running down to the riptide.

Ragnar smiled softly when he heard Surra’s soft chuckle, glad that he could be humorous when he wanted to be. He was so serious most of the time it wouldn’t have surprised Ragnar if all of his subordinates thought he was incapable of jesting. As it was the Viking wouldn’t have held it against them if they had even suggested it to him. It wasn’t as if he could blame anyone for thinking he didn’t even know how to crack a smile. It was easier now, he found, smiling and joking around, out here in Stavanger Bay where there was no worry of a bear out for the blood of wolves, or a pack encroaching horrendously on their doorstep. Of course, those worries could not be entirely shucked by Ragnar …they couldn’t be until the entire pack was moved to the Bay. The tension hadn’t entirely left the Viking’s hardened muscles but it was not as bad as it had been days previous. “My thoughts exactly,” But if Surra had insisted on exploring Ragnar wouldn’t have stopped him.

Ragnar kept pace with the other man easily as they moved along the borders, pausing when was appropriate for Surra to add his own mark to their borders but Ragnar kept his eyes trained on the path before them, though looking at it was quite unnecessary because it wasn’t as if he could see it and while it was invisible it was definitely there, nevertheless. Surra could have easily found it on his own, and it would be a bit for the water Ragnar had consumed to work its way to his urinary tract but he was the Alpha (and Head Warden besides) and he felt like it was his job to be the overseer. Not that he thought Surra would goof off or anything. Besides, it was a rare opportunity to get to know the still in a way stranger of a man.

Ears twitched when he asked of Ragnar’s children and the Viking inhaled deeply and let it out. “Very well and healthy, yes,” He responded and then added with cheeky chagrin, “And trouble.” But he was smirking as he said it to let Surra know that while he didn’t exactly condone it he did not particularly hold it against them. Ragnar struggled with handling children of their age, with their constant need to push his rules, to challenge his authority when he knew what was best for them and not the other way around. He found himself losing his patience more than he cared to admit to anyone having never dealt with children so young and in the capacity as he was fatherhood had forced him into it. He liked kids and loved his own unconditionally it was just…work to remind himself that they would grow out of it and that he just needed to continue to exhibit patience with them. He was learning just as much as they were. As it turned out raising a boy you had captured who was already in his teens was absolutely nothing like rising children as newborns up.