfall is open to you. When you are ready, there is a cavern at the foothills with room enough for the two of you.” Living within the mountains, there was many. This one which was situated at the base of the mountain and still within the cover of trees, would do their stripped friend well. “I'd stay clear of the Isles to the south, however..  your not the only ones with enemies for too close for comfort.” Dragonford had not bothered Northfall for quite some time, even when Sindri had baited them time and time before on the Brim. Still, precautions were a must.
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 As fury began to bleed away into despair, Valmúa's violent gaze fell to the quiet grey of ash after destruction. She listened, wondering whom Ragnar spoke of in reference to enemies. She knew that there were many packs in the southern parts and imagined that even this far north, things were hectic. She had hoped to create a home within The Everfrost that was untouchable by wolfkind, if not by force, then by peace and understanding.
 That dream had died the moment that the wretched self-proclaimed queens had wreaked undeserved vengeance upon them. What would result would be the death of their children, a blood payment for their insolence.
 But for the moment, Ragnar opened his home to them willingly. Though he had offered before after the battle with the walrus, Valmúa found his graciousness a much needed reprieve from the betrayal of Ira. His actions solidified a hunch that the fire woman had held about him before; he was of true northern substance, where Ira and Reiko were pathetic facades. She nodded, knowing that Kuhn would need a stable place to rest. She was less worried about herself, for though her hip was gashed open and her neck bloodied, she would be able to hunt on his behalf while he recuperated.
 At the mention of the isles, her gaze hardened to stone. Any enemy of Northfall was now her enemy. She knew not that it was @Vendrussel's home, a woman she had once hunted with.
 “When I am rested, I will assist in whatever I can for Northfall,” she said. There was no such thing as a free ride. For the moment, she would consider herself as part of Northfall and ready to do what she could for them. She used her wrist to wipe the uncharacteristic tears from her face, sighing heavily with something between anguish and rage. “Your grace is appreciated, friend,” she added, offering a small smile as they moved.

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Truthfully, he couldn't hear much of the conversation between the two, his head was pounding and everything felt garbled.  It was actually an odd relief as the adrenaline was completely drying up.  The come down was so strong that the world felt like it was spinning, and at the same time he was sinking into it.  

Seemingly rolling in a loop, his stomach flipped.  Trying to keep it down, bits of Boomba threatened to escape, burning his throat. Gritting his teeth together he managed to hold it down. 

Though he couldn't really pinpoint it, Valmua's tears disturbed him.  Intuitively, it summoned him to her side.  Pushing off the tree he limped his way to her, sitting on his hip, half using her as a scaffold, maybe trying to show her that he would be fine.  Though he was right there he wasn't really in the conversation, resting his head on her back, blinking slowly, his eyes tired.
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Last posts?

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“When I am rested, I will assist in whatever I can for Northfall,” Ragnar nods sharply though speaks no more on the manner. It was not the place, not now. He would explain of Dragonford fully when she was ready. However, Ragnar knew he would have another (likely two) strong warriors at his side. A Storm was coming and it was not just the one above them now.

“Of course...” Ragnar murmured, watching her wipe her tears with the back of an ankle as he frowned in her direction. Kuhn, despite his state, was instantly moving up to slowly get to her side, leaning on her and resting his head to her as a sign of comfort. In these moments, Ragnar can see the depth of their feelings toward one another. A difference of species between them, they had found love.

“We should get him to the cavern. You two both need your rest.” Seeing the wariness in Kuhn's eyes, Ragnar moved around behind them and came to stand at the tiger's other side to aid him. Ragnar doesn't get to close, not yet. He wanted to make certain Kuhn would be willing to accept his help.
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closing it out

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 They moved slowly, but with purpose. Ragnar was fast to accept them and lead them to the caverns he spoke of. Valmúa was too exhausted to think of anything. She had not trusted Ragnar, once. But after Olive's rescue, she knew that everything she had thought of him, even the silly bits, had been real.
 And so the pair came to a cavern, entered it, and collapsed with each other.

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