time thrummed in limbo.
kvarsheim filled with children.
germanicus scarcely spared a word unless he was addressed. he helped to fill caches and kept the borders of the stone circle well-defined.
and he made his home in prisnálund, beneath a simple overhang of mossy stone nestled at its western point.
he waited in quiet for justice to be passed upon him, with no idea that moss had borne a daughter of their union, and that she grew up in swiftcurrent.
germanicus simply existed in a space he wished was far more a shadow.
There were new sites new sounds and he never grew tired of such things. So it was with advemturous spirit and the knowledge that he'd be okay in his packlands. He bathumped through them.
Grey eyes open and curious. Every so often following a stray scent he didn't know.
a limbo, where he waited to die.
a limbo, where he knew he could not live.
there was a pain, stretching in his chest, a breath that burned.
he brought a pheasant back, and dropped it upon the ground when he saw the small figure following. "hello, son of gunnar."
his mind was suddenly alight with visions of his own four at such an age, and with it always the accompanying agony of his failure as their father.
The child of fog and shadows looked up and up, grey eyes alight on the dark gaze.
I be sven.
He plopped his roly but down and poked at the pheasant. A look on hia face it smell3d like food but he'd n3ver seen it before. Fadir usually brought rabbits and weasels.
What dis? Beside food?
"this is a bird. you can use its feathers for bedding or toys."
the eagle plucked a wingfeather or two, dropping them before sven. "i am germanicus."
the yellow eyes watched. his mind recalled his own children.
Sven's eyes brighted a touch at the mention of toys. He sniffed it and sneezed, maybe not bed. The look on his face from the sneeze was priceless big grey eyes in head, floppy ears over one eye.
He looked up then with a child smile. Hello Germanicus.
it took him a few tries but he did finally get the name.
You is hunter?
"i am a hunter."
and a warrior.
and a liar, infidelitous, selfish.
the boy was innocent.
"is it something you wish to learn, sven?"
He listened a hunter. They got food right? That's what they did
But how.
Sven nodded. Will it help our pack? Amd you?
"a hunter can help in many ways," germanicus explained. "you learn to follow the herds. you learn to read the stars. you learn the wind, the rain, the storms. the skies at dusk and the heavens in the morning."
something like a smile softened his face.
"it is a good thing, to hunt. it means you can help those you love. and me."
Sven listened closely. This hunter thing sounded like a good deal honestly. He got to roam and bring stuff for his family. And he learn3d things.
I like it. I want to be hunter.
Though the next statement surprised him. But we love you too. Fadir says that pack is family and you love family.
we love you too.
a muscle jumped in his jaw.
"your father is wise. i will teach you to hunt." germanicus would not argue with sven, but he was not family.
nor could he be seen as such.
"what is it you would like to do first?"
Sven was oblivious to the way the man seemed at his candid words. Because he had no reason to believe love would be unwelcome. Fadir had taught him that love was above all important. You always showed grace, and humility and kindness and love.
A small smile at the words about his father. He is, isn't he. Good ole fadir.
He giggled softly at the thought of his father, though he tried to pay attention to the topic at hand. Rabbits? Or birds? I think one of those. Big things might be too much yet.
He had seen the older wolves hunting the deer and the goats. It was awe inspiring but also frightening.
good old fadir.
germanicus agreed with a small smile.
"i believe rabbits would be easier. you will have to run quite a lot. are you ready for that, sven?" he asked with faux seriousness, a man remembering those moments of fatherhood he had allowed himself to have.
A smile given. Acceptance in his answer. Good this was good.
Sven puffed out hia chest and nodded.
I born ready.
a small shit eating grin steel ryes alight with laughter and joy and curiosity.
a smile came again.
the man and the boy stepped out, germanicus hunting for tracks and spoor. when he found these things, he stopped, motioning to sven.
"see these marks? it was left by rabbit feet. see this one? it is crooked in a way the others are not." their quarry had been lamed, perhaps by a fox. he would wait for sven to investigate before he headed off again.
Sven tried to mimic what the older man was doing. How he looked and smelled the ground. Sven didn't understand fully what he was looking for, but he was trying to understand.
Then there was a track in the dirt. And Sven lay his nose towards it. He sneezed. It smelled musty and like dirt, but there was a scent to it, that lay thick and heavy form some of the meat their parents had brought them to eat.
Does that mean it was hurt?
the eagle nodded. "when a rabbit is hurt, often this means it was caught by teeth an escaped. perhaps a fox in this case. they flee, but they cannot live for long."
he loped on, ensuring sven followed. germanicus pointed out how the trail grew stronger, leading in grass which held a greater height than the boy himself.
Sven lsitened close. Father hadn't taught them to hunt yet, but he was excited to tell him and mother of it all.
He listened and studied things pointed out. When they came to the large grass he stared wide eyed at it. Then he looked to Germanicus for next instructions.
the eagle passed into it, parting the blades for sven.
he pointed out tracks in the softer earth, and how they were crossed with other scents beside.
he encouraged the boy to hold their trail without distraction, and continued on, falling to a halt when he spotted the tell-tale changing pelt of a rabbit up ahead.
Sven hurried through the parted grasses. A smile up at the man that had helped him, eyes bright in his head.
Sven saw it and felt something inside shift. A feeling of apprehension and yet a need to chase. But he tried not to run. He vibrated beside Germanicus and looked up at hte man waiting for instructions. Even though every part of him wanted to run.
the ranger moved quietly, easily.
his muscles tensed.
the yellowpaint eyes fell now to the boy.
"go," he said in a low cast of his voice.
Sven saw the beast and he was off. As soon as the words left the mans lips.
A thumping wild sound was deep in hia chest and a deep rumble of a growl lit up the air sround them. He chased. Finally knocking the creature sprawling and pouncing. He only managed to bite thr paw bwfore the creature got away, but he gave chase again.
the boy struck true! luck gave the beast flight.
he followed behind, cutting to the right as the animal tried to swerve from sven's path.
and again, to the left.
he herded. the younger wolf chased.
[
Sven drug it out for a bit mostly because he wasn't 100% aure what to do, but finally he managedcto clamp yhe beast behind thr head and it went limp in his maw.
He looked up at the wolf Germanicus with a wagging tail.
it was over in a moment.
"well done," and his voice carried for a moment a note of paternal pride.
"carry that back to your father," germanicus urged gently. "he too will be pleased."